Distance: 137km
Today we left Albania.
Along the way we met some guys with watermelons, we bought some cherries from them- really good, had a chat, and they gave us some nectarines. Thanks guys.
After lunch we followed map down a road that was supposed to lead us to Montenegro, a bit of a 'short-cut' I guess. The road looked nice, bitumen not to bad, but after a couple of kilometers it turned into a bumpy, rocky mess.
We wondered whether we should turn back, but decided, after seeing a headless cow on the street, that we shouldn't turn back... So we kept riding, slowly, slower than we would up a steep hill.
And then, just as we were running out of water in the Albanian wilderness (or so we'll pretend), we found a little shop, playing Tupac, and serving ice-creams, and we even got a free one, nice old Albanian man.
Sitting here, on the step of the corner shop, we wondered why we were leaving Albania, its mountains, its people, they'd been good to us, so what if they'd tried to rip us off a few times, they'd done it good naturedly, well most of the time, and what about the cheap hotels, and the beautiful mountains, rivers and ocean views. No where else, we thought, would be quite as strange, and yet oddly endearing as Albania.
But it was time to leave, Montenegro was waiting we thought.
More bumpy roads...
The roads on the map don't exist... our shortcut is foiled.
A man in a Jag takes us back onto the main road. Buys us each a drink, invites us to his house, we think. More Albanian hospitality beckoning us to stay.
We find the border. A few jibes about the Germans beating England and we're across. Montenegro.
A beautifully paved road. Winds up a mountain. Then we coast down the other side. The evening air is cool and the road is quiet. Sweaty bliss.
The sun is setting when we reach Bar. How hard can it be to find a cheap room in a big city? Hours later we are hungry and exhausted. People keep pointing us towards Hotel Sidro but it is hard to find. We eat. And then we find it.
50 euro for a room and breakfast. And this is the cheap place?! But it's after 10pm so we have no choice. At least they have wifi.
First room stinks, another one has huge mosquitoes (someone left the balcony door open) and the third has no water. Up and down three flights of stairs each time. Legs so tired. Man in reception, would like to give him a piece of my mind, but ahh, too tired...
Midnight - collapse on bed, sleep is good, so very good...
Today we left Albania.
Along the way we met some guys with watermelons, we bought some cherries from them- really good, had a chat, and they gave us some nectarines. Thanks guys.
After lunch we followed map down a road that was supposed to lead us to Montenegro, a bit of a 'short-cut' I guess. The road looked nice, bitumen not to bad, but after a couple of kilometers it turned into a bumpy, rocky mess.
We wondered whether we should turn back, but decided, after seeing a headless cow on the street, that we shouldn't turn back... So we kept riding, slowly, slower than we would up a steep hill.
And then, just as we were running out of water in the Albanian wilderness (or so we'll pretend), we found a little shop, playing Tupac, and serving ice-creams, and we even got a free one, nice old Albanian man.
Sitting here, on the step of the corner shop, we wondered why we were leaving Albania, its mountains, its people, they'd been good to us, so what if they'd tried to rip us off a few times, they'd done it good naturedly, well most of the time, and what about the cheap hotels, and the beautiful mountains, rivers and ocean views. No where else, we thought, would be quite as strange, and yet oddly endearing as Albania.
But it was time to leave, Montenegro was waiting we thought.
More bumpy roads...
The roads on the map don't exist... our shortcut is foiled.
A man in a Jag takes us back onto the main road. Buys us each a drink, invites us to his house, we think. More Albanian hospitality beckoning us to stay.
We find the border. A few jibes about the Germans beating England and we're across. Montenegro.
A beautifully paved road. Winds up a mountain. Then we coast down the other side. The evening air is cool and the road is quiet. Sweaty bliss.
The sun is setting when we reach Bar. How hard can it be to find a cheap room in a big city? Hours later we are hungry and exhausted. People keep pointing us towards Hotel Sidro but it is hard to find. We eat. And then we find it.
50 euro for a room and breakfast. And this is the cheap place?! But it's after 10pm so we have no choice. At least they have wifi.
First room stinks, another one has huge mosquitoes (someone left the balcony door open) and the third has no water. Up and down three flights of stairs each time. Legs so tired. Man in reception, would like to give him a piece of my mind, but ahh, too tired...
Midnight - collapse on bed, sleep is good, so very good...
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