HY: ALA/TAS

I've taken a few flights in my time but this one took the biscuit! I have never been on anything like it - I think the plane was made before I was! We're talking early 70s here at least! There were no oxygen masks, no baggage bins overhead, just the racks you get on a bus/train, so a few items came tumbling down as we bounced down the runway and got off the ground! It was clearly made before men were employed as cabin crew - the 'hostess' buttons didn't work though! I declined the in-flight catering and turned my ipod up loud, to drown out the ever changing engine revs, and closed my eyes! And then we landed, or rather dropped down into the airport - no gradual descent or reduction of speed but thankfully the brakes worked and we came to a halt!

A long wait for my bag, skipped through customs where Denise and Goran were waiting for me and went straight to the pub for a bite to eat and a long, cold beer. Welcome to Tashkent!