travelling to bulgaria in 2020

[truckyboy]

Sell Overseas Property

Hi Folks, its very quiet on My BG as of late, I wonder if any of you are travelling this year..i have a ferry booked for june 22nd..so am waiting in anticipation of the lifting of restriction across europe. Bulgaria are saying that the EU should debate and state travel across europe, which borders have restrictions etc, they also state they want to have a summer season, albeit not so busy this year, Restaurants are open if they have outside chairs/tables so long as they follow the distance rules, the beaches are also getting ready, and are thinking of offering a free holiday to those paying into the system. Corona cases are not as high as other countries but are stating a 2 week isolation for non residents..i should be ok as i have long term residency, and am also married to a bulgarian..my wife is wishing to fly, but no flights as yet to bourgas, only sofia by wizz.
I wonder if you have any views on this..stay safe everyone..btw, only one brit has died, but lives near dobrich.

[houseman]

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Hi Truckyboy, haven't been on here for ages, but being locked down I'm getting around to doing stuff I wouldn't normally think of or have time to do. I think it's interesting how little the coronavirus has impacted BG; presumably the embargo on flights into the country has helped, and the enforcement of travel restrictions within the country. We're missing the old place, having been there at this time of year for 14 years. Can't see us flying this year, unless things improve a lot by September. We miss the warm sunny weather, the amazing variety of countryside, the delicious food, the folk events and other traditions; it's become a bit of a home from home. Hopefully the ants, woodworm and spiders etc. won't have totalled the house while we're away, and the roof is still watertight. Probably best if we don't know...

[houseman]

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BTW not sure how you have gleaned that "only one Brit has died" in BG so far. If you have a breakdown of covid deaths by nationality I would be interested to check it out. Meanwhile, here's a place where the number of deaths can be seen of everyone in all countries (as reported by them). Haven't yet found one that sets it out in terms of deaths per 1000, so the bigger the country in the case of the table shown, the larger the number of deaths is likely to be, all things being equal..
https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/geographi ... ncov-cases

[truckyboy]

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Hi Houseman..yes all doing jobs the wife wants us to do ha ha ..done a few jobs on my car, ready for my journey hopefully on June 22nd providing restrictions are lifted, recently read that British nationals cannot enter Bulgaria at the moment, ( so even as a long term resident ) I cannot enter because I am a brit..hey ho..The brit who died was reported on a familiar website I use NOVONITE ( but you need a google translate ) as its Bulgarian, BUT can opt for the English version, my wife is Bulgarian which is why we use the one I said. btw, I usually travel alone and my wife flies later, because of her job ( school teacher ) and I get time to party with my mates in Pomorie till she arrives..this year could be different as she wants to avoid closeness on the flights..as many will not use the distance rules..but pack em in like sardines. i wish you well on your journey and hope it will happen..i believe many restrictions will lift at the end of this month, and BG wants to open its tourist business as ap..lets wait and see. good luck..regards bobby ( aka truckyboy )

[houseman]

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Wow, driving eh? Don't think I'd be up for that myself: constant comfort breaks, distracting sights en route, weather anxiety... oh, and a RHD car! Six days off the time to spend in BG...no wonder people fly. Yours is now the safest way to go as regards social distancing, but I'd take lots of hand sanitiser etc. if I were you: you never know who's been opening those rest-stop doors and so on. Hope it all works out for you. Come back and tell us all about it

[truckyboy]

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I drive over most years, on average 3 days with 2 hotels en route..but I normally stay for 2 months..its obviously better to fly, buy having been an international trucker for over 40 years, I love the thrill of it all..i don't go mad, a nice steady 60mph with the odd 100 mph for good measure..fuel is around £300 return..hotels at around 80 euros, road taxes around 10 Austria, 7 Romania, and 30 lev for 2 months in bg..plus coffee/snacks so it is more expensive, but especially now I would feel safer in my bubble..don't forget if there are 2 of us or more it becomes cheaper..i might add international breakdown cover, + the ferry too..car has to be up to scratch, and as I paid for a gearbox rebuild a month ago, I now have the added pleasure of having the oil cooler replaced, as its leaking into the water system..so another grand to be spent..better to burn it and fly eh..

[bigbulg]

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A Grand for an Oil Cooler replacement? Change your mechanic!

[houseman]

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Hi Truckyboy (and whoever), thanks for the interesting info about driving. Things are beginning to relax in the UK and elsewhere now. We'd have less trouble if we had bought in Spain! Never mind, the Eurocrats will soon be opening things up as if there was nothing to worry about, and for most people that will be the signal to take the risk. This couple are firmly in the vulnerable category, so we need a bit more time and good news (or a vaccine). I wish you well on your journey, whenever that may happen.

[truckyboy]

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HI folks, I eventually left for my journey on the 1st July, didnt encounter any problems till i reached calafat/vidin bridge, they wanted to turn me around until i showed them my residents permit, then i just filled in a health form, and was told to self isolate for 14 days. No contact numbers were put on the form, nor was there any dates, so after arriving in Pomorie, unpacked and ventured out to my local bar/restaurant which i did on most nights, with no inspections. I was informed that Russians wasnt allowed in without a residents permit, and could only travel from Istanbul airport, by bus or whatever other means..my wife followed by air 3 weeks later, she flew into Bourgas, with no quarantine restrictions.Pomorie,sunny beach, nessebar all very quiet without the visitors, except for bulgarians, the town centre was very busy in the evenins though..covid..what covid, restaurants were very full i might add.
I did stay for 2.5 months, then started my journey back, no restrictions on travel, hotels were all good with no restrictions either, my only other issue was i filled up the car in Germany with petrol ( its a diesel ) dont ask me how, but i had to be recovered to a merc dealer close by, and they had to empty the tank, clean the pump and pipes, and it cost me 1000 euros..the breakdown company paid for an overnight hotel, and taxis, but the rest was down to me as it was self inflicted..i had phoned the ferry to explain and they said to just turn up with the original booking..got pulled by customs in dover, as they wer interested in my hoard of cigarettes..12 cartons, but seeing as i had bought them in a shop, and kept the receipts, they didnt say anything, they also wasnt interested in my 12 litres of home made Rakia either..thank god..all in all a pleasant experience, and the first time i had ben pulled, i believe because they were bored with the lack of traffic..all the cars were pulled and there were only 6 cars on board from dunkirk..a free meal as well, but expensive at £130 for a one way journey in september..cant wait till next year to do it again..my wife had a result with wizzair, at £60 return, i did however have to fill the passenger locator form 48 hours before my ferry back.

[bigbulg]

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I've just found an old "netbook" at home, opened the lid pressed the start button and "Hey Presto" it struck up, opened Google Chrome and my homepage came to here........... I never realised this forum was still going and i'm logged in, amazing! Anyway while i'm on i'll add my two pennies worth. I didn't drive this year because of border restrictions (13/06/2020) and decided to fly 16/07/2020 and landed just as quarantine was lifted and stayed until 22/10/2020 just as restrictions are kicking back in, lucky or what? Hopefully normal service will be resumed next time, I missed the long drive to Bulgaria and the stop-offs enroute. Thanks.