Somewhere amazing ... I guess

Goodbye, for now

2014-02-03T17:00:00.001+02:00

Last year I started this blog to share my adventures, near and distant. Now, 10 months later, I decided to stop working on it, as I leave the door open (by not deleting it), if I decide someday to restart it. The main reason is that it takes a lot of time – from the writing of a new post in Bulgarian, translating it in English (so that more people can read it, including you), processing the pictures, to sharing the post in other channels (FB, Tumblr, 500px, other). Of course, I can cut some of the steps, but I want to do it properly.

That doesn't mean that my "art" will disappear from the internet. All the pictures that I take and post-process will be shared on my Facebook page, so if you haven't liked it yet, you can do it now to be able to see where I've been and what I've seen (sometimes FB doesn't show all the post to those who like a page, so to be sure: Liked => Get notifications). Regarding my writing and the travel books that I make after every major trip, for now they will be done only in Bulgarian. If I change my mind I will let you now on my FB page.

Goodbye, for now.

Kilimanjaro - to Uhuru and back (day 6)

2014-01-23T11:00:00.001+02:00

We get up and put on at least two base layers, winter/ski pants, soft shell and winter/ski jackets. I push myself to eat two bowls of porridge, although I feel sick from it. Stan feels worse that yesterday and doesn't want to eat any porridge. We start walking little after 2 o'clock and we can see some groups of lights up on the hill. The serious slope starts right away from the camp and almost without exception will make our life harder in the next vertical 1,300 m/4,300 ft. It gets harder for Stan and Chewa takes his dayback. The path winds around rocks and scree.

After an hour or two we meet the first group that has given up. We can't laugh at them not making it, because we know very well what they have been up to and a part of us wants to turn away to the camp as well. I feel for them and tell myself that I am going to get to the top for them as well. After some time we meet another group of one that are going back untimely. Stan's state doesn't improve and he frequently needs rests, he feels dizzy, but continues.

The sky is starting to lighten up behind Mawenzi and every time we walk to the right we manage to feast our eyes on the unbelievable colors of the sky. We won't make it on time to see the sunrise on Stella point at about 5,700 m/18,700 ft, but it doesn't matter. I look upwards from time to time and the crater's edge doesn't come any closer, as if somebody stacks more and more rocks on top. If you hurry little bit the mountain takes away from you the little oxygen that it has given you, it is very impatient with the impatient ones.

Mawenzi and the sunrise

Kilimanjaro - Barafu camp (day 5)

2014-01-20T14:00:00.001+02:00

Probably this is the first night that we all manage to get a good sleep. The headaches are gone. The camp is rather windy and there is no frost on the ground, no condensation in the tent. We go for a walk around the camp before having the usual breakfast.

Down

Kilimanjaro - Barranco camp (day 4)

2014-01-16T14:00:00.001+02:00

This morning is no different than the previous, that's why you know what awakens me and where I go first. Outside everything is again covered in frost, the clouds are beneath us and only Mt. Meru stands out.

Morning panorama

Kilimanjaro - Shira 2 camp (day 3)

2014-01-13T14:00:00.001+02:00

I don't know what the time is, but my digestive system as every morning takes me out of the sleeping bag. Outside everything is covered in frost – the tent, the vegetation, even the dust. I go into the most leaning toilet and while I pull my pants down I wonder if the shitty tower of Shira will fall down, while I am inside. I go out victoriously with my hands up in the air, I hum the Rocky theme song, I turn around me and go to receive the applauds of the just awaken sleeping beauty-machines.

All is frosty

Kilimanjaro - Shira 1 camp (day 2)

2014-01-10T14:30:00.001+02:00

In the morning, while I fight with the need of my bladder to get emptied and my unwillingness to go out of the cozy sleeping bag, I hear three laser-like sounds from the near tent and later Sasho claims the fame. The first night in my life in a tent and a sleeping bag is successful and most probably I will repeat it this night (do I have a choice).

The beautiful flora

Kilimanjaro - to Big Tree Camp (day 1)

2014-01-07T17:10:00.001+02:00

A lot of time has passed since my last post, which is partly due to the fact that I was far from civilization for some time and partly because I was being lazy to write afterwards. So, the next 4-5 months should be devoted to the extraordinary adventure in Africa, which I experienced in the end of 2013. Now I'm gonna stop writing endless introductions, because somebody has to translate them in English afterwards (as I write them first in my native language), which is not my favorite part of my blog writing experience. Also, I will try to make the posts less texty due to the same reason. However, the travel photo book that I make after every major trip of mine will be very lengthy word-wise and will include all of my thoughts.

The last explanation about what I saw and what you can expect to see on my blog – the first part of my adventure was a one week ascent of Kilimanjaro together with three friends of mine, which was followed by a one month safari through Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and Tanzania with no acquaintances at all. Let the journey begin.

