From Croatia to Greece

Our goal today was somehow to get to Greece.

Actually just a bit more than 700 kilometers. What was surprising was that the GPS showed us 14 hours for that 😮

Okay, until then we didn’t know that our average speed would be 50-80 km/h. There is no highway on this route.

At first, we thought we had entered “avoid highway” into the GPS... but NO.

Anyway….

Our route went from Croatia through Bosnia and Herzegovina, on to Montenegro, continuing through Albania.

Bosnia and Herzegovina is rather dull. The most noteworthy sight were the dozens of colorful graves at the roadside. It’s shocking that so incredibly many people have met their death on this route.

Scenically, Montenegro was a real highlight. Unfortunately, we stood for 2 hours at the border in 45-degree heat in the blazing sun, so that even the air conditioning was only blowing warm air.

We ate delicious food for 20 euros and would have liked to travel further in this country.

Well then came Albania. We both had a rather threatening feeling and wanted to get out of this country as quickly as possible. Best with the car under our behind and in one piece and alive.

Here you can feel the corruption of the country.

The slums right in the city. Poverty and filth. And if you’re wondering where our junk cars end up…. All here! Climate protection is only in small print here, and climate neutrality isn’t even applicable to the weeds.

Terrible…. but we didn’t expect anything different.

Our schedule was blown apart by a massive traffic jam when a hundred or so police officers blocked the roads to collect (so we assume) refugees. “Who voluntarily flees to Albania, please?”

Well, in short, Albania mostly consists of roundabouts (even on the highway) and stinking rust buckets from the 90s

(my fine dust sticker almost fell off the window)

We drove the last 100 km to the Greek border at night…. On roads that locals probably wouldn’t even drive during the day.

Rarely did a car come towards us, and the so-called “villages” mostly consisted of uninhabited ruins.

Then finally after 17 hours!!! we reached the border… but it was CLOSED 😳😳😳

Incredible that they just close a border crossing 😤

So we set up the bed and spent the night right in front of the border crossing among stray dogs.

At 5:30 we could then leave Albania and first head to the coast of Greece.

Here we are now looking for a nice spot and staying until tomorrow!!! The dogs have more than deserved it after the exhausting journey.