by Bill & Charlie Burns » Sat May 19, 2012 12:15 pm
Day 3,
Well after a good old farmers breakfast of home killed meats, cheese, fresh eggs and homemade jam we hit the road ready for the next phase, we are about 75kms from the border into Serbia, where if anything happens Serbia is the place for it, after a final fill up of fuel we enter in Serbia around 11.00, about 10min wait and we are through, only problem could not find place to buy green card and once we knew where it was it was too late to turn round as we were through toll gate, ---t no we have the worry of getting stopped and fined, if all goes well we can buy at other end and will be ok, so we make sur we keep to speed limit to avoid being stopped, road pretty good although to come across another accident on other side, a large artic which is total right off, now way did they walk away from this one.
Last time we came into Serbia we had a slight problem with someone trying to stop us just outside Beograd, so this year I bought a friend along to help, a 1 mtr adjustable wheel brace for comfort, got in and almost out without stopping, but just as we were leaving the centre there is an almighty bang and the car rocks from side to side, jesus they dont want to stop us now they want to blow us up!!!!! on checking round we notice the lorry on oppisite side had a blow out while passing us and the blast bounced off us, but we are ok, Charlie wants the toilet all of a sudden but we are ok.
Rest of journey was pretty good and rain held off, now all we have is the border to worry about, we arrive at border around 14.00,pull up and notice the office for green card is closed, ---t now we will get knicked and we have heard they like charging what they like so its 130 euro for card plus a fine so we reakon around 250 euro,of i trott to the first booth and see a guy there thinking i will deal with it out of the car without being asked for it, this guy sends us back to the office , still closed i return to the booth and get directed to the next booth and the police man with the gold on jacket, ---k now i will pay he is the boss.
Excact conversation ( Me, sorry sir i have a big problem, him what big problem, me the office is closed and i have no green card, him no problem GO, me go what about card, him no problem GO ) have i stepped in some of the s--- that is laying around or is it my loving eyes not going to wait to find out jump in car and leave, Always said what a nice place Serbia is !!!!!! and save 130 euro + in the process, get into BG no problem then we celebrate with a good old english saying f--k that was handy.
Our next stop over night is Sofia, start heading in the centre and heavens open up and within mins the roads are flooded and you cannot see a thing, we get into the centre and it all comes to a standstill with police everywhere, they are not here to greet us surely. turns out there are some guys from other coutries wanting to invest in BG, next we know the main road is closed and loads of cars bikes and everything screaming round and we are all diverted, great sat nav gets us all this way but only works on main roads in BG, anyway after 45 mins going 2 kms we find hotel just off main street, We booked into a Best Western and have always been good hotels and this one does not let us down and cheap, park car in under ground carpark unpack travel bag and hit the bar, cannot get out as every where is flooded, so after a fewwwwwwwwww beers we had a meal and hit the bed around 22-00 lay in bed watching english tv and mulling over ther journey we have had over the past few days.
We wake in the morning around 06.30 have shower and head for breakfast, looking out the window its is still raining and cold, once down stairs we head for restaurant only to be told buffet is OUTSIDE around the POOL, STOP IT you are having a laugh, no it was correct, so there we are with ice cold plates and food, still at least there are no flys about to pester us, anyway after a good laugh we grap a frozen roll with meat and sit down, once defrosted we load car and head off to Elenite.
We leave Sofia around 08-00 in the rain again, about 1 km outside sofia everything comes to a holt again on otherside is a major accident 2 lorries and 5 cars this time it is ugly they have tents round one car and others are beyond knowing what makes they were, why do they have to drive so crazy in this sort of weather no-one knows.
Anyway off we head and land in Lidl S/Beach around 14-00, was hoping that the new M/Way was complete joining Bourgas but no such luck.
We arrive at app; around 15.00ish, god what a change (FOR THE BETTER WE THINK) new road is open and better than the old one, shops etc being built everywhere and the new app block by us not as intrucive as we thought, We are greeted by Kath, Keith, Bev and Joe who basicly took over and unloaded car for us, and will say very much appriciated and the neck ect was at its end.
App all good complex looking good although weather not good at moment but suits us until we settle in.
With the euro being better it made it a better way for us to travel and would do the same route again but would not stop in same hotel we did on first day unless i was alone ( Charlie will Kill Me when she reads this ) look forward to seeing some of you again this season if you can make it and about your trips, if we can advice on travel regarding hotels please get in touch, we used Agoda .com for all hotels the same as all previous years. Cheers