Bulgarian Black Sea

After the coastal experiences in Romania we we're hopeful that it couldn't get worse in Bulgaria. Firstly we were pleasantly surprised by the easy border crossing. Some fellow travellers had warned us of several hour delays and dodgy taxes to be paid but it seems that EU membership has had some positive effects on the border. The border post is now a set of abandoned buildings with a sleepy border guard to wave you past! Someone was there to collect our road tax but not even a exchange both was available.

Near deserted Romania-Bulgaria border post

Our first coastal stops weren't promising and we quickly moved on as the temperature was rising into the 30's and we were in need of some actual swim-able beaches. Fortunately we'd been recommended a spot by Kim and James and so headed to Albena which in fact turned out to be a relatively famous Communist era beach resort. At first we had our doubts, but the concrete architecture wasn't too bad and peppered with relatively tasteful low rise buildings near to the beach. Being there really did feel like a bit of a holiday away from our holiday, everything was very cheap and there was a entertaining strip of market stalls with live cover bands of dubious taste synthesising away into the night, some even quite good!

Soaking up the Black Sea sun

After we'd managed to absorb as much sun and resort tack as we could handle we pressed on down the coast to some of the other beaches. Our trusty European map has campgrounds marked so that usually makes finding a place to park by the beach easier. Unfortunately however it seems that the camping trade has made way for the relentless surge of property development and we struggled to find a single stretch of beach that wasn't covered in towering apartment blocks or soon to be apartment blocks, usually right where the campground would have been.

Endless coastal development

Further south of the second biggest city of Varna we ended up at a beautiful beach and old town of Sozopol. The campground left much to be desired but the beach was great as was the township. Camping with the Bulgarians was interesting as they really do seem to have a different sense of personal space. As the weekend began we woke on Saturday to find tents and hammocks set up right up close and around our spot. We're unsure how they put up with the lack of facilities and poor hygiene, but lucky for us we had our trusty solar shower and a nearby beach bar with more pleasing facilities.

Sozopol's main beach with a 50 cent pint

Trying my hand at some wind surfing

Yes that's right, real Bulgarian caviar!

The real shock however was to come from our neighbouring English caravaning couple from Doncaster. Astoundingly they have the dubious honour of being the first people from the UK I've ever met that didn't know we speak English in New Zealand. Somehow they had driven all the way to Bulgaria with their caravan in tow, but were totally unaware that it was possible to drive to Greece and Turkey, dispite being less than 100km from the border of both. They had been ripped off all the way - imagine being charged over E300 pounds to drive across Serbia, and on another occasion, having been relieved of over 3000 euro and £4000 in cash out of their caravan and still not "believing in plastic". Certainly the least travel savvy people I've met and ever hope to meet!! I'm not sure what they expected to find in Bulgaria but I hope they managed to get back to Doncaster.

EH