Vagabonding

A little note for my dear family who are reading along:
please don't worry, even if the following stories might make you feel insecure.
I was never really in danger at any time. :)

In the border area between Albania and Greece, I encountered somewhat more aggressive dogs for the first time. So far I'd had pretty good experiences everywhere and the worst I'd had to put up with were barkers who seemed to be threatened by my heavily laden bike.

This time I'm attacked from an ambush. I'm pedalling hard up a slight incline when a pack of three dogs chases me from a hill. One of them comes very close to me and immortalises itself with a bite mark in my bike bag. :(
As I'm too slow to shake them off, I stop and pull out the pepper spray I've always had with me for a few weeks - I'd rather make a dog cry than get a bite mark myself. Luckily, a car comes to my rescue and shoos the pack surrounding me back up the hill. The moment of shock is enough for me to get back on my bike and pick up speed. The animals don't let up and continue to chase me up the hill. To my relief, the car escorts me for several minutes until the pack is out of sight.

In the evening, I pitch my tent for the last time on Albanian territory.
I have chosen a huge open meadow - in the distance, shepherds drive their flocks across the land and I enjoy the sunset behind the mountain peaks.
It gets dark - and then the herding dogs discover me. :S
They bark from a distance of 50 metres and slowly come closer. I retreat to my tent for safety - armed with a knife and pepper spray in case the animals attack me.
The barking gets closer and I count four animals that have surrounded my tent. The barking continues for another 10 minutes, turning into a war of positions in which they don't move an inch forwards or backwards. I don't move in the tent and make no noise, while the dogs outside try in vain to put my dubious-looking tent to flight.
When I realise that the situation is going to go on like this for some time, I swap my sword for a pen and write down the day's experiences in my diary. After 20 minutes, two of the dogs lose interest and leave. The tent won't move after all and its inactivity doesn't seem to pose any danger to the herd. Shortly afterwards, the third one leaves, but the last dog annoys me for another 10 minutes before he also gives up.
The tent has won!

Over the next few days, I learn to defend myself effectively against the gangs marauding around here: I no longer give them the opportunity to act out their hunting instincts and now stand still and hurl wild insults, curses and expressions at their heads in a loud voice.
I'm winning the battle of words more and more often now :D

However, most encounters are very peaceful and harmonious.
Most of the dogs are initially intimidated by the bike and yelp, but with a calm voice and persistence they often get involved with me and then get their neck massage.
Two dogs in particular stuck in my mind because they came towards me wagging their tails as I rolled into the village. You can see them playing in the video. =)

... and then I saw two animals that are NOT dogs. :DLäs mer