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Published: November 26th 2007
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We packed up our bags and decided to have breakfast despite us being on the brink of checkout time. We had toast to use up which we did admirably and Rob had cereal. We were late for checkout but it didn't matter because the professor wasn't there anyway. We attempted to ask the man at reception if we could leave our bags in our room however he didn't speak English and was particularly unhelpful. We decided it would be ok, and left.
It took forever to get into town. There was plenty of snow on the ground and cascades of water where it was melting. We had the added obstacle of having to dive out of the way of cars who would have otherwise soaked us. Rob was too good at this and at one point sacrificed a mother and young child so he could stay dry.
It was a Sunday today so nothing much was open. Additional to this, the snow was heavy and it was very cold so there wasn't really anybody around. We quickly got bored of walking around and opted instead for a hot chocolate somewhere warm inside. Most of the cafes were full but
didn't sell hot chocolate. We ended up inside the Phoenix bar which was pretty much aimed at English speaking people. It is just next to the UN building so I think I lot of them nip over in their lunch hour. We stayed for two hot chocolates and read English newspapers. Tomato soup Caught our eye on the menu and we ordered that with the intention of going elsewhere for a main course. Once we left the bar we stopped to try and decide where and what we wanted to eat. Neither of us really wanted anything and would only have been eating for the sake of it. Instead we went to the supermarket and bought bread, cheese, tomato and fruit for the bus.
Back at the guesthouse we were a bit nervous as to whether the professor would be angry at us for leaving our bags in the room without asking. We snuck up to our floor and nipped on the internet to transfer some money and to finish off our juice. (Rob later regretted this on the bus) At reception the professor was still absent but the girl working was lovely. She not only phoned us a
Kosovo
It does say it honest! taxi, but let us off the €2 for storing our bags.
We got to the station an hour before the bus was supposed to leave however when we got there a man confronted us asking if we were going to Tirana. We said we were but we needed to get money out as we didn't have enough for both the bus tickets and the 10€ entry tax for Albania. The driver told us not to worry as there would be a cash machine on the way.
What followed was a bus journey from hell.
We left the station driving approximately twenty miles an hour which we worried about slightly until we realised that the roads were still icy so maybe the driver was just being careful. No. He drove slowly the entire journey even when the roads weren't icy. To make matters worse we were sitting on a seat in front of an old man who had a tube in his throat. He kept on coughing violently and blowing what I think was his nose. It was a horrible noise and he did it so loudly right behind our heads. We put up with it until during
a particularly energetic clearing of his nose a massive blob flew over my head and landed in front of me. We moved pretty hastily then, even though it may have looked rude.
Rob got off at one stop to see if there was a cash machine anywhere. When he asked someone, about six people pounced on him telling him to pay for a taxi to drive him to the nearest ATM. We didn't do that and as a consequence we didn't have enough money as we crossed the border. It Turned out that for some reason we only had to pay €1 each for entry which contradicts what is written on the official government travel website. The border was easy and relatively quick and before we knew it we were faced with Albanian roads.
Picture if you will; It is the middle of the night/morning all the lights have been turned off in the bus, you are driving ever so slowly on the bumpiest surface ever. To top it all off, there is really loud Balkan folk type music blasting in your ear. We tried to sleep but it was too loud and jolty to succeed. We kept
on looking out of the window and laughing at the lack of road. For a large part of the journey we were on dirt tracks and gravel which was more amusing for the fact that we were way up in the mountains driving past sheer drops. Around four in the morning we were forced to stop because a few trucks had been in a bit of a clash, our bus driver was unphased and maneuvered the bus through the middle of them. It really was an uncomfortable and most unpleasant journey.
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irene
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From How Slow can you go?
'Rob was too good at this and at one point sacrificed a mother and young child so he could stay dry'.. ....er, what exactly was his preferred method? The vision is nightmarish! 'We put up with it until during a particularly energetic clearing of his nose a massive blob flew over my head and landed in front of me. We moved pretty hastily then, even though it may have looked rude'..... Are you certain it was sn-t or was it his whole head. Lol. ! Tell you what - your cosy nights indoors sound just the ticket to me! Darlington is wet and cold and I think it's lovely to be inside watching the soft white snow falling. your snow I mean, as Darlo hasn't got snow just yet, just rain.....byeeeee. xxx