About

Lance Nelson

Hello, my name is Lance Nelson. Thank you for visiting BanskoBlog.com today.

You’ll read articles reflecting a Bulgaria, and a world how I see it. So wherever I come across or are reliably informed of rip offs — such as Sofia airport taxis, or a Bansko foreign exchange booth, I’ll discuss this here. A back catelog of over 170 articles awaits. News, weather, events, videos, stories, food, wine, travel, culture and my experiences find their way onto this site.

Articles from a small team of contributors who share some real gems, giving variety through their travels and experiences of this diverse country.

Bansko, for me, is more than the sum of its parts. The skiing, the mountain setting, the old and new, the fresh air, the events, the culture, the people, the bars and clubs combine to make Bansko and Bulgaria a hugely enriching experience. In spite of a property boom and crash, 85% of blog readers said in a recent poll that, in general, they feel that Bansko is improving every year.

Armed with good down to earth information it’s possible for everyone to avoid the traps and appreciate the beauty of Bansko — and many other fine regions of Bulgaria including Sofia.

Welcome to my blog and my Bansko, shared.

Search For Assistance

There is a searchable database of over 600 pages — many include tips to help travelers, skiers, owners and residents enjoy the Razlong and Bansko areas. As the site has grown so has the subject matters… see ski fashion guide 2010.

For the  Bansko curious, please search on the front page for information contained in over 140 articles . For the travel, mountain and music enthusiasts, articles range from accommodation to the annual Jazz Festival, the Film Festival, and self catering shopping ideas and even wine reviews.  Then there are video reports, such as this one: http://banskoblog.com/bansko-snow-report-video/.

For a taste of the winter rock music — check out video from the Happy End:

http://banskoblog.com/happy-end-rocks-bansko/

Analysis of Bulgarian people involvement in news events is a regular blog item. Check out Miss USA  here http://banskoblog.com/laura-kirilova-chukanov-miss-usa.

Then there are ski events such as the 2009 women’s downhill http://banskoblog.com/lindsey-vonn-wins-world-cup-down/.

But there’s even more to come to Bansko. 2010 see the men’s World Cup Super G and 2011 the Men’s World Cup Downhill comes to Bansko. Expect Bansko to become a highly televised and recognised resort in the months and years to come. In 2010 there could even be a rock festival, the Bansko Beat.

Property Owners

See tips on how to rent in Bansko:

http://banskoblog.com/how-to-rent-bansko-property/

and some ideas for furniture shopping at IKEA in Thessaloniki:

http://banskoblog.com/ikea-thessaloniki.

Activities

Check out the Pirin Golf And Country Club nearby:

http://banskoblog.com/pirin-golf-and-country-club/ or check out current issues… such as the impending smoking ban due on 1st June 2010: http://banskoblog.com/bulgaria-smoking-ban/ and there is a regularly updated page on transfers, bus, taxis and car hire: http://banskoblog.com/sofia-transfers/ for more.

For Indian curry fans, I have my perfect Bansko curry recipe. Its in audio version here:

http://banskoblog.com/does-bansko-have-a-curry-or-indian-restaurant/. Your comments and feedback are  welcome. These have been incredibly helpful in improving the information here and providing your personal experiences to help others.

I hope you find what you are looking for on my web site. If you don’t, then drop me an email and I may well be able to help. Contact me here.

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About Me

I was born in 1965 in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, UK.

My parents, originally from the south of England, moved up to Huddersfield in West Yorkshire in the 50’s so my father could be near work.

I’m the youngest of four children, and fortunate to be have been taken on family ski holidays from such a young age.

But less lucky with the “hand me down” ski clothes!

My father got the skiing bug. So our week abroad was in the winter, usually Easter, for a weeks skiing.

My first skiing experience was in Obergurgl, Austria – aged 5. Leather lace up boots, with ankle moving technique, is a world I remember. A far cry from the carving skis and boards we enjoy today.

Not long after came those high plastic boots, sure to bruise your shins to painful blue. Some of you may recall these days. Ski clothing was just ski pants, goggles and socks. The quilted thin everyday anoraks seemed perfectly okay for Easter temperatures, I think.

In the 80′s the high street C&A department store sold skiers the bright ski suits. Those days saw our family ski trips working their way around a diverse range of Austrian, Italian and French ski resorts.

My memories of these annual family ski holidays are the finest. And skiing still, for me, often brings back those great memories.

But now, like so many others, I enjoy that warm healthy glowing feeling at the end of the day on the slopes. My often aching knees never diminishing the fact that it was all worth it.

Twelve years ago, I started running an annual “lads” ski trip. EasyJet low cost flights from the UK had made this possible. The idea came about as I realised I was quite good at organising others. And that, like me, there were plenty of friends, and friends of friends, wanting something to look forward to after Christmas. It also enabled me to guide opinion on which resort to try.

