My first European trip!
 

I've been looking around this site for a while now and have picked up lots of ideas and info, I'm travelling to Cyprus via France, Italy, Greece & Turkey, leaving UK at the start of May and need to get to Cyprus for the second week of June for a wedding.
I intend to camp as much as possible to keep the cost down so that I can extend the return trip until funds expire and I need to raise some more!
Hopefully on the return trip I will travel through, Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Austria, Switzerland, France,Spain and Portugal.
Does anyone know of any problems with crossing to Cyprus from Turkey and then going to the Greek side of the island, cos thats where the wedding is, and then during the return trip I would like to park my bike and kit while I fly back for the UK reception in mid July, any sugestions as to which airport? I'm thinking from either Bulgaria or Romania.
I am a Europe travelling novice, but looking for a bit of adventure so I am allowing 5 months for the whole trip.

I am sure you will enjoy the trip very much, one suggestion I have for you is; Start a new thread with the question regarding entering North/South Cyprus and entering Greece/Turkey, as getting it 'wrong' could cause headaches, someone on here will know the answers for sure!
:thumbup1:

Hi Chris,
a couple of points that might be of interest:-
You must leave Turkey with whatever vehicle you enter with, so you will definitely have to take your transport to Cyprus. I don't think you will have too much trouble crossing into the Greek side, but check more for yourself, to be sure.
We have a campsite in Bulgaria, only about 30 miles from the Turkish border, and by the E 80, the main road from Istanbul to Sofia. If you decided to fly out of Sofia you could leave your stuff with us, and get a coach from our local town, Harmanli, to Sofia. Journey time is about 5 hours. For flight deals look at wizzair, easyjet and hemus. While planning your trip try to allow yourself as much time in Turkey as possible, it's a fantastic country. When you first enter you will buy a three-month visa.
Regards,
Martin Jeffes
Sakar Hills Camping

Hi Martin, Sofia is my most likely choice so that I can spend a couple of weeks coming back through Turkey, and I had seen some links previously to Sakar Hills which I had thought of coming to, so your offer for me to leave my kit has almost certainly made my mind up provided I can get a suitable flight back to the UK.
I'll investigate flights and contact you again soon, so that I can arrange a suitable flight time how often and what sort of times are the coaches from Harmanli?
Chris.

Ok Chris,
we'll wait to hear from you, and look forward to meeting.
Where is your narrowboat moored?
Regards,
Martin
Sakar Hills Camping.

Hi Martin, I'll be in touch again once I have sorted a possible flight, are the coaches regular from the local town? I just need some idea so that I do not have to wait around too much at Sofia.

I do not have a permanent mooring for my boat, choosing to cruise around regularly, I generally spend most of my time in the Midlands, lots of canals and not too far from work! Planning on a long boat trip next year while I save up for another bike trip in 2012.

Chris

Hello Chris,
there are several coach companies that go between Istanbul and Sofia, which all have to pass through Harmanli. We use a company called Metro, which is a Turkish company, I think. They are very reliable, with nice, new coaches.
I guess there are probably three our four every day that you could catch, without looking at other operators. I think it costs about ten pounds.
There is a morning flight that leaves Sofia just before mid-day every weekday, and goes to Gatwick. You can get some good deals booking well ahead.
We've spent some time on the Grand Union and Oxford canals, and intend to do the whole of England some day.
Regards,
Martin Jeffes
Sakar Hills Camping,
Harmanli
Bulgaria