Albania
Gjashtë

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    • Day 42

      Copy and Paste

      August 15, 2023 in Albania ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

      It is quite comical how similar today and yesterday were. We relaxed and enjoyed our morning, with breakfast provided by the hotel. Until eventually, they offered to take us to the beach again. We obliged once more as we had to do something with our day, and the beach was the best option that wouldn't be too draining. Today we got to the beach earlier and it was a nicer day, but as a result we had to pay for the beach lounges. It was worth it, however, as we spent a lot of time there. In some form of protest, we decided we would bring our own drinks and snacks to the beach to recoup some of the money we spent on the lounge. This was a vodka concoction that Erin made, and some chips to keep us going through the day. We once again chilled here for a few hours until the sun began to set before we once again repositioned to the rockface to fully enjoy it. We then went and got sushi (it was that good) and had some cocktails before starting the long journey home. Like I said, the exact same day as yesterday. But I'm hardly complaining. It was relaxing and good to spend some time with Erin before we part ways tomorrow.Read more

    • Day 41

      Sarande Sunsets

      August 14, 2023 in Albania ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C

      Today was equally as uneventful as yesterday, we checked out of our hotel and said our goodbyes to Lewis, who was heading toward Turkey. Given that I had been with him since Zabljak in Montenegro, it was quite sad to say goodbye, but these happen when you're travelling, and I'm sure we'll stay in contact. Although he's Australian, he is from Perth, so it is unlikely that we will cross paths again. It would only be a couple of days until Erin and I also part ways, but until then, we got an accommodation for a couple of nights in Sarande. Erin and I had become quite close during our travels, but she would also be heading towards Turkey in a couple days and I have to do my best to get back on track with my itinerary so that I can get through Slovenia, Northern Italy, Southern France, Spain and Portugal in about 6 weeks now. Although she tried to get me to join her in Turkey, it just doesn't make sense to do so as I will be there in a couple of months to do a tour. Once again, it is a rough part of travelling, meeting people, becoming close, and then eventually never seeing them again. But this is the way it is.

      Before we could check into our hotel we had to get a taxi to the accommodation, because we no longer had a car. This ended up being the biggest fuck around, and probably the closest we have been to getting scammed so far. We were quoted 30 euros to get into the hills, and we figured we'd do it (even though I was keen to walk a little first). The guy arrives, and we get in, but the traffic is so bad that we are barely moving. The taxi driver seemed stressed, so I said we could just pay part of the cost and get out so you can complete different drives, but he assured us that it was alright. After about half an hour, he ups the price due to the time it's taking, and we figured it was probably fair and didn't have much option at that point. Then, just as we get out of the city and out of the traffic, he says he can't go any further because his work day is finished. So, instead of driving another 10 minutes, he drops us off to walk it for 30 minutes. He then asked for the 40 euros and I argued that we haven't even arrived at our destination, so it isn't unfair to pay the whole price but he wasn't budging and we had to pay the full price. It was very annoying and unfortunate but these sorts of things happen while you travel. After said 30-minute walk in the midday heat, with our big bags, we arrived at our hotel, and the family was super lovely. They even said they would have picked us up if they knew we didn't have a car. We planned to do nothing the rest of the day, but then the family offered to drive us to the beach, and we figured it would be the easiest way to get down there now we don't have a car. We didn't want to miss our opportunity. This ended up being quite nice, and because the weather wasn't great, there weren't many people. This was especially good as it cleared up just as we arrived. We did little more than have some drinks by the beach and chill until the sun began to set. We then moved to the rockface that overlooks the water to fully enjoy the sunset - which was fantastic. This was great, and it was a nice way to end a pretty busy day.

      We then stuck around for some drinks and some food. We had gotten incredibly over shitty Albanian pasta, pizza, and burgers, so when we had the option for sushi, we had to try it. It was quite expensive, about 17 euros each, but we seriously needed something different. It actually was fantastic, too. Some of the best sushi I've ever eaten. I've been told Europe has shit Asian food, but this was my first time trying it, and it was great. Maybe it was just the fact it wasn't regular albanian food, but I enjoyed it a lot. After this and a couple more cocktails we had to head home but it was a huge walk up steep hills, and we were NOT going to get a taxi again, so we took a couple roadies and went on our way home, stopping for a drink wherever necessary. We eventually made it home and passed out instantly - we were exhausted.
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    • Day 40

      Road Trip Over

      August 13, 2023 in Albania ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

      Today was the last day that we would have the car, and so it was quite sad. We did, however, have one more night with the three of us before Lewis left us to head toward Turkey. After some minor fucking around, we managed to drop the car off, and head back to the hotel where Erin was waiting with all our bags. We then proceeded to do fuck all, watching netflix, calling our parents and taking naps. We had a big week of travelling, and now we had to recover for a few days (the next few logs may be boring). The only time we left the hotel was to get food before returning for sleep. There are no photos for today because nothing happened - just a photo of the Audi that was our rental car for the week.Read more

