Monthly Archives: May 2015

  • Hitchhike to India leg 32: Plovdiv to Istanbul

    OK so I’ve cheated a bit. In order to cram in a few more sites (including my beloved communist party headquarters) I’ve taken the bus to Plovdiv, technically breaking the hitch rule of not paying for transport when I travel to a new place. It was only a few miles though I promise. And yet after …

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  • Abandoned Communist Party Headquarters, Mount Buzludzha, Bulgaria

    I’ve been looking forward to today for a long time.  As far back as I can remember, I’ve had a passion for abandoned or lonely places.  There is nothing more romantic for me than the seaside in winter.  Forgotten remnants of days gone by.  Standing where something or someone stood.  Crumbling buildings, ghostly apertures and …

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  • Haggis day oot

    I’ve finally managed to drag myself out of Sofia and I’m feeling rather smug about it.  One might say proud of oneself.  My usual M.O is to languish in this den of iniquity for months on end, doing my best to destroy my liver.  You’ll be pleased to know dear readers, that I stayed but …

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  • The midnight train going anywhere…

    Well, back to the city of Sofia to be exact… After my third (and final) love/hate relationship with Belgrade which has subjected me to visits to health care professionals, garnered a wealth of new friends, a bruised heart and a partridge in a pear tree, I find myself on an emotional stumble to the train station, …

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  • The Black Hole of Belgrade Booze Boat Blowout

    Alright, this is getting ridiculous.  A few weeks ago I had arrived back in Belgrade to spend a weekend seeing friends and getting up to mischief with (a) hot Serbian woma(e)n.  I’ll only stay a couple of days thought I, adamant that a return to Sofia would be imminent and I would be into Turkey before …

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