Travel Through Albania on a Harley-Davidson
By Peter & Kay Forwood
Albania on a Harley (2/12/97 - 4/12/97)
Distance 294 km (77006 km to 77300 km)
This is part of the third section of our around the
world trip.
Complete Trip Overview & Map
Coming from Macedonia
2/12/97 A very thorough check of papers out of
Macedonia, (seems many stolen vehicles try to cross into Albania) and a cursory
and friendly welcome into Albania. $US 5.00 for each, Kay, myself and the
motorcycle for paperwork. A frequent visitor to Albania informed us that
the "war" was now over and it should be safe to travel. We headed off to
Tirana (the capital) cautiously at first but with the friendly smiles and
waving we soon relaxed. The poorer but quite acceptable, even good compared
to India, road meanders up throughout the mountains to Librazhd in sunshine
before heavy rain set in, suggesting we stay the night at Elbasan. Our new
hotel with spacious double room, heating and private bathroom at $US 20.00.
So far the quality of accommodation this trip is excellent, between $US 10.00
and $US 30.00, averaging about $US 18.00 a night for both of us. All have
hot water and heated rooms and most with private bathrooms.
3/12/97 The 54 km stretch to Tirana rises to mountains
and follows a razor back ridge dropping either side to valleys of magnificent
scenery. Again raining, thunderstorms. Spent just two hours in Tirana looking
for suitable accommodation, walking muddy potholed streets. It seems an
enigma of dilapidating government infrastructure with glossy private enterprise.
Decided to press on to Shkodra, just 35 km short of the Yugoslav (Montenegro)
border. Shkodra still has "mafia" problems left over from the civil war
of just two months ago. On entering town we were advised not to leave the
bike in the street. At our cheap hotel they would not allow the bike to
be kept in the locked compound but insisted it be locked in the reception
area. At a restaurant we were advised to return to our hotel by 6.00 pm,
to be off the streets after dark. All this advice given by ordinary citizens
without asking easily convinced us to take care. Reinforcing this were the
50 odd rifle shots we heard between 6.30 pm and 8.30 pm that night.
4/12/97 Violent electrical storms and heavy rain through
the night cleared for great riding weather as we left Albania for Yugoslavia.
Move with us to Yugoslavia