    • Day 299

      Albania

      January 30, 2019 in Albania ⋅ 🌧 13 °C

      آلبانی اولین کشور در اروپا با حس و حال کاملا شرقی!
      مردم مهربون و مهمون نواز و کنجکاو. رکاب زدن قسمت شمالی کشور خیلی هیجان انگیز نبود، جاده ها صاف و شهر ها شلوغ. ولی با نزدیک شدن به کوه های جنوبی، رکاب زدن سختتر ولی مناظر زیبا تر و جاده ها خلوتتر شدن.
      عمده جمعیت آلبانی که جزو ضعیف ترین کشور ها در اروپا از بعد اقتصاد هست، به کشاورزی مشغولند. گاری هایی که با قاطر کشیده میشدن یکی از جالب ترین چیز هایی بود که هنوز مردم اینجا استفاده میکنن.
      غذا ها هم که کاملا باب طبع ما! ماست و شیشیلیگ گوسفنذی، تاس کباب، کله پاچه و از این دست غذایا!
      بهترین قسمت ماجرا هم وقتی بود که برای تعمیر زنجیر دوچرخه مهدی وسط یه سربالایی وایساده بودیم و نسبتا کلافه ازین که چرا زنجیر جا نمیوفته. تا این که چهار تا دوچرخه سوار دیگه از راه رسیدن و بهمون کمک کردن 😃 آشناییمون مصادف با این شد که ادامه مسیر رو باهم طی کنیم و شب باهم چادر بزنیم. اولین بار بود که رکاب زدن تو گروه شش نفره رو تجربه میکردیم و فکر میکنم انگیزه کافی برای رفتن سربالایی های طاقت فرسا بهمون داد.
      بعد از رسیدن به شهر سارانده در جنوب آلبانی زمان خداحافظی فرا رسید و هر کس مسیر خودش رو ادامه داد.
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    • Day 11

      Von Permet nach Saranda

      June 6, 2023 in Albania ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C

      Am Morgen ging es für uns auf zu einer kleinen Schluchtenwanderung, als sich das Wasser vom Fluss etwas zurückgezogen hatte. Danach ging es dann weiter nach Girokaster. Dort haben wir uns die Altstadt angeschaut und die Burg besichtigt. 🏰
      Weiter ging es dann zur Karstquelle "Blue Eye" und für eine Nacht auf einen kleinen Campingplatz mach Saranda.
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    • Day 5

      Day around Borsch

      June 8, 2023 in Albania ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

      Too hot for the beach so a journey to a national park was on the cards. After an hour of twists, turns, and death if you go over the edge type driving, with another hour of the same to go, we called it quits and went to Borsch beach and a lovely hotel for lunch.
      After a perilous drive back we lounged on thd balcony, snoozed and read books.
      We have been invited for dinner with the owners tonight so just about to get ready.
      Vlore tomorrow.
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    • Day 57

      Day 58 - From Himarë to Sarandë

      September 25, 2022 in Albania ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

      Lucas and me had an amazing breakfast on the rooftop terrace of the hostel. We could even choose what type of egg we want and enjoyed the sea view with a freshly made coffee. :) While Lucas stays in Himarë for another few nights, I planned on cycling to Sarandë today. The weather was supposed to change again with at least five days of rain ahead starting the next day and I didn't want to get stuck in Himarë for this long. :/ So I slowly packed my stuff and met up again with Jon, Sylvie, and the British guys to say goodbye (temporarily, I'll catch up with Jon in Istanbul again hopefully :) ). On my way out of Himarë, I met Fin again who we spent time with on the beach the previous day on the side of the road waiting for his group. Himarë really feels like a small place where all backpackers in Albania eventually meet up again. 😀 The initial hill I had to climb felt really hard, probably because I had a few days break from cycling and being honest, a little too much alcohol. 😅 I started to worry about the two big mountains that lay ahead of me this day and already decided on breaks on top of each of them. I needed some motivational thoughts to keep me going that day. :D

      It was a sunny and really nice day, and the views during the ride were amazing and rewarding. I passed little villages, many kinds of animals on the road, even a baby horse! 😍 I don't think there are wild horses in Albania, they just let their animals run free everywhere and guess hope for the best?!😅 Once I passed the first mountain, I took a longer break before attempting the climb of the second one, when a pretty old car with a priest and a nun stopped to ask whether I'm okay. :D It looked really funny the two of them squished into that tiny car to be honest. 😄 Love Albanians, they are all so friendly and helpful. 💕👌

