Is Bulgaria Safe for Solo Female Travelers? My Alarming Experience

[@ladykatewarrior]

I've never used headphones never would absolute mistake babe when your own you need to be aware of everything around you stop using headphones stay alert .... Glad your safe ❤

[@CharlieandRob]

Mistakes made and lessons learnt from me! ☺️☺️

[@m.t.4712]

I'm from Bulgaria and I wouldn't say that happens often here. We hear more often about such cases in other parts of Europe. There's an area in Sofia center which I'd avoid as a woman if I'm alone, especially at night. It's Maria Luiza Boulevard / Lion's Bridge area. You can find refugees there. They usually move in groups too. In general I'd say Bulgaria is safe for travel, could've happened anywhere in Europe at higher chances. Hope you are fine now.

[@CharlieandRob]

Same thing can happen anywhere really! The rest of the time I felt very safe in Sofia - such a beautiful city

[@melissaperkins4303]

Oh Charlie... I'm so sorry this happened to you. Hearing the emotion in your voice and you trying to keep your tears at bay makes me just want to cry. Hopefully everything is ok now and you're home safely (?) Sending much love always from Sydney x

[@CharlieandRob]

Home safe and sound. It was a hard end to the holiday but I stuck it out and it hasn't put me off travelling alone

[@brianjarred340]

Sorry to hear that Charlie. So please take care

[@CharlieandRob]

Home safe now. It won't put me off travelling!

[@sg4364]

Oh my goodness, Charlie. Thank goodness you are ok. I'm glad you shouted "no" and got the attention of that brave person that came to help. Thanks for the reminder to always keep our guard up, especially when we are in unfamiliar territory.

[@MalgorzataBudynek-n4t]

I'm sorry to hear that someone crossed your personal boundaries. Hope it will not effect you with PTSD. If you feel so- having flashbacks -please talk to a professional. A big hug for you, for your bravery. Maybe, having a fake :) mobile phone is a solution in such a situation.

[@annehallett289]

Sorry to hear how frightened you were. I doubt very much whether it was Bulgarian men who approached you. There are groups of refugees on the streets, especially on the main road from Lion Bridge up to Serdika. Bulgarian men have always been nice and polite towards me. Please don’t think Sofia is always like this and have a bad impression of the city.

[@cookeingwithme]

I understand you and I hope you get better soon You guy are all ways welcome to come here in australia and we make you feel at home

[@brianjarred340]

Thanks Charlie & good to hear that your home safely but also good that this hasn’t put you off traveling Take care Brian & Jill

[@stanislawkowal4657]

Keep safe Charlie. We are all thinking about your terrible ordeal.

[@wieslawszapowal302]

So sad😢 I live in South East London and this is so dengerous area.This kind of crime is very often!!!!! Stay strong!!!

[@rebecca1937]

Sending big hugs, That would've been very scary for you. You should be able to walk around with headphones on if you want too so don't apologise for it. They were just bad guys who noticed you on your own more then anything I'd say. Glad a guy nearby came to help. Glad the police were called so it's reported. Sad as woman should be able to travel alone & feel safe. Sending hugs as I said & I'm sure Rob would be there in a heart beat to make sure you ok. ❤

[@susankemble-jones3021]

Charley, hope you recover soon. Have the courage to continue...i am a lone traveller too and i lost my phone for two hours and know this would be an absolute nightmare for you. I do hope you feel better soon...im over in England so it can happen anywhere...always travel safely...thank you for sharing...no doubt, there are others to take your advise...safe travels honey xxx

[@CharlieandRob]

Fingers crossed others will watch and it may stop it happening to them

[@asenivanov3728]

In Bulgaria, for the most part, children under the age of 14 have personal telephones with a price of over 1000 euros and no one tries to steal them, because the police will find the phone in 3 days. It's hard for me to believe that someone would reach out to a foreign woman for a phone. Either you reacted in a biased way or the alcohol was too much for you. I'm talking about the suburbs, in the center this is impossible, especially under the gaze of thousands of cameras. Making yourself a victim for likes is a shame!

