Broken limbs in Bansko!

Well, we have just returned from an, otherwise, wonderful trip to Bansko to experience the full season for ourselves!  I say "otherwise wonderful" as our 6 yr old experienced every parent's nightmare ... slipped one way whilst her boot stayed another - and broke her leg.  I am sure that most of you reading this probably heard her screams ... closely followed by mine!  But, excellent service and a beautiful pink leg cast later and we are home a little wiser about the medical system.

I confess to being one of those people who, although I always took out medical insurance, had been fortunate enough never to have to use it!  So, to experience our 'first time' in Bulgaria was a little daunting!  However, from the very first instance to our safe arrival at Gatwick, we have experienced a level of care and attention that, frankly, puts some UK medical centres to shame.  Whilst we both leant over our daughter trying to determine exactly what she had done, a ULEN Mountain Official skied to us and scooped Ellie up - to ski off with her down to the next stage and the medical hut!  Once we had realised who he was, we followed and I then had the potentially risky experience of perching on the back of the skidoo stretcher whilst we were whisked to the Gondola.  Once there, we were again sped through until we reached the bottom where a wheelchair was waiting.  The Medical Centre is just inside the main Gondola building and we were immediately seen by the Doctor and Radiographer.  Having only been used to having X-Rays passed from Doctor to Doctor without it being seen as necessary to include the patient, I was a little shocked to have Ellie's X-Rays passed to me to show me just how bad the break was!  Once I had picked myself up, they assured me that it was a clean break and moved to set it immediately.  Not great and a move that led to my daughter being promised almost anything she wanted once this was over - something I am now living through!  One pink cast later and we were taken by a rickety, but mobile, ambulance back to our apartment.

The following morning we returned where the doctor saw us at the appointed time and took the time to talk directly to Ellie about her leg and what would happen.  From here it was simply a matter of the Insurance company organising transport and Airport facilities and then home.  Interestingly, it was only upon arrival at Gatwick that we encountered a lack of equipment and rather more chaotic proceedings!!

I tell you this to reassure anyone that, probably like me if I had thought about it, is concerned that, should anything major happen, Bansko may not yet be equipped to cope.  From our experience, they are both ready and very willing to support the visitors to Bansko - no matter how much extra work we give them!

Apart from our dramas - Bansko Royal Towers is looking fantastic and we can thoroughly recommend the Zero Restaurant - although the hangovers are not good!  The Spa treatments are superb and the snow was great too!

I couldn't, however, finish this entry without saying a HUGE thank you to a group of people who not only helped us down the mountain but also provided a shoulder when I lost it, a hip flask at JUST the right moment, supplies for both us and Ellie  - and without doubt made everything so much easier!  So thank you Mark, Ruth and Sarah, Angie and Willy, Peter and, of course, Natasha and Doug who always make everything go smoothly!  We are really very grateful!

I hope that my next entry will be less dramatic ..... starting to get stories from all of you too so please keep them coming for the first Bansko Holidays Newsletter!

See you soon!

Carol, Jem and Ellie Hopalong!

We have just got back from our finished apartment .... and Bansko Royal Towers is looking lovely!  There are, of course, the inevitable few bits of snagging to be done around the place but the Spa is open, the restaurant is opening tonight and the apartments are warm, dry and cosy!

There is snow .... lots of it ... on the mountain and so the SEASON IS OPENING EARLY!!!  Normally on or around 15th December, it is starting 1st DECEMBER!!  So we managed to come home a day too early to ski - but the season is looking great!

We are taking lots of bookings!  Great news and we welcome any more members to our team of owners as there are many multiple bookings coming through too.  Guests will have a wonderful time and with only a few steps to stagger from the Gondola - time for fun in the bars and restaurants too! I managed to practice my bulgarian this trip ... only a few disasters where I ordered 6 lots of a meal in error!!  Up to date photos will be posted this weekend so .... watch this space!  Thank you to everyone who is supporting us and already benefiting from the marketing and bookings.  Thank you too to The Right Move Abroad who have been fabulous at supporting our endeavours.

