Blogs from Albania, Europe

In June 2022 I travelled from the UK to Albania to meet up with a couple of friends and walk the Peaks of the Balkans Trail, a 192km circular walk in the mountains of Albania, Kosovo and Montenegro. From Tirana Airport I took a taxi to the hillside town of Kruje where I met up with my walking companions Cathy and her daughter Rebecca. I had previously met Cathy in Kyrgyzstan back in 2018. At the time she had been travelling the world for 2 years and I was just in the throws of selling up and quitting the 9 to 5. Although at the time we only spoke for maybe 20 minutes we had kept in touch since then via social media. When she asked if I would like to join them on this walk ... read more

Dear All Greetings from Tirana! I'm actually really quite excited to be here! After five days in the peaceful and traditional Albanian hinterlands, it was really quite exciting arriving in the country's Big Smoke. The city is buzzing and alive, full of energy - not just from the zippy traffic all around, but also from the vibrant people filling its streets. I believe few places will have seen such a rapid transformation in the last 30 years, from the capital of a completely isolated communist country akin to the likes of North Korea today, to this energetic and happening hub of activity. I felt excited to be there, and excited to explore. On the morning of my arrival, I took a four-and-a-half hour bus from Sarandë in the country's deep south, not far from the border ... read more

Dear All Greetings from the mountainous interior of lovely Albania. After a great start to my trip in Durrës, I did what I often find to be the more nerve-racking journey on a trip. While I still find the flight to a new country exciting and a little daunting, I actually often find the first journey I make within the country slightly more daunting, as you have to navigate a whole new transport system with all that is unique and quirky about it involved. And thus it was so on a Saturday morning at the end of December, when the time came to leave my very comfortable and friendly hotel by the Adriatic Sea, and head off into the unknown Albanian interior. I first took a taxi to the Plepat Bus Terminal, located about four miles ... read more

We arrived at Tirana's Mother Theresa airport from Athens and we are now accustomed to the fact that having a pushchair allows us to walk through the fast lane queues at check in and passport control - it's been one of the major benefits of having you travelling with us. So, if you're reading this at 14 years old and wondering why we are still pushing you around in your trolley, this is the reason. Firstly, I'd like to take everything back that I said about the roads in Greece. Albania was on a different level - absolutely wild. Back in 1991, there were only 3000 cars in the country, as private cars were illegal under the communist rule and they have definitely made up for lost time in the intervening years. Although the Albanian Highway ... read more

The biter stayed away and I sleep really well and am one of the last up. I go for breakfast and order my Kat special again. We eat with the British girls who say that an English boy told them last night that he's the BBC presenter accused of sending nudes to a child. Deysha and I both think he's bullshitting her but she's adamant its true. After breakfast Deysha and I head to the secret beach. I stop to get a coffee first and use the bathroom but they won’t let Deysha use it because she didn’t buy anything. We heard there is no shade and the walk is a bit hairy so we want to go early. I struggle with the uphill in the sun so have to stop frequently. The view looking down ... read more