Donkey drawn carts make their way along streets with pot-holes the size of Liechtenstein. Half-built, but abandoned houses dot the landscape, which is that shade of green that's almost yellow, and sometimes is. Kids play barefoot in dusty lanes, while the muezzin's call to prayer competes with church bells for the attention of the faithful...... Welcome to Albania, Europe's odd one out! Historically, culturally, and, most obviously to the foreign visitor, economically unique in the region, Albania has much going for it, but with a whole lot more to be done. We experienced its' pros [View Full Entry]

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When travelling, the Lonely Planet can often get you out of tricky situations, though it's generally wise not to refer to it for everything. Sometimes, however, it can get you into those situations. So it was when we arrived at the bus station in Skopje, the Capital. After much hassle buying our bus tickets for Ohrid the next, we consulted The Book, and decided to camp in 'Skopje's urban camping option! On south bank of the river. Bring plenty of Mosquito repellent!' So, off we went in a taxi to the dot on the map which I had pointed out [View Full Entry]

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Every few minutes I'd wake up at the impact of my head falling uncontrollibly forward. I'd be covered in a pool of sweat. And that Turkish pop music, which sounds like a cross between the call to prayer and 'Maniac 2001', still blasting away. This is 2.30 am on the bus to Kosovo. We had left Sarajevo on an earlier, cheaper bus than intended, but one that required us to make a one-hour stop in the Serbian town of Novi Pazar, to wait for a connection to Prishtina. It was a seven hour journey to Novi, and I'm sure it [View Full Entry]

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Ok, so the bus to Mostar was the jolt we needed. As soon as we crossed the Bosnian border, the effects of war were very much evident. The first town we stopped in was full of bullet-scarred tower blocks, and cracked pavements, and these things accompanied us for the remainder of the journey to Mostar. First impressions were bad - more of the same, bombed out buildings and loads of tower blocks. Where was the Mostar I had heard about? We were dropped at the station, and got a room in the usual way, and a lift to our 'apatment'. [View Full Entry]

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Ok, so my search for an Irish bar between Istanbul and Calcutta finally began in Rome, where you can buy a pint of Guinness in the main square for 6 EURO. I didn't do that, or much else - having 'been there, done that' all before, we spent our one full day relaxing by the campsite swimming pool, and our nights battling the ants in the tent. We left for Ancona by train, a surprising journey whcih took in some great scenery through a little-visited part of Italy. Having been through Ancona two years, I knew it wasn't the best [View Full Entry]

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