Blogs from Vlorë, South, Albania, Europe

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Europe » Albania » South » Vlorë July 12th 2023

I forgot to spray my bed so the biter is at me again. I put socks, leggings and a hoodie on but he still leaves a line of bites on my face. I wake up not slept and grumpy when Deysha wakes me. I go down and my phone seems to be working but the case is missing. I search everywhere through breakfast but with no luck. Who steals a phone case but its the only explanation. My mood is not improved. We head to the bus station and Deysha buys me a coffee to cheer me up. My phone has now died and won’t recharge so I’m back to thinking its gone for good and I don’t think much is backed up. I have a little nap on the bus and by the time we ... read more
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Europe » Albania » South » Vlorë June 25th 2023

Landing in Vlora we managed to do the necessary, buy insurance for the motorhome, take out lek from the ATM and buy a vodaphone SIM! Although Albania is working hard to become a member state of the EU I think there is still a way to go until they satisfy the requirements regarding corruption of the police, government and general safety standards, the manner of driving being the least of it. If you are in Albania keep your distance from drivers of black Mercedes Benz . Many were imported here illegally (stolen, I've been told) and somehow the drivers feel they are above the law. Double lines on a hairpin bend, no problem, a line of traffic you want to get past heedless of oncoming traffic, no problem. A problem only for the drivers coming towards ... read more
Berat
folk festival
Gentian

Europe » Albania » South » Vlorë May 28th 2018

Albania Day 11. Himare to Radhime. 64km. 1600m ascent. A bright sunny day again, reaching 37 degrees by lunchtime in the sun which were in, dropping to 29 in the shade by late afternoon. The first 7km were on a 16% gradient so I rode in the van with Armand and Lynda, who is still having pain in her elbow and hand. She had this x rayed later and the bone had a little chip they think and could take a while to heal. After this climb I got on my bike and rode the rest of the day. The first part was 7% to the coffee break and after that it varied between 7% and 11% uphill for 15km. Over the day I covered 57km and climbed 1100 metres. The long pull after the coffee ... read more
Resting on 16% gradient
Part of out climb before lunch.
A cheeky beetle visitor.

Europe » Albania » South » Vlorë June 15th 2016

Woensdag 15/06/2016 – Voré – 183km Verplaatsing doorheen het gebergte naar Voré, zo een 15km ten westen van Tirana. Wel een grote omweg gemaakt om niet doorheen het centrum van Tirana en over een bergpas met weeral smalle slechte weg te hoeven. Doorheen de kleinere steden is al mizerie genoeg. Altijd ergens markt, met alle gevolgen vandien. Chaos overal. Dubbel parkerende auto's, massa volk kriskras laverend doorheen het verkeer. Niemand schijnt te werken. Mannen zitten op een hoopje bij elkaar. Koffie, glas water. Verkoopstalletjes langs alle kanten. Alles op een hoop gegooid. Altijd blij als we er door geraken. Onderweg nogal wat verloederde, verlaten oude industriesites gezien. Behalve wat wegenonderhoud met de schop, hoeden van vee langs de weg, is er geen werk. Wel chauffeurs van alles en nog wat. Openbaar vervoer wordt gedaan met anonieme ... read more
Onderweg naar Vorë - gemotoriseerd transport

Europe » Albania » South » Vlorë June 6th 2016

Maandag 6/06/16 – Verplaatsing naar de Llogara-pas (158km) – 1027 hoog Viervaksweg tot Fier. Lijkt op onze autostrades. Alhoewel, je komt er fietsers en ezelskarren tegen, ook overstekende voetgangers en fietsers die daarvoor meterhoge berm- en middenstrook afrasteringen moeten overklimmen. Onder de schaduw van een brug werd ons een spartelend konijn te koop aangeboden. We konden er wel niet stoppen. Dan moesten we door Vloré, 2de grootste havenstad van Albanië, en dan begint de mizerie van het Albanees verkeer. Temeer dat de weg die we moesten nemen aan de haven totaal afgesloten was. Geen wegwijzers voor omleiding. Iedereen weet hier toch de weg. Behalve onze gps. Die stuurde ons steeds terug, ook door straten die geen straten meer zijn. Wel opeenvolgende putten van een halve meter. Toen we nog eens totaal vast reden en F uitstapte ... read more
Llogara Pass - Plaatselijke neering
onderweg naar Llogara pas
onderweg naar Llogara pas

Europe » Albania » South » Vlorë December 29th 2014

Stayed 2 nights in Sarande, we were hoping to travel down the coast a little farther but as luck would have it, there was a terrible coastal storm the next day. We were happy to just stay inside and watch the waves crashing against the rocks. We did head out the following morning to Vlore taking the road that weaved along the coast............ or so we thought. Started out late morning for the next driving adventure, just a note it is ALWAYS best to drive the roads in Albania in daylight, that way you can clearly see potholes and missing pieces of road. Anyway back to our drive, beautiful sea views from all different heights of the road, passing through seaside villages and old ruins along the way. Looking I could see switch backs going up ... read more
Goat crossing
Switchbacks ahead
About 1/2 way up

Europe » Albania » South » Vlorë October 4th 2009

Erion, my Albanian friend wıth whom I had worked in London, sent me a text. He had got the message that I was ın hıs town, and we arranged to meet. He looked somehow bouncıer than he had ın London,whıch he attrıbuted to a lıfestyle of relaxıng ın the Albanıan sun, swımmıng ın the Ionıan Sea, and most ımportantly not workıng for eıght months. The sun was shınıng agaın. I dropped my rucksack ın Erıon's mum's half-fınıshed house (she was ın Italy), and had a shower. If I hadn't met up wıth Erıon I was goıng to move straıght onto Greece, but hıs hospıtalıty encouraged me to stay another nıght ın Vlora. We had a look around the one or two remaınıng streets of the old town, where the few buıldıngs to survıve the communıst programme ... read more
The local hero

Europe » Albania » South » Vlorë August 11th 2008

We left an empty, hot Tirana on Sunday morning and took the three hour drive down south to Vlore. The road passes through Durres which had become a parking lot of cars with foreign plates--Albanians home for the summer holidays--and teenagers on holiday walking to the beach. The road winds down along the coast, past some abandoned factories, empty railroad tracks, and a million roadside restaurants and gas stations. The roads follows the thin coastal strip between the mountains and the beach. Bledi and his friend Olsi were playing Albanian pop music the whole way down. It seemed a shame to me to see so much land not under cultivation when the world is experiencing a food crisis and the sun shines brightly on Albania. The entire route was lined with wedding processions, usually one guy ... read more
Vlore Beach 2
I'm Drowning!
Jet Ski




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