Thanks to my great friend Tomas Rusek who crewed for me on Saturday. I had a wonderful 47km run finishing in the village of Rostin, all this fantistic support made it so easy!

 On the way I enjoyed help from two young runners David and his brother Vitek and father another Tomas, so no doubting Tomas’s here!!

Then I was escorted by George on his bicycle anong with his 11 year old son Alex. We finished at the house of Jirina and Charles and their son also Charles.

This family made us so welcome and we even had a session in their ‘ theraputic salt cave’

Tomas told me he was working until 2am sorting contacts and places for me to stay with crew for the rest of my run through the Czech Rep. Yes this country is my favourite in Europe! Tomas will crew for me again today, Sunday, a short 31km day he estimates. This is his fourth and final day with me, I am so thankful for his great help. I am so lucky he was here during my stay as he travels the world as a tour guide organiser and is rarely in Brno for more than a couple of days between his trips. He is a walking and a cycling tour operator. He was one of the worlds leading ultra runners having run a personal best of 433km in 1995 for 48 hours and finished second to the legendary Yiannis Korous.

His travel website is www.rajbas.eu

Thanks so much to everyone

I will edit this entry and put pictures in later.

By Tony Mangan: I just had to take in Brno on the world run. Brno 48 hour indoor race

 March 16/18 2007 was the highlight of my running career!

Sorry for the rough text and photos. My photos are back home,

these ones I just had on emails. Here is the race report I wrote after

 the race.

 Ah! it all seemed so easy then!

Uno in Brno!
By: Tony Mangan.

The world indoor record still stands.426.178km about 266 miles!

I felt the Japanese runners eyes burning holes through my back.We were in 
the latter hours of the Brno 48 hour indoor international endurance race in 
the Czech Republic. He was probably wondering who was this upstart.I had 
googled him last week and knew he was a member of their gold medal-winning 
team from the world 24 hour championships in Taiwan.He had finished 7th 
there.I was 16th.

I moved to the left he moved to left.He was waiting for me to go. Cat and 
mouse.I was in no hurry, as I had a nice lead of about 10km.

I slowed to let Kenjai pass me on a lap. He grunted and charged off.

This was his 3rd attack of the 4 he had mounted on me.Knowing he was

nearing his limit this time I went with him just to show him I was feeling

very strong.

It was a short attack.Just one lap of the 250 meter concrete track of the

indoor arena. Eyeballs- out-stuff, we ran it in about 70 seconds but it

seemed sub 60. Most of my other laps were in the 1:30 to 1:40 region.

 At the end of this lap his hand went up in the air,almost as a sign of

 submission. I had managed to fend off his 2 previous attacks,

lapping him a few times when he faded.

We jogged on for a couple of hours, towards the never-ending 
finish.Refreshed with about 2 hours to go we spoke for the very first time

 in the race.

He told me not to worry that he wanted to go through 400km in style.

 Still,I had to take this seriously as anything could happen to me giving

 him an outside chance of victory.He lifted his pace gradually,

adrenalin filled, running through the pain barrier.I was watching him

carefully from the opposite side of the indoor track matching his pace.

He was running clad in his white Japanese singlet and blue shorts with a

 forward leaning style which was easy to pick out among the other runners.

I started this race wearing my Dublin clubs Metro St.Brigid's singlet for 
the first 14 hours.

As as it was St.Patrick's day at midnight on the first 
day I changed into my Irish national singlet.This was first time in 20 years 
as a member of my club I didn't wear my clubs colours for a non-championship 
race.It was my plan to change back at midnight,but I decided I didn't want to

 change the luck of the Irish.

After 2 hours I was in 26th place of the 51 runners.

As the hours ticked slowly by I was gradually moving up the standings,

passing other runners,one by one.I felt like a grand prix driver moving up

through the grid. By the 24 hour mark I was 3rd place, later getting a

presentation for that competition within a competition;

223km run, almost identical to the distance I covered 
in the Verona European championships 6 months earlier,finishing 9th.
For once the weather could be guaranteed for a race.The arena which

is usually used for expos had been heated to 17degrees C.