[@CharlieandRob]

Well I consumed no alcohol for starters. And I'm disgusted you even questioned my experience.

[@dorotak-k8211]

I'm sorry to hear what heppened to you. Good you have such a strong spirit and didn't let yourself to be discouraged 🙂. Unfortunately, even in the safest places, there are going to be some opportunists who will crawl out in the dark to try their "luck". Stay safe on your future adventures!

[@anthonypirera7598]

Wow sorry to hear that Charlie please don't worry about it I know that it's hard not to. My son was there just a few weeks ago to run in the marathon and he said that it's beautiful there.

[@CharlieandRob]

Very beautiful city!

[@krasimirkirev7178]

I am not trying to make excuses, but those men could have easily been some refugees which have been quite a issue in certain areas in central Sofia. There are many cases when even Bulgarian women have been abused during day broad light. It is so unfortunate that something like that happened to you. Hope you are all right or will be very soon.

[@jeffright6627]

Please cant wait till the next vlog

[@Outback_Recluse]

It feels so wrong to like this video but I'm doing so to add my support from Australia. This was a horrific experience, the thing that stands out to me is your hero, I do so hope that this hasn't permanently shaken your strength and courage. Hugs from Australia Charlie 🙏❤️🇦🇺

[@Wojciech_Zielinski]

The question is if this was a just bad luck or a standard situation. I suppose you can have bad things with the same probability also in London, Paris, Berlin and so on. Treat it as a lessons learnt and keep visiting another undiscovered country. Many greetings from Poland.

[@CharlieandRob]

Thank you! Will definitely keep travelling 😀

[@moetocafe]

It's definitely not the norm. You don't hear of such cases, as they are very rare. I have high suspicion, this was a migrant attacker, because for the last maybe 5 yrs a lot of migrants go through our country in their migration to Western Europe. And many of those people are dangerous, no doubt.

[@jps0117]

I was robbed of two of my four suitcases in Sofia, Bulgaria -- possibly in collusion with a hotel. I lost a lot of irreplaceable things.

[@CharlieandRob]

Ah that's awful!

[@jps0117]

@@CharlieandRob Yes, it was.

[@samanthadove8346]

Hugs Charlie ❤

[@kezzacollinson621]

Oh Charlie, I am so sorry, thank goodness for that lovely guy that was there, right time right place, these scumbags are everywhere, just such a shame wrong place wrong time 😮 Thankfully you have all your possessions and you are ok (as things go) but doesn’t shed good on the city 🌆 Take care xxxxxxxx You are very brave and an inspiration to post this ❤

[@CharlieandRob]

It could have certainly been worse! But I wont let it put me off travelling on my own as its the best experience!

[@johnbeerworth]

hugs for Charlie 😥

[@Kev_Newman]

You are brave traveling alone. I am a big Aussie bloke and would not be willing to travel alone unless I was very familiar with the area.

[@CharlieandRob]

I love the freedom of travelling alone. As rubbish as this was it won't put me off going again!

[@moetocafe]

Very sorry to hear what have happened to you. While we'll probably never fully know who and what was the attacker - there are great chances, that he was an Asian refugee (you know, like Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria... that kind of places). The thing is - because so are the rules of Brussels, imposed on us - that those refugees (migrants really), who are residing in refugee centers - until they get their application eventually accepted or refused - they are allowed to go outside those centers and walk freely all day. They only have to return for the night and stay there. Most people here, myself included, are absolutely against such liberal and foolish policies, which expose us to such dangers, but the government doesn't really care. All they care is to listen to Brussels' insanity and apply it, so they can get their money. That's all they care about. And because of that - the last few elections the voting participation rate was something like 30-40% at best. People are increasingly becoming more and more distant from politics, because they realize all the political process at the end goes against their best interests, no matter who you vote for. With regard to that we are in a long chronic political crisis, and there is still no clear path forward to a proper resolution. But we still hope we will overcome this somehow, we are strong people and we've been through worse in our history, so we are resilient, we'll make it (I hope).

