Day 35 & 36 Albania - World Cup, invisible speed bumps and 'Kranea' Camping

Day 35 &36  The slow road up the Albanian Ionian Coast

We are running low on gas for the van and the 'savvy' owner lends us his adapter as he knows our bottle wont fit the Petrol station LPG dispenser.

He has gone to work by the time we get back to return the adaptor and also a token present of a box of biscuits before moving on......his aging mum is there who kisses Charlie on the arm  for a 3rd time.

The Albanian coastline has 2 distinct sections - the southern section is the Ionian Sea and the coastline is properly mountainous - a road that hugs the coast is a geographical impossibility.and so the road zig zags up and down 1 in 6 hills and to do more than 40 Km in an hour is going some. With the Van windows down you can really hear the exhaust pipe (maybe manifold) leak and we have been down to crawling up the hills in 1st gear to be closely followed by the smell of brake linings as we drop down before the next climb. The  northern section borders the Aegean sea and is flatter and is the country's fertile area.

The 90 Km take almost 3 hours to do and our lack of a map doesn't help - the road passes through small villages
and also Sarande - a proper Albanian 'Benidorm'

One moment we are doing 40 miles an hour on a decent road surface then without warning it changes to unsurfaced for a few yards.....back on a decent surface and up to speed and then we will hit ( and I mean really hit)  a cunningly disguised speed bump that I repeatedly just do not see - no sign, no warming, blended in colour to the road surface......the Van's suspension groans again and I check the mirror to see that the bikes have not fallen off.

We arrive at 'Kranea Camping' right on the beach about 1 pm and we take advantage of Charlie sleeping - we 'good parent' by opening the van doors so he doesn't suffocate and install ourselves in the small campsite bar...

We watch the campiste owner put together what looks like a large billboard sign for his campsite - a metal frame is welded together, plywood attached and then white paint is rollered onto it....It turns out to not be a sign but his new TV screen for his projector and within 30 minutes it is mounted in the bar and World Cup 2014 comes alive through his TV projector.

Himara 'City' - perched above the beach

The pebble beach is about 1/2 mile long - the road length behind is a dirt track. A number of bars and places with rooms are just starting their season - as seems typical of Albania to date there is a half built hotel with no signs that building will soon resume......3 Beach bars are being constructed, the pebbles are being raked and umbrellas are being installed. The back drop to the beach is stunning

The sea is crystal clear, warm and as still as a mill pond. Snorkelling is near perfect by the headland - loads of fish but all too small such that an hour with my spear gun brings no return.

Tomorrow we are off to Montenegro...to a village and appartment near Kotor. 3 weeks ago we booked a place with a roof terrace by the water.....a little space to stretch out after 5 weeks in the van.

Albania has been special and we would love to come back - to explore more but also to see how it all moves on...









Day 35     Ksamil ( Alb) to Livadh beach ( Himara - Alb)        90 Km      Total 5988 Km