En route we encountered many examples of the famous Albanian hospitality. Firstly a vegetable seller who gave us free oranges, then a cafe owner who refused to let us pay for our coffee and a couple who would not let us camp on their farmland... but fed us and insited that we sleep in their spare room!
Berat:
We cycled on towards Gjirokaster (another UNESCO town), but as the gradient increased, the surface deteriorated, the wind got stronger and the daylight faded we were rescued by a van driver who bought us coffee and drove us to a motel on the main road. A good job as we had only covered 35km of the 120km to Gjirokaster after a whole day of cycling and at it was quite clear it would have taken a lot more than the 2 days that we had planned.
We arrived into Gjirokaster early the next day and had a good look round the old town and fort.
The Blue eye springs on the way to the Albanian coast. 
Typical chaos on a Albanian main road as we came in to Saranda (note Helen for scale).
Packed lunch Albanian style (locally produced figs, dates, walnuts, olives, tangerines, feta and delicious Turkish delight).
Our third Albanian UNESCO site, Butrint.
A dodgy car ferry on the way to Greece made of wood... and not much else!
We have had a great time in Albania, but knew we would like Greece when we discovered that they have people who sell carpets door-to-door out of lorries!
Wild camping in Greece is great.
Nafpaktos:
Trying to hitch a lift on a submarine through the "immersed tunnel" from Perveza to Aktio as it turns out bikes are not allowed under the sea. Thankfully it is a bit of a mis-translation and a pick-up truck was all that we needed!
This one is for you, Nick:
Nafpaktos:
Trying to hitch a lift on a submarine through the "immersed tunnel" from Perveza to Aktio as it turns out bikes are not allowed under the sea. Thankfully it is a bit of a mis-translation and a pick-up truck was all that we needed!
After a long slog up a steep hill we reached Delphi.
This one is for you, Nick:
Orc sightings as well! Wow!
ReplyDeleteNo wonder you get lifts, with Helen looking like that - a smile as wide as the Aktio Tunnel. Have decided that the word 'beautiful' is in the wrong place in the Dubrovnik caption!
ReplyDeleteThe Albanian photos won't enlarge - can you fix it next time you are on - Dork (or should I say Orc)? The Greece photos enlarge as usual.
Missing you both - we NEED the blogs.
Have a great time with Mark.
MaD
For goodness sake, look at the traffic jam you caused when cycling in to Saranda!
ReplyDeleteAlso, Ed, do they not have Barbers where you are?!
ReplyDelete