Help.....I'm coming to Varna and I'll need you to show me the ropes !!

Please let us know how you get on.
Should make for an interesting read.

Hey man.
Not too worry, An old man is coming to Bulgaria to live for good and tired of miserable weather all the time, After 40 years of living in uk I didn't adopt the weather. I'm ex-Civil engineer And do most of things at home myself the only thing I don't mess is gas. We shall be in BG between 15-20 May. We are looking to buy a House or Bungalow in Varna, Burgas or Balchik. Please keep in touch.

Hi Harry,

I am writing to you on behalf of my German friend who has not been in Varna for very long and is also looking to meet friends.

I think from your positive way of writing that you would suit each other well.

She was on the Expat.com too but not sure if she still remembers her password.

When you are in Varna give us a buzz.
Regards,
Luna

Hey Harry

We'll be learning the ropes too, so to speak, and will be renting in the Trakata district from 12th May. Not sure how I "add" you as a contact...or if it's even possibly on this site! Anyway, best of luck with the move over and I'll keep an eye on the forum and share any knowledge that might be useful.

Louise

Hi Harry,

Moving to Bulgaria is a big adventure and you are just at the beginning of it. I've been here 7 years now and I'm still 'learning the ropes' :-) I'll be happy to share my experiences with you. There are loads of us ex-pats out here near Varna, and I have a far better social life than I ever had in the UK. So don't worry, you will soon find friends and there are always people around who are willing to help.

If you like I can send a private message with my contact details.

Best wishes,
Jacqui

Thanks Jacqui, Louise, Luna and Hassan,
I really appreciate all the kind words, I can't wait to arrive, I have finally set the leaving date for Friday this week, although my passport hasn't come back yet ( the old one runs out in September ) I sent it off over a week ago !! fingers crossed.

My uk mobile No. is 07873 985857 it will be on for a couple of weeks and I'm sure someone will advise me on a new Bulgarian mobile. but you can text me your numbers if you want, then I'll be able to get in touch when I arrive. by-the-way, putting my number on the interweb doesn't scare me, it's all over it anyway on eBay, Amazon and loads of other sites. I'll be looking for unique items to sell and ship from Varna, to subsidise a living........any ideas???

I'll write more about the road trip, which is going to be an epic adventure for me, my friend "Fast Freddy" lives in Heidelberg and I recently made good friends with some people from near  Budapest, so Ive got two surprise flying visits already planned.

Hi Harry
We (me ,the wife and son) have an apartment near Varna and spend most of summer weeks on holiday there - we have found some useful contact which we would be happy to pass on and in particular a good property management company.

There is a good expats pub in the centre of Varna called Sundogs - there is usually a quiz night on every other Sunday in the summer - run by English expat called Tony - we will be there end of May for 10days and with a bit of luck might catch the quiz - feel free to pop down there is usually a few expats there most afternoons.

Regards
Brian

Hassan
My father passed out last year and left behind a 3Bed bungalow with approx. 1000M2 of land - I have inherited this house and am looking to sale for a fair price - the location is 20mins drive from Balchik heading towards Dobrick in a village called Bezvoditsa.

I have only been to the bungalow a few times and the garden will probably be quite overgrown - but the house was habitable and has a lot of potential.

If you are interested I could send you some photos

Regards
Brian

A very tough, but well run quiz at Sundogs.
Some excellent prizes. In fact every team seems to win a bottle.
I think that is why some Bulgarians have started joining the quiz.

Thanks Very much, I am already negotiating elsewhere, Sorry but, Wish you best of luck.
Hassan

@ Brian > I think that posting an ad in the Housing in Varna section may help you to sell your accommodation.

Thanks,

Priscilla

Hello my friend
Thank you for your message But, Unfortunately I am too old to start renovating although I am a civil Engineer, I want to relax and enjoy my remaining life. I think 50 years of work was enough for me. However thank you for your offer and wish you best of luck.

Hassan

Hi Luna,
I've just arrived and am staying in Kranevo for a couple of days, my phone number is 0044 7873 985857 and I can't call anyone in Bulgaria but can receive calls. Tomorrow I'll get a BG phone, maybe you can tell me which to get!!
Hope to meet up with you soon and your German friend......all the best, Harry

