Bulgaria Ski discussion board

Hi there everyone this is my report.

Flew from Manchester on 28th Jan with Exel. Arrived in Plovdiv an hour early due to following wind during flight, (not mine I might add).
Plovidiv has not really changed in the 6 years since I was last there, no necessarilty a bad thing, we were in and out of the airport within 40 mins.
Transfer to Perelik Hotel took just over an hour. Rep on the bus was Anthont from Thompson, who just letf us to have a kip rather than give us all the usual spiel so thanks to him for that.
After checking into the Hotel which again has not really changed in the 3 years since I was last there, except for a lick of paint and showers trys now in bathrooms.
Down to BJ's for a quick drink and to meet up with other freinds off different flights. Had anearly night to ensure we were up to meet the rep.

Met Crytals rep in hotel reception in the morning, but felt a little under valued as we had not paid for lessons or ski hire, just the lift pass.
She palmed us off with the comment " are you the 2 with the Snow Shack", didn't really bother us as this meant we got away quicker, but would have been nice to be treated in the same way as the others.

Got down to Malina Ski depot via a taxi (mental) but had to wait for 45 mins to get lift passes as the woman in the lift pass hut had not yet turned up for work.
I was kitted out in double quick time by Gary & Ted in the snow shack but that is what freinds are for. Onto to slopes and was please to find I had not forgotten anything in the 3 years since I last strapped on a board.

Snow conditions were ok on the first day, but they gradually got worse as the days progressed and could have done with some frsh snow, which duly arrived the day after we left!!!!!!.

Food in the hotel was OK, plenty of choice for all diets but was luke warm, how the Bulgharians like, so only ate in the hotel once, dont get me wrong food was OK but waned try all restaurants in resort.
We ate a couple of times in the new White Hart, food and beer were excellent, service could be a bit slow as bar staff could hide on the other side of the bar and pretend the could not see you.
They have live band on in the White Hart every night who are good, but after a couple of nights they seemed to be repeating the same set every night.

Best meal was in Red Sun Chinese just outside centre of resort, it cost us 6 lev for taxi up there.
There were 14 of us sat down for the meal, everyone had a starter and main course, 8 bottles of wine, 3 beers and 2 cokes. All this cost us the princely sum of 30 lev ( GBP 10.00) including tip. On top of this the staff then give you a free lift back to resort.

Best night out was in the Apres Ski Bar, the have alive band on every night who are extremely good, the sing Lora is amazing and also very cute. I would recommend buying her CD (10 lev) it is excellent.

Spent quite a couple of nights out with BGSki rep Maria and her cousin Anie, what a lovely couple of girls they are and Maria certainly knows have to have a good time, she also sorted out a SkiDoo trip for us as well, I will definatley book next years trip through Maris & BG Ski, just so i can have her as my rep in resort.

Went to BJ's a couple of nights but was too hot to stay very long, also went to Daks one night but was emopty so didnt go back, maybe this was because it was 4.00am when we got in there I don't know.

Journey home was just a smooth at going out, got picked up from hotel at 15.30 but had to wait for a group of lads who wanted just one last drink in BJ's before leaving, transfer to Plovidiv took just over an hour.
From arriving at airport and taking off took just over an hour, so we were able to take off half an hour early.
Again flight time was 3hrs 20 instead of 4 hours and after what was the heaviest landing I have ever had (woman pilot), even the stewardesses we shocked, joking over the tannoy "Ladies and Gentlemen I THINK we have just landed at Manchester, I'll just go and check" I was sat on my sofa at home at the same time we should have been landing.

All in all it was a great holiday but know need another week off to recover, I will definately be booking to go back next year.


Rico.