The Van.(15 Nov 2007)

The strangest an most annoying thing this month has been the van which up to now has been totally faultless ,anyway last week the oil light started to come on when the van was turned off very odd.Then when the ignition was off and the keys out it started up,and because it was in gear set off up the garden,luck had it David was still in and managed to stall it but only because the battery went flat.After taking it off we rang the RAC which be prepared don't expect much help abroad not without a fit!!!Eventually the sent a truck to take it to the garage.Off they went David and van .At the garage they sort of checked it, put a new battery on (not the problem)charged 160lv and said ok.David all smiles returned and parked up no problem,then we decided to put the van in the drive and yes you guest it wouldn't turn off.David decided to run round the block hopping it would help,well faithful dog and me waited,and waited,then round the corner came a mad man totally breathless shouting for a fire extinguisher off he went me following after locking dog in house.As I arrived watched by crowds of bemused villagers Mike and Sonni pulled up we found David looking in the engine poor van she smelt very hot and unwell,starter motor shot!After been towed home Sonni said she would ring the garage and David rand the RAC! again in a more than harrest mood.So now we are van less and waiting for a hire car.

On a lighter note I went round to Baba Dinkers and she showed me the art of bottling pears, from our tree's cutting them up into jars with sugar and water we had a good conversation what about I've no idea who cares!

Yambol.

A few events since my last entry,Toni our interpreter from the company we bought the house from took us to register with the police which you must do within the first month .What a going on you need a bank account,to get a bank reference for the police,passports ,driving licence,then you find there shut for lunch .God!it took all afternoon.

Still no more windows or wood for winter nothing arrives on time.We've met some new Neighbours Mick who's Irish and Sonni who's Bulgarian seen nice have offered to take us round Yambol and help with the language if ness,they are having a house renovated and have an apartment in Yambol.Where not 100% sure about them what a suspicious lot we Brits are,but better to be safe than sorry we shall see.(please note registering with the police and certain other Bulgarian red tape has chanced since 2007 when I first wrote this diary thanks)

4th Nov Anniversary.

Its a very special day our 35th wedding anniversary!!!not that we remembered until late morning .Lubo (the Hunter0 had arranged for a friend

to give us an estimate for windows and being happy with price etc we were waiting for there arrival little did we know what was in store for us.We waited and waited and then finally there here yippie!!!oh 2 windows 1 door bugger,things are slightly lapidaisy here.Anyway Ivan alias Ivan the (bastardizer)excuse the french started to unload from you guessed it a LADA? with Davids help cos he must have been 60 or so with amusement I watched as the Master of the aluminium window and his new assistant set to work,not that David or I had in mind funny old world this Bulgaria.During the weeks that followed the rest of the windows arrived ,but not before we had started to cut wood for winter the windows were in the house still waiting Ivan was no were to be seen.

Just a normal day.

Every morning See's the same routine,first the sound of a bell as the lead goat wanders alone followed by a heard of goats and sheep and an old Shepperd chatting to them.Out side our house is a track where all the animals meet before the herdsman takes them into the fields for the day.

Then the cows arrive herded by Villu (driver)to us because we mimic driving the van and point to the cows"da da da"!we have a great laugh with him he is also village security for the foreign owners of holiday homes.Today baba Dinka calls with some milk for us( goats milk an acquired taste)after the usual understandable chat about our fig tree i think,David puts his hand into the tree and produces an orange the old lass nearly had a fit she found it very amusing it was one of those unforgettable moments.After the visit we set off to Yambol which brought us down to earth with a bump!as we Arrived in Chargan the next village to Tarnava a large pig was in the process of becoming Sunday lunch etc this you have to except as part of village life animals are for food most seem well kept during there short life some consolation maybe.Them as we returned home a goat was in the same unfortunate predicament.No I'm afraid I couldn't keep a goat take it out to grass talk to it pet it then eat it! not me not me at all(but you never know given the circumstance's.

Speedy Days.

Sorry no pic's of the old boiler this new one gives a idea just imagine RUST!!

Gollie the days are going so quickly,so much to do and try to say(hard language)Damita our new next door neighbour has arrived to do some winter tidying he and his wife whom we haven't seen yet stay in Yambol through winter and spend summer here in Tarnava which makes me wonder how bad winters are !!.He was an officer in the army and she works in a bank.David asked him about our boiler old knackered thing not David the boiler,3 hours later he had it working speaks a little English too lovely man.(we are neighbours so we help each other I help you you help me) that the way to go!!!.

