Blogs from Sofia City , Bulgaria, Europe - page 10

Well we made it!! 780 Km of cycling came to an end today when we landed in central Sofia... It was not without a struggle.... Leaving Sandanski, the skies were still sketchy.. it had stormed all night, the streets were wet, and it was still cloudy. We actually waited to see if the skies would break up... We finally pulled out around 8:30 and hoped for the best... while the sun wasn’t shining, it was a vast improvement from the previous day. It wasn't raining. We took a back road in lieu of the single lane highway for the first 25Km.. the road was quiet and scenic, but not in the best shape. We got lost in two towns, and in some of the towns, the roads were mud... so we got pretty dirty, which pissed ... read more

I hope you enjoyed the few photos that I loaded last time.There are lots more but it will have to wait till I can acess broadband speed .Probably Sam's. Still I now have a computer with an intact battery which means I can also access free wifi outlets at stores and cafes in Dobrich and Varna.! I also am using the printer scanner Sam and Stu purchased here (many thanks).Already it has enabled me to print off all the ferry bookings for Dec/Jan at home!I will be leaving here on the 28th afternoon Nov and all being well will catch the 14.01 sailing to Dover from Dunkirkon 1st Dec.Then make my way steadily up towards the Wirral where I hope to spend some time with Joan and Den.(2nd Dec).Catch the ferry to Belfast from Birkenhead on ... read more

Much has happened since my last entry.Kids visit went very well, enabling me to be a tourist again and also passenger in my own car most of the time.Thanks Stu. Dog had a type of mildly virulent mange and has progressed well after a series of vet visits and medication.travelling to there in car was messy BUT EVENTUALLY WITH PERSEVERANCE WE MANAGED A TRIP TO kAMCHIA,YUNETS AND BOYANA IN ONE DAY with only dribble to contend with!Will aim to take her on small' pleasant' runs in the future from time to time to keep conditioning going whilst maintaining her semi-wild status. We all went to V. Turnovo on the first Sat. before saying goodbye to Sven and Clare travelling on the next day to Sofia and then Athens.Unlike the first visit in Oct 2006, it was ... read more

Well I have finally started my travels, and first stop is Sofia, Bulgaria. A country I know little about, and whose language completely escapes me. I feel somewhat disabled by this and struggle not start speaking Spanish as my brain only knows two languages; English and Foreign. We arrived today at noon, Nikesh my travelling buddy who I met for the first time at Gatwick this morning, but had planned to travel to the IFMSA conference together via email. Luckily we get on! We were welcomed to Sofia with sunshine and blue skies, and given a glimpse into the Iron belt. It feels very European here with some very attractive architecture, but at the same time you can't ignore the Soviet style concrete flat blocks, and the obvious notes of poverty. It is a very small ... read more

I took another lazy day today. I woke up to a bit of thunder, and was not at all motivated to move. Also, I could hear the street dogs barking all last night and wasn't too keen on meeting them in person. So instead, I decided to take today to upload a bunch of photos, organize some travel stuff, and just relax. Oh, and I had no local currency yet, and I didn’t really feel like roaming the streets of Sofia by myself. Sketch. When I went down for supper though, the restaurant was closed. Crap. Looks like I’ll be venturing out today after all haha. Reception was super helpful and nice, telling me how to first find an ATM. (Minor detail) And off I went. It wasn’t too far, about a 15min walk down the ... read more