[@nadyadobreva9904]

I am sure these were 17-19 year old teenagers trying their luck. And just for fun. After they they sit and laugh. Most often they do it to scare people. That is why they ran away at the appearance of only one other person. They do it because the police can't do anything to them if caught. They just phone their parents to pick them up.

[@mamert77]

❤

[@johnmcelroy9038]

feel very sad for you, get home safe and pick yourself up buddy..all my best.

[@CharlieandRob]

Home safe and sound and all healed up!

[@johnmcelroy9038]

@@CharlieandRob hi glad your home, when you folks get the time please let me know how you are getting on with the flymo mower, ( MO ) I am thinking about getting one , all my very best john ..

[@SalisburyKarateClub]

Man that sucks, unfortunately there are some arseholes in this world. The reason you're feeling washed out would be because of the adrenaline that was in your system during the situation has now left and the thing is you feel washed out. It's a normal thing after these sort of things. I dare say your situational awareness will ramp up. Enjoy the rest of your holiday, don't let those idiots take that away from you.

[@CharlieandRob]

Other family members said I should get the next plane home, but Rob made sense and got me to stay. I dont want to be defeated by this!

[@caltravels9454]

So sorry you had to go through that, it breaks my heart. I too have been taken advantage of, not quite like you did. In Hamelin Bay WA, tiny quiet fishing and holiday spot, it rained so put my pack under cover, 2 hours later after the rain, it was gone, $1000 hiking pack, my boots, batteries, belt and extra clothes, all gone, after much searching and asking if anyone saw anything, it was all gone, no violence, men generally wont go for violence, I would have if I had caught them in the act, they are cowards and prey on women, no offence but going alone is not particularly smart as a woman unfortunately, I never expected to be robbed in a place like Hamelin Bay, had to get a postal bag from the park owner for my tent and what I had left and get a taxi to Augusta where I could get a bus home to Perth, Chin up girl, it is rare

[@DesieNikolova]

No need to talk to any four males. You had to avoid reaching them too close. You just had to go the other way and surrpass them from a distance. No need to answer anything so they grab the phone in that time. Just paas by quicly.

[@CezaryStachurski]

Pozdrawiam serdecznie 👍

[@Sangeado]

I have heard how unsafe Bulgaria actually is, in fact, they killed a Mexican like a month ago, its very known that is a racist country and unsafe for solo traveler (women), my wife is Bulgarian and she says that even her doesn't feel safe sometimes walking alone around Sofia, whic is the capital.

[@davidjohnpaul333]

Oh no 😳 I am so sad to hear this, Charlie 🥲 Rob must have been very upset when you told him. I don't blame you for not wanting to leave the hotel again. The main thing is that you are ok. I hope the rest of your trip went well. Take care, Charlie 🥀🥀

[@CharlieandRob]

Really enjoyed some of the things I did after this, in the trip. It only ruined the evenings for me! Home safe and sound now ready for another adventure soon 😊

[@nightiandsnowlover6789]

It always has been like that. Many people say that Bulgarians are warm people. Nah not to each others. If you have negative opinion for Bulgarians, you will be attack maybe from the coutry tbh. I am Bulgarian and I am not afraid to expose the truth that Bulgarian people like to hide some stuff for our society, because if these things came out, everyome will turn against us and this is the most nightmare of Bulgarians sociaety.

[@jamszaxxx]

Lesson for rest of live. Cats to hotel and travel with Rob. ❤❤❤ from Poland, Poznań. Maybe tha last save country in UE kolhoz.

[@CharlieandRob]

Yes, I should have got a taxi from shopping centre to the hotel but I thought as it was just along one main road and only 10 mins away. Lessons learnt.