From Dubrovnik we caught a bus to Bar in Montenegro and then took a taxi to the border town and then another taxi over the border to Albania. Everyone has to pay €10 ea when coming in and our of Albania – like a visa charge I guess, bit of a pain as we weren’t going to stay it just happened to be the way to get to Macedonia!! Once we were in Albania our taxi driver found us a mini bus that was driving to Tirane, where we finally arrived at 8pm…luckily the hostel we had looked up had exactly 2 beds spare as we hadn’t booked! We passed a lot of poverty in Albania, and most shacks had a skinny cow out the front of their house. We briefly explored Tirane but didn’t really like it and were on another mini bus by lunchtime the next day on our way to another border town – this time to Macedonia. We then walked across the Albanian border (and weren’t charged the €10 departure! Bonus) and then walked through Macedonian border (NZ is quite lucky they don’t need a €35 visa – Aus and Canadians do!) we followed directions we’d been given from the hostel in Tirane and ended up in an abandoned camping ground with a whole lot of tourist shops that were closed. Luckily there was one old guy there who understood us enough to confirm that there was a bus coming to that afternoon that would take us to Ohrid. I’m starting to feel like a “real” traveller…
Ohrid was really beautiful, it’s a town on the edge of a big lake, with snowtopped mountains in the background. We just did a lot of exploring and relaxing and took some amazing photos.
Ohrid was really beautiful, it’s a town on the edge of a big lake, with snowtopped mountains in the background. We just did a lot of exploring and relaxing and took some amazing photos.
4 comments:
WOW you just waisted 10 euros! You should have gone to Gjirokaster, Vlora, Saranda, Berat, Tropoja.. You missed alot of nice places.
I have been working the Balkans for 18 years....and if you can get beyond the superficial veneer, you won't find any place more fascinating and historically rich than Albania (next to Greece, of course, which is overrun with tourists and exaggerates or revises its history to fit its modern self image).
The Albanians don't know poop about marketing or even what to market, but that's part of the wonder of it. It makes travelling and movement a bit...well...irritating at times.
They are a proud people...but don't think ill of them. They have just survived sooooo much...and they don't really care if you like them or not. That is also a positive characteristic in a region where everybody is trying to sell their version of something.
I recommend a trip back to Albania....plan what you're going to see but leave a day inbetween each destination.
You might be surprised that you've stumbled upon one of the Balkan's most beautiful and historically rich country.
Be careful up in Catholic country near Skhodra, though. It's like Sicily....quaint unless YOU are the one who finds out how criminally inclined they can be!
Go back...you missed the last of the undiscovered....
R Jay C
Berlin, Germany
New Hampshire, USA
Balkans Active since 1990
joschka7@yahoo.com
I have been working the Balkans for 18 years....and if you can get beyond the superficial veneer, you won't find any place more fascinating and historically rich than Albania (next to Greece, of course, which is overrun with tourists and exaggerates or revises its history to fit its modern self image).
The Albanians don't know poop about marketing or even what to market, but that's part of the wonder of it.
They are a proud people...but don't think ill of them. They have just survived sooooo much...
I recommend a trip back to Albania....plan what you're going to see but leave a day inbetween each destination.
You might be surprised that you've stumbled upon one of the Balkan's most beautiful and historically rich country.
Be careful up in Catholic country near Skhodra, though. It's like Sicily....quaint unless YOU are the one who finds out how criminally inclined they can be!
Go back...you missed the last of the undiscovered....
Robert Jay Cook
Berlin, Germany
New Hampshire, USA
Balkans Active since 1990
robert.jay.cook@us.army.mil
I have been working the Balkans for 18 years....and if you can get beyond the superficial veneer, you won't find any place more fascinating and historically rich than Albania (next to Greece, of course, which is overrun with tourists and exaggerates or revises its history to fit its modern self image).
The Albanians don't know poop about marketing or even what to market, but that's part of the wonder of it.
They are a proud people...but don't think ill of them. They have just survived sooooo much...
I recommend a trip back to Albania....plan what you're going to see but leave a day inbetween each destination.
You might be surprised that you've stumbled upon one of the Balkan's most beautiful and historically rich country.
Be careful up in Catholic country near Skhodra, though. It's like Sicily....quaint unless YOU are the one who finds out how criminally inclined they can be!
Go back...you missed the last of the undiscovered....
Robert Jay Cook
Berlin, Germany
New Hampshire, USA
Balkans Active since 1990
robert.jay.cook@us.army.mil
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