Sofia - Skopje

08.05.2025 - 08.05.2025
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We say goodbye to Sofia and Bulgaria today, as we continue this comprehensive tour of the Balkans.

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View over Sofia from our bedroom window

We are both still feeling pretty rough, despite ten hours of sleep last night. Today is just a travel day, with very little happening along the way, and next to no photos, but plenty of opportunities to nap. As we stop to fill diesel, we are somewhat concerned that not only does Vladimir leave the car engine running; the staff are having a cigarette break on the petrol station forecourt!

The road passing through beautiful countryside is wide and new-ish, with two lanes in our direction and one in the opposite. Most of the time Vladimir straddles both our lanes, even when someone is overtaking, forcing them into the oncoming lane.

Hotel Bushi, Skopje

Returning to this hotel is like coming home. The car park is very busy today, so Vladimir just drops us off and leaves us to take our own luggage down to reception and check in (which is absolutely no problem as far as we are concerned). We manage to get a twin room, yay!

Lunch / Dinner

After checking in and dumping our luggage in the room, we make the somewhat convoluted journey to the hotel’s restaurant for a late lunch / early dinner. If breakfast and lunch is known as brunch, would this be called linner?

Usually David and I have completely different tastes in food, but today we both choose the same dish without any discussion beforehand.

Pasta Quattro Formaggi

Bushi is a very nice four-star hotel, but I so hate the fact that they allow smoking in the restaurant. Despite the smoker not even sitting right next to me, and the windows being open, the smell of smoke completely taints my dining experience.

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