Bulgaria Away - 6th June 2009

[Jicked]

Bit of a nerdy question, but does anyone know what time polling booths open for the elections on the 5th? Some of us are flying out that morning and not sure if Ill be able to vote, I presume its too late/wouldnt even qualify for some sort of postal or absentee voting?

[jbyrne]

Bit of a nerdy question, but does anyone know what time polling booths open for the elections on the 5th? Some of us are flying out that morning and not sure if Ill be able to vote, I presume its too late/wouldnt even qualify for some sort of postal or absentee voting?

usually 8am at latest i think

[eaststand85]

Bit of a nerdy question, but does anyone know what time polling booths open for the elections on the 5th? Some of us are flying out that morning and not sure if Ill be able to vote, I presume its too late/wouldnt even qualify for some sort of postal or absentee voting?

Good point, hadn't realised this. We're flying out on the 4th and (without wishing to start a political discussion in this thread) I would very much like to vote in the upcoming elections and let the current government know what I think of them so please let us know if you figure out some way around this issue.

If you could figure out a way of getting them to show Dublin v Meath on the Sunday in Sofia airport/on the Air France flight that'd be great too!! :p

[aidz1]

I was told that your passport should have at least 6 months 'life' on it for travel to Bulgaria.

i remember this to be true for some other east european countries.
so it may be an idea to check your passport as there is just about enough time to remew it now..

[mypost]

Good point, hadn't realised this. We're flying out on the 4th and (without wishing to start a political discussion in this thread) I would very much like to vote in the upcoming elections and let the current government know what I think of them so please let us know if you figure out some way around this issue.

You can't vote if you're away for it.

Save your breath, and take out your frustration on the government when Lisbon is re-run.

[JT,New'09]

I was told that your passport should have at least 6 months 'life' on it for travel to Bulgaria.

i remember this to be true for some other east european countries.
so it may be an idea to check your passport as there is just about enough time to remew it now..
:eek: I just found this out myself and mine is up in August. I have to go today to get forms and pics done. Have a friend working in passport office , so giving it to her to get done in rush for me , :rolleyes: thank God i found this out or I would of been in Dublin Aiprort saying waving everyone else off !!

[paul_oshea]

Better be safe than sorry but I doubt it would be an issue to be fair.

[AidoM]

I just found this out myself and mine is up in August. I have to go today to get forms and pics done. Have a friend working in passport office , so giving it to her to get done in rush for me , thank God i found this out or I would of been in Dublin Aiprort saying waving everyone else off !!


Takes note for future reference :D :D :D

[4 in a row]

Really thinking about booking the 3 night package deal concordtravel have!!!

The price is 750 but it would be my 1st trip away with Ireland. Is it worth it?

[NeilMcD]

Its always worth going. Not sure thats the best deal you can do but with short notice and the fact its your first away trip maybe it would not be a bad idea to do a package. But if you like it, the best way in future is to book early, book flights early, then hotels and then worry about match tickets.

check out wizzair to sofia from London or read this thread to pick up more tips

[4 in a row]

Its always worth going. Not sure thats the best deal you can do but with short notice and the fact its your first away trip maybe it would not be a bad idea to do a package. But if you like it, the best way in future is to book early, book flights early, then hotels and then worry about match tickets.

check out wizzair to sofia from London or read this thread to pick up more tips

Ive read through it already and a few good tips but id say im better off just booking it now, as you said its my 1st time so im probably better off doing a package, il know next time. Me and a few mates just decided we wanted to go, so were defo going for it.

Its the cheapest package deal i can find, if anybody else has any suggestions could you let me know. Thanks.

[offaly16]

Bit of a nerdy question, but does anyone know what time polling booths open for the elections on the 5th? Some of us are flying out that morning and not sure if Ill be able to vote, I presume its too late/wouldnt even qualify for some sort of postal or absentee voting?

Polling stations are open from 7am till 10pm on Friday the 5th of June. There is no qualifying for postal votes for people on holidays.

[The Scientist]

Are you Brian Cowen in disguise, are u Brian Cowen in Disguise!!

[The Scientist]

Ive read through it already and a few good tips but id say im better off just booking it now, as you said its my 1st time so im probably better off doing a package, il know next time. Me and a few mates just decided we wanted to go, so were defo going for it.

