A couple of weeks ago, if someone had asked me for a few facts about Albania, I would have been hard pressed! That has now changed!

Situated on the Balkan peninsular, with a coastline to the Adriatic and Ionian sea, it is a small country of only 3 mill. For many years it was under communist rule, which ended as recent as 1992. Recently there have been talks of the European Union considering the country as a future member.

Entering Albania from Montenegro, I headed straight for the capital Tirana, with a population of nearly one million. It is immediately evident that one has entered a “developing” country. Donkeys in the field, cows and sheep on the roads and vey primitive methods of farming. 

I had checked the usual channels for a camping site around Tirana, but very little - and nothing of interest - came up. I then decided to check hotels, and ended up booking a 3 star hotel, with air conditioning, safe parking for the bike, free wi-fi AND breakfast included. Price € 20! OK, I will admit that the 3 stars were very small stars, but everything nice and clean. The lady who owned the hotel hardly spoke a word of English, so once again no conversation!

I have included a few pictures from Tirana. On one of them you will see “The Pyramid of Tirana”. The daughter of the former Albanian leader Enver Hoxer, had this out of place monument built in his memory, on a huge piece of land in the center of the city. Over the past few years the Pyramid has been completely vandalized and graffiti on the walls.There are plans to restore it, although many people want it to remain as it is  - a warning never again to return to the old ways!

One thing that impressed me about Albania, was the WiFi. The quality and speed were outstanding, and it was available and free in most places. I am constantly dependent on getting “connected” on a journey like this, when I have to check my route, find a camping site or stay in contact with friends and family. Many of the younger generation that I approached in shops, or asked for direction couldn’t speak a word of English, but when you finally found one that could, they went out of their way to help you.

The next day I continued towards Greece, and headed for the Albanian seaside resort of Sarandë in the southern part of the country. When I told the owner of the hotel in Tirana that I was heading for “Sarande” she responded “nice, super nice”. Those were the only English words I heard her say! There is a fine “autostrada” between Tirana and Sarande. Along the way, traffic was stopped in both directions for almost an hour by the police, while everybody waited for an old Mercedes car that had caught fire, to burn out.

I had found a camping site in Sarande that sounded like a possibility, but when I got there a few hours later in the day, it was unsuitable for pitching my tent, with stony, hard and rocky ground, and I saw only autocampers in the place. The resort of Sarandë looked very attractive, like a small piece of Croatia. What it also has going for it, is the cost of things - very inexpensive.

Not being able to find a suitable spot for camping, I decided to head for the Greek border, which was only a few kilometers further south. Before reaching the border, I had to cross a water canal, which was serviced by a ferry, drawn back and forward, by a mechanical wire system. (See pictures). I filled the bike with petrol on the Albanian side, getting rid of my remaining Lek. Not much demand for Lek anywhere else, I think.

Albania still left me with the feeling of a country that doesn’t do much to promote itself, insignificant in many ways. I do hear though that tourism is growing in leaps and bounds, and I am sure it will attract tourists to the seaside resorts, not least because of the very reasonable cost. I did a fair bit of driving in the interior as well, and there are lots of high and rugged mountains in the country (Albanian Alps) which are very picturesque, and a thrill to ride on a bike.

Next stop Greece.