Day 18: Melnik to Kardzali

In the morning, thinking that we didn't have too far to travel to our next destination in Bulgaria, we lazed about in Melnik with a bit of a sleep in and then a long breakfast (with Wi-Fi) back at the same cafe in which we had dinner in the night before. We were just impressed with the service and efforts of the people running the place, and as the food was good thought it OK to return. 

Winding up breakfast at about 11am, we returned to the guest house where we had washing drying in the sun. It was dry, we packed, and left. It was only a short drive to the nearby Rozhen monastery, which is recognised as one of only a few well preserved medieval monasteries in Bulgaria. Within about 15 minutes we were there... and within about 15 minutes we had seen what was to be seen. The monastery is still practicing, and not really a tourist destination which is dissimilar to what the guidebooks, internet sites and road signs would suggest.

Plugging 'Kardzali' into the GPS unit, it immediately suggested what I had assumed was a service track on approach to the monastery as the route of choice. Oh well, better now than never to test that the Prado had some off road capability. Aside from the track narrowing to receive a few scratches from the encroaching shrubbery, nothing caused issue for the next 50 km or so except for the slow pace of progress. Finally we emerged back onto first gravel roads, then back to the bitumen. The major roads of Bulgaria are not highways, but narrow and winding strips of bitumen. 

GPS Shortcut...

Feeling like Russell Coight

Passing through small villages and soviet style cities, we started to climb into the mountains where it seemed that there were more horse and carts than cars on the road. Passing through pine forests on way up, the temperature dropped considerably although the altitude didn't go much higher than about 2300m. After passing by some ski resort towns, that were a little eery in their level of dereliction (somewhat akin to the some areas in Mongolia, where be it by private or government failure projects have been abandoned), we descended again into farmland. 

Continuing eastward, we were actually travelling along a river valley with Bulgaria on one side and Greece on the other. We stopped for lunch at a roadside rest stop, where we enjoyed tomato, bread and rock melon that we had purchased in Melnik. The rock melon was fantastic!

Turning northward, we headed towards Kardzali, where by Google Earth we had seen that a large lake existed and figured it would be a good place to find our first wild camping site for the trip. Along the route we had chosen, there had been numerous water fill points. I think that these were fed by either or both of springs or mountain streams. Closing on our destination, and after seeing numerous people filling up and drinking from these sources, we decided to stop and fill our water containers (obtained in Neumarkt, Germany) for the first time prior to wild camping such that we had water for cooking and washing in the morning.

Stopping at one of the fill points, we set about filling the two containers that had been thus far simply thieving oxygen in the boot of the car. A fifty percent strike rate seemed OK for these things... only one was water tight, but we filled the two hoping that a bit of moisture would soften the O-ring of the leaking one. Writing this now, some 15 days or more later, this has not proven the case.

Behind the water fill point was an interesting tree.... fresh cherries. Gerle was still marvelling that fresh fruit was still able to be obtained for free, and despite a ladder perhaps indicating private ownership it was 'up and at 'em' to get to some free sweetness. Actually, these cherries would have to be some of the nicest that I have ever tasted. I'm not sure if the variety was any different to the usual supermarket type in Australia, but these were fantastic. Picking a few dozen, the didn't last longer than about five minutes once back in the car and on the road again.

Roadside water fill point

Preparations for camping

Quite roads of country Bulgaria

Hmm.... what's that?

Closer investigation

Mmmm.... looks tasty.

Gold! Yummy cherries.

Approaching Kardzali we stopped at a small supermarket not unlike what is common in Mongolia to get some food for the evening. Before the supermarket was a roadside stall selling fresh vegetables, where stocked up with tomatoes, corn, cucumber, plums and peaches. The supermarket was a little further into the town we were in, and surrounded with cafes filled with people who could not help but stare at both us and the car. Entering the supermarket, the parallels with Mongolia were all around in terms of the food available and the way in which it was being sold. Leaving with beer, cheese, soup bases and some other more Russian style accessories and condiments than what we had come across previously we headed for what we thought was a short drive to the lake. 

The lake in fact was a good distance further, and as it was getting dark now (about 8pm) we figured it would be better to find somewhere to camp sooner rather than later. The first place we headed to off the main road appeared to be a dumping ground for the local peoples rubbish; a shame to see, but something that appeared to be becoming more common on exit from Europe proper. Gerle wasn't happy, and although I wasn't too happy to continue driving, I was glad that we did for what we found was indeed much better.

Heading from the main road on a track not suitable for 2WD vehicles, we crested a hill to find a nice little plateau overlooking a Bulgarian village that was nice and private, as well as free from rubbish. There was even a plum tree overloaded with ripe fruit.

Ready for wild camping

Local Bulgarian tea herbs

Wild plums

As we setup camp for the evening we were surprised by a visitor returning on foot to the village we war overlooking after foraging for plants that through broken Russian communication we established were for use as tea leaves. A middle aged to elderly man, he was very interested in our voyage once it was established that we were from Mongolia, and that Gerle spoke a small amount of Russian. He gifted to us the tea herbs that he was carrying, and in return we offered him some Mongolian vodka which he was pleased to accept. It did seem unfair though that he had spent time collecting the tea herbs, and that we had simply purchased the vodka. He was happy though, so all seemed good. 

Here in Bulgaria was our first wild camping, away from the Europe style camping complete with swimming pools and restaurants. There were plenty of stones around the top of the hill, carefully moved aside from the field in which a crop was planted and harvested prior to our arrival, providing good material to construct a fireplace. With the fire going, we tested our the cooking ability of the Kelly Kettle with a variety of 'Mish Mash', in the pot above the kettle flue. I think we won't try this again, as the Kettle would boil all to quickly without the stew in the pot above heating. 

In the end, we did enjoy a stew (definitely not genuine Mish Mash) of tomatoe, onion and zucchini, but the highlight of the meal was definitely the corn on the cob roasted over the coals adjacent to the Kelly Kettle. By now it was dark, and figuring that we were to exit from the European Union tomorrow, some wine and spirit obtained thus far 'needed' to be drunk. If the lax customs control were to be known earlier, we needn't have indulged. We had wine collected in Greece and Bulgaria to be had, as well as Limoncello and Grappa from Italy that couldn't go to waste. There as also the home made Raki that we had been given in Greece.

Things ended up a little messy... but it was nice to sit and relax beside the fire. A little of a shame that the customs crossing the border the next day didn't inspect our fridge, but not to worry - it just freed up some space for obtaining and trying other drinks en route.

More Russell Coight-esque action

Our neighbours for the evening

Corn on the cob, cooked on the coals

Delicious

Before too much Bulgarian vino...

Heading to bed, all was peaceful except for a last night toilet expedition by both thanks to the late night drinks. The road was distant and not busy, temperature was pleasant and with no one around to disturb we both slept well. Oh yeah... sleeping when drunk is easy too!