I land in the dark of night, very dark, 3:30 dark at the international Kilimanjaro airport. The first real African experience is awaiting me already – getting a visa. I go to desk №1, where I have to pay. I ask for a multiple entry visa as I will have another entry in Tanzania later on my travel, but the desk clerk tells me that I can't, and I should not try to be a wise guy. The last part is self-explanatory, as well as the fact that I'm going to pay $50 each time I enter the country and I am going to pay them like a dude or like white dude, mzungu. For the uniformed this is the name that the Africans use for white people, which comes from the name for wanderers with aimless/lost look, which the first European travelers to this part of the world had. I pay the money and go desk №2, where they take a photo of me and put the visa in my passport. On desk №3 – they make a photo of me again, as well as take my finger prints. Just in case, I ask the guy at desk №4, if I have to go to him as well, to which he looks at me lost in thought and takes my finger prints again. I refuse to ask anybody anything, take my luggage and head to the welcoming party. Unfortunately, I don't see a note with my name, but at least I find one with the name of the company that organizes the hiking trip, Tro-Peaks. Joseph is glad to see me (cause he doesn't have to wait anymore) when I go to him, as I am too. After an hour of driving we reach Moshi and the hotel. We wake some people, among which the security guy, the receptionist lady and lastly Ivan, who opens the door to our room being very sleepy and I go to bed with the hope that I will be able to get some sleep before our hiking start in 5 hours.

Surprisingly, I wake up rested and while I hurry to rearrange my luggage, I panic a little bit not to forget anything important for the climb. Then I go and have a fast breakfast and even faster shower trying not to be late for the departure, a notion, which is almost unknown around. Naturally, things are getting done slowly and we go an hour later. And I was worried that everybody is going to wait for me. The four of us get into a rather large van, as well as many locals, which will be our support crew. There should be an entourage of 14 people – a main guide, an assistant guide, a cook and porters, many porters, but we don't believe that all of them are here. We try to remember how many people we saw boarding the van and count them to a total of 17-18 people, including us, which means that the whole crew is on board. We take a selfie with the idea to count ourselves, but Sasho's large head covers at least 10 people.

Count yourself

Bulgaria - To climb Ruen Peak three times in a day

2013-09-25T14:00:00.001+03:00

The next training for Kilimanjaro gathers five of us, Ivan, Stan, Dimitar, Petar and I, as all but Petar are going to climb the highest African mountain. I offered an unknown for all of us peak, the Osogovo Mountain's highest one, Ruen and the rest of the group accepted it. After some research we find out that the peak is 2,251 m/7,385 ft high and the border passes right through it. Also it is the highest border point in the European Union. The chosen route starts at the Tri buki hotel and should take us 3 hours and a half to get to the peak covering 13 km/8 mi or a total of about 26 km/16 mi. A great training, which equals to more than 1/3 of the ascent and descent in Africa. And that's for one day.

On the road, as it is Saturday, we get lots of drivers who move at about 20 km/h under the limit, hitting the brakes constantly, and the people of the county that we are passing through, Kyustendil, are famous for their reckless driving. Well, I guess, the racers are sleeping and only their grandparents are on the road. But let me mention something funny. We catch up a Honda CR-V, which like the above mentioned cars at times is going quite slow, then all of a sudden is speeding up. As we are waiting for a straight to overtake it, just before another bend, we note that the driver raises one of his/her hands up, most probably to the music he/she is listening. In the next moment, the second hand is being raised, but the car manages to go around the bend. All of us are speechless and stare in disbelief for some time, but next we get that the car is with a right steering wheel and start laughing. While we overtake the Honda we see that on the left, normally the driving seat in Bulgaria, a boy twists violently to the music, while an elder man imperturbably drives.

We reach the hotel and I go to the reception to collect a stamp in my booklet with the highest mountains in Bulgaria – Osogovo Mountain is the fifth highest with Ruen Peak. We shoulder our backpacks and take on the long road ahead of us. In the car, we heard on the radio that in the early afternoon rain is expected in the western parts of Bulgaria, especially in the mountain areas. And we couldn't be more to the west, that's why we set our expectations that most probably we'll gonna get wet.

A view of Ruen Peak

We think that one of these peaks should be Ruen, but it's not sure which one. (Well, neither of them is.)

Bulgaria - Pirin Mountains (Part 2)

2013-09-16T14:00:00.001+03:00

Two days after the rather long hike according to my standards, my father and I head to climb the second highest peak in Bulgaria, Vihren Peak (2,914 m/9,560 ft). I've been waiting for a long time to conquest it. We come near the Vihren Hut and cannot believe our eyes – there is almost a traffic jam of cars, even though it is the first working day of the week. I thought Vihren wasn't one of the easiest to climb, so why are these hordes of people here? We find a free spot to park, prepare ourselves and head uphill. And the uphill starts right away, there isn't a flat section to warm up. At least we are relieved to see that 90% of the people are going in another direction – most probably to the Lakes Banderishki. As the total displacement of the climb is about 1,000 m/3,280 ft, just after 30 minutes of walking the hut is quite small.