More news when I have recovered from the Easy (?) Jet Flight!!  (Not helped by a delay caused by a family who should have been going to Tenerife and who managed to discover this whilst taxi-ing back from the stand!!!) 

Bye for now!

Hello again!  We have just returned from a brief break back in Bansko and it was 39 degrees!  A little different from the UK summer and we highly recommend it!

Bansko Royal Towers is all but finished and preparing for the Grand Opening .... looking good and Alex the Developer has proven to be both honourable and professional so so far so good!

We have been hard at work developing our new Home Owners Exchange - www.swappingholidayhomes.com so watch this space for more info. 

Bookings are coming through regularly now so please contact me if you don't immediately see what you need - it is hard to keep up at times!

Met some wonderful fellow owners on this trip so a big hello to Ann and Jer and Alison and Nigel & family - thank you for helping us on our way through too! 

Hi chaps!  Well, firstly, I apologise for not keeping these entries up for some time - unfortunately 2007 did not start well personally for us with a bereavement and everything else took rather a back seat.

However .... we are back and can't wait until the Winter 2007 season starts ...not long now!  We are heading off to Golden Sands for a week too - heard differing reports on both the resort (from "it's the best holiday ever" to "could never sleep with the boom boom of the night clubs!") so will let you know upon our return!  Actually, after so many winter breaks it is actually just a little scary to get back into a bikini!  (Seen that advert where everyone looks .... that will probably be me!) 

We are told that the place to go is 'Aqua Polis' - Water Park .....   looks pretty scary to me but I will report back!  We are aiming to link up with apartments on the beach for 2 resort breaks next summer ... watch this space!

Bansko Royal Towers is now there!  The Act 16 is due to be granted on Monday 23rd and then full completion in a month's time.  Really excited and am going there on 21st August to check it all out so will report back with full photos then.  We had a fantastic time skiing in February where my daughter (6) had her first taste of downhill ... and loved it!  So another fanatic in the family now! 

Anyway .. signing off for now but will let you know what Golden Sands is like very soon!

Have a fantastic summer break!

Carol & Jem

Well I can't believe we made it!!  Mountain Romance is looking beautiful and we are off out there in 2 weeks to make sure that it is ready and properly furnished for all our guests this year!  I will be updating with 'real' photos on our return so watch this space! 

There has been some negative press about Bansko and property etc but I would say that the same would have been said of any developing area and there is maybe a little 'green eyed monster' about some of the comments made!  Yes - Bansko is dusty and there has been a lot of building there but the people are STILL friendly and welcoming and the fresh air still abounds! 

So I would say to anyone who is thinking of either holidaying there or even buying like us - GO FOR IT!

Carol x

Well, we have just got back from a trip to Bansko - we arrived and it was sunny and ok to wear T Shirts - when we left it was in a blizzard and -4 degrees!!  But everyone is delighted that the snow has come as it apparently means a great season!

One tip for anyone driving from Sofia to Bansko this winter.  We hired a car and the road is SO much better!  Almost finished and only a few dozen pot holes now!  BUT ..... we did get pulled over by the traffic police in the middle of Sofia!  Apparently, even though there is an arrow pointing left and no obvious sign of no entry .... you can't turn left at certain times!  Interestingly, the policeman asked where we were from before deciding our fate ... but we schmoozed enough to be let off - apparently unheard of! 

More to come on Mountain Romance shortly!!!

Carol & Jem

Bansko is looking beautiful and with the construction of the new motorway coming along leaps and bounds, this will greatly reduce the transfer time from Sofia too!

I would love to hear any stories of your holidays - summer or winter - as we are compiling a book that will give the best (and worst!) places to go - and would love to include contributions from you.  Just send using the Contact Page and wait to see your name in print!

Carol and Jem

We have been told again this year that it is substantially cheaper to purchase your skis/boots, lessons and passes from the UK prior to departure.  For information on the best deals around - use our Contact page and we will forward the links to you.

Carol and Jem