Here in Brno, I took the lead with 10 hours to go. I was running like

a man possessed. No way did I want to finish second again in a big race.

Passion,ambition and a hunger to win were the fuel that drove me on through

that second long night.

This Japanese runner, Kenjai Okiyama, is some competitor,

Courageous full of running, never-say-die attitude.

We had an incredible tussle!

 On each of those 4 attacks I managed to hold him off by raising

my pace steadily so he found it hard to keep his attacks going.

I took a half hour nap after 20 hours and another half-hour

 at 32 hours.

Upon returning to the track I got sick and wasted another

 15-20 minutes.
The only time I walked was for 3 laps immediately before my

first nap.

Peta a young science student was assigned to look after me,

giving me my carbohydrate drinks gels and electrolytes.

Also, Alan Young a UK athletics official was very generous

with his assistance,

Alan was there to crew for William Sichel who broke the

 Scottish 48 hour record and finished 6th.

These helpers were instrumental to my success.

 I owe them a huge debt of service.
After the race my feet were in surprisingly decent shape.

In fact my feet hardly had a blemish!

The official aid stations were well stocked and included beer!

As a non-drinker I chose the alcohol-free one, occasionally.

They were of course not pint glasses but shot glass size!

Sometimes runners finds it hard to stomach regular drinks

and as beer is rich in carbohydrates - it's a welcome

refreshment for some ultra runners!

Towards the end of the race I was escorted by the race referee

to my exact finishing spot to put down a marker to mark what

I thought to be a course record.

In the last stages of Brno 2007. Race referee and race director Tomas Rusek right prepare to mark exact spot for the world record I was oblivious to!

 .

Jaroslav Kocourek,a Czech runner was the first to shake my

 hand and congratulate me on breaking his indoor

world 48 hour record!

 I asked him what he meant:

"Was it not a course record?"

"Yes it's a course record but the course record is

the world record!"

 That was a pleasant shock to me!
I looked for Kenjai and gave him a massive hug.

 We exchanged our national flags.

Exchanging flags with Kenji

Then we were photographed holding each others flag.

Third place Vlastimil Dvoracek from a Czech runner came over.

We exchanged race stories.

With Kenji left and Vlastimil Dvoracek right.

I fell into a chair and gave two television interviews

and numerous photos as the arena scoreboard sign flashed....

 " World 48 hour indoor record Tony Mangan Ireland

 426.178km " (264.81miles) "

Kenjai's second place total was 412.9km.

Third was the Czech runner 
Vlastimil Dvoracek in 374.9km.
Irina Koval frrom Russia won the womens race

running  353.4km.

Nina Mytrofanova from the Ukraine was second,334.4km.

Michaela Dimitriadu, Czech Rep. 322.3km, third.

My 24 hour splits were 223km and 203km.

We got onto the podium sharing with the 3 women's winners.

We were all so tired, almost falling off and hanging

onto each other as the presentations continued with

individual awards for each finisher.

Eventually they allowed us to sit down on the podium

while the ceremony continued.

I went back to the hotel,showered and slept for

about 4 hours and went out 
to dinner with the other runners.I sat with Kenjai.

He told me about life as a runner in Japan.

His wife is a 10 day runner.

It was very expensive for him and his handler to come here.

I felt sorry for him.

I was wearing my traditional race night tee-shirt which reads:

 "Battered,shattered,plastered and twisted!"

 I was happy and this made up for so many heartbreaking

second place finishes during my ultrarunning career.

My club club mate Michael Farrell deserves a lot of credit

for his great work getting me ready for races.

 Many times I have doubted if I could get

 over some of my injuries but Michael always seems to pull me

through.

In 5 years years working on me the masochist has never

 failed me!

Race director,Tomas Rusek did a wonderful job putting on

this incredible race which went like a well-oiled machine

without a hitch.

The trophy I was presented with was so big,

 I didn't know how to get it home!

