Well Paddy you are almost ready to go - to see your house and experience the excitement we all share at one stage and some of us still experience this on every visit. We wish you all the luck in the world, :Good luck:Take it easy and remember don't rush into anything, wait until you are there long term to get the big jobs done. Assess what it is you actually need. Check around the area for DIY shops but most of all [size=150:189aoy9e]enjoy yourself.

Happy Holidays

good luck

sorry Oddball, by the time you sent me the comment I was already on my way.
the story so far,
arrived at airport in Sofia, person said taxi silly bugger said yes charged 80lev down road to the Park Inn, knew it was over priced but by that time I was in and away, have told hotel they need to tell all customers that the max they should pay is 15lev.
next day went to expo save planet, asked about area and nearly hit the floor when I was told that the underground is next to building I was in and it was 1lev 1way so I thought why not get system went into city centre, looked around seen lots of police dressed in civilian cloths just like the movies, trying there best to blend in and 10+ special forces had something to eat then went back on underground 1lev then 2 stops to hotel road then nice walk.
Friday:- back to airport picked up hire car, for the first time in my life I hired a car with the steering wheel on the wrong side and the words unreadable, got lost as sat nav was useless and found a blank piece of paper put me finger in my mouth opened window stuck finger out and said this way my I am good. went for Pleven then though to Byla found road to Tsar Assen, did all non stop, by this time age does crepe in I needed to go to the toilet found a nice English couple and asked if I could go to their toilet as I was expecting a hole in the floor just like the Viking and Romans I was shocked to find that they had a toilet inside, they offered me lunch (great) followed by a visit to my house, well what a mess shock and horror and all that, the pictures from the guy I bought it from my he is estate agent material were good and that's why I bought it, he said up at the end of a road etc well all the houses near it were empty wrecks, by this time met the mayor and more English as if they were coming out of the wood work got talking to the mayor in short words and he said leave house and don't do anything with it for at least 5 years as everything that could and would be done might just be stolen as he said no one in the area could see my house.
after my visit was asked to attend a Bulgarian party for womens day but on Friday night and asked to stay the night I am glad I did I have enjoyed my time here and been around the areas close by the Bulgarians would put the brits to shame we had snow heavy in places on Monday and there was non of the norm of "
oh I just put my shovel away for the summer"
the roads were clear and yes I was stopped 2 times by police asking for docs and put your lights on main beam.
Tuesday:- got a better house which is liveable not to our standards back for April to start building work. I can only thank the people in Tsar Assen, for 2 reasons 1 because I felt ripped off at the house and 2 I was asked to stay and get a real feel for the place, because if I had went away I would have gone to Shumen and then to Varna and maybe just maybe never come back.
not back in UK till Thursday afternoon not leaving for Sofia till the morning (Wednesday) and then flight out to UK Thursday been an experience but enjoyed it all the way except for the taxi ride and the house. highly recommend the visit just if anyone reads this take care but most of all visit before you buy. internet is ultra modern and once settled he I will have voip and I look forward to it.
sorry it goes on and on, but I really enjoyed my time here.

Hi Paddy

Thank you for the update and real sorry you had to go thought that with the house, this is exactly what I explained previously to you, we expected to stay in the first house we bought but like yours it was not habitable and the estate agent neglected to tell us that, even though he knew we had intended on staying there. I told the estate agent we did not want he said ok but if a buyer come in than we loose our deposit. The next day I rang to say changed my mind we will take it but guess what a new buyer suddenly appeared from nowhere (the house was on the market for 5 years prior to our offer) so we lost the £800 deposit and when I asked why, he said you told me you did not want the house But if we bought another house in Ruse area we could get some of the deposit taken off the house.. So told him where he could go. Still we live and learn eh!!

So please you found someone to help and guide you thought it all. Now you know what you have and what needs doing you can start again. It is better to find out now what the place/area is like than throw your hard earned cash at it and regret it later.

Yes, the taxi drivers are a rip off in Sofia I was dreading flying in there ourselves but as it happens Stilyan and Nelly will be coming to the UK on 22 and we all fly back to Sofia together so he will sort the taxi out.

But overall you seem to have had a good time and enjoyed the Bulgarian lifestyle :Great:Now looking forward to going back so good luck to you I hope you find your dream.

thank you Oddball,
just drove from Tsar Assen took around 4 hours at 60m next time will take this route as it went through VT and most of the roads were smooth. back in Sofia dropped car of at airport and took taxi to Park Inn 15.90lev she got slightly lost o gave her my Sofia map and 20Lev, really really enjoyed my time, will be back in early April for signing contract for my replacement house and as I have paid in full for the other house, well I will use the material and sell plot at a later stage no hurry.

just a thought for you bul air fly to Varna from Sofia? and some hire firms also move there cars around you may get 1 way hire?

will keep you posted on my next visit.

the good news I will not be trying it on with selling the wreck of a house.

when you get back for the summer I hopefully will be back here more back and forth so will try and meet up, and we all can have a nice lunch and count how many time we were silly buggers.

Good on you Paddy That's is the spirit positive careful steps from now on

Well done Paddy and take your time from here on.