Albania - Orikum

We have arrived in Albania. Entry from Greece was completely problem-free. 5 minutes for passport and vehicle registration check, and that's it.

It was noticeable that the road behind the border, on the Albanian side, was better than before. However, that would occasionally change. Whenever the roads became worse, there would always be a clear speed limit or warning signs beforehand. It took us nearly 5 hours for the 200 km journey. We followed the coastline and crossed partially 1000 m high mountain passes in between. Up and down... The driving style of the Albanians is sometimes very "peculiar". Unexpectedly, there are free-roaming domestic animals crossing the road, such as donkeys, goats, cows, sheep, dogs... sometimes even a wild turtle, which Steffi discovered along the way.

The landscapes are very barren mountain areas with hardly any trees, occasionally interrupted by fertile cultivated river valleys. The villages and cities are more reminiscent of Morocco than Greece. Between simple farmhouses, there are occasionally magnificent villas and castle-like homes. There are long, almost untouched beaches. Tourism has not yet reached everywhere. On the other hand, there are also proper resorts. Time does not stand still here, on the contrary - tourism is only just beginning. However, it is still largely authentic.

Our "Campercontact" program has offered us a parking place near a fish restaurant on the coast. This is where we are now, in Orikum, away from the city, on a quiet coastal road. There is WIFI, which is why I can publish the blog at all.

After the exhausting drive, we are glad to sit on the terrace of the restaurant and sip our first Albanian beer. It's cold and tastes good! As a bonus, we also get some squid pieces in olive oil.

By the way, we expected to enter a completely Islamic country. That's not true. So far, we haven't seen a single mosque. Instead, there are plenty of Orthodox churches and monasteries.