Its the cheapest package deal i can find, if anybody else has any suggestions could you let me know. Thanks.


dont do the package, how old are ya? when we decided to go on our 1st trip years ago, we booked it our own way. best craic ever, its makes you go back again and again and again!

like on a charter, everything is set out for ya. put it this way to ya. ur out in the back arse of nowhere somewhere in europe looking for a connecting flight and all of a sudden you see a bunch of drunk paddies singing " a team of gary breeens" to the goodlooking barmaid behind the bar!! :D:D

it just adds to it!! do it yourself. remember the Bari Kids?????? :D

[cobra]

Polling stations are open from 7am till 10pm on Friday the 5th of June. There is no qualifying for postal votes for people on holidays.

Not getting the coach to airport til 845am(and not in Sofia til 2350:() so if its 7am, will get my influential vote done:)

[offaly16]

Are you Brian Cowen in disguise, are u Brian Cowen in Disguise!!

No I am not the leader of the country!!!!!!!

[JT,New'09]

Really thinking about booking the 3 night package deal concordtravel have!!!

The price is 750 but it would be my 1st trip away with Ireland. Is it worth it?

That is a bit steep. You can still get out for 270euro !!!!

Thurs 4th @
6pm (6pm@6pm) Dublin to London Luton ( ryanair ) €80.00
21.30 London Luton to Sofia € 190.00
return the Sunday at 11am
Total € 270.00 !! Then grab a cheap hotel , lots of hotels mentioned on forums, in city centre we payed 30euro a night each for Sveta its by no means lap of luxuary but do you care for a footy trip . :o

[offaly16]

Not getting the coach to airport til 845am(and not in Sofia til 2350:() so if its 7am, will get my influential vote done:)

Yep doors open at 7am so you will get to cast your very influential vote...

[eaststand85]

That is a bit steep. You can still get out for 270euro !!!!

Thurs 4th @
6pm (6pm@6pm) Dublin to London Luton ( ryanair ) €80.00
21.30 London Luton to Sofia € 190.00
return the Sunday at 11am
Total € 270.00 !! Then grab a cheap hotel , lots of hotels mentioned on forums, in city centre we payed 30euro a night each for Sveta its by no means lap of luxuary but do you care for a footy trip . :o

Well spotted JT, now only £160 with Wizzair from Luton (was much more expensive last week) although now departing 21.55 by the looks of it..

London - Luton »
Sofia - Terminal 1
date: Thu 04 Jun 09
fareclass: Web
flight: W6 602
departs: LTN 21:55
arrives: SOF 02:55

1 Adult: 54.39 GBP


price: 54.39 GBP

Sofia - Terminal 1 »
London - Luton
date: Sun 07 Jun 09
fareclass: Web
flight: W6 601
departs: SOF 11:00
arrives: LTN 12:25

1 Adult: 101.59 GBP


price: 101.59 GBP

total price 159.98 GBP

[offaly16]

That is a bit steep. You can still get out for 270euro !!!!

Thurs 4th @
6pm (6pm@6pm) Dublin to London Luton ( ryanair ) €80.00
21.30 London Luton to Sofia € 190.00
return the Sunday at 11am
Total € 270.00 !! Then grab a cheap hotel , lots of hotels mentioned on forums, in city centre we payed 30euro a night each for Sveta its by no means lap of luxuary but do you care for a footy trip . :o

Could also go Dub-Milan 4/6 with Ryanair €53.36, Milan-Sofia with Whizz Air €15.99 and back 7/6 Sofia-Rome with Whizz Air €40 and Rome-Dub with Ryanair €72.78 for a grand total of €181.78. And as mentioned above plenty of good value hotels in city centre.

[JT,New'09]

Well spotted JT, now only £160 with Wizzair from Luton (was much more expensive last week) although now departing 21.55 by the looks of it..

