What is the "strangest" place you've ever travelled?🙃 Thank you for watching! If you enjoyed the video, please drop a "like" on it, it really helps our channel grow and us to keep making these videos ❤

@0.x.0845

5 күн бұрын

Great vlog...visit more places in Turkmenistan

@robertholland7558

5 күн бұрын

Taking certain hallucinatory drugs gets one to some strange places…….

@testcardsandmore1231

5 күн бұрын

The strangest place I've ever travelled is to the Nort Korea of east Asia. 😃 It felt a little sketchy at first since this was in 2017 when Trump and Kim threatened each other with fire and fury, but we ended up having a great trip.

@peterbergman2131

4 күн бұрын

Brighton

@robertholland7558

3 күн бұрын

@@peterbergman2131 best comment. Been there as well, 50 years ago. Strange place indeed.

You know it's the real deal when you're advised to exchange money on the black market.

@MattandJulia

6 күн бұрын

Haha, unfortunately it seems to be becoming more common around the world 😘

@robertholland7558

5 күн бұрын

@@MattandJuliaeven seen bald and bankrupt doing that.

Your gentle and kind way of travel shows through and colors our experience. Your best line for me was when you said "ordinary people just get on and live ordinary lives". This is something we all must remember.

We just had our foreign exchange student of 10 months return to her home in Turkmenistan. I absolutely loved the food she prepared for us from her homeland.

The Stans are fascinating Turkmenistan is probably the hardest to find on Y.T. Great to see, thank you and keep it coming. 😊

@MattandJulia

6 күн бұрын

So glad you enjoyed it Ashley! ❤️🙌🏼🙏🏼

Matt and Julia I personally want to thank you for the beautiful places you are taking me … I would never see them without your amazing videos! I love watching you and hope nothing but the best for the two of you for a very long time to come! Bless you ❤

This is probably my favorite and most accurate video about Ashgabat. I went to Turkmenistan last year and was also able to get a loose and cheap tour. I loved that you showed the old/soviet Ashgabat (like no one else), it really has a totally different vibe, way more lively! The city is completely different at night, everyone's out and it is filled with green lights. We even went to the giant circus, and had some difficulties getting the tickets as it was fully packed. Ashgabat is definitely different from smaller cities though. I found Koneurgench to be very authentic and way less shiny, though I only spent a short time there. Turkmenistan is probably the most unique country I have been to, but I feel some KZreadrs exaggerate the emptyness and pricing a bit too much.

@MattandJulia

6 күн бұрын

Thank you so much for your interesting and informative comment! Really appreciate it 🙌🏼❤️😌

Fascinating to see these places you wouldn't normally know much about. Great informative video guys, thanks 😊👍

@MattandJulia

6 күн бұрын

Thank you so much Nigel! Really appreciate it 🥰❤️

Wonderful video, you two are good on camera. Cheers

@MattandJulia

6 күн бұрын

Thank you very much! ❤️🙌🏼

Interesting. I’d like to hear more about your experiences once you leave the country. You seemed quite guarded in what you could say. Understandably so, in case your video was confiscated, you wouldn’t have wanted any negative comments expressed for fear of reprisals. Thanks for taking us along.

@MattandJulia

6 күн бұрын

Thank you so much for watching! More videos to come about our experience in Turkmenistan 🙂❤

Such a different place, amazingly clean! Loving the content. ❤❤

I have a deep fascination for places like this - thank you for this video and for sharing your experiences! I love how you normalize daily life in each of the places you visit. Looking forward to hearing more about your experiences in Turkmenistan!

What a fascinating country Turkmenistan is. In the west , it's shrouded in mystery. Great video as always guys. Looking forward to more from there. Hope you guys are doing ok. We are on our way to a wedding in Rhode Island (USA) of my best friend's daughter and on to Boston. Sending you much love❤❤ from Harriet, Jim and Yuki

So Very Interesting! Thank you, can’t wait for the next one! ❤

As always, thanks so much to letting us tag along with you both. I knew next to nothing about this country (most of the places you visit actually) so it’s fascinating and living in the U.K. hard to imagine or understand the differences. However, people are pretty much the same all over aren’t they. Can’t wait for your next vlog. Also, I don’t get why you’ve not got many thousands more followers?! I’m thankful I found you! I do tell my friends to find you on KZread. Many KZreadrs travel, but you go beyond and really do your homework and justice to your channel with humility, respect and integrity 👍🏻🥰🍦🍦🙅‍♀️🙅‍♀️

What an interesting place! Thank you for sharing Turkmenistan with us!

