Hi Ian, nothing wrong with your memory.
Dave.
Hi Ian and Dave, I have just done a Google for Suhindol Winery and it says approx 200 kilometers from Sofia. I remember it was a long way to go and do the customs and I am sure that I have got a photo somewhere of that old bridge but I cannot find it at the moment. As regards the other photo if you were on the way home it was on your right hand side and I think that there was a lay-by on the left. I shall be away on me hols next week so if nobody gets it by the week end then all shall be revealed.
Best regards Steve
O.K. as nobody has guessed it then I shall just have to keep the two round the world tickets on the The Arcadia for myself 
.
I.I.R.C. the second photo was taken as you got to the bottom of the Sipka Pass before you got to Kazanlak in Bulgaria, there was a big lay-by on the right hand side and this church was over on the left. If you were coming down The Sipka Pass it was a good place to stop and let your brakes cool down. You might remember the cobbled parking area at the top of The Sipka Pass as there was a large monument commemorating The Bulgarianâs victory over The Turkâs in some battle or other.
When you arrived at the top it was a great place to let your engine cool down after that long climb and have a brew while you looked at some fantastic sceanery.
Doesnât this church ring any bells for anybody 
.
Best regards Steve.
Just a quick post to see if there is any news on truckerashâs book yet
SINBIN come back we want your memories . Stop being a grumpy old man and get posting 
.
Rita Rules
Come back SINBIN we need your memories. Stop being a grumpy old man and get posting.
COME BACK SINBIN
COME BACK SINBIN
NO
Dont be so dam grumpy and come out and tell us your stories.
Anyone recognize this guy, John ?. Ex Expofreight M/E man. Trying to find out where he is for a friend.
Cheers,
Mark.
It was Harry wot dun it. He upset Sinbin, who has now took the hump. and despite aidey,s pleading still sez that he is not going to share his memories of his days doing ME work, any more. 
That is Baaad!! This is the top thread on TNUK.I,ve been reading the posts on here, and looking at the pics of all those hairyrrrrsed wagon drivers, doing their stuff, since I joined in June last year. 
So come on Sinbin,get back posting pleeeese. 
This site needs men like you 
brookie:
Anyone recognize this guy, John ?. Ex Expofreight M/E man. Trying to find out where he is for a friend.
Cheers,
Mark.
Mark,
Sorry mate I donât recognise this guy,likewise your mate Del.
I was on Expo Freight from 1980 to 1983,when were these guys on?
Sorry mate I donât recognise this guy,likewise your mate Del.
I was on Expo Freight from 1980 to 1983,when were these guys on?
[/quote]
Hi Ian, I think mid to late seventies, Iâm sure Del did a couple of years on there until he moved on to another firm, You mustâve started for Expo as he left!! Not sure on the other guy, I guess the same sort of time as Del, they were running buddies on occasion. Heâs been looking at your toprun pics, he loves 'em!
Regards,
Mark.
By popular demand I return to the fray to do battle, my ancestors were vikings so I contacted Thor and Odin and he gave me words of wisdom (dont let the â â â â â â â â grind you down) so beware any of you that try to upset me ,yes I am old and we all get grumpy it happens.
Now back to business the Guy on the last Pic I know him but his name eludes me will rack my brain cells ,this pic is very old so could be difficult .does anyone know wher it was taken and what year going by the clothes maybe middle 70s.
Roger Haywood
1 Like
I will drag this thread back to the Balkans and try to get to the bottom of a story. John Williams was featured in a trucking magazine around 1990 about an aid convoy to Albania.
In the article he was slated as not knowing what he was doing, and being over cautious by the organisers.
Because JW wanted to park up and do a recce in the organisers 4wd before allowing a dozen novice vicars and churchwardens to drive their hired trucks down the mountain in deep snow. Somebody else must have read it. John and I were in the wheelhouse and he was spitting feathers as he walked out of the shop The pillock who was one of the organisers stated that JW was frightened to drive without snow chains or something similar.
Dreva has searched the attic for the article but it seems to have been a dream 
If Albania upsets anyone on this thread, I devised a points system for the devotee Astran fan.
John Williams worked for Astran = 2 points
The Balkans was a direct route to the Middle East = 2 points
Albania is in the Balkans = 2 points
The story was about trucks = 2 points
8 points should do it, since I have been a member of TruckNet, several old men have turned their swine out and chucked teddies into the desert sand Most of them have come back to tell us young upstarts many interesting stories about a trip through the Levant or Mesopotamia.
A little light history.
After WWII, travelers who dared to venture into remote, isolated Albania often were called on to shave their beards before entering the country. Beards, they were told, were illegal in Albania. What is even stranger than the existence of such a law is that a society existed in post-war Europe where a ban on facial hair was enforced.
Beards were illegal because they were seen as a sign of allegiance to Islam, and religion in all forms was banned in the historically Islamic Albania.
Under Enver Hoxha, Albania was an atheist country, so all religion was banned.
Wheelnut
Whats your point since when was Albania a direct route to the ME ,I dont think anyone is disputing your points of view on Albania I certainly was not if you are regarding me as the Astran Devotee.a point was put over and I on returning from Saudi via the ferry from Latakia to volos attempted to gain entry into Albaina and was declined after loading 15 klm from the border what would you have done,I am quite happy to talk about a country that was living in the dark ages ,a country with split religions ,governed by the Rich who left its people to starve and then allowed them to be slaughtered in the Balkans war a country where its people were so frightened to speak out I personally assisted several Albians to escape their plight I saw no more
Roger Haywood
Albania
I did notice in my foray through that country that they have the market cornered in âconcrete pill boxesâ of the military kind !!
No need to go to Albania now [for wannabe M/E drivers] go to East London as half the population appears to be Albanians !!
I know its totaly off topic but Norman Wisdom is a national hero in Albania as his films were about the only western ones that the Albanian government deemed sutiable not to corupt the natives.
Anyway back to john williams i read that story on another thread here was it you posted that wheelnut.
To all on here who have done the middle east and have many good and bad memories i would like to ask if you think the job will return for young drivers going into the industry or do you think the political situation wont change for many a year?? It obviously will be more comfortable for the driver now with all the mod cons and less borders to go through. Your thoughts please
Reg colin