London - Luton »
Sofia - Terminal 1
date: Thu 04 Jun 09
fareclass: Web
flight: W6 602
departs: LTN 21:55
arrives: SOF 02:55

1 Adult: 54.39 GBP


price: 54.39 GBP

Sofia - Terminal 1 »
London - Luton
date: Sun 07 Jun 09
fareclass: Web
flight: W6 601
departs: SOF 11:00
arrives: LTN 12:25

1 Adult: 101.59 GBP


price: 101.59 GBP

total price 159.98 GBP
--------------------------------------------------------------
:D:D Thursday 2 weeks, and the week were going, were off on Monday as its a bank holiday , so next week is last full week in work , yahoooooooooooooooooooooo:p

[Newryrep]

Ive read through it already and a few good tips but id say im better off just booking it now, as you said its my 1st time so im probably better off doing a package, il know next time. Me and a few mates just decided we wanted to go, so were defo going for it.

Its the cheapest package deal i can find, if anybody else has any suggestions could you let me know. Thanks.

Falcon holidays for Mon - Mon apparently E360

http://www.falconholidays.ie/fcfalcon/page/search/sortsearchresults.page?sortOption=9

[Claret Murph]

:eek: I just found this out myself and mine is up in August. I have to go today to get forms and pics done. Have a friend working in passport office , so giving it to her to get done in rush for me , :rolleyes: thank God i found this out or I would of been in Dublin Aiprort saying waving everyone else off !!

JT I had the same problem last year as I had 5 weeks on my passport when heading over the Brat and Prague . I had a look on Slovak passport control and it said that you could use your passport up to 3 weeks before it expired in any EC country .

Go on line and check it out and save yourslef the hassle .:)

[JT,New'09]

JT I had the same problem last year as I had 5 weeks on my passport when heading over the Brat and Prague . I had a look on Slovak passport control and it said that you could use your passport up to 3 weeks before it expired in any EC country .

Go on line and check it out and save yourslef the hassle .:)

Cheers, but have to get it done to travel end of Aug anyhow. Got pics done & postal order yesterday just have to go the cop shop for stamp. Id be afraid it would cause a problem and i wldnt get into Bulgaria :( , ill feel more relaxed with new one going. Im a woman after all prob just fussing for no reason but you know urself , ill be nervous as it is going as its my 1st trip .:o So just want to make sure I have everything in order !

[4 in a row]

Priced another package at 650!!! im 20 by the way for whoever asked:D

Flights going out at 8 o clock thursday morning.
Be arriving back in Dublin at 8.45 sunday night.
Hotel in the city centre.
Match tickets.

I dont know what to do yet, i better decide quick. :o

[4 in a row]

Do yous reckon i would get tickets for the game handy enough if i dont do the package deal?

[Paddser]

Priced another package at 650!!! im 20 by the way for whoever asked:D

Flights going out at 8 o clock thursday morning.
Be arriving back in Dublin at 8.45 sunday night.
Hotel in the city centre.
Match tickets.

I dont know what to do yet, i better decide quick. :o

Why dont you:

1) Book one of the flights suggested today (via Luton/Milan/Rome) (€180-€270) Try using Skyscanner
2) Book a city centre hotel (€30-€50 per night)
3) Get a ticket off the FAI: €5

The Package Deals are a rip off imo. Its up to yourself though.

[cobra]

Another thing about Bulgaria, is that when we nod/shake our heads for "yes" or "no", its the opposite in Bulgaria:eek: So you could be asking for something somewhere to see do they have it, you might think their shaking their head saying "no" but its "yes" their implying.

[mypost]

The packages are total rip-offs. In this climate, you'd be mad to pay €600-750 for a 3-day package.

By booking an independent trip, you can stay longer, and be a lot more flexible in terms of your scheduling when you're there.

[JT,New'09]

The packages are total rip-offs. In this climate, you'd be mad to pay €600-750 for a 3-day package.

By booking an independent trip, you can stay longer, and be a lot more flexible in terms of your scheduling when you're there.
Indeed and were in a Recession after all :eek:

[The Scientist]

i can just see us in here

" Tonight Matthew im going to like trance music!!"

http://www.worldsbestbars.com/public/venue_listing.jsp?categoryId=106&currentVenueId=1026

[jbyrne]

The packages are total rip-offs. In this climate, you'd be mad to pay €600-750 for a 3-day package.

By booking an independent trip, you can stay longer, and be a lot more flexible in terms of your scheduling when you're there.

the amount you quote are too high alright but it can be worth paying a premium for direct flights at reasonable times, transfers to hotel etc

[4 in a row]

Went with the package .:eek::)

Cant wait now!!!