Tomas the race director called to my room the next morning

to give me a large sports bag which the trophy barely

fitted into.

I went to the airport put the 48 hour shoes into the

x-ray machine and pitied the operator,

 how those shoes must have stank!

As I put them on I heard some Irish weekend revelers 
asking.

"Did you Run?" Thinking they were talking to me

I turned to answer...

Just as the other was man was replying,

"Are you crazy? I couldn't run across the street!"
I had a little chuckle and walked very slowly

through the terminal.

I was happy.

Tony Mangan. March 2007.

I have had a busy week running from Hungary to Slovakia, two days in Austria and now the Czech Republic!

Today, Wednesday was a short day. Thnks to Tomas Rusek, my friend and race director from Brno 48 hour race who came out to crew for me.

Even time for a non alcohol beer!

It rained heavily so I finished early, a half day at 22km.

Tomas met me on the road to Brno

Thanks also to Vera. I always have to borrow clothes when people kindly do my laundry! Thanks Tomas.

Then it rained!

Singing in the rain...

Many thanks to Hotel Tatra in Bratislava, Slovakia for sponsoring my two night stay her in downtown Bratislava. The hotel is conveniently located beside all the nightlife and medieval township tourist attractions, also the Presidential palace just to name a few attractions. An hotel with a tradition, offers its services since 1930. Hotel Tatra boasts over 80-years history.

Bratislava is a must stopover I was told by a friend last week. So I did – I took a rest day.

With Irish Ambassador Anne-Marie Callan and Michal Ruzovil the sales manager for Hotel Tatra

With my friend Josef the brother of my ultra running host in Tasmania, Vlastislav Skvaril who escaped from former Czechoslovakia

A friend from my racing days Edit Berces from Lake Balaton, Hungary came back to Bratislava especially to see me as we missed each other when I ran through Hungary last week. Edit holds the women’s world 24 hour treadmill record 247 plus kilometres set in Budapest in 2004. Edit is the first woman to have run over 250km on a track in Verona, Italy in 2002.

Edit Berces

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July 18th update: In Bratislava, Slovakia my 32nd country. Was met on the road half way through my easy 28km day by local contact Josef who took Nirvana so as I could run between the very heavy rain showers without pushing her! Total 46,418km for 1,061 road days.

1,370 kilometres to Calais, the end of mainland Europe. I plan running this in a little over five weeks. The date I got in mind for crossing from Calais to Dover, England is Aug 25th. Then another 540km to Dublin!

Am meeting the Irish ambassador to Slovakia H.E. Anne-Marie Callan at 9am Saturday morning. She is coming around to the hotel at 9am on her day off, so this is very much appreciated. Also appreciated is her contacting the Hotel Tatra who have kindly sponsored my two night stay here in their wonderful downtown hotel.

Two nights as I will be taking only my third rest day in 3,850kilometres which was run in 92 road days, all the way from the Iranian desert.

I will give a proper mention to all concerned tomorrow with the hotel website and pictures with Ambassador Callan.

So you know how I think, I got to be up early for the buffet breakfast

I also hope to meet Fergus Desmond a Shamrock Rovers supporter at the hotel before I start running on Sunday morning. Fergus who happens to read this blog! sent me an email saying he will be here by coincidence flying in on Sunday morning and will come straight from the airport to Hotel Tatra to buy me a steak lunch! I tell you I am mixing with royalty these days 

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Now to my catchup Iran picture blog.

Another breakfast picnic invite after this family gave me a bed for the night.

I know if I go back and picture to blogs the readers probably wont go back and check them, so for now the best way to catch up is with a picture blog.

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After shot glass sized portions of tea in India it was great to be able to drink as much as I wanted in Iran. Most shops and restaurants provided a burco of hot water for travelers to fill their thermos flasks with or for world runners to fill their beakers with. One man called my bowl a dog dish!

 The Iranian desert. My sixth and final desert of the run.

An Iranian weather forecaster.

With Mr. Alireza the Irish Honary consul to Iran and his wife.

I just loved reading this on his desk!

