Good day, ladies and gentlemen! Initially, I didn’t plan to write a review from the word at all, but the photos turned out to be very cool ...
I haven’t appeared on this site for a long time, because I fly so much and often (sometimes 10 times a month) that flights became so everyday, and I stopped seeing the point in posting something.
In the last month, solving work issues, I live in Tashkent and travel in small trips around Uzbekistan, since I don’t have the opportunity to travel outside the republic on bureaucratic reasons. And so, today I will show you the beginning of my final trip inside Uzbekistan before returning to Russia. Traveling through the Samarkand region and the foothills of Zaravshan, waiting for a flight at the Samarkand airport, it immediately occurred to me to plan another trip. And not just a trip, but a journey to the northern bank of the Amu Darya, to look not just at the opposite bank, but at Afghanistan itself ... but from the outside, without crossing the border. reconstruction, and in the same way, instantly, the idea came to me to fly to Karshi, and from there continue the journey by rail...
On this note, I begin my story!
The flight was scheduled for 6: 40... having slept during the day, I never fell asleep at night. Finishing my tea with lemon, I throw things into my backpack and leave my hostel, heading to the T-3 domestic terminal of the International Airport. Islam Karimov. A taxi to the airport cost me 17,000 UZS, which is a little less than 100 rubles.
The terminal of local lines performs exclusively the function of an air terminal complex. Inside Uzbekistan, air travel is less popular than rail travel, despite the fact that tickets are extremely cheap and planes fly like buses, but are half empty. The main function of domestic traffic is to transfer aircraft to regional airports for the purpose of flying from there to the cities of Russia and Turkey. That is why there is nothing in the terminal except check-in desks, baggage belts, a security screening area, toilets, a waiting room and one small cafe ... and, of course, a prayer room, which is a must-have at any airport in the country.
I calmly go through the registration, finish my cigarette and throw away the lighter. Lighters and matches in Uzbekistan are prohibited in hand luggage. I also buy a glass of cappuccino and go to security, which I pass in a minute. There are practically no people, there are no queues either.
Boarding started earlier than scheduled, I almost missed it, because there were no announcements in the cafe...
However, then I I realized that the main reason for this action was the location of the aircraft, which was on the opposite side of the platform, next to the international terminal. We traveled by bus for about 15 minutes...
And so, the doors opened. In front of me, in all its splendor, one of the rarest aircraft of our time is located - Boeing 757-200 with tail number UK-75702, bearing the name of the ancient city of Shakhrisabz, which is located in the Kashkadarya region. It was in this city that the greatest Central Asian commander Tamerlane, aka Amir Temur, was born.
Warm lighting and a fabric upholstered interior with thick seats from the late 90s ... everything is as before. Everything is like in childhood.
We are waiting for the second bus and immediately close. The supervisor, within the framework of his duties, draws up flight documentation and coordinates it with the PIC, drives away the equipment, flight attendants, meanwhile, translate the selectors and place things and equipment. Everything is standard. Everything is as it should be. Demonstration of emergency equipment at the national carrier of Uzbekistan is carried out on monitors, including in Boeing 757-200. The monitors are located on the top of the panel, they lower automatically. The rumble is growing, the speed is growing, V1 and Rotate. Everyday break into the predawn sky...
Total 45 on the way minutes. Regular ferry flight with a minimum number of passengers on board. There is no in-flight service, but refreshments were distributed before takeoff. Choice of Pepsi, Mirinda, 7UP and water. Due to the extremely small number of PAX, this flight can be called a journey in a reserved seat. The adjacent chairs and rows were completely free. Then the board will go to St. Petersburg, and the load will be much more significant.
And here comes the dawn... the steppe is hidden under the clouds, and in the distance the previously familiar mountain range Zaravshan.. .
Before I fell asleep, the plane began to descend. In Karshi, the minimum lower limit of cloudiness, the minimum of the airport allows you to go to the limit ... we see off the dawn sun and, dropping the landing gear, we enter the clouds ... and in a minute we will touch! Immediately after leaving the clouds, we pass the end of the runway ... for the first time I witnessed this.
Foggy Karshi met me with cold and amazing taxi prices! Surprising in the sense that it is twice as expensive as in Tashkent, the capital of the republic...
I see off my board on the platform KSQ. Further rest, because ahead of Afghanistan! Not Afghanistan itself, of course, but a look at this specific country even from the opposite bank of the Amu Darya is already worth a lot...
Vote for review:
