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Ann McCombe
I am a 60 year old adventurer(mum and grandmum) and I am about to begin the next stage of a chequered life.I have sold my house in N.Ireland to emigrate to Bulgaria. I will be traveling across Europe visiting family and friends on the way in a campervan - height of luxury as I have always camped under canvass previously.Knowing no Bulgarian and travelling on a shoestring I have already had many adventures(laced with problems)last October my 1st visit ever, but was so taken with the country and people I would have liked just to have stayed put -however yet again money reared it's ugly head so I had to come back to sell up.I have 4 grown-up kids none of whom were keen to go to the 'arse end of nowhere' so I'm off on my own again with just my large orchid collection for company!!I am looking forward to meeting up with both bulgarian and expat friends made in October 2006.I intend to buy 2 houses for myself and hopefully a further 4 for investment/rental.My 2 main bases will be in the mountainous country close to Sofia and on the East around/between Dobrich and Varna.Once settled I hope to receive friends and family and also return on holiday myself to friends and family in UK 2 or 3 times a year.I already have many insights to offer about life/transport etc in Bulgaria and hope anything I glean could be of use to other travellers.supergran
Travel Blog Posts
June 5th 2012
Well now on the ferry back to Birkenhead to continue with my holiday.4 wonderful days with all family present and a super wedding day in the middle!Last night capped off the time when all 4 kids and others/families celebrated my birthday with a meal at local eatery.A memorable way to end my brief stay in N.ireland.I also managed to cram any amount of 'goodies' for M+G and family, thanks to Road of Hope and Fiona Kelly. I intend to add a page of photos of the time there on a separate entry. In the meantime i wish the newly weds a wonderful honeymoon and all involved a great future. Will be back when I have access to mains power as the battery is currently running out!... read more
Another European adventure.
Published: June 2nd 2012Europe » United Kingdom » Northern Ireland » County AntrimJune 2nd 2012
After an exceptionally frenic 3 weeks the day of my evening departure(28/5) came 'in like a lion' and stayed all day.Excessively heavy rain causing brown run-offs on the roads in the village including a 'swimming pool on the level section of the climb out(More of this anon). Got the car packed before the worst of the downpours thank goodness.So after watching much television with the 'kids' I braved the elements to have a late lunch with M+G+Fatmay. Then again at 6pm to do the usual feeds and at 8pm,G came down to housesit and I left him and Chocky(head on knee) enjoying the evening till bedtime. As I said previously I negotiated the village road and got on to the roads that would take me in the right direction.With the rain continuing to download, I struggled ... read more
February 28th 2012
Unfortunately meta's son was sent to prison for minor offences for 5 months.So the first visiting day (last Sunday) I went down.I was informed we needed to be outside at 8am,which meant an early start at 6 to get all pets done (both houses) grab a coffee and leave by 7,since we had to take the longer route owing to heavy-icy melt water on the back road. This i accomplished by 8.02 after a diversion,in Varna, when M misremembered the instructions. We parked up within sight of the prison and carried the bags to meet his wife and other friends. Some delay ensued as people tried to sort/organise how to get everything in, and I was dispatched to find bread.Basically the only place available was far away so I returned without but was glad to find ... read more
January 9th 2012
Well you probably realise from the title,I've left belfast to return to Boyana.I packed all items donated and Sven/Clare's baggage(to drop off on way in Paris where they now live).Sven even sent me a detailed route + map from Lille to his house.Everything was looking fine.The next morning having stripped the sheets,washed up, said goodbye to Stu and Sam who left before me for a trip to England and left a note of what had been done I picked up my handbag , put the backdoor key on the table and left.Here it gets complicated. With half an hour's trip to the boat I had 50 mins in hand .Just as well it turned out as on entering the car i realised that my handbag must still be on the floor, near the front door, as ... read more
January 2nd 2012
I had to double check that Sept entry was indeed the last. Much has happened in Boyana but more especially on this the latest return to UK. I set off on the 1st of December to head again for Dunkirk to catch a ferry early am on the 3rd. I had reduced the time to accomodate the new route thru Serbia which cut nearly 3/4's of a day off the romanian route. I hoped that, car trouble not withstanding, it would still allow sufficient time for completing the drive. This was proven when 38 hrs after leaving Boyana I was in the last French services just outside Dunkirk,with a further 10 hrs till the ferry !! I had not stinted on sleep or comfort stops so it would seem that there is time indeed for unforseen ... read more
September 15th 2011
Short review to keep all up to date. Jo and Eamon got home safely and keep in contact. G has garnished tops of their corn leaving a series of stalks and cobs looking remarkably like flamingos! Mine will be done soon.Early tom plants are to be cleared to allow rotovation of the soil. we are also working out how best to use our various peices of land. Lots of horse,goats and sheep fodder this year with more to come.With the cobs we should not need to buy any fodder!! Rakia goes on with the last of the plums getting the addition of peaches after the high winds we have had.Weather is still scorching with daily temps of 25 - 40 degrees and down to 20 each night.Not comfy and the pool remains my lifeline.Another dose of ... read more
September 7th 2011
It's the witching hour,ie when electricity is that bit cheaper. Had a lovely skype session with Sam and a conference session with Sven ,Sam and(briefly) Stu. A new first for us.No videos but sound.Eerie! With respect to the harvesting everything is going well and now have peppers,aubergine and corn in the freezer.Also Jack and Aaron! lots of meat for winter. I have now met and got friendly with Eamon and Joe Dalrymple who have a house 2 'blocks' over as the americans would say. Joe first contacted me on my blog site and they have been great. Slotted in well to G+M and Eamon's Scots wig/hat went down a treat!(G's birthday evening celebrations.)As a result G got to work clearing the grounds round their site and completing structural repairs. Good for both - reliable workers and ... read more
August 10th 2011
So now back in harness well and truely!With problems over other houses resolved, 33L of Rakia laid down and a further 4 batches to be distilled on Fri and Sat ,Sunday will see resumption of picking plums.Done in the age old way laying bedsheets under the tree and knocking the branches with a long pole.Those that miss the sheets are gathered up in a bucket. There is not much to do in the garden except water and harvest toms,cucumbers and corn.The greenhouse has served us well as have the garden plantings.Melons are struggling but making progress.Field crops(Fodder corn and marrows) are suffering from lack of water but Lucerne well grown and pleanty for winter feed already plus another 2 cuts as well! The weather continues hot(28 - 34)degs with a couple of overnites heavy rain since ... read more
July 11th 2011
.It's now July and since my last blog I have had a wonderful 4 weeks in Cornwall visiting dear friends.Mine hosts have enough problems currently to cope with but still managed to survive my visit.,they even said I'd been a great help.Only one days hot solid sun in that time, but mostly I wanted to use the stay to see people, so that was my day to the beach(Fisherman's). I got to know and enjoy a new friend(the widow of Danny who was terminally ill last year but soldiered on till 2 days before I arrived) .I was therefore able to say good bye again finally and I felt priviledged to be there and subsequently meet up with Wendy for a nice walk in the countryside.I spent 3/4 day in St.Ives and 4 visits to Eden ... read more
May 13th 2011
Not sure about the new format but here goes! The weather continued to be unusually cold and dull with just a few days of sun(unlike february).Thought we might have 'peaked' early however now back on course for normal sunny weather.Having planted field corn and pumpkin seeds it was a shock to have exceptionally heavy rain,thunder and lightning causing land slip of top soil to bottim of field. the next day Hoping the seeds were buried low enough to survive. Gains and losses have been had namely the birth and then loss at 6 weeks of a male lamb and a male kid,born 30/4 and named Aaron. Brett and Kathy were over for easter and the cooler weather suited them ideally.We had a great time and I think Brett managed to relax a bit after his heavy ... read more
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