Week 4 Bucharest to go through to Bulgaria, Camping Veliko Tarnovo

Monday, 23rd May 2011 Left Bucharest quite early and obviously hit the rush hour. It was a bit slow but interesting. I headed towards the bridge border crossing at Giurgiu. The lady official wanted something like 25 Lei for a bridge tax and didn't want to give me a receipt. I politely told her they are in the European Community now and it was the norm to give official receipts. Well, she finally came after me and gave me one! The bridge was very austere, full of potholes, however, no trouble driving through. It wasn't too far down to Veliko Turnovo, but there was no real architecture as such, just plain houses, nothing outstanding. It all seemed very bland to me. Roads not too good, driving a bit reckless, just keep looking in the side mirror to see what's happening.

Arrived Monday 23rd May, supposed to have left Monday 30th May 2011

Barbara's van and Main Building
and the marques ready for summer

The journey down from the border was very uneventful. The roads were good and bad, the driving left a lot to be desired too. However, I had a very restful week. Just vegging out. Did washing, washed very dirty van, made minor repairs to back nearside light, and changed the offside rear brake light yet again! Tried to make my tarpaulin into a sun shade. Had to plait 3 strings of string together to make it thick enough to thread through awning on van and not come out in a strong wind! Don't know if it works yet will try later today. Bought the adjustable tent poles at least 18 months ago in Yorkshire, only now getting round to completing the job. This is certainly my sort of camp site. Camping Veliko Tarnovo owned by Nick and Nicky Kinson, www.campingvelikotarnovo.com; email: office@campingvelikotarnovo.com. N43.04.01 E25.45.11

The facilities

Their plan started in 2006 and is nearly there. Their house came first, then the facilities block. It's a slight downward slope, but they've managed to terrace the 50 pitches, mostly electric, mostly with water, several grey water drains, one chemical disposal, but needs it's own water supply, (does have hose pipe, someone has misappropriated it!), excellent for washing dishes, laundry facilities, toilets and showers, a lovely bar/café and for the first time since motor homing in nearly 20 years I have been treating myself to an evening meal each night with a different tipple each night. The garden is officially tended by a lady Bulgarian gardener and everything looks wonderful. The swimming pool is 2 weeks behind schedule but it's looking good and I must say the local workers, certainly don't shirk in the boiling sunshine. Wonderful job. A few more trees will provide some shade it you haven't got an awning, but it will happen. When I arrived it was a public holiday (23.5.11) and also Tuesday and the bar was full of local English and Bulgarian customers. 

 The local Village Ladies Choir

My van looks out onto marvellous lush green fields, dipping to a valley of trees and the inevitable river, going up then to wooded hillside and mountains in the distance. Birds singing, cuckoos, doing their thing, swallows looking for places to nest, not in these eves, lots of sparrows, I think they've migrated here from England! An owl, not yet identified, sits on the washing line morning and evening, fire flies and crickets in the evening, marvellous. And I nearly forgot clip clopping of hooves when the fellas go by with their carts morning and evening. The skies blue with wisps of cloud, except for Thursday when the heavens thundered and rained down on us. The lawns were cut yesterday awaiting the arrival of 22 Dutch vans Saturday and about 10 Belgian vehicles sometime Sunday, this is when I take my leave. There is also an excellent taxi service 10 Lev each way, provided by the local taxi driver. Barbara (a single lady from Bonn about the same age as me) and I, and two Dutch youngsters, Pauline and Wen (on their way to South Africa, via southern Turkey, ferry to Egypt, down through Eastern African and onwards) went to the free showing of Son et Lumière at the castle in Veliko Tarnovo. We got there at about 2000 and had to wait until 2120 for the show to begin. The music was dramatic, portraying the history of Bulgaria, synchronizing with the wonderfully coloured and mysterious light show. Flashes signifying gun shots, blasts, just have to imagine, terrifying sounds like screaming. The Bulgarians have been dominated one way of another by other countries since the Ottomans arrived 600+ years ago. 10pm the taxi arrived for another bumpy and noisy ride back, except the latter stopped when the driver got out and closed the boot lid properly!

My friendly butterfly

My home made awning, did the trick

Alan, one of the wardens sang, played the guitar on Wednesday. I've sat nearly every evening with my wifi catching up with home, various things like checking whether my Safeguard green card covers me for Asian Turkey. “No it doesn't, this was explained to you,” “No it wasn't!” So now I have to purchase 2/3 months 3rd party insurance at the border, top whack £136 (www info). Not good. I thought I'd check my Columbus Direct Medical Insurance as well, now that's OK, it includes the whole of Turkey. Both insurance companies replied very quickly to my emails, quite impressed! Adrian, another single camper also a warden, goes off walking, cycling or just touring in his car nearly everyday when he's not working, my, he's got some energy. Another intrepid traveller, buying a £500 Volvo off Ebay for this trip, and he's living in a rather warm, nearly 100% unventilated tent, but is going to move his position after the bulk travellers have passed through, to a shadier spot near the fence with suitable tree.  I complained to Barbara who is German and widely travelled, that I couldn't distinguish any Bulgarian architecture along the way, seemed quite plain, badly kept, but nothing special.

She has advised me to try Plovdiv where there are good examples of Bulgarian houses, so I'm going there on Monday, another diversion, to have a look see. My route of supposedly 2000 miles to Turkey, is now 2,500 miles, with Ann's diversions along the route! and I'm not there yet. But I'm really enjoying myself here and harvesting energy to deal with camping in Istanbul, just hope the local disco isn't near the security car park, it's closed down, or something.