Sestina
Active Member
- Posts
- 139
Land of eagles, aka Shqiperi, aka Albania. SWMBO and I spent 4 days here last month as part of our three week jaunt round the Balkans in our very standard Disco 1. As you all probably know, Albania used to be a Communist dicatatorship of a particularly nasty hue. Now it's a slightly manic free-for-all. I've never seen so many petrol stations, cash only. Also, the car of choice is a Mercedes. Apparently of all the Mercedes which have been stolen in Europe a very high proportion has ended up in Albania.
After a full service by Paul and Mark of Off Road Rovers http://www.offroadrovers.co.uk We got there via The Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Montenegro.
We entered the country from Montenegro near Bajze. Bit of a panic at the border as our insurance was not going to cover us and we needed to buy a local policy. All expected, but there is no one in the office to take our money. Luckily one of the blokes hanging about at the border, knew the insurance agent and gave him a call. He's been to the greengrocers and appeared laden down with watermelons and figs. To cover his embarassment at not being in his office he made us scoff figs whilst he got on with the paperwork.
All sorted we headed on, spending the night at one of the few campsites in the country at Lake Shkoder. The dip in the lake was most welcome after a dusty day on the road.
Next morning we went and had a look at the local Ottoman Castle.
SWMBO decided that we ought to go and see 'The town of a thousand windows' at Berat. Eventually we got to Berat bit of a trek and not worth it.
Council of war ensued and we decided to head for the hills. A few roads looked interesting on the map. Incidentally, the map published by Vektor on a 1:250,000 scale was very good. Showed all the roads in the country, unlike our fibbing effort from the AA.
This evening we wild camped near a river, but sufficently far away to avoid a flash flood.
'Lets go down this B road' I suggested next morning.
Some B road. From point A to point B on the brown road took us 6 hours. Low ratio the whole way and several times the diff lock was used.
It started easily, though the road signs had seen better days.
Time for a tea break.
Later the road turned to loose shale and things turned a bit sporty. Checking the depth of puddles and going very carefully, as we were on our own. SWMBO took this picture as we crept along.
There are people up here, we took a wrong turning and ended up in a tiny hamlet of a few houses. Directions received from a toothless old boy. Maps and pointing overcoming the fact that neither of us knew a word of each other's language.
We passed an enormous herd of goats, there must have been well over a 100 of them. Their guard dogs gave chase and wounded the Disco's bumper.
Later that evening we had a stand-off with the brutes. Throwing stones, yelling and flashing torches eventually drove them off. Where they after us, or another visitor we had in the night?
European brown bear methinks.
Second wild camp. Note, lots of anti dog ammuniton. Next time I'm going take a catapult.
After the excitement of the previous day we decided to try a few A roads.
Come this way and your suspension will get a serious work out.
Coffee break on the way to Lake Ohrid. Ooh! some tarmac with only a few potholes, what a treat! At Lake Ohrit we stopped at a campsite for showers as it was getting a bit smelly in the car.
Before we left Albania we headed down what the map described as a minor unmade road.
Rapidly it became very muddy and we were fully occupied with not getting stuck, so no other photos. Sorry.
We said goodbye to Albania at Bilisht and crossed into Greece. Will we be back? You bet. Though a bit of underbody protection would be nice as well as another companion vehicle.
We went home via Bulgaria, where the alternator packed up. Many thanks to Landyzone international rescue, Chris of Wild Rovers http://www.wildrovers.eu/ and John and Sarah of Camping Kromodovo http://www.campingkromidovo.com/ for helping out. The other countries visited on the way home were Romania, Slovakia and the Czech Republic.
Last of all, thanks to Jean aka SWMBO (She Who Must Be Obeyed) an indispensable travelling companion and ace navigator.
We never saw a single eagle ...
Mike
After a full service by Paul and Mark of Off Road Rovers http://www.offroadrovers.co.uk We got there via The Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Montenegro.
We entered the country from Montenegro near Bajze. Bit of a panic at the border as our insurance was not going to cover us and we needed to buy a local policy. All expected, but there is no one in the office to take our money. Luckily one of the blokes hanging about at the border, knew the insurance agent and gave him a call. He's been to the greengrocers and appeared laden down with watermelons and figs. To cover his embarassment at not being in his office he made us scoff figs whilst he got on with the paperwork.
All sorted we headed on, spending the night at one of the few campsites in the country at Lake Shkoder. The dip in the lake was most welcome after a dusty day on the road.
Next morning we went and had a look at the local Ottoman Castle.
SWMBO decided that we ought to go and see 'The town of a thousand windows' at Berat. Eventually we got to Berat bit of a trek and not worth it.
Council of war ensued and we decided to head for the hills. A few roads looked interesting on the map. Incidentally, the map published by Vektor on a 1:250,000 scale was very good. Showed all the roads in the country, unlike our fibbing effort from the AA.
This evening we wild camped near a river, but sufficently far away to avoid a flash flood.
'Lets go down this B road' I suggested next morning.
Some B road. From point A to point B on the brown road took us 6 hours. Low ratio the whole way and several times the diff lock was used.
It started easily, though the road signs had seen better days.
Time for a tea break.
Later the road turned to loose shale and things turned a bit sporty. Checking the depth of puddles and going very carefully, as we were on our own. SWMBO took this picture as we crept along.
There are people up here, we took a wrong turning and ended up in a tiny hamlet of a few houses. Directions received from a toothless old boy. Maps and pointing overcoming the fact that neither of us knew a word of each other's language.
We passed an enormous herd of goats, there must have been well over a 100 of them. Their guard dogs gave chase and wounded the Disco's bumper.
Later that evening we had a stand-off with the brutes. Throwing stones, yelling and flashing torches eventually drove them off. Where they after us, or another visitor we had in the night?
European brown bear methinks.
Second wild camp. Note, lots of anti dog ammuniton. Next time I'm going take a catapult.
After the excitement of the previous day we decided to try a few A roads.
Come this way and your suspension will get a serious work out.
Coffee break on the way to Lake Ohrid. Ooh! some tarmac with only a few potholes, what a treat! At Lake Ohrit we stopped at a campsite for showers as it was getting a bit smelly in the car.
Before we left Albania we headed down what the map described as a minor unmade road.
Rapidly it became very muddy and we were fully occupied with not getting stuck, so no other photos. Sorry.
We said goodbye to Albania at Bilisht and crossed into Greece. Will we be back? You bet. Though a bit of underbody protection would be nice as well as another companion vehicle.
We went home via Bulgaria, where the alternator packed up. Many thanks to Landyzone international rescue, Chris of Wild Rovers http://www.wildrovers.eu/ and John and Sarah of Camping Kromodovo http://www.campingkromidovo.com/ for helping out. The other countries visited on the way home were Romania, Slovakia and the Czech Republic.
Last of all, thanks to Jean aka SWMBO (She Who Must Be Obeyed) an indispensable travelling companion and ace navigator.
We never saw a single eagle ...
Mike
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