2025-2026 Central Asia Adventure – Sofia Bulgaria
Hello from Sofia, the first stop on the trip but not a new city or country as I’ve already been to Sofia in 2022.
Below is the standard summary:
– Cool Ranch Doritos: No, but they have the standard boring Nacho flavour
– Spain & Wise Debit Cards Work: Yes
– Airalo Worldwide Telephone/Data/SMS eSIM Works: Yes
– VPN Works: Yes
– Cost of Living: $$
– Currency: 1 Bulgarian Lev = USD $0.60 / 0.5112918811962185. Bulgaria is joining the Euro January 1, 2025 and the exchange rate is already locked in.
– Language Issues: Very few. Staff in restaurants and shops speak English fluently.
Another plug for donations to the Joseph P. Roberson Foundation, https://www.jprobersonfoundation.org, that supports Huntington’s Disease patients at UC Davis. Here’s a video by Dr. Vicki Wheelock describing the team strategy at this Center of Excellence that she founded.
In preparation for my flight from Barcelona to Sofia my body decided to get only 3 hours of sleep. Argh. Finally up at 5:30am. I see the initial symptoms of pink eye in my left eye – Double Argh! Did final packing and rolled to my pharmacy at 7am but it’s closed – can’t get any drops. Triple Dog Argh! Took the metro up 1 stop and onto the A2 Airport Express bus. I was quickly through security using the upgrade I paid for and after a short wait boarded the flight. I was a bit worried about Air Serbia but it was happily fine, I had a row of 3 to myself and within milliseconds of the seat belt light going off I laid down and instantly fell asleep for an hour and a half. A short stop in Belgrade’s Nikola Tesla Airport brightened my day, but when I checked my connecting gate it said A07A, so I walked to A07 expecting to see two doors. Nobody there. Guess what? A07 and A07A are 50 meters apart! A07A is one of those stupid ground-floor gates where you get into a bus which drives you out to the plane. From the main concourse A07A is just a narrow doorway with a small sign, down some stairs, and you come out into a large room with A07A and A07B gates. I got on the inevitable bus and we all stood there for 15 minutes before pulling away. The plane is an Embraer ATR-72 turboprop. I paid for seat 1A to get on and off quickly but we boarded from the rear since there is no front door! I ended up walking my carry-on bag all the way up the aisle to the front, and then I was the last one off… I’m totally out of Arghs for the day.
My arrival in Sofia is where the you-know-what really hit the you-know-what that I alluded to in my kickoff post. I handed my passport to the Immigration agent. He’s looking and looking and finally says I overstayed my Schengen days. Schengen Days is a concept that could only be invented by sadistic European bureaucrats, they put the Vogons to shame. As a tourist it gives you seamless cross-border travel but you’re only allowed to be in Schengen treaty-signing countries for no more than 90 days in the last 180 days. The Schengen countries almost but not quite match “European” countries so you have to be on your toes, and I came in flatfooted as Bulgaria joined Schengen on January 1, 2025, just 9 months ago. I was going to go straight to Istanbul on this trip but diverted to Sofia to visit with Vani and Reina and didn’t do any more due diligence… I told the agent I have Spanish residency, and it should be in his computer if Bulgaria is now a Schengen country. Despite years of actual computer networks and data sharing… nope. He asks for my residency card. I said I left it at home since I didn’t want to lose it on this trip and when I return to Spain it’s already in their system. I could see the steam coming out of his ears. In a flash of insight I told him I have a picture of the card on my phone, and he and his supervisor grudgingly accepted it. He said to give both the passport and picture when I leave the country otherwise they will try to give me a huge fine and could risk my entry back into Spain. I thanked him but I felt like this is not my problem because all Schengen countries should be sharing such critical data. There is something called Electronic Entry/Exit System (EES) coming in literally a month but apparently I’m still required to carry my NIE card with me when visiting other Schengen countries.
With a deep breath I exited the airport and took the long subway ride to the city’s train and bus station area which is then a short walk to Vani’s apartment. I was greeted by an energetic ball of white fur called Reina who immediately decided I was her new best friend. We played throw-the-ball for an hour and then went for a doggy walk. I found a pharmacy and asked for antibiotic eye drops but the lady says it requires a prescription here. Bugger, it’s common pinkeye! She sold me a bottle of “get the red out” drops. All doctors are now closed Friday-Saturday-Sunday-Monday due to a national holiday and weekend. Tough shit seeing a doctor, good thing I don’t have The Plague or anything. Using the drops and alcohol baby wipes I’m getting things under control but the skin below my eyelid is taking a beating. Urgh. I’m switching from Arghs to Urghs.
Stay tuned as in the morning we’re heading out on a 3 day car adventure to Plovdiv and Veliko Tarnovo, filled to the brim with castles and monasteries and preserved towns.
