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Day One – Misfires, Flights, and Tirana

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Day One – Misfires, Flights, and Tirana Our first day began with a slight misfire. I was up early, packed, and almost ready to walk out the door when I decided the van deserved a quick clean before the journey. A “light spring clean” escalated into washing the roof, which meant ladders, pressure washers, and assorted accoutrements. I became so engrossed that I completely lost track of time. Dave arrived bang on time to find me halfway up a ladder, pressure washer in hand, and nowhere near ready to leave. A hasty tidy-up followed, and we eventually set off only a few minutes late. I had booked a 20kg checked bag, a 10kg carry-on, plus the allowed small personal bag. Dave managed without the 10kg bag, while I ended up discreetly redistributing some of my belongings into his suitcase to stay within the weight limit. Note to self: take less. Bristol Airport Silver Parking took the van, and for once, I not only remembered the parking code but also took a photo of the receipt for our re...
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Our first day route

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ChatGPT wind Title: A Night Claimed by the Wind in Albania with the help of chatcpt

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  Ok what a day ! First you need to know that just 2 months ago I was here in 50 degree heat . What a turn around today was probably the wettest and coldest I have been for at least 3 decades did it rain? Did it blow yes and with vengeance navigation was a nightmare map me nowhere as good as I needed first my mistake I had the phone in the pannier on charge which obviously  disrupted the signal it also kept giving alternative routes. Everytime I made a  decision based on the weather it changed normally to the heaviest rain  Our intended path was around and possibly across a mountain range eventually the rain cold and mountains beat me and I chose the route to Burrell and it rained even harder we stopped for coffee in the centre of Burrell and simply swamped the cafe with wet and dribbling water  Anyway we eventually got to our guest house and it’s enough to say I won the race to the shower never have I  so welcomed warm or actually hot water on...
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  Mountains, Snow, and Tamare The following morning greeted us with near-360-degree mountain views. Breakfast was leisurely, with a family from Israel sharing the room. I explained to Dave the Albania of the past, using Zef as a conduit for stories of pre-democracy hardships. Zef’s eyes welled up as he recounted family experiences under communism, a moment of quiet reflection. We set off for Koplik, then turned onto roads I’d never ridden, climbing to nearly 1,000 metres with breathtaking vistas. Hairpins and switchbacks demanded careful riding, brakes deliberately cooled, and the scenery left us speechless. We descended into the village of Tamarë , famous for its mountain spring water. A coffee stop provided a moment to dry off and gather energy. Ordering coffee in Albanian remains a challenge—my attempts drew polite smiles—but the cafés here are always eager to accommodate. We continued up the mountains in search of lodgings, guided by a local’s enthusiastic recommendation. So...
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  Tirana, Bikes, and Familiar Ground Our first task was to walk to the bike-hire shop. From the hotel, it was a short walk down Rruga Qemal Stafa , where I pointed out the huge painted murals covering many of the buildings. The most striking was a painted bookcase and fireplace marking a junction opposite a building site I’ve long referred to as “Lefter’s Hole” — for years just a hole in the ground, now finally rising skywards. This sits on the edge of Skënderbej Square , the symbolic heart of Tirana and a feature in almost every programme about Albania. The square is bordered by the Bank of Albania , the National History Museum with its iconic mosaic of a rifle-toting woman leading militants, and the towering Tirana International Hotel . Nearby stands a controversial new building which, when viewed through a camera lens, unmistakably resembles the head and shoulders of a man. Some locals believe it’s a bust of Prime Minister Edi Rama ; to me, it’s clearly Skanderbeg . That ev...
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Our first Petrol sation in Montenegro

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  Our first Petrol station in Montenegro   on
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Photos from the trip

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