Day 50 – Sofia to Plovdiv

After 3 days of excessive eating, drinking and being spoilt in a way parents only know how, I was ready to get back on the saddle all alone. Today, however, I wasn’t completely solo as I had Harry Headwind to keep me company all day.

The day started with me getting lost in Sofia and unable to find the correct main road, not the best start. But once I was pointing my handlebar in the correct direction I was all systems go. Leaving the city was worse than getting in and negotiating speeding traffic on four lanes with slip roads, was an experience. Thankfully the traffic started to die down after while, here I am on a motorway.



Early in the morning a strange emotion came over me. It took me an hour to figure out what it was, but I think I was feeling homesick. After such a good time with my parents it seemed wrong to be out there cycling in Bulgaria alone. I decided I would push myself hard to take my mind off these negative thoughts.In the afternoon a guy riding a gate dressed up as a bicycle tried to race me. He was pretty keen, but after 5 minutes he was dripping in sweat so decided to speak Bulgarian to me instead. I understood beer and cigarette in his monologue, I think he wanted me to follow him but I really wasn’t in the mood for beer and confusion so early in the day.




I passed a toothless old man riding a road bike, very odd in this part of the world. He overtook me as I was chatting to another cyclist. When I overtook him again he was trying to remove his tyre with a branch! I offered my assistance and more importantly, my multitool. In summary, he spoke French and seemed a weird, I didn’t hang around to practice my French long.Bulgaria appears to be a country of beautiful mountain scenery and crappy roads.




So I did push myself hard for over 100 miles and made it to Plovdiv, one of the oldest cities I Europe apparently. I checked myself into a hostel (like I promised my parents I would do with the money they gave me) and I’m feeling good again.