View towards Vihren Hut

Bulgaria - Pirin Mountains (Part 1)

2013-09-04T14:00:00.001+03:00

It is time to go for a walk in the Pirin Mountains, which differ from the other Bulgarian mountains with their rocky landscape. Together with my father and two family friends, Dilyan and Natalia, we head to Dobrinishte and Gotse Delchev Hut, where we get on the ski lift to Bezbog Hut (or Godless Hut). For some time I want to visit this hut and its near ski track, as many of my friends have mentioned it and I nodded positively, as if I know it (I have heard of it), but in fact I don't know it (since I've never been here). The track looks pleasantly long, just the way I like my ski tracks. I'll have to come in the winter to check it, for sure. Under the lift, there are lots of people gathering blueberries using some strange devices. They are strange, as I have never seen them, but they are logical in their design – wooden/metal box with open on one of the sides, onto which is attached something like a comb that combs the bushes and picks the lice, oops, the blueberries, my bad.

Bezbog Hut and the adjacent Lake Bezbojko

Bulgaria - On the Day of Rila Mountains to the highest peak on the Balkans, Musala

2013-08-26T16:30:00.001+03:00

I continue with the mountain series with a post about Musala peak (2,925 m/9,596 ft, the highest one in Bulgaria and on the Balkan Peninsula) on the Day of Rila Mountains, where the peak is situated. A few days before the weekend I and a friend of mine, with whom I will climb Kilimandjaro (the third in the group) talk about going to Musala peak. He comes with some friends, I come with some friends and 10-15 minutes after the appointed hour we gather in front of the gondola – a group of ten. Today and tomorrow happens to be the Day of Rila Mountains and of Musala peak, as well. The two way ticket is discounted and a lot of people have come to celebrate and to make use of the discount. But really, there is a lot of people, especially for the summer/low season for the Borovets resort. We get off at the last station of the gondola, get to know those who we don't know in our group, prepare ourselves and head out to the peak.

The first of many pictures with flowers on the front

Bulgaria - The weather in the montain is female or trip to Botev peak

2013-08-15T17:30:00.001+03:00

As you might have noticed in the last couple of months I have barely posted anything. Here are some of the reasons, if not all of them. First, the protests against the current Bulgarian government started, and although I was regularly participating in the beginning, I admit that now I go rarely. Second, I started researching about my upcoming trip to Africa (there are less than two months remaining, as of 15.08.2013). Third, I started to prepare myself for part of my African adventure, and more specifically the Kilimanjaro climb by trekking the Bulgarian mountains, which in the best case are two times lower, but still it is some kind of preparation. You can expect in the next posts mainly mountain sceneries. Fourth, my summer laziness has started, not that I have categorized the different kinds of laziness I get, as all of them are the same, but the current one reveals itself in the summer. Fifth, I started, not that I have stopped, to read more. Everybody needs time off my writings, even I. Sixth, I don't want to make up any more reasons.

Istanbul - A trip to the neighbors (Part 4)

2013-07-25T14:00:00.001+03:00

The last part of my Istanbul trip was delayed, because of posts about the protests in Bulgaria and my laziness, but it's already here.

It seems that I have exhausted my fellow travelers in the last three days and leave them at the room to rest, while I go for a walk around the hotel.

The streets of Istanbul

Bulgaria - Protests, Day 19

2013-07-03T14:00:00.001+03:00

Random moments from the 19th day of the protests in Sofia, Bulgaria. (02.07)

Bulgaria - Protests, Day 18

2013-07-02T18:00:00.001+03:00

Random moments from the 18th day of the protests in Sofia, Bulgaria. (01.07)

"The power of ethics"

Bulgaria - Protest, Day 8

2013-06-22T14:10:00.000+03:00

Random moments from the 8th day of the protests in Sofia, Bulgaria. (21.06)

This old woman is one of the most colorful participants that I've met since the beginning of the protests. Regardless of her age she showed exceptionally energetic how she would sweep the garbage that have been gathering in some of the surrounding buildings.
"Is there a power to put you in the prison."

Bulgaria - Protests, Day 6

2013-06-21T15:00:00.001+03:00

Random moments from the sixth day of the protests in Sofia, Bulgaria (19.06):

"Peevski wasn't a mistake, that's why there is no forgiveness"

Bulgaria - Protests, Day 4

2013-06-19T12:00:00.001+03:00

Some random shots of the fourth day of the protests in Sofia, Bulgaria (17.06).