Sometime in the morning

Oct 13th,sometime in the morning.Driving to Yambol for a few things the roads are a bit of a nightmare think its going to take a bit of time to recover,can't really believe we've driven 2,000 plus miles across 6 country's and got lost in England.
Road into Yambol,and the Yambol Rams which represent  town.It is quite a large town,not very pretty has some nice buildings but also some Eastern block concrete blocks looks a bit daunting to a westerner.

The First Day in Turnava.(Търнава)

9.30 Оct 12.woken up to a lovely day having plenty cups of tea,before surveying the domain don't know when we'll get going still jet lagged if you can be driving.Wont do much today,waved to the neighbours spending day exploring.

4.30pm,met Laina and Lubo(the hunter)they brought us some honey(met)fresh from the hive very nice tastes different from the usual shop bought.Lubo in his younger years was a Bulgarian Champ at hunting very well respected here not our cup of tea hunting but very nice people.


Our House in Tunava,and the village shop.

Bulgaria

Picture : one of the Yambol rams.

Oct 11.On our way again,soon be there now weve lost track of time and are absolutely worn out its been a long and some times scary road.Parking outside the office David goes in for the keys hurrah!!!!!check time 5.20pm calling at supermarket then home!

Right get the door open,find the kettle and unpack the van get the bed.

Up on top of the world.

This is the disappointing bit,you have to understand that we David,Jasper and myself are not well traveled and this journey was the first time driving outside England let alone traveling 2000+miles to cut it sort no pictures of this amazing climb sorry,so anyway I have put some of the Bulgarian country side hope you like them.Let me continue with the tale.The climb Begin's and what a climb,35 miles up into the heavens and down the other side quite terrifying and amazing!!about a quarter of the way sudden stop why? this road is at press the major route,there is a nother but this we were informed has been closed for 2 years some dispute no dought,oh yes there is a rather large cue of mainly lorries with agitated Bulgarian men strutting up and down from the cause of the jam.we turn the engine off and breath a sigh of relief a rest.A gentleman came over to talk he spoke good English and we had a long chinwag waiting for the police to remove a lorry which had overturned it was dragged out and an hour later we were off again climbing up up, the road is very steep and narrow no wonder it is impassable in winter an experience we will never forget nor repeat (we hope) for a long time.

Bye Bye Romania Hello Bulgaria!!!

Halfhour and we are in Bulgaria!yes we've done it mind you we've still 300 miles to go,tied so were pulling over for the night and have yet more soup and bread hum i might loose weight yet.With full tums we settle down the nights are very very dark over here and quite eerie its amaizing what a diference street lighting makes.

3am October 9th,

Flashing lights and sirens nearly give us a heart attack!what a picture 2 fifty somethings trying to fight there way out of sleeping bags in the pitch black with 2 feet head room not a pretty sight David in full panic mode as was I climbing over the drivers seat and out of the door to face the local Bulgarian Constable,bobbies, boys in blue, po'litsia that is wanting us to drive 4 more kilometres to safe parking "banditoes,banditoes,how nice even though we are in total shock,needless to say we didn't stop again decided to stay on the road.

Romania

Into Romania same day making good time so far unfortunately that's about to change,the roads or should I say tracks are horrendous must be the poorest eastern country and it is going to take years to sort out you have to see them.Very slow progress not really impressed,have to pull over for food and rest doesn't feel particular safe but that could be our western way suspicious.
6.30 8th Oct

Have slept ok no loo's that's a pain in more ways than one never mind off we go again heading for the ferry?didn't no there was a river to cross me thinks the sat nav had kinda let us down,we are now traveling along the side of the river and I must say its the best bit off Romania though David would disagree and Jazzy by now doesn't give a fig!At the docks we get in line and wait until the block with the tickets gets to us no rush takes him a steady hour,nice man and speaks a little English got ticket 6 euros then have a "ferry tax" to pay 50 euros bit steep (me thinks we've been conned)but no argument if you don't speak the lingo!!!!

The Hungarian Boarder.

Arrived at the Hungarian Boarder,we sit in the van deciding how many euros to change slight disagreement maths not a strong point with me and this totally baffled me mind you not as much as we baffled the guy in the exchange office.With Hungarian currency in hand we have now got to get a vignette ?their form of road tax 4 days the shortest and a year the longest 6 euros.Hungary very much like Bulgaria,miles of flatland,then into forest area's this is were West and East meet and the difference is easy to see .The houses are very Bulgarian with rendered walls and red tiled roofs this is a very popular lorry route and they ain't half big and guess what" TESCO WORLD"well that's life I suppose.