I thought I would take the opportunity of this challenge to share some moments of beauty I’ve seen during this time of the Coronavirus pandemic.

For example, I’ve seen teenagers writing notes to isolated elderly neighbours, offering help with shopping, or asking if other assistance was needed. I’ve heard of Facebook groups set up where people offer their surplus food shopping to others in need, becoming a traders market of sorts. I’ve heard of one young couple deciding to drop off packets of toilet paper, wrapped with a gift bow, to the elderly in their community.

I’ve seen people playing musical instruments ,singing and dancing on balconies, to lift the spirits of others in quarantined apartment blocks. I’ve even seen one lively person, dressed in a hazmat suit, dancing to electronic dance music in a courtyard to entertain a whole complex!

I’ve heard of thousands of people selflessly volunteering to help at hospitals and health centres to assist overrun services cope with the growing crisis. I’ve read of doctors and nurses separating from their families, so they can continue their crucial work without endangering their loved ones. I’ve seen supermarkets open early especially for hospital workers, who were greeted by applauding supermarket staff and given thank you flowers.

These are just a few examples, some displays of humanity and community spirit I’ve seen during this time of adversity, which I’ve found uplifting, inspiring and beautiful.

A big thank you to those souls shining their light in an ever-darkening world!

If you don’t have time to travel the entire length of the Silk Road, Uzbekistan is the perfect week-long glimpse into it. Located in the center of Eurasia, it played a key role back in the days not only in the trade of gold, silk, and spices but also of culture and religion.

Missionaries, scholars, and musicians who passed by the Silk Road hubs of Samarkand, Bukhara, and Khiva brought Islamic art and teachings along with them. Today, you’ll see these three key cities bustling with beautifully ornate madrasas, mosques, and minarets — scenes you’d only expect to see inside a chapter of One Thousand And One Nights.

When I told people that I was going to Uzbekistan for 10 days, the reactions I got all shared a similar sentiment. “Why Uzbekistan?” “Where is that?” “I literally know nothing about that place.”

Truth is, I barely knew anything about traveling to Uzbekistan either. But having been to many “popular” destinations in the past, I was thirsty to explore somewhere less-known; somewhere relatively untouched.

As it turns out, Uzbekistan is actually not as hidden as I had thought — there were quite a lot of tourists — but it’s still one of the most underrated and breathtaking places I’ve ever visited. So here’s a guide on what to do and what to expect in Uzbekistan. I hope it will convince you to pay a visit too!

Flying is the easiest way to reach Uzbekistan. The main international airport is in Tashkent (TAS), but there’s also one in Samarkand (SKD), which is where my partner and I flew into.

Aeroflot and Turkish Airlines are the two main airlines that operate flights to Uzbekistan. You would therefore either have a layover in Moscow or in Istanbul somewhere on your journey. My partner and I took the Aeroflot route from London. The flight was around four hours to Moscow and another four hours from Moscow to Samarkand.

Uzbekistan is one of only two double-landlocked countries in the world (the other one being Liechtenstein. This means that not only is it landlocked, but it’s also surrounded by other landlocked countries. So the most common ways of getting to Uzbekistan are by air or by car.

If you’re a citizen of the European Union or other select countries such as the USA, Canada, India, and Australia (there are many more too), you’re eligible for an e-visa. This means you simply have to fill out a standard online application (without needing a letter of invitation), and you’ll receive your visa to visit Uzbekistan via e-mail within two working days. You can find more information about the e-visas here, including whether you’re eligible for it.

If you’re not eligible for e-visas, you will need a letter of invitation, which isn’t as hard to obtain as it may sound. There are many travel agencies that can do that for you, online. The one my partner used is Global Connect and it cost around $65. He then applied for his visa in person through the embassy and received it within one week. We found the visa procedure to be fairly simple overall and did not encounter any issues at all.