I had a really lovely stay at Villa Amadeus in Nessebar. It was a two-star hotel with five-star service. The gal at the front desk (Ana, I believe) deserves a raise as there is no way she is being paid enough for the amazing job she does. I’m not a particularly fussy traveler and I’m so new to not being a bare bones budget traveler that my hotel expectations are still quite low. A harried front desk clerk remembering my coffee order and getting it perfect each time from one day to the next is huge to me. Add in that she made me a lunch for the road on my departure day and, really, what more could you want?!

Well, imagine my disgust with myself last Tuesday when, hours after I checked out, I realised that I’d left my camera in the room! I still can’t get over how I can travel with so little and still manage to forget something so important! I do know how it happened, and it’s because I had the car. I didn’t have to pack as well as I normally did and I brought some loose items down to the trunk, so I didn’t realise I was missing something in my purse. Routine is important!

I promptly contacted Villa Amadeus through booking.com and asked if the camera could be sent to me here in Malak Izvor. They got right back to me promptly saying that my camera had not been found. I was disappointed and thought that was that. But a few hours later, I got another email back saying that they found it!

Yesterday, Monday, I contacted them again to confirm the camera had been sent to me. Yes, and I got a tracking number that put the camera at Ekont’s office in Lovech. A few hours later, I got a call in Bulgarian that I couldn’t deal with, obviously, and the person hung up. Moments later, I got another call from the same number, this time from someone who spoke English, saying it was Ekont and I could come pick up my package. Um, slight problem on that, I don’t have a car! The man said he would call (Ana?) and call me right back, which he did.

This time, he said someone would bring me the camera on Wednesday. Reception here is very poor and I had to confirm four times that I’m in Maluk (Little), not Bulgarski (Bulgarian), or Golyam (Big) Izvor (Spring)!

This morning, I received a text message that I translated to mean the camera was coming today and that I owed 11.80BGN. But it also put my street as being Maluk Izvor. Augh, what happened to the perfectly formatted address info I’d sent Villa Amadeus?!

Around noon, I got a call, which I understood to be from the driver. He had some English and said he was in the “centre.” I tried to get him to confirm that he was here in the village, but he kept telling me no and hung up. Confused, I went back to work. Moments later, he called to ask me where I was, saying he was waiting in a big white van in the “centre.” I asked if he was near the store and he said yes, so I said I’d be right down, not for one second believing that he was there, imagining him in Golyam or even Bulgarski Izvor!

Well, ye of little faith! I did indeed owe 11.80BGN, which, of course, was not a problem.

My camera was super well packaged for the journey:

It is a super robust camera and waterproof, so I wasn’t worried about it being manhandled, but I have to say I’m really pleased with how it was packaged.

And here it is back with me, after a week apart!

Thank you so, so, so much, Villa Amadeus!