On the Move again

[Bill & Charlie Burns]

well here we are 1 day under our belt and not alot to add, left PFB in the end after loads of goodbyes, then off we went total of 4 .15 hrs to sofia and a very uneventful journey, which was great really,couple of stops and enter hotel carpark, went and booked in , and dont forget this one is a freebe due to the problems we had at beginning of year so not sure wot we will get!!!!,got booked in ok and guy goes and parks car in secure carpark and off we go to room 310, open door and well we have struck lucky here, 2 not 1 but 2 bathrooms one with bath and 1 with shower, lounge area and bedroom, if we worked it out it is bigger than our flat in UK,

went for short walk and sofia has changed so much in the last 5 mths, and all for the better, after walk into the bar for a fewwww beers followed by ribeye steak and now back into room watching tv, charlie is in bath which is the first one for 5 mths and there are some wierd noises coming from there ,am sure it is not one of them juqusi things they have in the baths now days, but the sounds of bubbles is very clear, as said earlier we meet our trail boss at 09-00 in morning so am just about to put video on and head for bed,whilts listening to the theme tune of West Ham FC, Imforever blowing bubbles.

will sign in when next get wifi, cheers for now

[liath]

Hope you have a safe journey.
Liath

[Bill & Charlie Burns]

Here we go on day 2 of our return, leave hotel after a great nights sleep at 08-15 to meet our trail boss and his driver ( Keith and Joe ) at 09-00. Journey should only take 15 mins, but traffic is mad in Sofia and journey takes almost an hour, and then we drive past the petrol station we were meant to meet at, but thanks to mobile phones we all meet up ok, only problem was I needed fuel and the only place left that we stopped at, i was not sure about and only put 50 Leva in which was just as well as it was crapp and smelt all the way till the next top up. Journey through serbia went very well and both charlie and I were happier knowing we we with someone else should anything occur like last time.
After a few short breaks we end up in Croatia in the capitail Zargreb, the sad thing was it was now dark and we could not see much, we found hotel straight away and decided to fill upon fuel before we booked in so as to get a good start in morning, plus the trail boss had fuel light on, in we go to a OMV station thinking this is great a good fuel station, how wrong we were, the fuel had water in it, mine was rattling like a old london taxi and misfireing and keiths has water filter light on, great just what we need, after a long talk all of 2 mins we decided to worry about it in the morning and headed for the hotel and a few beers before gettting our heads down. Hotel did not have a resturant which was a shame but the guy pointed us off to one down the road, not sure what to exspect we went thinking well some thing is better than nothing, what a shock was one of the best meals we all have had fora long time and even better beer, plus price was good, after a few laughs we headed back to hotel for an early night and start as weare heading to Nurenberg in Germany and K/J want todo some sight seeing there plus we dont know how the motors will peform.

[Bill & Charlie Burns]

Day 3, Me and Charlie wake early and i decide to go down to the car and see what can be done to the car before we head off,only to get in reception to find K/J already up (07-00)
I get the blame for not telling them that the clocks go back a further 1 hr here, oops still at least we can set of early. Go to my car and it wont start until I turn it over several times and then sounds like a bag of nails and mis-fireing, Keiths starts but water light is on, new fuel filters would be great but neither of us have,this will be on my list for next year though !!!!
We head off at 08-00 hoping for the best, we have about 8hrs drive to next hotel so off we set, our car running and sounding like a washing machine with marbles in, but once we hit open roads we decide to put our foot down and try and clear it, to my amazement once over 55mph it runs ok just rattleing alot, after another fill up it starts to run alot better so that is one worry out the way.
We arrive in Nurenburg around 15-30, find hotel and book in, K/J go on sightseeing trip to the war museums, I go with charlie doing what she likes shopping, we all arrange to meet at around 19-30, for meal etc;
We ask around and find that there is a Brewery in the down that does food as well, so off we head into the centre, must admit it is one of the best towns I have beenin whilst living 8+ years in germany and would recommend it to anyone who likes history.
Resturant is great and the beer goes down a treat, maybe a little strong bit with a nice and greasy pigs knuckle and saurkraut soaks it up a treatafter a walk about its back to hotel and a night cap in the bar before off to bed.Its back to normal times now and you realise how much things cost, 3 beers and a water 17-5 euro, jesus a night out in BG is less than that.
Friday is going to be a hetic night as we have a been invited to a birhtday party with friends we used to know when we lived in Willich Germany, so we arrange to leave hotel around 09-00 and K/J will meet us later once they do some more sightseeing.

