Event Bulgaria Fest - Task complete

[HMC]

Shame about the pulls but it makes a very readable and memorable road trip all the more so.

[HMC]

Will this be the end of its seeming attention grabbing progress past officialdom?

[dollywobbler]

We're going to Zagreb in October for Mrs Yoss's birthday so I'd be interested to see any pics you might have.

We are in an AirBNB on the outskirts. Not sure we've got the energy to explore the centre. We are pretty knackered...

[HMC]

Global wobbler cam. I had to remind myself of the geography so thought I'd share...

[HMC]

Are you going to tackle some alpine passes or avoid that route?

[johngarty]

Should imagine right about now an airport abandoned old non starting white car, and a plane seat home seem rather attractive 

[angle]

I got pulled in Croatia, near Zadar in a Clio 1.2 hire car for speeding and not giving way to a car coming across my path on a main road (?!).

 

The fine changed several times and no reference of it on my ticket, they didn't speak a word of English. I had to borrow the cash from passengers in the car who were all really pleased*

 

Its par for the course! Don't let it get your spirits down!

I reckon once every two days in Montenegro in a Daihatsu Sirion with 'Sveti Stefan Car Rental' plastered down the side (you only stay in Sveti Stefan if you have a yacht, unless you got dropped off by bus at the campsite...)

 

Unfortunately at the time I only spoke French, and after 20 minutes or so they'd get bored and let me go without having to pay anything...

[chodweaver]

IMG_4716.PNG

Global wobbler cam. I had to remind myself of the geography so thought I'd share...

Patented Hubnut Finder?

 

(/Douglas Adams)

[Isaac Hunt]

Are you going to tackle some alpine passes or avoid that route?

At least the Swizz charge up front for their Vinagarette Motorway Tag. En Francois they charge for the Autoroute so I suppose " Toll and Tag Free not Tug Free" is par for the course a bit further east......isn't that what US Dollars are for ?

 

If you are going to to the Apls, don't do the Gotthard Tunnel through the mountain, take it over the Furka "Passodella Furka". Up through The Ardennes is toll free, although some of the roads can be a bit UK Pothole style.

[Wingz123]

Old dollywobbler went live earlier for about 8 seconds...haha tuned in then seconds later, ended and video removed....did you hit the wrong button?

[dollywobbler]

No, it didn't really work due to crap internet.

[catsinthewelder]

We are feeling quite good about starting issues after trying the fuel primer and finding that it works rather well.

 

Came in from journey and collapsed for an hour or so before trying to work out how to find dinner. Google suggested nearest cafe 5km but village shop open.

 

We were up for riding metro or tram into city but not driving or 45mins on bus so sacked that off. After 30 mins walk we returned from finding village shop shut so drove to Lidl. On the way back we passed a cafe that was open, 10 mins walk away from house that had good reviews on Google FFS.

 

Very little shite on the roads of Croatia so we are attracting attention. This isn't helped by the long hair and beards.

[dollywobbler]

Have a quick video update from a very tired me...

[nigel bickle]

Take tomorrow off, go see Zagreb

 

Or the following day, go see Venice.

 

It's supposed to be a holiday..

[catsinthewelder]

We're a little unsure which way to go in the morning. Serbia was mostly lovely and if it wasn't for the police Bosnia would have been too. Both had villages with nice twisty roads in between. So far Croatia has mostly been flat. The motorway was dull so we tried the rural roads. Unfortunately ribbon development appears to be a thing here so each village spreads along the road till it meets the next so we drove for about 40km with about 2km of open road.

[320touring]

Head for Trieste;)

[skattrd]

As suggested by Mr_Bickle, take a day off chaps, if not tomorrow, soon - its supposed to be fun, not a chore.

 

I've said before Slovenia is nice … Lots of nice café bars by the river in Ljubljana,as well as some awesome food (the best burgers anywhere no joke) but almost western prices, what with it being Eurogroats.

[egg]

Take tomorrow off, go see Zagreb

 

Or the following day, go see Venice.

 

It's supposed to be a holiday..

 

+1, DW seems a tad tired! A day off would probably be energising.

[nigel bickle]

Yup, Trieste, (via Lublijana if you want a lunchtime stop) onto Venicce, across to Milan. Not all tomorrow..

 

Loads of lovely towns en route.

[dollywobbler]

It was hot today.

Hair conditioning.

 

Uh-oh. Again...

 

At the Croation border. This one should have been first, but meh.

[catsinthewelder]

Which way though? All the roads today were quite tedious. Actually just tried looking at maps in satellite view and the road to Senj looks quite nice.

[egg]

Can we not find them some spark plugs in Zagreb (I'm trying )

 

Edit: this guy might be your man!

 

Bosch WR7BC??

 

https://www.njuskalo.hr/motor-pogonski-dijelovi/svijecice-svjecice-bosch-super-wr7bc-fr6d-champion-oe-059-l92yc-oglas-15129039

 

[vaughant]

Ah the bribe.

