Project # PajeroCamper4x3 - travel reports - On installments
The plan was a bit different, we are however; me in the hammock, the girls next to the table. Together with our Pajero, in the middle of the bed of a huge, more than a hundred meters wide, non-flowing river.
White round stones, large size, individually "stuck" trees and the space a bit desert.
.. the darker the night becomes, the number of large and large bats increases. It is climatic.
We parked in this place, after around 18:00 we were not allowed into the territory of Greece. The first border of the PLACE NAME, which we were going to enter towards the Ionian Sea , turned out to be completely closed (we got the info on the way).
We chose the next possible direction, far away from the coast.
A few hours added but ...
At the very border, it turned out to be open - yes. Only for Greek nationals and selectively for Greek residents of Albanian origin. We have been in Albania for some time, but we do not fit into any of the criteria. Border officers speaking English, very polite and sincerely helpful, to our surprise.
A moment after that I obtained the above information, I walk (distance about 10 minutes), in no man's land, between Macedonia and Greece, out of the grace of a Macedonian policeman who allowed me on foot (the girls had to stay at the crossing in the car) to reach the Greek border services to convince them of my idea of entering their country.
After less than an hour I come back. Info is like this. It is possible that the next day around 8:00 the restrictions on crossing borders between EU and non-EU countries with regard to EU citizens, including us Poles, will change; and then….
Refugees
In this part of the text, we reach my person in the hammock and my girlfriends next to me.
A charming place, the dinner as always tasty and I start to write ...
It is dark. Asia and Zosia went to the toilet. I watch their flashlight. On the opposite side, however, I see two others approaching quite quickly towards our car (I remind you that we are camping in total wilderness, which intensifies my concern. I won't have time to put on the shoes, but at least the machete is removed from the holster. The girls come back from the opposite side. One of the "strangers" "The flashlight goes out already several meters away from me. I shout loudly: hello. No response from people coming.
The second "alien flashlight" shines right in my face. My door is ajar and I hold a machete. The girls walk around Mitsubishi and stand behind me. I ask out loud in English: who are you?
People are not walking; run to us. Blinded by the light, I see practically nothing.
Suddenly the question arises: what are we doing here (all conversation in English). We answer that we are camping. After exchanging a few sentences, it turns out that these are the EU border services guarding the "strip of land" separating Albania from Greece, and more precisely the territory of the European Union from non-"Euroland countries".
They mistook us for illegal refugees and started the action. They were pretty scared themselves. Adrenaline jumped significantly on both sides. Female / commander; after i announced we were staying here, she couldn't understand why in the middle of nowhere :)
They had to report the entire incident to their superiors. Finally, they let us stay until morning; and so we parted.
In the morning, after breakfast, on our way back to the border, we met a police car that was "guarding" our safety all night, we talked briefly, they knew quite a lot about us, haha ..
This is what sleeping in the wild looks like in the border area; The Union and the rest and the rest of the world.
Gavgelija
Unfortunately, we rebounded in the same way as on the previous day. It turned out that there is a limit of 400 people per day, only the Greeks and the restrictions have not eased. However, we have information that we can enter Greece from Macedonia….
So we are on our way to Macedonia, where we have already spent some time during the # PajeroCamper4x3 project. Considering that our plans change dynamically, and Zosia likes to cross the border, and we like to move, 1,200 km of additional road will not do us much harm.
Around 20:00 on the same day we reach the Macedonian / Greek border - Gavgelija-Evzoni.
Greek control, insightful. Passports, PCR, registration document, Pajero insurance, PLF / QR code (if you want to enter Greece, everyone needs to generate a special QR code (this can be done using the form https://travel.gov.gr/#/ ) before entering the territory Greece, but for the above QR code you have to wait 24 hours, optionally you can use the application form accepted by the system).
Guess where we're sitting after all this.
Border zone, full night and rakija - nut and honey.
The Greeks refused us entry because our PCR tests lost their date 2 days ago. We have to make new ones (kids over five to Greece too, obligatory !! Zofia is 6 years old ...)
Hospital in the morning and the continuation of the article.
Bless you; we are waiting for the arrival of the border services ...
Author: Darek Anioł Engel
Photo: Darek Anioł Engel
Design: # PajeroCamper4x3
Instagram: OffTheRoadLife
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