Card Muncher and Figs

Day #59

Sunday, June 28th.

From Librazhd to Tirana

Country: Albania

Everything fits, the swaying of the hammock was wonderful and I am ready for an early start.

Everything is done and then the question arises, where are the headphones?

Probably in the side pocket of the hammock, where I 'briefly' parked them.

Thinking that I really have to remember to take them out.

I am quite sure about this, but I would rather check immediately and start by unpacking my dry bag by the road.

With music in my ears, I can finally get going and I continue following the country road, which somehow is also under construction.

At some point, it turns into a kind of highway. It's so new that I am the only one on my lane since everyone else is driving on the other side of the guardrail.

At first, I still think that the cars in my direction are driving the wrong way.

Contrary to expectations, however, I experience no accident.

Occasionally, a truck comes towards me.

Here, everyone seems to do what they want.

The last stretch to Elbasan is again a country road, and a replacement bus service reveals where our decommissioned buses stay.

It’s a steady downhill, and I quickly reach Elbasan, an older city in central Albania.

I briefly take a detour into the alleys of the old town.

As I’d like to have some cash, I head to the next ATM.

Which then eats my credit card. Allegedly, I entered the PIN incorrectly too many times.

Fuck.

In the park, next to an archaeological excavation, I first fill up my water.

Then it continues; there's no sense in spending the day here and waiting for Monday.

Let's wait and see if I can achieve something in Tirana tomorrow.

A taxi driver greets me in German.

He once worked in Oberhausen and immediately saw that I am German.

Hopefully for different reasons than the expression on my face, which might be a bit grim after the incident with the card... I am partly annoyed with myself.

If only I had just held the card to the reader.

And it has already gotten late again and thus hot.

Then it goes steeply and long uphill, the heat is hitting me hard again.

So, music in my ears that pumps.

On the last meters, a passing car greets me.

The double honk is quite clear there.

Then the couple stops, and I receive figs as a gift.

Again, a very heartfelt moment even without a common language.

As I am almost at the highest point, a break is due anyway, and I settle down under a tree.

The view is wonderful.

And while I am spreading out my supplies and enjoying the view in the distance, an fruit farmer comes by and gives me another handful of figs.

Super nice and this time definitely for other reasons than me looking pained due to the elevation.

What a descent follows now.

Over good ground, it curves down again.

I do have to overtake two cars that are just slowing me down.

It continues downhill a lot, and after a final exhausting climb, Tirana spreads out beneath me.

What a sight, it’s magnificent to have made it this far.

Through bike paths and side streets, I head to the city center to the central Skanderbeg Square.

Next to his equestrian statue, there is also a skyscraper that resembles his likeness.

Think big.

Book accommodation, freshen up, and off to the city, the hunt for food begins.

At a currency exchange, I still need to convert euros to Albanian lek and at the restaurant, I’ll first try if my remaining card is accepted with a drink.

All good.

Then I let the evening wind down at the central square and after an eventful day, I am late to bed.

Song of the day:

Moscow Death Brigade - Against Them All