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8 Jun 2016
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Registered Users
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Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Finland
Posts: 32
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Last year I did Vlorë - Sarandë.
Good road following coast. And I dont remember that it bad at all.
Town named Ohrid in Macedonia is worth to visit.
BTW!
Ruga e Kombit, Milot – Kukës is a new motorway what is built to connect Kosovo to the sea. If you like to drive fast in fast curves, try it. But be aware that all vehicles on the road are no going motorway speed. Like donkeys for example
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8 Jun 2016
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Contributing Member
Veteran HUBBer
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Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Home in Essex GB
Posts: 563
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Expect the unexpected is my advice. I have had similar experience as Pan European. The disappearing road thing is quite something. I had this travelling on a "motorway grade" road toward the capital when it just stopped, there were buildings in front ! No road? Just a bank to the right which I had to ride down ending up in some rabbit warren back street with a one-way system, actually no-way system would be more accurate.
Pay attention beyond 100% and you will be fine. Fabulous place/people. I parked my bike outside a hotel next to a night club and the doorman from the nightclub said he will watch it for me. He did as well, all night!
In the capital watch out for oil in the road it was quite bad, so bad that in stop start traffic I rear ended a VW golf (ABS kicked in) The driver got out it was none other than Albania's 25yr old Mr universe-tallest-most-muscle-bound-iron-man bloke, I'm not 100% sure what he said by my wife suggested I ought to agree anyway,................ I kept just enough cash for 2 coffees. Better that than test the €12 border insurance. Anyway he didn't look as if paperwork was his thing really....
__________________
Regards Tim
Learning my craft for the big stuff, it won't be long now and it's not that far anyway
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8 Jun 2016
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Gold Member
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Join Date: May 2007
Location: Buenos Aires, Argentina
Posts: 967
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According to g6snl
"In the capital watch out for oil in the road it was quite bad,"
Four years ago, on a similar route to Turkey, rosa del desierto and I rode through Albania on 2 G650gs BMWs. Perfect bikes for Albania - with ABS off...
From my notes on Albania, Buying motor oil in Albania - look for a garden hose braced up in an empty lot and spouting a stream of water skyward, with young men standing about smoking, or a young man spraying you with the garden hose as you ride by. This is an Albanian "car wash," they also wash trucks. Motor oil, car parts, even some bits and pieces for motorcycles can be found at each "car wash" or can be sent for by runners dispatched from the "car wash."
My favorite Albanian architecture was the multi floor buildings with the side facing the road sheered off and Albanians sitting with feet dangling from each of the open floors. We really enjoyed our ride through Albania, the people were very friendly.
While riding in Albania, please don't get distracted from admiring Albanian drivers by admiring the architecture, even if the legs dangling from one of the floors belong to one of the very beautiful women of Albania.
The cautions expressed here about unexpected changes in road conditions and unexpected driving habits of the Albanians should be heeded.
xfiltrate
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11 Jun 2016
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Registered Users
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Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: UK and Thailand
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Plodd 2014
Hi,
We did a very similar trip in our truck on our way from UK to Thailand, you can have a look at our web site at Plodd - A Trip of a Lifetime, one word of advice, on the outskirts of Terin (the capital) you will find a realy nice hotel (4 star) not expensive with camping/parking at the rear, a nice restaurant, you would be crazy if you dont stop and camp there or stay in the hotel.
On Plodd - A Trip of a Lifetime look at the Special Eggs section
The Hotel is called Nord Park Hotel.
If you have any questions that you think I maybe able to help you with don't hesitate to ask.
Dave
Plodd - A Trip of a Lifetime
www.overrlandersthailand.com
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11 Jun 2016
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Contributing Member
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Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Munich, the beer capital
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hknsky,
don't let yourself be put off - Albania is not as bad as most people from central Europe say 
A few weeks ago I returned from Turkey via northern Greece (Ioannina near Igoumenitsa) and along the same coastal road you're planning to take through Albania. Let's put it this way: Traffic wasn't worse than in Turkey, so it will be a good prep for the kind of road rules to expect further east ;o)
Not so nice is that in the northern stretch between Skoder and roughly Durres there are several construction sites with heavy traffic jams. But travelling by bike gives you lots of possibilities to overtake. Further south traffic gets less, landscape becomes more scenic. Here the only rutty parts are to be expected in the town centres.
So, no need to get nervous, but do expect the unexpected....
As posted before, the coastal road from Vlore to Sarande is very beautiful, but the main road going south from Vlore is also quite scenic.
Albania is changing fast. Many pistes from a few years ago are tarmac roads today. And the major roads like the route north-to-south is also being revised, at least up to Durres and Vlore. But in the back-country the roads are often still beautiful tracks and pistes for enduro riders 
__________________
Only when we pause to wonder
do we go beyond the limits of our little lives.
(Rod McKuen)
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14 Jun 2016
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Registered Users
New on the HUBB
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Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Antalya Turkey
Posts: 5
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Thank you all for your advices.
3 of us will send the bikes from Çeşme to Trieste, 3 of us will start August 17th or 18th from Antalya, via Athens, Meteora, Ohrid, Skopje, Sarajevo, Mostar (we will meet), Zadar, Split, Dubrovnik, Kotor, Budva, Ksamil, Igoumenitsa, Parga, Preveza, Patras, Korinth, Athens and Antalya again. Hopefully with good memories and fun. Peace...
"A good traveller has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving.” – Lao Tzu
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29 Aug 2016
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Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Antalya Turkey
Posts: 5
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Hi all,
Yesterday we are back, all safe.
Quick comment on Albania roads: No problem at all, some parts are with heavy traffic but as stated before nothin worse than here in Turkey 
Highways are new and good quality. We stayed in Sarande, and I definetely recommend everyone to see the pass between Vlore and Sarande, Mount Çika. This is a must see place and beautiful riding experience.
Thanks again...
Hakan
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