BALKANS WITH A Donkey - ALBANIA 2011

The adventure with Albania began quite unusual. We approach the border crossing in Sukobin-Muriqan. After reading various information about entering Albania by car, what to watch, what papers we have to fill in and pick up at the border and then keep them until departure, the first pleasant surprise.

Hello Shqiperia

Day 1

MARIQAN - SZKODRA - LEZHE - CROSSING ROUTE 100km

Albania, however, must have come to the conclusion that too many formalities are a deterrent and now they only write down the registration number of the car - they do not even check the passport, but tell them to go on. Well, here's the problem, the policeman wrote down the registration number and shows us to go on, and here is our donkey ride. Bryka, that is, something came out with gears again and we were left with "3 and 4". We drive up a few meters and we are confused about what to do next. Since a similar situation has happened to us, we already know how to manually start the remaining gears, but this is just the beginning of our trip, so what's next, go back to Montenegro or go further. We don't know a word of Albanian. However, someone approaches us, looks under the hood and explains in a generally understood language that there is a garage in 5 km. So we're going with our soul on our shoulder. After about 5 km, there is something, but after entering the square and having a look at "what they give here", it turns out that we can replace the tires at most. Nothing - shifting the gear manually and off we go. We get to the village - a workshop neither widu nor hear. After all, a small inconspicuous world - a workshop. As soon as we get along if they're only Albanian. Luck in misfortune is their Serb - so he does our own way and we explain what and how. Previously, the exchange of this element made us quite impressed, so this time we are full of fears, but here the saying is true - the poorer the country, the more people can cope with. The mechanic takes a look under the hood, in a moment comes back with the "gas belt" and as if nothing had happened, he puts his hands "on the hot engine" for 5 minutes and it's ready. However, he says that there are shops in Shkodra a few kilometers away, that maybe we can find an item there. We are happy to continue our journey.

We head south through Lezhe. If anyone thinks that Polish roads are much better than Albanian roads, they are a bit wrong. Yes, in the north of the country and the side roads have not yet been repaired and they scare you with holes, but the so-called national and main roads are almost completely renovated and motorways, yes there are also highways. Only by some strange coincidence - the asphalt stays there despite the high temperature, and we somehow "flow".

At the market, we will meet what we are already looking for in Poland.

In the city you can spend the night in two hotels, but we sleep in our donkey. Near the castle there is a 24-hour parking lot with a garage. Because Albania is a "wild country where no one goes" we meet people from their hometown from the next street - as they say, mountain and mountain. But the facts are that you can meet Poles or cars on our registrations - much more often than in Greece - apart from typical tourist places, of course. If Albanians accept someone under their roof, their safety is of the highest honor. In the evening, the owner set up a chair on the balcony and kept watch over the cars in the parking lot all night long. Besides, it was not an isolated incident.

Day 2

KRUJE - TIRANA - ELBASSAN - OCHRID LAKE ROUTE 150 km

In the morning we go to Tirana. We are greeted by morning mists near the capital. Where are these Polish ruts? Road surface - smooth as a table. The fact is that Albanians have only been able to have their own cars for 20 years, but…. Generally, a lot of building and new roads are built in Albania. We happened to come across conversions, but we always managed to pass somehow. A cow by a highway in the outskirts of Tirana - nothing fancy.

We already know we are in Tirana. The traffic is definitely bigger. Unfortunately, the main square has been dug up. It is worth parking on a large square near the clock tower, there is a policeman around so theoretically it is safer. Traffic in Tirana is heavy. In addition to cars, you also have to watch out for large holes that appear completely out of the blue. There are no rules of the road - there is a rule, who has the bigger car, is driving. The city itself may not impress you too much, but it is also worth getting acquainted with the local architecture.

From Tirana, via Elbassan, we go to Macedonia - we still have a long way to go. Ride through the mountains and the traditional way of transport. Unfortunately, they have not heard everywhere about environmental protection.

And further towards Macedonia. On the way, we pass a river that has practically dried up. The first documented bunker. Apparently there are 750,000 of them here, one for each family. The first bunker is located near the border with Montenegro, but we were probably too intrigued by our donkey to notice it.

On one of the still unfinished houses we pass, however, we notice a mascot. Albanians hang them to undo the powers of their jealous neighbors. Lake Ohrid - we will come back here again.

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5