Bulgaria Ski discussion board

Please does anyone have any advice or info they can give me as i am taking 60 school children to the Rila hotel,Borovets on Feb 14th. The ages range from 13 - 18. Key things im worried about are balcony jumping, being served alcohol at the bars and shops and the prostitutes you get in the foyer of the hotel!!!!! Is the resort a safe place to let the pupils out to go shopping ?? Do they have much traffic in resort?? What are the hospitals like??? They say that 1 in every 10 children break something on a skiing trip!!! Ah the nightmares!!!! Is there anything they can do after they come off the slopes before they have dinner?? Will they get bored?? Ive got things organised for the evenings but im more worried when they have time to get up to mischief!! Has anyone done what im doing before??

Hello Thersa

I have never been to the country before and I'm going the week after you. I don't have any advise for you but just to say that i went skiing with my high school and thats how I fell in love with skiing. Well done for organising everything. I am sure all of your pupils will have a ball. As for prostitues from the old messages on here they are on the street and very out of the way unless you are an all male group (say over 20) later at night.

Good luck and try to enjoy the holiday.

Michael from Bedfordshire

60 children. Wow. I admire your courage.

Sorry, don't know Boro, but last 2 years took my 18, then 19 year old son to Pamps. Going again this year, but my son has gone to Uni.

There were lots of groups of children there and they seemed to be having a ball, but they always seemed to be escorted in groups - or maybe that's just when we saw them.

I had NO problem letting my son and freind roam about, but your's are a little younger. Traffic was VERY light.

Unfortunately, I would say they wouldn't have any problem getting served in the bars, but maybe someone will contradict me (hopefully).

Good luck.

Theresa I have a one bit of advice runaway now! God I think you must be mad! I take my hat of to you Wow!! Seriously though let me see if I can address some of your worries. Balcony jumping well boys will be boys not a lot you can do about that. Drink yes they will all be able to get served beer or spirits (sorry)! The resort is as safe as anywhere as in that wherever you go these days there is some risk. Yes their are prositutes in Bulgaria they are not so in your face but I think no matter if you warn the boys it aint going to help. Drink+ teenager= Horny as I am sure you will know. I would try the scare tactic myself. You know tell them loads of nasty things they can catch. And remind them that the girls are mafia controlled!!! Honestly just try and relax Bulgaria is a great place I am sure you will love it
Ps Michael what part of sunny Bedfordshire are you from? I am in Toddington.

is your first name mother?
blimey where to start, balcony jumping will end up in injury due to the height! yes alcohol and other substances will be on offer, no differant to a night on the town in england though, working girls will not bother them due to their age it will be the other way round, and from experience most teenagers would giggle or run a mile, if the worst comes to the worst theyll get through their spending money very quickly. The road down from the rila is pedestianised most of the way and then almost single file but there is not much traffic about. Should someone get injured the response service is very good, including helicopter recovery, and the hospital in Samakov is better equiped to those sorts of injuries than at home due to the regular prcatice!! There is quite a bit to do in the hotel, but the numbers alone will tend ot overwhelm the resources. Shopping is safe and theres always the sledges!!!
hope you get the chance to relax--------------probably when you get home

all the best

Okay first things first your obviously insane! but having got past that what advice can I offer.

First thing is the kids will love it, theres loads for them to do after tea in the evening they can go bumboarding or sledging on the new flood lit slopes. The discos will let them in and they wont get bothered by the ladies of the night however bars are very lax on serving age!

You may have to alternate groups for evening activities, as your numbers are huge. For a group that big youll need at least five adults for supervision off the slopes however all the instructors are great so once you hand over to them you can relax.

Snowmobiles are excellent fun and around £20 and hour although im sure they will do a group discount. The younger ones can travel as passengers with the older children. Pools good which both the Rila and Samokov have, great for those aching limbs as the children wont be able to walk properly after three days skiing unless they swim or do some other exercise to loosen their muscles.

The mountain rescue and hospital are fine not the most advanced but you will get good care, one of the other replies obviously had a bad experience. I dislocated my shoulder after a skier went into me and found them very helpful!

Will they break something, well probably your taking 60 kids at least six will come back with injuries of some type! Can i suggest that if any of them snowboard they should buy wrist supports before they go around £15. Ive boarded for years and i still wear them believe me theyre well worth it.

The most important thing is if they are skiing at any point without an instructor, a competent adult is with them as if not there excitement will get the better of them and theyll go to a slope thats too steep and too fast for them. Thats when they get hurt.

another than that all i can say is good luck

matt