Very interesting, can't wait for the next one.

Another great video.Thx.

That was so very interesting...didn't know anything about that country...thank you for sharing. 😊

Fascinating trip you're on - I look forward to the remaining segments. I'm guessing this footage is days old at this point since I can't see how you would have uploaded anything while in country. Also, quick note, I just found your channel a short bit ago diving down another KZread rabbit hole. You are both no BS awesome. Matt, you have a smile and friendliness to you that makes me want to buy you a pint and sit down for a long chat. Julia, and please don't take this in a "creepy old man" way, you are beautiful. Not just outwardly (which is of course true as well), but you have a thoughtfulness and way of looking at the world and the people in it that is....well, beautiful to me. Take care and stay happy you two.

Brilliant video. Thank you for sharing 👍🏻

Super interesting, thank you!

Very beautiful video. Really interesting to know this beautiful and "mysterious" country which you introduced to us in a wonderful way. Take care🌻🍀🌻🍀🌻

@MattandJulia

6 күн бұрын

Thank you so much Gabriella! Really appreciate your lovely words, so glad you enjoyed it 🥰❤️

Great to see you guys back together. I'm fascinated by this country. Can't wait to see more.

Great video, thank you!

Amazing vid! Surprising to see that it is not an empty city but with locals going out and about! Looking forward to your next destinations in Turkmenistan :)

@MattandJulia

6 күн бұрын

Thank you so much! Really glad you enjoyed it!! ❤️ Can’t wait to share more 😊🙏🏼

Wow! What an interesting and wild place! You are getting to experience some fascinating parts of this word and I’m learning so much from you!

What a fascinating video! I love that you explore all of these places that so few people really go to and dig into the way that you and Matt do, Julia. This really shows you that while life is very different, life is really beautiful in a place such as Turkmenistan. I LOVED the market - TBH your “old town” walk felt like walking through Ma’adi, where Inlived outside of Cairo. Very rural with buildings and family’s on the edge of the desert and Corniche el Nile…. But DEFINITELY very different than the busy streets of Cairo. ❤ PLOV and more PLOV! ❤ PS. An internet detox is not a bad thing but for you two, who earn a living on KZread, that had to be a bit frustrating. This was worth the wait!! ❤

Thanks for the tour of Ashgabat M & J! You are right, it’s straight out of a video game!!!

@MattandJulia

6 күн бұрын

Haha, the modern part honestly feels surreal 😅🙌🏼

What a fantastic analogy, Julia. Like we are in a computer game and it is still rendering… what better way to describe something to a generation that loves their tech.

Hey Matt and Julia, Thank you very much! Interesting place, somewhat abandoned. I was hoping you would show us some traditional food or drink, Enjoyed the video.

Thank you both for sharing this country that many don't know even exists or of the countries background. I cannot wait to see the next installments of this country. I love seeing your adventures through your eyes and what you both experience. I am in aw of how this country is. The cars, the buildings, everything. Def have me intrigued. Be safe!

I was in Ashgabat just over a month ago and was really interested to see what your reactions would be. Towards the end of your video, when you sat down on the end of the bed ready to reflect on your day, I noted the looks on your faces: you looked confused. And then I said to my partner, also watching, 'Look at their faces: that's exactly how I feel about the place'. Then you identified that feeling as 'confused'. It WAS a confusing experience. The city is beautiful, extravagant, orderly, peaceful but, weird. It's hard to communicate to people what it was like and so I really appreciate being able to, basically, share the experience with you. Thank you for your video! :)

What an amazing video! I`m very much into the post-soviet countries, visited Uzbekistan and would absolutely like to go to Turkmenistan, too. And, by the way, Julia, I love Georgian lemonade 🙂

Hello Priviet thanks for your video! So nice to discover those countries where very few touristes go, from a french regular viewver in indian ocean!

