For the ‘A Route Less Traveled’ Route One in Bulgaria tour article in Sidewalk 148, the plan was to run mini interviews with each of the people on the trip, but due to space limitations the idea was canned at the last minute. So, never ones to let things go to waste, all this week on the site we’ll be bringing you Bulgaria themed mini interviews with Joe Lynskey, Amir Wlliams, Sam Bruce, Andy Makepeace, Josh ‘Manhead’ Young, Avid and Bey Leyden, whose thoughts on his time in Bulgaria can be read now below!

More to follow tomorrow, so check back then!

How does Scotland compare to Bulgaria then? Any similarities as far as you could see?

It looked to me that the general population of Bulgaria take a lot more pride in themselves than the average Joe in Scotland. You know, I don’t think I seen anyone wearing trackies or drinking Buckfast. Nearly everyone I saw looked really clean and on point…

The Bulgarian language barrier was hard enough for the best of us – how did the distinctively thick Scottish accent go down with the natives?

I never had any trouble with it really, just as long as I took my time, spoke slowly and threw in some sign language type stuff.

What did you and Ashley get up to when not skating then? Did you manage to take in more culture than the rest of the crew?

Well if KFC and pizzas count as culture, I drew in plenty (laughs). Me and Ash did a good bit of wandering around, there was one point were we ended up lost somewhere in Sofia and I was kind of stressed, obviously because of being somewhere completely different and a bit ghetto, but the missus didn’t seem fazed at all. Women are mental.

What were your favourite three Bulgarian spots that we skated?

Pretty much everywhere we went was pretty rad, so I don’t think anything stands out to me man. I was just really happy to be somewhere rad with loads of potential.

Top five memorable incidents from the trip?

1 – Avid being a total bastard.

2 – Hanging out with new folks and making new friends.

3 – Physically feeling heat from sunshine.

4 – Trying new food and drink.

5 – Just feeling good about skating in general, it was all good! Stoked!

And finally, the most memorable Amir lyric you heard?

Seriously man, Amir is so funny, that boy was spitting mad lyrics, yo!
He was waffling some stuff man, f*ck knows what man, he’s like like the Pharcyde wrapped up in one big underground hip hop parcel. He’s a f*cking good lad.