A long weekend in January was the norm. Resorts close to Geneva airport such as Verbier, Portes Du Soleil resorts of Les Gets, Avoriaz and especially the Chamonix valley were the usual favourites.

It was in Chamonix that off piste skiing was introduced to me by a rather ambitious French ski guide. For the first time in a while, I was getting down stuff I wouldn’t have even dreamt of. That’s the beauty of going skiing. You progress.

More recently, I have been having some less than wondrous attempts at snowboarding. The jury is out on this one.

My other main interest is paragliding. Having been flying since 1990. Taking off on a wide range of mountain and hills around the world, including Sopot in Bulgaria. I’m still always checking the weather for a good opportunity to go flying.

Here’s a picture flying near Builth Wells, Wales (UK).
Aside from paragliding, I enjoy mountain biking – if I get time.

My work career has been in banking and finance. Mainly management and sales, risk and business development roles.

I worked for divisions of Royal Bank of Scotland for ten years as well as EMC (IT), and GE Capital.

If you’re still with me, then I’ll bring this right up to present. I’ve been coming to Bansko since 2004 and this blog was borne out of a need to show pictures of my apartment to skiing friends who were looking to go skiing. But they asked me questions, then others did too.

Questions such as how to get there; airport transfers; tuition; crèches; babysitting; lessons, ski hire, bars and restaurants and accommodation – hotels, chalets, apartments. I also wanted to ensure visitors got the best out of Bansko so I  share my experiences of the area and offer services that meet my standards.

I have also been fortunate to travel around Bulgaria at various times of the year and enjoy a great network of fellow skiers and paragliding friends to help. But there has been a lot of trial and error along the way. So, after some positive comments, and also some requests from Bansko property owners to rent their apartment’s too, I kept this blog going.

There are many businesses in Bankso visiting this site. Some have asked me to review their services – which I do so when I am able to.

These are more “economic” times and, in the same way some of us are adjusting our shopping to Aldi or Lidl budget supermarkets, we are also looking at more affordable ski  and summer mountain resorts. Quite simply, we are changing our habits  — at a historic pace. I am, like so many, much more motivated to find low prices and fair value in places I previously would not have considered.

So it is the same with skiing destinations, they evolve over time…
…Bansko’s time has arrived.

Bansko and Bulgaria are perceived as cheap by some. It is quite cheap, accommodation, eating out, alcohol, ski lessons, lift pass … they all add up to make a trip here much cheaper than most other ski resorts. But one of my goals is for visitors to return having seen that it offers great value for money.

Bansko does deliver for “price conscious” tourists. That’s often why they came in the first place. But its value and service that brings us back to a place.

Finding value in Bansko, avoiding expensive traps is really possible. And with visitors arriving from all over Europe, more choice and more facilities will continue to enhance Bansko‘s unique appeal.

But things can always be better. I know this as I do not live permanently in Bansko, so I view the place not as a regular home but as a place to regularly visit.

Bansko changes all the time —  so I aim to give realistic and timely advice on what I experience, and what I learn.  On Bansko Blog and twitter.com/bansko you receive the info you need — straight away. And I retweet anything interesting from followers.

My desire is to see that the customer comes first. If we come and enjoy the Bansko and Bulgarian experience, then we return again and again and often for longer and longer.

If you are looking at Bansko for the first time, I hope this blog helps you. However, to get the most benefit you need to receive updated information along with related deals that help to drive maximum value from your time in Bansko and Bulgaria.

Sign up now and you will receive useful info straight away – including  the jam-packed with info report,  all for free. . Don’t waste your hard earned cash by not being equipped to avoid the traps for the unwary.

Still not sure? Take a look at the feedback page – just click here.  This page makes it worthwhile for me!

OKAY .. can I help you? Possibly…

I live in both Bansko and Sofia and invite you to use the ski hire, lift pass booking service I offer. You are sure to save money from in resort prices. Also be sure to check out the selection of high quality homes to rent on this site. Flexible, and affordable privately owned accommodation for high comfort family holidays.

If you are looking  for a conference, hen / spa weekend in Sofia or Bansko, or an incentive or team building event then do contact me. For a cost way lower than Spain, France or even staying in your own country, I guarantee you will have a trip that is thought out and professional from beginning to end.

Sofia, Bansko and Varna are destinations that offer world class golf.  A trip to Bulgaria will excite and exhilarate you and your team. An event to remember. Contact me to see how affordable 4 or 5 star conference packages with activities to suit your requirements are.

Finally, please can you comment? Good and bad experiences are welcome…. Bulgarians, expatriates, part time residents and visitors – help make Bulgaria a better place to stay! Just comment below any post or, if you prefer, go to contact form.

If you like what you read, please pass it on.

Until next time, here’s to our Bansko, shared. Lance Nelson banskoblog.com