Kjo rruge eshte e keqe

Simply translated the title says, 'this road is bad'. It's been more than a week since I last posted and now it's Sunday evening at 9.15pm and I have just arrived home from 'the north.' 

Tirana is based in the middle of the country, so unlike London it really is central to most Albanians. All points north, south, east and west are reached easily by car. An Albanian would laugh at travelling any other way than by road. The trains are virtually non-existant, they don't have trams, and there are no domestic flights for a small, economically-challenged country.

This last week I have finally decided to become more Albanian and climb aboard my Citreon C3. Nervously, I drove the four miles to my school on Tuesday certain in the knowledge that hidden perils lurked in every side street. It's not that the local drivers are poor, they are quite simply unpredictable. Take, for example, joining the normal flow of traffic on a busy road. You, like me, would probably indicate, check your mirrors and gently pull out. Here, most simply just pull out. Red traffic lights are to bring you to a halt, but if the road is clear, then many will just carry on with their journeys. Pedestrians take note. Also,should you show an act of kindness to another driver, you won't be thanked. It's not that anyone's being rude. It;'s more likely that your fellow motorist is on his phone, lighting a cigarette or quite possibly both.

Journey one to school went smoothly so I repeated the venture the next day and returned home with my car unscathed. This weekend it was the big one, a four hour, 190km drive to North Albania, through Kosovo. I had a fellow passenger with me on the outward journey who lived in Bajram Curri, a town of stunning beauty that has rarely changed in the last hundred or so years. I stayed with an amazing family Saturday night who I have known for three to four years. They show generosity and hospitality to incredible levels. This Sunday, at 8am we drive, or that is I drove, to Valbona. This is a beauty spot in the mountains where the sun was shining, the sky was deep blue, the rivers were flowing and the birds and insects were busy. 

Back to the journey. Bajram Curri to Valbona is 25 kilometres, but with 10 kilometres of unmade road. My car didn't enjoy this one bit. But it was well worth every bump and scrape as many four wheel drive cars passed us in a choking cloud of dust. We arrived for breakfast of cornbread, free range eggs, local natural yoghuirt and coffee. The road was at one time strewn with sleeping goats and local children on horseback rounding up sheep. Cows wandered with bells ringing around their necks. It was an amazing Sunday.

I returned safely back to Tirana on the smooth autostrada refreshed and ready for a week at GDQ School. My car will have a few days off as I take the infamous Uzina Autotracktorie bus. Something to really look forward to.

Before I Forget. Thank you to everyone who has posted comments. They mean a great deal, as do emails and Facebook comments. It has been hugely encouraging.