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Uzbekistan – a landlocked country nestled at the heart of the Silk Road. Fertile lands of the wise khanates, hard negotiators controlling powerful trade routes, where imperial powers once hustled for influence in the Great Game – and now once more attracting the interest of the world. For generations, the country has been almost entirely closed. The previous regime was obsessed with control and suspicious of success. International investors were routinely burnt, with giants such as General Motors and BAT clinging on through gritted teeth and constant harassment. In an economy dominated by the state, entrepreneurs had to be creative in order to grow. Since 2016, the picture has been changing and the economy has been opening up.

The Silk Road – the mystical trading route of folklore. Uzbekistan, its heart – a fertile purveyor of gold, spices and fruit to the tables of Europe. The cities of Samarkand, Khiva and Bukhara – blue dome crossroads of cultures, melting pots of nationalities and hubs of frenetic trade. The legacy earned by centuries of hagglers has been repressed for decades. The country tumbled out of Soviet shackles into self-imposed isolationism. A brief flirtation with capitalism was unpopular; borders closed and the economy turned inwards. ‘Uzbekistan is making up for lost time and retaking its place as a player in global production’ Yet since 2016, Uzbekistan has been tearing down the walls it had built. A new government is hungry to change the status quo.

The London-Tashkent flight overflows with excited trilingual students arguing over seats, food and commodity prices. One brings a western shoe brand to Central Asia; another will take a chance on the fledgling tourism industry. These ambitions are being brought home – to Uzbekistan: a nation rapidly transforming into a land of opportunity. What is your stereotype of Uzbekistan? The formidable towers of Samarkand on the mystical Silk Road? A Soviet republic whose water was drained away in agricultural experiments? Or maybe a reclusive strong-armed former government who burned bridges and built walls? This country has been blowing away these stereotypes since 2016. A raft of presidential reforms have ushered in new freedoms of business, travel and expression.