“BULGARIAN QUEST”
Work in a Day Centre and a Half-way home for disabled people and enjoy some wonderful SPA treats afterwards! (Available all year round)
Day 1 - Depart London Heathrow (although flights might be available from other UK airports as well) to Sofia; arrive in Bulgaria late afternoon. We will meet you at the airport and take you on a sightseeing tour around Sofia; dinner will be in a restaurant in the Student's town (a neighbourhood where all the universities in the capital have their students' accommodations). After the relaxed and enjoyable dinner a minibus will take us to the town of Razlog. The journey would be approximately 3 hours and after that we would check in the hotel.
Day 2 - A very important day! We would have late breakfast in the hotel followed by induction in the beautiful town of Razlog - situated between the magnificent mountains Pirin and Rila and not far from the highest peak on the Balkans - Musala - 2925 meters; some 5 km. away from the Bulgarian top ski resort - Bansko.
You will receive a brief lesson in Bulgarian with the phrase book - "Hi!", "Thank you!" and etc. Lunch we are going to have in Razlog in a restaurant where everything is cooked on fire, followed by your first visit to the Day Centre for Children and Adults with Mental Disabilities - meeting the kids and playing some creative games with them. Dinner will be in a restaurant near the lake in the central part of town.
Day 3 - Breakfast will be in the hotel; and we will spend the whole morning in the Day Centre where you will be able to start your own personal project - this will be something permanent that you will leave behind you after you leave - for instance it can include repainting a corridor, a bedroom or a living room and drawing wonderful images on the walls (these can easily be projected on the wall with a OHP, and then outlined and coloured), repainting playground equipment, planting flowers and bushes in the yard, etc. After lunch - we will go to the Half-way Home and meet the inhabitants there; spend the afternoon with them cooking the dinner together - a traditional Bulgarian meal. Dinner in the Half-way home.
Day 4 - Breakfast in the hotel and then go the Day Centre where we will continue the work on your own project. Lunch and Dinner will be in local restaurants.
Day 5 - Breakfast in the hotel and go the Day Centre where we shall finish your project and then a little concert will be put for you by the children and you will have the unique chance to learn how to play the Bulgarian national dance - "Horo", which is magnificent to watch! This is your last day with the children, so we say "Goodbye" late afternoon and go back to the hotel for a rest. Dinner on that day will be in the restaurant near the lake in the central part of town.
Day 6 - Breakfast in the hotel; followed by a trip to the remarkable Rila Monastery - a Medieval Bulgarian Orthodox Monastery, where many treasures were hidden during the Ottoman rule. The monastery is still inhabited with monks after all the centuries and the two restorations. We will enjoy lunch near the monastery and in the afternoon - make a trip to Bansko and a shopping tour. Dinner in a traditional Bulgarian restaurant ("Mehana"). Back to the hotel in Razlog late at night.
Day 7 - Breakfast in the hotel in Razlog and than shoot off to the town of Dobrinishte (about an hour journey) - famous with its hot mineral water springs. Spend the rest of the day using all the SPA facilities. Lunch and dinner are provided.
Day 8 - Spend the whole day using all the SPA and fitness facilities. Breakfast and lunch will be in the hotel - in order not to take you away from all the wonderful treats that it offers. Dinner will be a whole lamb - roasted on fire in front of you!!!
Day 9 - After breakfast we start our journey back to Sofia. Midday flight will take you back to the UK.
The details:
Fundraising
We ask everyone taking part in this trip to pay a registration fee of £200 and then raise an additional minimum of £1,000 in sponsorship. Your registration fee is payable upon your registration. 80% of the sponsorship money (£800) must be paid to Bhagavat Educational Trust 8 weeks before departure, and the final 20% (£200) must be paid one week before departure.
Please do not panic about raising this amount; we will give you lots of ideas and support once you sign up. Once you start planning, you’ll be amazed at how easily the money adds up; a quiz night could raise £400, curry nights in your local restaurant could raise £200, a summer fete could raise £500 and a ticketed party in a local hall with entertainment, pay bar and raffle could raise £800. If you would like more advice on fundraising before signing up to the event, please contact our team on Bulgaria@bhagavat.org.uk
You can also visit the very helpful Fundraising ideas section on our website.
What is included?
The event is organised entirely by Bhagavat Educational Trust. The tour cost includes return flight from London Heathrow (although flights might be available from other UK airports as well) to Sofia, all internal transport in Bulgaria, all accommodation and food, all SPA treats, tour leaders and ground support. It does not include personal travel insurance. All you need to do is ensure you have a valid passport, insurance and appropriate vaccinations. We will send you details on how to do all of this, and will also send you a kit list. You will also need to bring spending money; a maximum of £100-150 is recommended.
Food and accommodation
The food is fantastic and there is plenty of it; breakfast will be some form of eggs, sometimes porridge, bread, butter and jam. Lunches and dinners will be combinations of main meals consisting of meats, fish, vegetables, pasta, rice, soup, salads, bread and fruit. Drinks will be provided throughout with hot drinks available at breakfast and with the main meal.
What kinds of people take part in this event?
All kinds! People from all walks of life take part in these types of events; providing you are enthusiastic and up for a challenge then the event is definitely for you! Many people will not know anyone else on the trip, but couples, friends and teams are welcome.
What is the sponsorship money used for?
In order for us to take advantage of economies of scale and to ensure you receive the best possible prices and discounts we would naturally arrange and pay for all transportation, book hotels and treats, food and drinks, collection to and from the airport and the orphanage, arrange for translators, meet and discuss the requirements with the directors of the orphanage, provide you with a information pack on Bulgaria and that particular orphanage and be hear should you require us for advise etc.
You would need to arrange your own ticket and travel insurance. The cost for the above would be £200 registration fee each and later £1000 each to cover all of the above; any surplus would be reinvested in our projects such as this project (link) this project.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
BULGARIAN QUEST REGISTRATION FORM
