Change of time zone, one more hour that we did not necessarily anticipate. It is therefore almost 8 pm, but we still hope to find a restaurant open in Slivnitsa, a small town 30 km from the border. It’s already been a few days that we promise one to the children, we hope not to miss it.

No toll in this country, but a sticker, depending on the category of the vehicle, a la carte for the duration (day, week, month,…). The stations having no sticker for the week, it is decided to postpone the purchase until the next day.

Slivinitsa turns out to be a small, gloomy rural town, which in the end is quite representative of what we will see in Bulgaria: snow-covered roads that are much less maintained than in Croatia and Serbia, roads with little light… We go around for a time to find a restaurant and the only one you can find is…full! Big disappointment and frustration for everyone, we did not really want to cook tonight!

On the way to the bivouac on the other side of the national road. Ah, access is via a small snowy and icy road with ditches on both sides, and obviously in the dark… The taste of adventure is the strongest, and we do not want to park again by the side of the road. We start carefully, I’m not very reassured and the tension rises a little, even if at no time we are afraid. The spot is actually at the edge of a pond, but the banks are snowy and the access is tilted. Further down the road, a small bridge and a field, but next to no possibility to turn around. We stay planted on the road. The next day is Sunday, we hope not to be dislodged by a tractor in the early morning!

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK! Lo and behold, we do not avoid the farmer (without tractor) who comes to see the squatters on his land the next day. He eventually understands why we are there, it does not feel like he wants us to leave quickly, but still… The problem is solved with… 5 euros. Well… We finally stay there until early afternoon, enjoying the beautiful landscape under a generous sun. The snow has melted a little, backtracking to return to the main road is done without worry.

To Sofia: mission « Bulgarian restaurant »!