Mr. Alireza kindly treated me to a delicious meal in a very posh restaurant. We had a most interesting conversation talking about world affairs.

I use my smart phone to find my way and check routes on Google maps. I was not a great believer in them at the start of the run. But then when it saved me time taking more direct routes I became a believer! Here I photographed my route and could check my camera if needed.

To be honest I really don’t know how I would have survived the last six months without it especially when applying for my Iran visa I needed to send about a dozen emails including obtaining  the invitation letter.

There was a story there too. If anyone knows Richard Donovan and wants a good laugh, Just ask Richard who ‘ Mr. Porsche ‘ is!

There have been too few internet cafes on my route and many readers will remember I often spent half a day in them when I did come across one in places like Indonesia.

This man is called Mohammed, an English teacher. He stopped me on the road the afternoon before my birthday and kindly invited me to spend the night in his family home when I ran into his town.

Always time for tea in Iran!

Another place to stay

Settling down to sleep in a mosque, this time with permission!

You can seen the women section in the back.

Readers may remember I often snuck in there as womens prayer section was rarely checked before locking up. Men often rested in the womens area as it was quieter but never women in the men’s location.

The women were not always shy to talk.

A beautiful country

And beautiful people

The Iranians know how to picnic that is for sure. I got an invite to lunch from this three family party celebrating Friday, the holy day.

Another tea break in western Iran. I discover Turkish and Azerbaijani are the main languages in this region.

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I stopped to ask was there a cafe or shop in this village and was invited to eat with the family.

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In six weeks running through Iran the woman in the background was the only woman I saw without a head covering.

This was the amazing breakfast that family served me that morning. I have never heard a traveler say a bad word about the Iranian people after a visit to this wonderful country. believe me this is only a small part of the story.Iran along with the USA my joint favourite country of the run.

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My last two nights in Iran were with the Iranian Red Crescent as they prefer to call the Red Cross, Here in Marganlar and then in Maku. Hot showers, dinner, bed, breakfast and endless tea, what else!

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July 11th 2014 46,129km run for 1,054 road days.

Many thanks to Kenneth Corcoran and Robert Lux for kindly sponsoring my next few days on the road  :)

In Hungary now. Just a brief thank you to my kind host Gyula Erdesz and Maria his mother for a wonderful time and delicious Hungarian goulash!

One one occasion I said to him I must look like one of his runners in the final hours of a 6 day race, Yes he said but worse  

Yes we had a laugh, Thanks so much Gyula and family for a great time

A great crew job Gyula!

 

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Many thanks to the North Pole Marathon and my great friend Richard Donovan for ongoing support of the run. Richard’s North Pole Marathon www.npmarathon.com is known as the ‘world’s coolest marathon’. He also organises the Antarctic Ice Marathon & 100k www.icemarathon.com at the other end of the planet, which was Lonely Planet’s top marathon pick for adventure travel in 2014. Richard’s Volcano Marathon www.volcanomarathon.com in the Atacama Desert is one of the highest marathons in the world and was recently listed by British Airways as the second most scenic marathon in the world, one place behind the North Pole Marathon!