Love you guys! I'm from the US and have been learning Russian just for the travel possibilities. I may never be able to set foot inTurkmenistan and it might be years before I can visit Russia but I'm looking forward to it someday.

@Ultra-Violet

5 күн бұрын

russia is spent, done, they'll be digging themselves out of a hole for the next 20 years.

❤ wow you definitely taught me something today I never even heard of country .stay safe !!!

Nice vlog, reminds me of my visit in April. I even stayed in the same hotel!🙂

Matt and Julia are a unique source of certain kinds of information.

amazing video. wow.

@MattandJulia

6 күн бұрын

Thank you so much! ❤️🙌🏼

Growing up in communist Romania ngl it was weird and somewhat traumatizing seeing that the cult of personality is alive and well in other places. Even though I was very very young when the communism fell I remember this atmosphere, people being afraid to speak, praising the regime all the time for fear of ending up in prison or interrogated by the secret police. It is eerie similar to North Korea, people are right to call it that. Although communism was “imported” from Moscow all over Eastern Europe, it’s strange and heartwarming at the same time to see young Russians like Julia or Elina who find this type of closed society unusual and foreign to them. It says a lot about the changes that took place in the last 30 years.

Wow! Very interesting.

@MattandJulia

6 күн бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it! 🙏🏼❤️

Great video guys. Which travel agency that gives such freedom in their tours??😊

I can’t believe you are there. Man, I envy you that trip!

Obviously, a taxi driver collecting foreigners in such a country, is not going to be in the opposition, right? The price he pays for 1 kg of chicken is around the same price we pay in Spain. Turkey actually pays less than Spain, nothing to do with the number that man says!. Easy to check.

@MattandJulia

6 күн бұрын

We never said he was opposition or anything? We just asked him about his life…🙂

@charola41

6 күн бұрын

@@MattandJulia I've never said you did... relax, all is well. Thank you for your work, I really appreciate it!

@rejselyst-dk

6 күн бұрын

​@@charola41 The price of the chicken in the video is actually at the official rate. The current black market rate is about 17-20 manat pr. dollar, so about $1.

Two things really stood out, the city is very clean and nothing appears to be crowded. The streets and sidewalks seem to be quite spacious. The wildlife you managed to film didn't appear to be too ferocious 🐱♥

@MattandJulia

6 күн бұрын

Yeah, this is all really true. No rubbish anywhere on the streets, anywhere 🙏🏼 They were tame-ish 😅

Funnily enough, I love the peace and quiet of this city and also the idea of white cars. Wedding every day, why not? 😂

@MattandJulia

6 күн бұрын

Haha, you have found your lady! 😀❤️

All those government subsidies sound great but where is the government getting the money from, I don't think it grows on trees. Possibly from gas and oil and the fact they can drive prices down with manufactures who want to sell in the country. Might be a good idea in a lot of countries. That would stop a lot of these large corporations for gouging the population.

@seamusobrien2675

5 күн бұрын

When the government owns and operates its resources it is possible for the country to benefit. When private industry owns and operates, at all the benefits with the exception of a small wage bill are shipped overseas all end up with the incredibly rich. It's relatively simple

Surreal Matt and Julia. Wow. This is not the 12th century dusty camel meeting place of cartoons, paintings. Modern like Uzbekistan. Stunning Yep all those white cars because it gets super not in summer; Monumental buildings. And the food? How did you feel about doing the black market for changing money??? In Argentina it was basically "safe". Safe in Turkmenistan? Amazing video. Thanks Julia and Matt. Believe we met you a few weeks after this visit when we did the stupendous Uzbekistan tour with you in April 2024! Bises, hugs, thanks for this vlog.

@MattandJulia

6 күн бұрын

Hey Linda! Glad you enjoyed it! Yeah, the Uzbekistan Group Tour was just 5 days later! 🥰 The food was great, lots of Plov (your favourite!) and the black market is completely normal there, it’s how everyone that can does it 😊❤️

Very interesting place. Thank you for taking us along. But, the big question is: why is the beautiful park so empty?

Julia when you said about rendering I was wondering if you have ever seen the game DayZ? It’s based on Czech and Russian cities. All I see is DayZ buildings when I see this video. They even have a map of Pripyat.

