On the Road Again!

So said my farewells earlyish this morning and off to another bus station. This time a 9.5hr trek up to Sofia. I’m late getting on to this because I’ve been overwhelmed by comments and ‘likes’ on Facebook. I can’t work out how to see them all so it takes me forever. I’m also still in the process of working out my computer so technology is taking up an inordinate amount of time suddenly.

The bus ride was fairly gruelling, mainly because not a word of English was spoken and I had to concentrate madly to work out what to do at the border crossing.That was a real performance. With the bus even stopping between the countries so everyone could do their bloody duty free shopping. I was cross with myself for not being more on the ball cos I had some TLs left and should have bought a nice bottle of French wine.

Anyway all went smoothly until the customs people started going through the cases on the bus. There was a very brusque call foe seat 5 (ME). Id locked my case as I’m in the habit of doing for the first time in my traveling life. This obviously meant I was hiding something!!! I unlocked it for them and out came everything. Knickers on the top with everyone peering into my case. Lesson 101: DO NOT lock case at next bus trip crossing a border.

Over the border and suddenly I know nothing! Its one thing to have a language problem, quite another when everything is in Cryllic (or whatever its called) and you don’t even recognise where you are.

First impressions on the road: Roads! They deteriorated badly. The Russians have got a very good deal to answer for architecturally speaking. Lovely ancient old farmhouses collapsing and ugly grey concrete buildings everywhere. Many of them derilict and ugly ugly. Very depressing. Sunflowers!! If I was here 2 months ago I think it would have been an amazing sight. Now it is fields and fields of black, dead flowers. Animals, I didn’t realise how little animal farming there is in Turkey. I was struck by cows again! Anyway…..

Eventually got to Sofia. Got myself some money (always an anxiety for me) and a taxi to the hotel. Very basic place but it will do…they won’t be much help sorting myself out though in terms of getting where I want to go. I’ve actually decided I may have to give up on Rila Monastry unless I can work it out all very quickly. Asked the hotel where to find food…did I want Bulgarian food?…of course. They gave me instructions and of course I didn’t find it. So ended up getting a pizza thing and a bottle of wine and coming back to the hotel. I then had another saga. Asked for a bottle opener (the Turks always opened my wine for me when I bought it but they wouldn’t do that here)..after much foraging around they gave me one. Got up to my room to find that it actually didn’t have the screw part at all!!
Being the resourceful Aussie girl I am I eventually found a way to push the cork in but it was a real bloody effort.

No idea where I am in relation to what I need to see so tomorrow is another day and I’ll get myself sorted one way or another.

This has been one of those nights when company would have made life easier!!!