Hi Again. Spot not updating this morning. I am in Becej about 80km from Hungarian border. i hope to cross on Thursday. I will be heading for Baja where I got an invite from well known Hungarian race director Gyula Erdesz
I expect to arrive Friday, Thanks Gyuala I look forward to the goulash you and your mom have promised me and also the shower!!
I hope Hungarian ultra runners can come out and run. I will not be running into Budapest, sorry heading for Bratislava. Where I got another invite from Josef who is Vlastik’s brother. Some may remember Vlastik from Burnie, Tasmania, he is an ultra runner also. He made a daring escape from former Czechoslovakia. I blogged it then if interested in archives around end of Feb 2013. It will be interesting to hear from his brother.
Oh almost forgot 46,000km yesterday, I am taking these things far too much for granted. I tell you that thousand was amongst the toughest, pushing Nirvana on the very narrow roads with no shoulder. I remember estimating pushing her is about an extra 20% effort and obviously I am a lot more tired now. Fergus Owens will be sad to hear that me and Nirvana are having ‘ relationship problems ‘ at the moment, for she is like an unwanted child to me now, I wish I could escape her!!
Thanks to the man who stopped on the way into Becej and stopped his car on a narrow bridge to hand me a burger. I have to be honest I was thinking to myself East Europe has many nice people but people seem so afraid to help as mentioned before… I am afraid to say cold is the word that comes to mind There was  cyclist called Yugoslav who gave me an invite in his house but I would have had to go back 3km and was a bit too much pushing Nirvana. However I agreed if we could get someone to mind Nirvana overnight, in a barn and there were many. We asked at about six houses, I am not authorized seems to be a favourite saying here also in Bulgaria and Turkey. A man did but I would have had to return before 5am before he left for work. I didn’t accept the invitation, I just ran another 5km and camped in a field. I was not asking for much, just to park Nirvana, so this was still playing on my mind but this man handing me the burger put a smile back on my face and it tasted so good! Thank you mister

I am also in touch with tough female Hungarian ultra runner Edit Berces. Edit needs no introduction to ultra runners  as she is the holder of the female 24 and 48 hour world treadmill records among many other records. She seems to be very busy and moving around a lot but I hope we can meet up on the road somewhere near Bratislava.

happy Independence Day to all my American readers and friends!

Am doing well in Serbia now.

July 4th 48km

Total 45,848km.

Please watch out for a picture blog of Iran coming soon, about 30 photos.

I hope to do same for Turkey in a week or two.

I thought it would be wise to wait a few days in Serbia before posting this just in case Bulgarian border patrol are reading!

Thanks so much to Barry Drennan for sponsoring my two night stay in Zoran’s hostel as mentioned in last blog.

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First night in Bulgaria I got rained out. Let’s just say I didn’t put my tent up properly, I learnt a big lesson as I spent the whole morning trying to dry my down summer sleeping bag out. I decided to run with it on Nirvana in the afternoon.
I run as far as the outskirts of Svilengrad town. Just been thinking to myself that I ran Iran and Turkey and did not see a single church. That is not to say these countries are intolerant as Iran has a sizable Jewish community living unhindered in Tehran.
In Istanbul one man told that churches are there its just they prefer to be discrete. I was especially surprised in Turkey.
I stop at a cafe to take a photo of a statue of a border guard and his dog which is just across the road.

“Communist? “
I ask a man called Dimitri. He tells me no.
The inscription says 1972 so I don’t know
As I  drinking my tea a Bulgarian Orthodox Catholic priest called Father George comes in and gives me some chocolate with my tea.

That's Father George in the middle.

I am just about to go when the proprietor puts a knife and fork down on my table.
I am told to sit down and eat a huge Bulgarian salad compliments of Father George  This gives my gear an extra half hour to dry outside on Nirvana.

Next day 32km to finish at another TIR restaurant in the village of Byalo Pole. It was another sluggish day running along the quiet roads in the Bulgarian countryside. I ran over short rolling hills past wheat fields where quizzical farmers stopped to see what I was up to. People always address me in their language expecting me to be fluent in every language under the sun from Thai to Myanmar, Hindi, Farsi, Turkish and now Bulgarian. They surprisingly almost always seem surprised when I can’t answer!

People may have been wondering what I was looking forward to as I was running towards Europe and may be surprised to know one of my desires was to be able to have a good shop in Lidl supermarkets   Ah yes, wine gums, American hard gums, oatmeal, good chocolate and more. Well that’s what I bought in Harmanli’s Lidl.

More power to the sheep

Also another box of liqueurs which I didn’t get to eat on the road. Think I am becoming a right old Sheila as my Aussie friends would say! I need the calories is my excuse.  I hope I can stop eating when this is all over!

I am told Bulgarians don’t find it cheap living here. A couple of people told me they earn about 200 euro a month. In Iran a head master told me he earns 500 euro a month while a petrol pump attendant earns the same in Turkey.

