September 2008 started a new chapter.

This time my visit to Bulgaria was to last a month of luxury camping in Suzi's caravan

and what a month it's been so far... it didn't take long before the builders moved in and my luxury camping holiday turned into a building site which wasn't as stated in the brochure!

Looks like I might be getting the hang of this.....Suzi my website guru has got lost in the ethernet so I am trying to find my way around ;D

9th September
Well where did it start this time.  Gatwick and an early morning flight.  Sofia the capital airport at lunchtime and then a four and a half hour bus journey to the very south of Bulgaria.  Suzi picked me up at the bus-station and a word of caution, that loo you want to avoid unless you are wearing wellies and a peg on your nose and they even charge you for the priviledge.  

Next it is off to Bila, the local supermarket in Kardjali to stock up with the essentials like Coffee, crisps, a ready cooked chilckn so we don't have to, local brandy, beer, creme di menthe and toilet rolls.  Heck of a shopping list but when it gets to the checkout you realise why you are here and Saiinsbury has not made it yet or Tesco for that matter even though they seem to get everywhere else.  

Home is the caravan.  Hot in summer, cold in winter and in September it can be freezing at night hence pink fleecy pink pyjamas, bedsocks and a hat.  Maybe it's the Dunkirk spirit or lots of local spirit to bring the body to a sleep state.  Anyway this is the opening of charting my progress in house buying, getting to grips with local customs and the language.  

Rest of September

We had thunderstorms and rain that woke me up in the middle of the night and gloriious hot days.  We visited villages high in the mountains and saw houses that would have been great for summer but river crossings in the winter were more than I was prepared to do.  I may have pigtails like Poccohontas but that's where it stops.  I couldn't see me paddling a canoe when the 4x4 got stranded.

The dogs seemed to bark at anything that moved at night and that could mean anything.  Suzi thought it was a good idea to tie them up at each end of the caravan which was great until I had to run the gauntlet at bedtime when two brutes came bounding up to me just to say goodnight.

We had a super day out in the fresh air looking for Castle Ustra.  It's on all the maps but could we find it?  No.  It is on the list of 'things to do' since the view are fantastic.  Suzi, Annie and myself with bricks in hand to ward off stray dogs, headed for the hills but even stray dogs didn't seem to find it either.  The only watering hole we found had resident frogs but it was worth it for the views.

Renovation
I have this knack of organising Suzi in the way that she doesn't mind.  She wanted a 'camina' installed (wood burning stove with oven) so the inside wall had to be cleared and a new wardrobe system relocated in the second room.  The camina was dutifully purchased, pipework installed by us and lit as a test to see if the chimney was working.  I did suggest having it swept first but that recommendation was not taken onboard.  We checked the chimney and hey presto, no smoke.  Not from the chimney but it was escaping from the entire roof making it look like the house was on fire.  Back to the drawing board.  Next day one of the locals removed tiles, discovered that the only chimney on the roof was attached to the other room and none on the one that we were firing up.  So....Suzi purchased the bricks, the man came and built the chimney completing the project with a 'hat' to stop the rain falling down the chimney.  He also swept it with me on the wrong end of a polythene bag while Suzi, more renouned for her computer skills than practical ability, tapped away on the keyboard while I got as black as the soot falling from the chimney.  She did offer to take a photograph and I signalled to her that she could take two if she wanted which rapidly sent her back to the keyboard.  That night we had the best jacket potatoes ever cooked in the camina.

Once the workman had done the chimney, Suzi discussed the possibility of a shelter over the front door which rapidly took on a whole new meaning when he had a friend to help him.  There is now a full-blown conservatory the entire length of the house serving as a place to store the winter woods for the camina and all other outside tools that have been acquired.

Houses
They come in all shapes and sizes and the purchasing is not an easy process.  I suppose there are three that interest me but the fact that an English person wants to buy doubles if not triples the price.  I am waiting on the sellers to confirm the price of the properties and then a decision can be made.  It's good going out there and the caravan is great in summer but as I said, winter is coming on and I would like a place of my own just to have the freedom.  

Some of the houses that we have viewed.

October
Back in the UK now and it was good to see the family again.  Tim (my son) and his wife have moved house and yes, they did give me the address.  I'm going up there this weekend for my grand-daughters third birthday.  Where have the years gone!!  Callum John came to stay and I do miss him.  He is my daughter Gemma's nine year old and I gave her and Rob Friday night off for a curry and a pint  and a sleep in on Saturday.  I did manage to go shopping with Gemma on Saturday (well mother and daghter it just has to be done) and I bought some boxes that collapse and all I need now is a shelf to put them on.  It's part of 'prepare for Bulgaria' and if only I had a house to put a shelf to house my four boxes!!

We went down to the Coach House in Rottindean for supper on Saturday night and a good time was had by all.

Good news today.  Don't tell anyone I'm English.....details to follow when it's looking more concrete. 8)

The weather is absolutely terrible and the rain is lashing the Downs.  It's a far cry from last week, baking by day and freezing by night in the caravan.  I suppose it's like treading water.  I know where the land is but until I have somewhere to plant my feet it's quite frustrating.  Last night I got a surprise watching 'Who wants to be a Millionaire',  One of my old school classmates sat opposite Chris Tarrant and took away a fair proportion of dosh.  I did have news of him from another old school chum and had been told that he lived in Brighton but it's been approximately 45 years since we last rubbed shoulders.  I could have met up with him in Brighton and not known it.  Going up to Tim and Lueys new house tomorrow to celebrate Evie 'P's 3rd birthday on Friday.  My dad's birthday rememberance will be on Sunday so a visit to the church is in order to take some flowers.  

Gibraltar for half term

Well here we go again.  Bulgarian property was on, was off, was on again and finally is on.  During that time I went out to Gibraltar for half term with Callum John and we went up and down the Rock, inside and outside of the Rock and I don't think that there was anything we didn't cover.  On the first day we even went over to Spain with Maureen and Phil, my long time friends in Gibraltar to buy of all things, tropical fish for the aquarium.  The World War II tunnels were particularly significant and a big thank you to 'Smudge' who answered all the questions that a nine year old could possibly think of with great patience.  The monkeys were still doing their stuff and climbing over anyone who would let them and stealing the possessions of those who did not take care of them.  St. Michael's caves were a hit as was the cable car that Mr Bland has been transporting tourist in for as long as I can remember.  My history with the Rock began in 1967, the year before John Lennon got married there.  We visited the Police Station where I used to work but unfortunately only saw one other person that I had not seen for the last 40 years.  There were probably several but I did not know them or they me but the one contact said that he would still recognise me so things aren't that bad.  Forty years does a lot to a face, believe me!!

If you want to check out more about the Rock and I would definately recommend it for a four day break try out the Discover Gibraltar website.

Going to add a few pickies of Gibraltar for good measure.  Just one of the Rock and the ship washed up on the rocks that developed a split personality in the gales.  Just mind the gap.....