[cobra]

the amount you quote are too high alright but it can be worth paying a premium for direct flights at reasonable times, transfers to hotel etc

Ye, true enough, dont mind the 2 flights going over to the games but the 2 flights going home can be torturous when your hungover and depressed(this last few years away games anyhow), you would nearly pay a good amount for a direct flight home.

San Marino. I would have paid fortune to hop on one of them direct flights back after are flight out of bologna was cancelled.

[paul_oshea]

"Face Control", i dont think there will be too many Irish getting in there somehow ;) The Ali-g immigration control plan springs to mind :D

[JT,New'09]

Went with the package .:eek::)

Cant wait now!!!

No Recession in your house !! :D

[4 in a row]

:pAh Im loaded anyway!!!! I can see it costing 1100 for everything. Thats not too bad.

I would have went for the cheaper way but the 2 people im going with want to just do the package so thats what were doing.

[paul_oshea]

How come Irish people don't know the difference between the plural form of "am" in past tense and the inclusive present of doing something i.e. we're as in we are, and were as in we did....:confused:

[philliyk]

For any late bookers one of our party has had to pull out last minute so there is a place available on our return flight to sofia & all you need to do is change the name on the ticket £25 to 30 I think. The flight is from Gatwick at 6.30am on friday 04-06-09(sure you can go on the drink with few of us in the airport thurs night if you need to) & back to Gatwick monday 08-06-09 about 14.00. If anyone is interested PM me.

[horney]

Merged in with the main match travel thread.

thats 3 any more

[horney]

yea there is 3 of us going from dublin via frankfurt arriving 6pm on the thursday.

5 and counting

[horney]

oh no sorry were going friday morning should have went thursday b****x

[Claret Murph]

Me and Mrs Claret are two more :)

[JT,New'09]

oh no sorry were going friday morning should have went thursday b****x

Try Change it , group of us booked flight from london on friday have now changed it to thursday evening to be there for full day friday ,

anyone else travelling on the thrusday at 6pm ?? :cool:

[reder]

Try Change it , group of us booked flight from london on friday have now changed it to thursday evening to be there for full day friday ,

anyone else travelling on the thrusday at 6pm ?? :cool:

Are flights expensive at the moment? We are having awful trouble with Bulgarian Air and I wouldnt mind switching. I got a brand new flight itinerary yesterday morning after being contacted by them on Saturday requiring 'urgent confirmation' on whether I wish to travel on our changed flight, yet my mate has heard nothing.

Not happy with this crowd.

[AidoM]

5 and counting

5 :eek: :eek: :eek:

[cobra]

Are flights expensive at the moment? We are having awful trouble with Bulgarian Air and I wouldnt mind switching. I got a brand new flight itinerary yesterday morning after being contacted by them on Saturday requiring 'urgent confirmation' on whether I wish to travel on our changed flight, yet my mate has heard nothing.

Not happy with this crowd.

A lot of fans unfortunately seem to have been upset by this crowd, am thinking of flying with them the day after game down to the sea as its only €49.
Were some not too bad options put up yesterday on this thread for Sofia returns but I think wizzair only had a 1 day sale yesterday, still might have it on though

[cobra]

Anybody with time on their hands could take this route over

http://www.balkanhorn.com/price.aspx?lang=en

Would be killer coming home that way though

[gufct]

A lot of fans unfortunately seem to have been upset by this crowd, am thinking of flying with them the day after game down to the sea as its only €49.
Were some not too bad options put up yesterday on this thread for Sofia returns but I think wizzair only had a 1 day sale yesterday, still might have it on though

I got Shannon/gatwick with Ryanair and Gatwick/ Sofia with Easyjet for €228 return last week flying out of Shannon at 8pm wednesday and fling at 6.40am thursday morning to Gatwick.

[cobra]

I got Shannon/gatwick with Ryanair and Gatwick/ Sofia with Easyjet for €228 return last week flying out of Shannon at 8pm wednesday and fling at 6.40am thursday morning to Gatwick.

See you are determind to have a fling at Gatwick airport this time, it was Shannon the last time in a post you were looking for a fling;):D