17 HOURS TRAVELLING, GETTING BORED NOW!
After ten hours on a train, I was very happy to disembark at Sofia train station. Now we had to get across the country to the Black Sea resort of Varna. Me and Olga had free train journeys on Bulgarian railways (part of my privlages of working in the railway industry) but when we saw the state of their trains, we said forget that. Old soviet stock. No air conditioning. No windows can be opened. The seats made of that plastic-leather type covers so when its really hot and you sit on them, you tend to stick to them. So, we thought about getting a coach to Varna, as at least its all run by private companies, with modern coaches and has air conditioning inside. We found the bus station with its brand new modern terminal building next door to the train station (with international bus stops in between the two, an area known as the traffic market) and enquired about the next coach to Varna with a firm called 3tab.
One coach was leaving very shortly at 9am (time difference through us as well as Bulgaria is an hour ahead of Serbia) and I needed to get some money to pay for the tickets (which were £15 each way per person and also includes reserve seating). I went to the cash machine, and wouldn't accept my card (also had this problem in the train station with their cash machine). I had Euros on me and quickly went to currency exchange in the bus station and changed it into Bulgarian Lv. So we got the tickets and within minutes we were sitting on the coach ready for the long journey eastwards.
During the journey I had a rude Bulgarian man deciding to play rubbish techno music out loud from his laptop, a rubbish toilet stop half way in the journey where if you wanted the toilet you had to queue for fifteen minutes in this run down cafe which gives you no chance to grab some food thanks to our coach drivier who was in a rush to get to Varna.
On the plus we watched National Treasure 2 on the coach's television. So that killed some timed. Shame he didnt turn up the volume. So since leaving Belgrade the previous night, seventeen hours travelling non-stop nearly took its toll. So when we got of at Varna we were so happy. But then we had to find this hostel we booked up the other day. (Orginally the plan was to go Belgrade - Plovdiv - Golden Sands - Sofia, but we got rid of Plovdiv on our route plans and travel straight to Varna).
Following the directions on the reservation we caught the bus 22 as stated from outside the coach station. After a few minutes we found out from the conductor we were going the wrong direction, so we got off at the next stop, crossed the road and backed-track the way we should of gone.
We got off at the main train station on the coastline, and walked around the corner as stated which only takes a few minutes. The hostel is called 'Varna Hostel' but we couldnt see it. Even going into someones office to find out (which is based in the block/area as the hostel) and they didnt have a clue. So they even rang the telephone number to find out from the owner where the hostel is. Anyway, we walked outside and the hostel owner met us. His name is Allan and is from Wales! He just starting up the hostel buisness here and said signage has been ordered to make it easier to find for future reservations with tourists. He was a cool guy, very helpful. The beds were comfy, price included breakfast and I managed to get on the internet to get to my internet banking site and sort out some money so I can withdraw in Bulgaria.
In the end I landed up calling my mum, who passed on some money I had at home to Ollie Tong who is flying to Sofia from England in four days time, where we meet up with him. So good timing really. I had enough money on me to last the rest of the week, so everything was ok.
So after sorting out some problems, me and Olga walked into the town centre which wasn't far, about five minutes walk. Some lovely fountains are here, shops you would see in London's Oxford Street and fast food restaurants everywhere. Tourist touts kept coming up to us and offering us their services, but keep telling them to f''@@@ off. In the end we started replying back in Latvian as no one understands that language. It was evening time, so we had a meal at a place called 'Be Happy' which is like the Frankie'n'Bennys of Bulgaria.
But it was good cheap food, so a hole in my stomach was filled. Afterwards a short walk around town which took in the sight of a orthrodox catherdral with its gold domes on top. Soveniur shops surround the area and so do stray dogs but luckly not too many.
Varna Hostel, Varna
A brand new hostel and we were one of the first guests. A little bit hard to find as the owner was still awaiting for the signage to come. But overall, a nice little hostel, opposite the train station and 8 minute walk from the town centre.
Breakfast was ok, but the staff were great. Very informative. :D