 

In my last job I worked in the Congo, western Africa.

 

I had pretty much a bag of stuff already packed to go as I was only really home a few weeks at a time.

 

Within this bag was passports/documents etc.

 

Of anyone's travelled to such countries, they will know that it is rife for bribery, so much so that most folk put their main cash down their pants etc or hidden deep in hand luggage at worst.

 

The day I was leaving was always hideous but this was particularly bad as I'd had a few unwanted bills while home and was stunning with my other half a lot due to how totally shit the situation was with the company etc. In doing so I realised my wallet had a fair bit of cash in it but also about 3 tonnes of receipts etc. I decided to empty it before leaving.

 

Upon arrival in the queue in Heathrow after a late night depressing drive, I realised my yellow fever certificate was left at home with the pile of receipts, fuck fuck fuck fuck, there's no way you can enter the country without it, can't even get a visa without it, they might even jab you with a rusty needle and keep you in jail for a few days until they know if you're yellow fever free (totally genuine).

 

Not fancying time in a Congolese jail but with little option now I'm booked in etc and therefore causing a fine from my company to the extent of not making it worthwhile to go out there, I thought fuck it, I've got an electronic copy, I can try that on, I could even get one of the other boys certificates or even an express one of theirs, I'll be ok.

 

Couldn't rest on the plane, got no sleep just worrying like mad.

 

Arrived and landed and got to passport control, he checked the passport and never said a word, WOO HOO!!!

 

Go through to departures and there they are, two people in white coats, FUCK!!! I'm getting reamed big time for this.

 

I try to fit in with the crowd, hoping that I can just sneak through or plead stupidity/pretend I'm not really with it.

 

It fails instantly as she asks for the cert,I get the phone out to show the electronic copy, she's having none of it "come to one side please sir" oh shit, this is it "the doctor*must speak with you alone and decide what to do" NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. Everyone's abandoned me and gone through, I'm the only one left, fair play to a scouse LAAAAA, he's gone to try and get the agent but it isn't looking good. The doctor** comes and looks at me, stares silently and says "$20" I think, WTF, the jan was more than that!!! "Oh yes sir, thank you sir". As I open my wallet he says "oh actually the fee***is $30".

 

Paid him and fucked off through, never shit myself so much in my life.

[Dan_ZTT]

I got pulled for 'running a red light' in a rented Dacia Logan in Marrakesh some years back, it was a "the fine is 400, but you can give me 200 and we'll forget it" kind-of deal. Think it was about £15... paid up and then he happily gave me a blue-light escort to the edge of town where we were heading.

 

Didn't care that there were 6 of us in a 5-seater though. Got stopped on several other occasions during that trip, 4 across the back seat, all of those cops just seemed to want a nice chat though, and happily sent us on our way.

[Coprolalia]

Go via Slovenia, it's absolutely stunning, and an easy drive from there through the Austrian passes. Slovenia = austrian/german architecture and beer, italian food, slavic hospitality. It is my favourite holiday destination. It's the last cheap stop before Western Europe.

 

Roads are pretty good too:

https://www.caradvice.com.au/614081/worlds-greatest-driving-roads-julian-alps-slovenia/

[TataBobu]

Sparkplugs: Bosch W7B, Champion L87Y, Beru 14-7 B, ACDelco 43 FS, Brisk N15 YC, Eyquem 600S.

[Scruffy Bodger]

As above. Turn left before the capital via Logatec, head up to the Soca River and appear again at Kranjka Gora. Maybe 2 hours extra out your lives you won't regret? As long as the car can do 25 hairpins up one side and 25 down the other? Just take an extra two hours onto the other two to take it in, it is fabulous.

Theirs a very friendly Salopian I know who lives in Ljubljana or north of their in Mezica. He's a secret Shiter but doesn't know it yet, he's thinking of buying a new Lada Niva, maybe you can tip him over the edge?

[catsinthewelder]

Greetings from Slovenia!

 

We arrived here just before lunchtime after carefully threading our way between all the charming bits of Croatia.

 

Slovenia immediately felt better. It is lush and green and after an epic battle with Google maps we found some wonderful roads although regular traffic with modern Germanic suspension may disagree.

 

Highlight was when the road we were following on Google became an unsurfaced gravel stage.

 

[dollywobbler]

Aye. Good fun. I'm still feeling a bit broken, so we've called a halt south of Lubljana, out in the middle of nowhere.

[Scruffy Bodger]

There are many routes marked on maps in Slovenia that are gravel for mile after mile, the locals don't hang about on them either. I was there for the sixth time last month and can't think of any negatives really.

There are many great little places to stop and have a coffee, even if they look shut it's worth a try, the locals are generally very friendly and many of the younger ones speak excellent English.

Austria is very different, enjoy what little there is of Slovenia while you're there imo