@MattandJulia

6 күн бұрын

I didn’t, but I will check it out 😌❤️

Y’all about to enter clown world! Stay safe M& J!

@MattandJulia

6 күн бұрын

We always do, hope you enjoy the video ❤️

Great vid. What tour operator did you go with?

As a belarusian, who is native of the russian language, i am going to tell you the next: Matt, you're speaking practically with no accent and the same to your wife (sorry, i am not your follower and i have been faced with your chanel for the second time). Special attention to wife's skills of speaking russian. 1000% respect and admiration.

So much of Ashgabat is unrecognizable from 30 years ago--the Russian bazaar used to be a piddly and dirty market. Hard to believe that one can be nostalgic for Soviet architecture. A buddy and I hiked and hitched from Baharden to Nohur to Kona Cassir. The Nohurly claim to be descended from the army of Alexander the Great, and their blue eyes and fair skin lend credence to that claim.

Love the different places you visit. As an American, we know so little about these countries. Thank you

Love the ultra modern building with the moving image of a camel train.

Turkmenistan 🇹🇲 is the only country in ex USSR that I haven't visited yet so it's been on my radar for quite some time. It's so hard to get there though and as you said in the video, it could be an expensive experience with the visas, invitations, PCR test and all that. Great informative and interesting video nevertheless. Thanks for sharing :-)

An interesting looking place, blending Turkic and Central Asian culture with their former Soviet past. I can imagine that it helps that you speak Russian well! Thank you for sharing this. I'd be curious what the coastal places or the areas near the Afghan border look like.

I bet y'all are going to see that big burning gas hole!

@MattandJulia

6 күн бұрын

We really hope so! 🤞🏻🥰

@robertholland7558

5 күн бұрын

Bring a bag of marshmallows. Oh and a really long stick made from nonflammable material.

The higher the city's reflective rate the cooler it is. So, it's an intellect in charge.

🙂 Thanks Matt and Julia, would never have known how Turkmenistan looks like.. 🙂

Yeaaahhhh… this seems like a weird country and one I’ll be happy to just view through your camera.

I'll bet that Georgian lemonade has more sugar content than one could imagine, that's why it tastes so good BUT is really bad for one's health. Anyway, thanks for this wonderful video and keep up with your labor of love.

Hallo. What a difference between old and new. Seems strange to see you walking about in an area with so few people. Cannot believe how cheap the utility bills are. Cannot see the UK doing that. Anyway was really nice to see parts of the world that nobody visits. Good luck and take care😀

That's a huge food market

Beautiful Turkmenistan ❤

Its fascinating to see the OTT buildings and monuments in the new city. Looking for comparisons in history, they seem almost like the modern equivalent of buildings from ancient Nineveh in Mesopotamia. Presumably they were built for the same purpose - as personality cult for the leader.

@MattandJulia

6 күн бұрын

Interesting comparison! 🙏🏼

What was the place behind you in the shopping mall , "Australian Life"? I was shocked to see it.

Back in 90's I worked for a small British airline. We operated a scheduled service under the British Airways brand to Turkmenistan and yes it was a strange place to visit. As only two services a week were operated we usually had three or four days layover there. A very interesting place to visit though

you should travel to myanmar i herd thats the place people want to go to if they wanna experience ptsd at this time of year.

Must correct my earlier post: it gets super HOT in Central Asia in summer. It's at least 40C on 6 July 2024 as I type in the capital of Turkmenistan; mid-30's in Kiva, Uzbekistan. Do visit Central Asia fellow Matt and Julia fans. Simply amazing!

@MattandJulia

6 күн бұрын

Couldn’t agree more Linda, one of the world’s most underrated regions! 😊

That's amazing! I thought it is almost impossible to get a visa to Turkmenistan. If I've undestood correctly, the bald man has tried multiple times and always got refused 😄

I love the Orthodox churches of Turkmenistan

Thank you for showing where folks actually live and work -- footage of the capital is usually just the shiny parts, not the reality for the citizens....

Do they not know that the pandemic is over ? or is it just another revenue raiser taking money from tourists pockets ?

I am from Bangladesh 🙂🇧🇩. I am your new subscriber ❤. Love to watch your vedios. Are you guys married and where are you from?