[Bill & Charlie Burns]

Day 4, Had a really good journey to Willich with very little traffic with car running ok and arrived at 14-00 just in time for snack and a few beers ( to Unwind of course ) before heading to hotel for 40 winks before getting ready to go out at 18-30 for the party!! K/J arrived around 18-00 after a great day sightseeing, so its time for the dancing shoes or not.
We all met in a bar just down from hotel, where i hasten to add we have used for the past 15 years having lived in Willich for 5/6 years, so we know loads of people in the area.
Any way after a few beers we order a taxi and head off to the venue, which is held in a converted warehouse and full of 60s,70s and 80s stuff, great entrance made and met so many old faces who also made K/J feel like old friends. Lets have a beer now and enjoy the night sitting in the corner and feeling lonley, no way!! after 2 beers we are sitting with a crowd and getting down to it , with every beer we were forced Yes forced to drink a schnapps, well it was like drinking the dirty deisel we had bought earlier in our trip, but this done far better for the engine though, fortunatley the food was 100% and soaked up the booze a little.
By 22-30 K said no more for me as i must drive in morning, should never say that to my mates k it only encourages them to get more, our final schnapps was jagermiester at 02-30 before ordering a cab and wishing everyone goodnight, we arrive back at hotel and both K/J need a fizzy drink and chocolate fix, so to the vending machine they go, then the fun starts, first K puts his 1 euro in,but there is already some money in there so K thinks he is on a 1 arm bandit that keeps paying out, there are chocolate bars going every where, by now J is desperate for his snickers and cannot wait so lays on the floor and proceeds to stick his arm up the chute to speed things up, the site of this poor drucken 62yr old man rolling on the floor was a sight for sore eyes and we were all crying with laughter esp; as it was caught on C.T.V, we all met in restuarant at 09-00 sat; morning for b/fast and say our goodbyes as we are staying another night for more punishment and K/J head off for there ferry home, once they went we sneaked of to bed to recover and prepare for round 2, waking around 15-00 we manage to get to the shops before they close and some how charlies finds something to buy!!! how amazing is that whats worse she always says and I always fall for it ( Do you know Ive looked every where for these and this is the only place Ive found them ).
We met up with our friends in there house and move down into the basement bar for food and drinks. I avoid the schnapps tonight and after maybe 6 beers leave for hotel, although it is now 23-30 we are having an early night. we rise in the morning feeling good and the need to go home now so leave at 08-00 and head for home, the journey home was fast with no hold ups and manage to get on the 12-20 train, what a great trip so far we thought no long waits at customs!!! Welcome to france / england we must be the only country to let all other countries in and stop every UK car and person and want to check who,what,why and where, load of bull---------- but heh thats the UK for you.
We load onto train and it arrives 35mins later in Folkstone so off we head home, we have no food at home so decide to go to our British Legion for a roast Dinner T/Away, but would be rude not to try the Cider, after a few pints we head off home and get in at 14-45 just time to unload part of the car and wait for my daughter and summer to arrive and Nan and grandad have cuddle time, GREAT.
The whole of our venture took 5 nights and 4 days, my total miles was 1856, total hours driving 32.45 total booze consumed NO COMMENT, now back home plaining next trip, a great 6mths was had and met some great people throughout both old and new.
Our thoughts go out to Joan Hughes and family on the passing of Brian this last week,who made our days sitting on the terrace in the past very entertaining with there chats, life is very short and it must be used to its fulliest, Merry Xmas and Happy New Year to one and all from us 2