      The second climb lead away from the coast with nice views of rather rural "backcountry" Albania. It's a lot less populated, very green and rather flat. Albania's geography is kind of funny, it's super mountainous along the cost and in the north, but central Albania is actually rather flat.
      I arrived in Sarandë in the late afternoon and not surprisingly being pretty exhausted. With regard to the weather, I booked a hostel (Hasta la vista hostel), which seemed pretty chilled. My first impression of Sarandë when I cycled through the town: a lot like Vlorë. It's mostly apartment buildings, little grocery shops, chaotic traffic. It's a harbour city where most people just pass through on their way to Corfu island by ferry. I liked the hostel and it's people though. Still, I felt like this beach town with not much to see isn't the best place to keep myself busy during the rainy days ahead, so I did some research the same evening and decided to take a bus to Gjirokastra the next day for a few nights but leaving my stuff at the hostel in Sarandë. :) I really don't like cycling in the rain. 😅
      Happy with my plan, I phonecalled with a friend in the evening, cooked some dinner in the hostel kitchen and went to bed early. Again, I was pretty exhausted from the ride. Also I decided I will quit on drinking with hostel people for at least a week. 😅 I needed a break. 😄
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    • Day 4

      Journey to Sarande

      June 7, 2023 in Albania ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

      So, a brief recap of things forgotten. Yes we did see a 3 foot snake crossing the pavement and yes, we did drive through the heart of Albania's oil fields. Scary, and smelly sums them up.
      Anyhoo, bit of a cloudy start this morning but the sunshine arrived as we did to Sarande. Hit 29 in the late pm.
      Guest house on a hill, lovely balcony, terrace, and views. Restaurant tonight high on a hillside. Oh God! Bit high for me.
      Went to buy two bottles of water in local supermarket and were given them as a gift as the owner is friends with our hostess. They are very kind people.
      Parking in Central town is awful so we're off out of town tomorrow.
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    • Day 400

      Albanien

      May 6, 2018 in Albania ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

      Hm, was soll ich sagen. Eine Stadt die stehen geblieben ist, mit leider zu viel Armut und heruntergekommen Häusern. Die schlechte Wirtschaft spiegelte sich im günstigen Restaurant Besuch wieder.

      Hoffentlich entwickelt sich das Land zum Positiven, denn Potential hat es allemal.
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    • ...immer noch Sarandë

      August 16, 2018 in Albania ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

      Leider zeigt sich am Morgen, dass sich zur Rötung an Claudias Bein reichlich Blasen gesellt haben und das Ganze inzwischen deutlich schmerzhaft ist. Wir beschließen, eine weitere Nacht zu bleiben, um das Bein zu schonen, zu kühlen, hochzulegen. Unsere Gastgeber überraschen uns zwischendurch mit einer albanischen Nachspeise, die für uns undefinierbar ist und sich vor allem durch Süße und Klebrigkeit auszeichnet. Heiko unternimmt später noch einen Spaziergang in die Stadt und kann neue Kontaktlinsen ergattern, die Apotheken haben leider geschlossen. Der Rest des Tages plätschert dahin, wir hoffen auf Besserung des Beines am nächsten Tag, zum Abendessen gibt es gegrillte Maiskolben vom "Maiskolben-Mann", der jeden Abend gegenüber von unserem Hotel an der Straßenecke seinen Grill aufbaut. Leider hoffen wir vergebens, die Schmerzen sind am nächsten Morgen eher stärker. Niedergelassene Ärzte scheint es nicht zu geben, die Tochter unserer Gastgeberin organisiert einen Fahrer, der uns in ihrer Begleitung für 10 Euro ins örtliche Krankenhaus fährt. Auch hier bleibt unsere Begleiterin an unserer Seite, was sich als großes Glück herausstellt. Wir wären ohne sie ziemlich aufgeschmissen gewesen. Die Eindrücke in der Klinik sind skurril bis erschreckend, ein Hoch auf das Gesundheitswesen in Deutschland. Am Ende gibt es bei Verdacht auf Kontakt mit giftigen Pflanzen und allergischer Reaktion eine Kortisonspritze und ein Rezept für Medikamente, wir zahlen umgerechnet 80 Cent für die Behandlung. Den Rest des Tages verbringen wir auf dem Balkon, nur unterbrochen von einem Besuch der in Sichtweite gelegenen Tankstelle, die neben leckerem Kaffee auch ein kräftiges WLAN zu bieten hat. Bevor wir die Nachtruhe antreten, können wir noch Zeugen werden, wie über den Bergen kräftige Gewitter toben, sehr eindrucksvolle Bilder. Am nächsten Morgen zeigt sich das Bein unverändert. Wir beschließen, noch einen letzten Tag zu pausieren, morgen soll es dann endlich weitergehen. Um uns mal wieder an Bewegung zu gewöhnen, nutzen wir unseren voraussichtlich letzten Abend in Albanien dazu, einen Spaziergang zum Castle auf dem "Hausberg" zu unternehmen. Wir genießen eine tolle Aussicht auf die Stadt, auf Korfu und das Meer samt Kreuzfahrtschiff sowie Pizza und Sonnenuntergang. SCHÖN!Read more

    You might also know this place by the following names:

    Gjashtë, Gjashte

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