September 2022 - Albania, Greece

One last pass has to be cycled to leave North Macedonia on September 1st.

We are a bit sad to say goodbye. The people and the country have been so good to us!

We were allowed to arrive gently, to enjoy nature fully again after a long time. The warmth and openness in encounters with mostly Muslim fellow human beings did not surprise us but deeply touched us.

It was an honor for us to get to know this small country in southeastern Europe.

We are granted entry into Albania by the border guard with a grim expression. With a similarly grim expression, a large, free-range dog tricks us for several hundred meters and obviously enjoys our quiet fear of him. He doesn't do anything, he just wants to play ;)

A border crossing always brings exciting anticipation. What awaits us here?

At the beginning, we don't travel very far. Lake Ohrid keeps us at its shore for a few more days.

We weather-dependent cyclists wait out another rain front. It's quite cold already. Once again, we have encounters with people who give us a glimpse into their lives. People who leave us with gratitude through their helpfulness.

Thank you, Land Rover Family, for peanut butter! Thank you, Petra and Timo, for a lovely evening and jam with love!

And then suddenly, Kévin appears. A bicycle traveler from France.

Tired of the experiences of the past few days and being alone, he joins us and we spend the day together. Eventually, the three of us set out to cycle towards the Mediterranean. An attempt that turns out to be a feasible endeavor - we will be traveling together for over a week. Our fellow cyclist is a calm, mindful companion who knows how to enjoy.

What awaits us on the route between Lake Ohrid and the city of Saranda on the Mediterranean is a dream for bicycle travelers! The mountain landscapes change often three times a day - the altitude, the vegetation, the mood that emanates from them. The road surface is a dream - mostly and thankfully always during the downhills. Going uphill, it's easy to avoid the crater-deep potholes, we're not faster than 7 km/h.

The connection road SH75 between Lake Ohrid and Saranda is lightly traveled. Every now and then, we are overtaken by fat, black limousines or by huge campers. Every now and then, we pass herds of sheep or a few cows. The small towns along the way are few but enough to supply us with groceries. Peanut butter, mayonnaise, vegetables, and fruit are the most important things during these days.

Most of the time, we are allowed to follow the path alone and set up our campsites in the most beautiful nature. Evening conversations revolve around wolves and bears and the question of whether these creatures are near us.

When we reach the Vjosa river valley after four days, we are once again filled with happiness. The part of the Earth that we have traveled in these September days is exceptionally beautiful!

In addition, the waste issue is reasonably well managed in Albania. There is hardly more rubbish lying around than in Austria.

After a day of resting at a beautiful modest campground near the town of Permet, we slowly move - from one valley to the next - between the mountains towards the Mediterranean. The climate changes. The nights were already quite cool, but here they are warm again, and the sleeping bag is only used for cuddling. There are now more people, more tourists, more cars on the road. Kévin and I have to work a little to not let this interfere with our inner balance of the past few days. Maik finds it a bit easier.

None of us three are in a hurry to get to the city of Saranda. We linger a bit longer on the last 100 km. It's short daily stages with campsites in nature that prolong the farewell to Albania and to each other.

Albania! An incredibly beautiful country! Here live people who radiate strength and calmness. They accept that tourists and travelers are interested in their country but they do not try to please or impose themselves. You can see that it is not easy to live here and that the gap between the rich and the poor is large. Albania seems to be a country that is open to development and progress, but also gives itself time for it.

Thank you, Albania!

Finally, we arrive in Saranda. We spend a few more days at a campground before taking the ferry to Corfu.

Our farewell to Albania is somewhat nostalgic. Our farewell to our travel companion Kévin is heartfelt.

Thank you, Kévin! For apéro with chips and mayonnaise. For deceleration and beautiful conversations!

And now, after 3 months on our bicycles, we have arrived in Greece. We have reached the goal we set for ourselves this year. We are here early enough to still swim in the sea and late enough not to be toppled by the heat while cycling. I like!!!