Taschkent

We make the last run of the day from a smaller but very steep mountain directly into the "Chimgan" ski area. However, the term "ski resort" has a very specific meaning here. There are lifts here – even a chairlift – but no groomed slopes and you just ski down wherever you can...

A jet of fire hisses from the exhaust above the hatch and the turbine of the old MI-8 transport helicopter slowly starts to move. Driven by the flight officer's hop-hop-hop calls, we climb aboard at a run, past the dented external tanks, and squeeze into a row on the two benches inside.