Adding Greece in the mix
Having wanted to visit Greece last year, we now have an added reason, our daughter Dorianne is landing in Thessaloniki (Greece) from SA and then going from Sofia (Bulgaria) to Berlin (Germany) for a conference. Her trip between Thessaloniki and Sofia hinges on us driving down for a weekend and ferrying her through to Sofia on the Monday.
Having only two seats up front brought the challenge of arranging a (legal) third seat. A friend of a friend, who owns a scrapyard, allowed us to rummage through his scrapped cars until we found a Land rover middle back seat including safety belt. With a little effort this seat is now in place, and inevitably it started me think. How I could transform the van to house three people even if, only temporarily.
With our shengen visas collected in Sofia on the 13th we were on the road.
Day one and two (going somewhere slooo----owly)
Visas only allowing us into Greece on the 15th we aim for the smallest, scenic roads towards the border, turning a two hour trip into two days...
probably one of the best things we could have done.
Two days without agenda in the countryside of Bulgaria sets you up to really see the beauty of spring in this wonderful country.
The storks have arrived
Snow melting on the ski slopes of Bansko
The afternoon before crossing we attempted one of the smallest roads along the Greek border line.. A few hours of driving and it turned into a 4x4 track, forcing us all the way back. We would never have attempted the road had we not known that we could sleep wherever we found ourselves.
Our shower cubical, not yet complete we needed a secluded spot to test the hot water system somewhere private and in the wild "the perfect opportunity was now".
It came with a view.
Some improvements are needed but we both had a good shower.
After a good shower "in the bush" one can enjoy the view. Good clean and fresh is always welcome.
Spending the night on a great "spot" in Goste Delchev, the next morning we drove back to the road I described in our third trip (2015) deciding to fill up, as a thank you gesture (for free Wifi in 2015) towards the owner, previously "the unattended garage". So here's the thing, just after we filled up I took awhile to take some pictures. when the owner promptly closed the filling station doors and started her walk to town presumably for an early lunch. Life in the countryside so foreign to us from the city.
Filling up water at one the mountain stream water points
With an early start to the Greek border we stopped at the very last garage possible (literally 500 meters from the fence) our passports being in the back of the van... the slide-door will just not open. Short of taking a crowbar to it we tried everything. Even got in over the bed from the back, took off the the door panel, pushed it, pulled it, levered it, kicked it, but no go.
Although we now had our passports in hand there was no way we was going face a customs check and not be able to open the back for them to inspect. Instead of going to Greece we were going back to look for a mechanic.
This was a long day, in which we also replaced the vans brakes. (thanks to Martien and his dad).
These guys were so accommodating and helpful.
If this had happened in Greece it would have cost us a fortune to repair.
At 5pm when we eventually crossed into Greece.
So much for an early start. We do believe there was another reason for the delay... for another day.
The result of our first attempt at
avoiding the main road. (look closely at the road, or the lack of one)
Arriving in Thessaloniki just before sunset was a treat, parking.... a different issue...
A short "stop" for picture.... illegally parked.
We found a few supplies at a "Spar" and escaped the city by going along the coast.
Day Four
Spots to sleep were just as easy as in other places "stealth vanning" once again to the rescue.
Dorianne had two nights
booked in the city,
we played taxi the next morning and found an amazing spot at Ikea where we could take a bus into the city.
Ikea parking for two nights not forgetting our first shower using the cubicle.
Day four and five
Three nights in Greece and we made our way to an alternate border crossing back into Bulgaria, just for the novelty.
Day six
The three of us slept over in Beolvegrad before doing the one hour trip to Sofia for Dorianne to catch her flight to Berlin.
Day seven
A night in Sofia and a very slow six hour scenic route back home ended our fourth trip with the van.
Even three up stealth vanning still rocks.