Bulgaria - Protests, Day 3

2013-06-18T12:00:00.001+03:00

Day 3 of the protests in Bulgaria against the current ruling and non-ruling political parties.

Istanbul - A trip to the neighbors (Part 3)

2013-06-13T16:00:00.001+03:00

Today the weather is gloomy again, but unlike yesterday the sun doesn't want to show. Rain-proofed, we head to the Sultanahmet Sq. with our favorite tram. On the square, where once the Constantinople hippodrome was situated, there are two obelisks erected (I always wonder if it is obelisk or Obelix, at least Asterix is always around to remind me which one is correct). The first of them, the Egyptian obelisk, built in 15th c. BC in Luxor, looks like its official opening ceremony was just yesterday and not 3,500 years ago. The second one, the obelisk/column of Constantine or the Walled obelisk, looks much older, but in fact is 200-300 years newer, it just haven't been using enough day lotion with Q10 for wrinkles/cracks. Between the two giants, there is a small metal column, the Serpent column, which has turned green with envy because of its low height.

Pigeons-migeons

Istanbul - A trip to the neighbors (Part 2)

2013-06-06T16:00:00.001+03:00

During the past night, a rather substantial rain poured down, but in the morning the sun has already found its place on the sky and has chased away most of the clouds. While my fellow-travelers are still getting ready, I conduct my photo observation of the streets from above. I like quite much to observe from a high point, people on the streets are very natural, because they don't see me and therefore are not camera shy, besides that the point of view is completely different.

Waiting for the 24A bus to Eminönü, for example

Istanbul - A trip to the neighbors (Part 1)

2013-05-30T16:30:00.000+03:00

September, 2012. Sunday. At an odd time (regarding the day of the week) I and two friends of mine decide to go to Istanbul for several days. We choose these strange days – from Sunday to Wednesday, because my fellow travelers are going back to the States after a week. And I, if you ask most of my friends I am "ailyak" (which according to the dictionary is an idle person, one at a loose end), so I don't have a problem with the odd time of the week. We load up in my car, the space ship or the shark, according to the point of view, and we are off to our destination – Istanbul, the only city situated on two continents, that is if the Arabs don't plan to build something similar one day, in which case, it should be read as the first/original city situated on two continents.

We approach the city, moreover we are entering into the city, since it is quite large, and start looking at the navigation for our exit. Something like a premature ejaculation occurs, since we shoot ourselves from the highway too early. Quite unpleasant. Back and forth, going twice around an unknown neighborhood, we make it back to the highway. I won't explain this with any physical function of the body, and frankly, I don't want to think which one it could be. We find the proper exit and this time we fire ourselves out of the highway at the right spot. We check out some hotels and choose one with free parking and wifi. We are in the Topkapi neighborhood, it's not the famous palace, but still is in the boundaries of the ancient Constantinople/Istanbul, as we are close to the defense stone walls. We freshen up, pay for the first night with almost all of our local money and go out.

A night walk in Sofia

2013-05-17T15:30:00.001+03:00

Since the first ten posts were about Cuba, now it is time for something local, Bulgarian, not that it would be very long, just one post, but still I have promised myself to alternate the posts, abroad and homeland. Some of you have already seen them in Facebook, but for others the upcoming photos will be new. However, the next few posts will be new for everybody, I promise.

What the night has in mind for me?

An exercise in Cuban carelessness - Trinidad and the last days (Part 9)

2013-05-07T15:00:00.001+03:00

On the next day, we head to Trinidad, which is one of the best preserved cities in the Caribbean, from the time when the sugar trade was the main industry in the region and is under the auspices of UNESCO. While we are searching for a place to park the van, a guy with a sign "official parking" comes to us and tells us to park next to the near pavement, for some pesos, of course.

Official parking

An exercise in Cuban carelessness - Cienfuegos & The Bay of Pigs (Part 8)

2013-04-30T15:00:00.001+03:00

Hasta la vista, Habana! Bienvenidos Cienfuegos!

On the next day we say goodbye to Havana and take on the Autopista towards Cienfuegos. The Cubans and the road markings aren't close friends, so the later ones are missing from the road. We get off the highway and continue onto some third class road. In one of the villages that we go through, only the main street is asphalt-paved, the side streets are gravel and mud. In this area, the main means of transport are the horse carriages and the bikes. However, I've got the feeling that the only thing the Cubans do is to travel, because under every palm tree, there are people waiting for somebody to take them on the road. On the next palm tree, we witness the following funny event: a car stops at something like a bus station and all the 15-20 people waiting there rush to the vehicle with the idea to get in. After a while the people back off and surprisingly nobody has gone inside the car and the vehicle is whole. In the village that we pass through and even in the larger towns, almost every house has the following mandatory tools of the loafer/kibitzer – rocking chair positioned toward the street and a working TV inside the house, which can be heard through the opened windows.

Another pimped up Moskvich