I have been there 10 years ago. We had the impression that no one was living in the new buildings, no illumination in most of the appartements, no shops. We travelled overland to Khiva, Usbekistan. The most bizarre border checks in my live!

@Jaalejaale12 What did they do or say that shows any disrespect? I heard nor seen none. By the way, other travelers have stated the same opinions. I'm just impressed they actually went to the areas behind the marble buildings because that's where the not so rich actually live. People also need to understand why electricity and gas is so cheap for their residents. Turkmenistan is only able to sell gas and or oil to a few countries and not at the price they would like. Russia for instance was able to negotiate a low price because of a pricing dispute. Then a mysterious pipeline explosion occurred halting some of the gas export. Oil export at least to about 5 countries is occurring for now. The fact that internet is not available to it's citizens nor the tourists is creepy because they would have access if the government actually allowed it. A lot of Russians left a while back which decreased it's overall population but not everyone can leave as they please. This is just a few of the truths......not propaganda to create drama.

@MattandJulia

6 күн бұрын

Thank you for the very informative and interesting comment 😊❤️

Fascinating country, and very bizarre all light coloured cars.

I felt like this city had no soul, no life, no joy.

Hello, I'm from Turkmenistan 🇹🇲, anyone have questions?

@maniac43

4 күн бұрын

is it possible for foreigner to go into Turkmenistan 🇹🇲?

@na6355

4 күн бұрын

@maniac43 The country is unfortunately very hard to get for foreigners. The only ones that can visit easily are diplomats, foreign businessmen, and foreigners married to the Turkmen citizens. Otherwise, Turkmenistan is a great place, very calm, and has very welcoming people. Lately, the country has been slowly opening up. If you want to visit, I think you need to book a tour or something. Be ready that the 1st time you applied for a visa, it had a high probability to get denied, but 2nd time it can get approved

Can you comment on the many people I saw walking around in very beautiful traditional dress? Particularly the women and schoolgirls? Is that required or just the norm?

@MattandJulia

6 күн бұрын

It is required school uniform, green for youngsters and red for university students 😌

The market, teas, were fascinating. It was nice the urban people speak Russian. I'll bet other European languages are "by appointment only." The marble buildings are surprising, but impressive -- I didn't see any school children on tour -- but thank you. Not many windows to Turkmenistan!

after bald left they made some improvements. lol

Lol gotta love the Soviet North Korea. Nice trip and very exciting.

@MattandJulia

6 күн бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it! 😀

What currency did you use to exchange for Manat?

@MattandJulia

6 күн бұрын

US Dollars 😊 The official rate is 3.3 to the $, but unofficial rates start around 18 to the $ 🙏🏼

I have been to all former sovjet countrys even Transistria but not Turkmenistan.Very interresting.

I did not heard about this name "Soviet North Korea"😊

@MattandJulia

6 күн бұрын

Haha, there’s a first time for everything I guess 😉

I think this is one of the only videos where you don’t say; lets grab something to eat 😂. Any idea why only white and silver cars are allowed?

Can you let me know the name of the company that you booked the tour through.

Was the PCR test painful?

Guess where I'm going on my next vacation??

Virtually all of the buildings in that white color, if that's the right term, I think is absolutely beautiful.

I think this is more stricter than North Korea

What exactly tourist attractions is in there???

Muslim North Korea.

Is a very clean city

Is any MESSAGER (what's app, Telegramm) working with a VPN?

Turns out we were right. But I thought that you were actually going to North Korea by the time I saw the video notification pop up in my feed.

@katrinlausch3078

6 күн бұрын

Well did you see the "..." and "Soviet North Korea@? NK has never been a Soviet country but communist country. So I do not see the problem here sorry🤗

@Libyan_Islamist

6 күн бұрын

@@katrinlausch3078 I forgot to read the “Soviet” part. I was too lazy

@MattandJulia

6 күн бұрын

Fair enough, maybe one day, but Turkmenistan was a hell of an experience nevertheless 😊

@Libyan_Islamist

6 күн бұрын

@@MattandJulia yes indeed. Btw do you take requests from users that suggest where you could potentially travel?

@MattandJulia

6 күн бұрын

Of course, we are always open to travel suggestions and inspiration 😊