That day I ran 37km on the glorious back roads through some nice villages called Dushevo, Gtadnitsa and Berievo.

Many elderly people stopped me and like babies trying to communicate without a language I always know what they are asking… Where are you going Where are you from and what are you doing…
I swear all that changes is just that order!
Sometimes I stop and take their photo but always wave and smile.

Ladies on the road to Hell!

That night in Berievo I went into a restaurant and stayed late for there were a lot of people watching world cup football. A man and his cousin said I could stay in his cousins house that night. We communicated in Spanish as this man lived in Spain and many Latin American countries for twelve years. His and his cousins  names I never wrote down, shame on me!

Mr. Road to Hell!

Like most people here they drink too much alcohol unfortunately. The shops are used as bars which sell 2.4 litres of beer for about 1.25 euro.
He told me the cousin earns 120 euro a month when working but there is not much work.
He also tries to dissuade me from taking the road I am taking for it is like a Chris Rea  song he says… The road to Hell! Because of the Gypsies and bandits and the ticks in the forests which can transmit Lyme disease.

Yes the latter is the one that concerns me most but I did think he was too much of an alarmist especially when he told me my map was wrong, a new edition I add and the roads were closed. His advice was to go via Sofia over 100kilometres longer, so that would take me over the 50,000 exact figure I want for the finish.

I was invited to stay in his cousins house that night and we mended a puncture in the morning.

I continued on my way without any major problems.

However on the road to Hell on the way from Vratsa towards Montana many hookers plied their trade some wearing lingerie which could be sexy night dresses as they stood on the side of the road or sat on small fold up chairs. They had bags of food and a couple of litres of water to keep them going while waiting for the frequent cars and trucks to stop. I was told they were gypsies.

Once I took a photo which enraged the girl. I ran faster for a while!

Some more days, some good distances and I feel I am really on the road to Heaven and not Hell!

Ah Yes we are a long way from Iran... The road to Hell for sure! I couldn't help thinking of Chris Rea's other hit... I don't know what it is but I like it!

There is very little traffic on the back roads but the roads are in poor condition. It seems truckers use the main road from Vidan near the border with Romania so as not to pay for a ferry. Most trucks are from Poland and Hungary. I would have thought the European Union would have updated. Perhaps they did, perhaps the funds have been embezzled.

Thats what happens in this part of the world. I remember about ten years ago when Romania and Bulgaria were preparing their EU bid the payment they got for their preparation fund was ripped off!

I very well remember hearing on George Hooks radio show on Newstalk 106 an astonished George and am sure  most Irish readers can hear his charismatic tones in their minds ear…

” But hold on minister, Hold your horses….Are you seriously trying to tell me the EU knew that the hard earned tax money me and my listeners work hard for has disappeared into thin air….. Down the Swanney said George.

(Well maybe the Danube George!)

” And, And we got to pay this preparation fund to them again?? Is that what you are seriously saying to me for crying out loud? ” Continues George.

” Yes George. We Know they are corrupt but how do we sort them out. We have decided we will get them into the EU family and then straighten out their corruption from inside the European Union ”

There is little or no shoulder on the narrow roads but I don’t need it here as there is so little traffic on the back roads but I wonder about bandits, perhaps lonely roads are better for them.

Grass and shrubs grow out onto the road. It is like a jungle, Bulgaria does not seem to maintain the hedge ways either. It is difficult finding camping as I got to wade through this jungle when I finish for the day. Most garages refuse me to pitch a tent, only the odd one but I got to ask many. It seems people are scared and I am not sure if this is because of crime or still in their mindset from communist times. There was a night when I asked a man who stopped me in the village of Slavotin. He was standing in his doorway and I stopped to talk as I was angling for a safe camp spot in his spacious backyard. He had been conversing with me and surely could see I was harmless. He flatly refused. End of conversation, sorry no more road show!