It took ages to do everything in England before I could finally leave......I set off on Wednesday morning for the ferry to France, The plan was to make a "you tube" type road trip video to upload later, unfortunately I ran out of memory by the time I got to Dover, still that bit is going to go on youtube eventually!!
the journey was fabulous, great views of Europe, first through France to Belgium then Aachen, Koln, Frankfurt, Heilbronn..reminded me of my time in Germany 30 years ago, in a previous life!
Austria was very scenic indeed, I deliberately stayed off the Autobahns to take full advantage of the journey, excellent. Then Hungary, good roads and great food at the nicest restaurant in Europe and then came Romania, blimey what a shambles, badly signed, my state-of-the-art sat nav had no idea what was going on, all of the roads, even the Bucharest ring road were so diabolical that I'll never return, plus I got a fifty euro fine for having failed to pay the road tax, no receipt. then Bulgaria, what a difference, much better roads and the familiar signs.
Anyway, here I am, staying in Kranevo for the time being, it's now Sunday morning and I'd love to meet up with anyone who's got nothing better to do, my phone number is 0044 7873 985857  if anyone wants to call and meet me for a coffee or beer, I'm flexible!

Good on you mate. We are coming too but, We have to sell our property in UK first which is in the hands of solicitors. Fingers X, the estate agents told us the exchange will be next week and buyers would be ready for completion on 29th June. We have marked quite few properties in Burgs, Verna and Balchik. Hope to see you all in Bulgaria. In your opinion which route should we take? Each country we go through have to buy toll tax ? See you in Bulgaria soon.

Hassan.

Hi Hassan,
If you are in the Varna region, let me know and maybe we can meet up and exchange news!! all good I hope!

Hi Jackie,
I'm now staying in Kranevo but will be in the Varna area for a few more weeks until I get settled somewhere, How can you send a message?
look forward to meeting up, all the best

Hi Everyone,

Does anyone know; How the road tax works? is there any import tax levy s on UK registered vehicles if we change BU? 
And when we return to UK with Bulgarian plate can we drive?  Your knowledge is highly appreciated. Thanks for advises.

Regards,
Hassan

Hello, as per my knowledge.
Once you "import" your car, you need to pay an import fee once registering the car in Bulgaria, amount depends on the year and engine. And, of course, registration fees.
To drive in Bulgaria you need to buy a so called "vignete" around 60BGN per year. Not needed you only drive inside the city you have your Bulgarian registration in, but better to buy it.

With Bulgarian registration plates, you may drive around Europe without any problem as they are EU compliant.

Cheers.

Thank you for your reply and very nice of you. See you in Bulgaria.
Regards
Hassan

Hi Harry,
did you get my sms message. I am living in Vinitsa and my friend Nikolai knows a lot of people maybe who can help  you with your property.

I am expat in Bulgaria for 2 years and 8 month now.

Please let me know if you are interested  to meet for a coffee.


greetings
Giselle( Gigi)

Good read Harry.
Any chance of an update to your travelogue since you last wrote?
Any good places you have visited etc? Do you still intend living there or have things not gone the way you had hoped?

Thanks in Advance

Thanks for all the helpful messages from everyone, Here's my update!!
I drove down from Essex at the end of June with every intention of making a "road trip" movie for youtube! My friend Danny set up the camera with a 32 bit extra chip and told me that would take many hours of video. Well, the memory ran out by Dover, he had set it on monster high resolution, the quality of the film is excellent, but when I tried to load it onto the laptop, the battery died! Oh well, no movie!
On arrival I checked in to a room at Kranevo, very nice, but already eating into my savings and with the house at Radevo too derilict to live in I decided to rent a flat in Varna. I searched and searched, they were all too expensive for me so I decided to look in Burgas. Bingo, I got a studio with parking, right in the centre for £300 for 3 months. Perfect!
Just as I was about to begin the work, a Ukranian family made an offer for the land and house that I could'nt refuse, I got the documents together and decided to relax while the deal was in progress, then buy another plot, house or apartment elsewhere.
Right now I'm slouching about in Burgas, in my lovely studio by the beach, trying to decide what to do next. Any suggestions will be apreciated. I'm considering Poland or the Czech Republik as well.

If you like the coast,are reasonably happy and are on a tight budget, then I'd stay in Bulgaria.
Not been to Poland or Czech Republic apart from Prague, which has a beautiful city centre, but is not cheap anymore.

Hi, Harry!
The othert day I saw some post from you recommending some lawyer in Varna - but I can't find it again.
Can you remind me who he was?
I do have a list of lawyers in Varna - but who shall you really trust?
Are you mobile contacts still alive?
I will be in Varna one weel after the 4th September, and I would be happy to look for you there...
Is Sundogs still your hangout? Will you be around then?
Many thanks in advance for your reply

Hi Harry, I've just joined this group and read your post.I really hope you made it.We have just moved to a village near Veliko Tarnovo and left the UK behind.A challenge but fantastic.You really appreciate the small things (like a plug that fits your sink lol) all the best Mandy