To reach the start of the Kom-Emine trail at Cape Emine I took the train to Luton Airport, enduring a trip across London in the Underground during rush hour. It felt like I was in one of those competitions to see how many people you could squash into a small car. I stayed overnight at a budget hotel at the airport as my flight to Varna in Bulgaria left early.
It was the first time I had used Wizz Air, and I was a bit apprehensive due to its reputation as a budget airline that charged for all kinds of things. However, with my boarding pass, printed a week earlier, getting creased in my hand I successfully boarded the flight. I chose Wizz Air as it flew to Varna on the Black Sea coast, not so far from Cape Emine. From there Lyuben at Bulguides had given me the details of Dayen, someone who could drive me to Emona, the nearest village to Cape Emine. Deyan met me in the arrivals hall in a distinctive Orange T-shirt with "Plateau Cycling" on (he usually runs cycle tours). From the airport we visited a Lidl's supermarket so I could pick up some food, and then to a Pharmacy. The latter was necessary as I had discovered I packed the wrong pills. Fortunately the Pharmacist sold me a packet of my blood pressure medication without any issues.
Heading south from Varna on a length of fast road Deyan pointed out the wooded Balkan Mountains appearing out of the haze. All the stresses of planes, passports and pills ebbed away as I looked forward to climbing along them. We turned off onto a minor road to reach Emona, the last six kilometres were particularly rough. Deyan had warned me it was impassable in his salon car after rain. Fortunately the weather was sunny, warm and dry today, however the road was rough, especially after the tarmac gave out.
A silhouette of a large jackal indicated we had reach the road to Emona. Although this structure is widely photographed I was not able to find what it symbolized. A further section of rough road led to Villa Emona where Lyuben had booked me a night. Deyan helpfully introduced me to the owner, who speaks no English, before leaving.
I had time before dinner to walk down to Cape Emine from the village. A military installation occupied the Cape itself, but I walked as close as the boundary fence allowed. On my GPS, the trail led down a very steep slope, almost a cliff, to the sea. Not wanting to risk a slip, I stayed on the cliff top and photographed the lighthouse that stands on the Cape, careful to avoid including the military site (which had a "No Photographs" sign). On the way back I came across a herd of cows. My presence alerted the large dog guarding them who stood up, started barking aggressively and slowly approached. Prudently, I diverted away from the herd on one of the many other tracks among the scrubby shrubs. A little later I met a collection of donkeys, who were a bit more friendly.
I was fortunate that I was not the only person eating at the Villa Emona. A lady with a baby and her friend kindly provided translation so that I could order some food for dinner. After a shopska salad (like a Greek salad) and a bean stew with sausages in, I had a dessert of Crème Caramel as one of the ladies said it was her favourite so she could recommend it. Then I felt guilty as along with her child we ate the last ones!
From the balcony of my room I looked out over the night. A few scattered lights indicated the boundaries of the small village, a few stars pricked the sky and on a nearby ridge there was a white, neon cross lit up. In walking to the Cape I had completed the first 2.1 kilometres of my 600 kilometre walk.
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