I have been told the winter temperatures drops to around -30 C in these parts. I remember the USA and how people housed, fed me and looked after me on the road during the only real winter of my run. How people came up to me and asked me what I was going to do when the storm blew in,

My mind is very tired now, just as tired as my body. I write a blog and hope I am communicating well and indeed if I am correct in calling this man ‘ mean spirited. ‘ Do I have any expectation, No I guess I shouldn’t have, that’s his decision. Perhaps I just impose myself too much on people.

I am getting renewed energy now and running well and strong, well strong for me anyway. I can sense the end of Europe now, the month after next I will be running the UK. But I wish and long for a rest day in a nice suitable place but can’t find anywhere. At least I don’t stick around to ask. Some days my legs feel like wobbly jelly, perhaps like footballers cramp, I never experienced that in my life. I am taking plenty of electrolytes and water.

I meet a security guard manning a factory entrance. He is a security guard with a difference for he is a runner. When I ran by he was doing hill loops back and forth about 100 metres each side of the factory entrance! He is getting paid while he trains for his next marathon! I wish we could have communicated better!

There is a Red Cross centre there. I ask if I can lay my sleeping bag down in a corner. I am told no that it was not a hotel, fair enough. So I ask the question again why am I pissed off with them, do they really have a duty to look after me. Surely it’s my duty and nobody elses to look after me?

I go into a bar and drink a couple of energy drinks there. The people are nice, though don’t talk to me at all. one of the workers takes me into the kitchen. There are six large sacks of large mushrooms and he really wants to give me some for the road! No sorry to disappoint, not sure if they are magic mushrooms and I wouldn’t be able to cook them.

Everyone confuses the Irish flag I fly from Nirvana to be Italian. Even an Italian trucker waved his green white and red tri-colour out his truck window. Bon Journo and Ciao I get all the time and Italia, Italia.

I have already picked out my location for that night. Directly outside the bar on the pavement there is a really good shelter from the roofing which extends all the way across the path. I will just pitch my mosquito pop-up and sleep beside Nirvana where she is parked outside the bar window and hope I wont be asked to leave. I really wanted a hotel that night but this town has none. Ah Yes The Road To Hell, Gypsies and bandits or am I being irresponsible.

Some more beautiful running through small picturesque villages with monuments dating back to the First World War and even the late nineteen century. Some gypsies continue to ride their horse and carts. Yes I was warned about the gypsies but they gave me no harm only the biggest smiles. Jesper Olsen my great friend said the same about the Romanian gypsies when he ran through there on his world run, a much maligned people.

Here in Bulgaria 20% of the work force earn the minimum pay of just one euro an hour.

It has to be said in all fairness that too many Bulgarians drink far too much alcohol. Every village I run through no matter what time there are people out drinking outside their houses, shops and cafe bars.

Next night my last night in Bulgaria I am about eight kilometres from the Serbian border. I had run a good 36 that day and decided to stop in a village called Kireevo. I went into a grocery store where an exceptionally friendly, a motherly figure of a woman greeted me. I bought some snacks and coffee noticing there was a community room of sorts next door. The door was ajar and I could see there were posters of the village dead posted on the walls, This is what Bulgarians do, It’s a bit morbid as one man said it seems there are more people dead than alive here.

There was a table and two benches inside so I asked the woman if I could sleep there. No problem she said. So I popped my pop up mosquito net tent on the table!

The community room with the dead posters. Hoping when the Bulgarian police read this blog I wont see my poster here!

No sooner had I settled down when three officers of the border patrol stopped by. There were some city workers in brand new high-viz vests drinking beer as they sat on a park bench just across from where I was. I am certain they called, just like old communist times, And one of the police officers that spoke English to me stank of beer. Just like old communist times also, no I don’t mean speaking English.

So they ask me where I have been and going, take a look at my passport and get back into their jeep and drive away.

Tomorrow in Serbia will be the 100th anniversary of the start of World War 1. I will be crossing tomorrow,

Trouble follows me everywhere!

In Turkey there was a mining disaster when 301 miners were killed when I was there. Here in the east of Bulgaria 12 people were  drowned in flooding in Varna and another village.