Uzbekistan. Daewoostan

I called it Daewoostan, as the vast majority of vehicles moving on Uzbekistan’s roads are Daewoo, locally assembled.

The country is wonderful. It has grand traditions and history to be proud of. People are really friendly and to see the country properly three weeks would not be rushing it. The only problem with Uzbekistan is its banknotes. The largest bill in 2008 was 1,000 sumys, which was worth about €0.50

Tashkent is very pleasant, modern and civilised with many cafes and bars offering free wi-fi internet connection. It was green, had great parks, excellent nightlife and a few of grand monuments.

Khiva is Uzbekistan’s gem. It is a lovely little town with so many architectural wonders that it beggars belief it is actually real.

Bukhara is known in Uzbekistan as a ‘city-museum’. It is wonderful. It is less conservative than Khiva so it has a better night scene. It is also packed with Islamic monuments, so lovely and so many that it is a perfect spot to just wander around and have tea from a cafe to a cafe.

Samarkand is a legend. It has been one of the most important cities along the Great Silk Road. It has been neglected for too long, but restoration is in full swing and some of the greatest monuments from the Uzbekistan Golden Ages are being brought back from the ashes.

Sakhrisabz is a small town. Pleasant and with a few remarkable monuments - all connected to the great Emir Timur, under whom the country flourished.