An interesting and rewarding country

The final leg of the return to Tirana was an interesting one. Having missed the last bus by some way, I was really quite unsure of what I was going to do (as with most of my life at the moment, it seems). Back at the bus station (oddly, unlike anywhere else in the country, Berat had something resembling an official bus station. Still no information, though) I had the usual round of taxi drivers offering to take me to Tirana for only 50 euro! When I made it quite clear that I would rather sleep on the street, they then offered to take me to a place where I could catch a furgon, for only 30 euro. Bargain as that was, I still refused. Finally, one rare, honest taxi driver held up a furgon just leaving that could take me to the place from where I could catch another onto Tirana.

01 Tirana bus station

Quite unsure of where I was going, I jumped in anyway on the principle that it would probably be taking me somewhere a bit closer to Tirana, where I might have more luck. Along the way, I did see a bus with Tirana as it's destination and felt mildly annoyed that I might well have been able to catch that, but I'll never know. As it was, I was unceremoniously deposited in the middle of nowhere, on a roundabout on the very edge of some obscure town. Initally slightly worried by this, it was reassuring to see half a dozen others waiting in the same spot. Reasurring, that is, until a furgon arrived already overflowing, and everyone piled in. I don't think I've ever been so relieved a bus wasn't going in my direction! Fortunately, within a few minutes a regular bus only half full appeared, going to Tirana! It seemed like the uncertainty of the day had come to an end.

Well, nearly. What with it being a hot and sunny sunday, and the bus heading along the coast, there was no shortage of people wanting to get on. It was soon full, yet that didn't stop the driver from letting more people on. When some rather elderly types got on and unbelievably, no-one stood up, I had to force the person sitting next to me out of her seat to make room. Despite having been up since 4 and on my feet for most of the day, at least I was still willing to do what anyone should have. I kind of regretted it when the drivers saw fit to allow about another twenty people on to crowd out the aisle, especially as the road was involved in possibly the worst traffic jam I've seen since leaving England. It took another two slow, tortuous hours to reach Tirana. I might have been able to sleep on my feet, I was that tired, had it not been for the excrutiating, wailing noise that passes for music in Albania that the driver insisted on playing at full volume through a speaker right next to my ear. Even worse, he only seemed to have five "songs", which were played on a continuous loop. I swear I must have reached some place of inner enlightenment on that journey; had I not, I would have ripped out the speaker and battered the driver to death with it.

So, the "interesting and rewarding" part. Despite all the discomfort and uncertainty of the journey that day especially, and throughout my time in Albania, getting from place to place has always been a bit more of an adventure than elsewhere in Europe. Yet every time, it has worked, and I've ended up exactly where I intended, despite the lack of anything resembling accurate information. In fact, it is possible to get timetables, if by some chance you happen upon the Bashkia (town hall) and they have anyone that can speak english there. The problem is, the timetables aren't ever right and you're better off chancing your luck anyway.

Not only did I always reach my destination, it was usually done more efficiently than using public transport in the more developed countries of the region. A hell of a lot more efficiently than trying to do the same in England! And yet, I always had a great sense of achievement, just for the fact that I HAD got to where I wanted to go, and usually the destination turned out to be worth the uncertainty of the journey, possibly because I knew very little about where I was going, so had few expectations. Not so visited and free of the package tours that plague places like Croatia, the was a much stronger spirit of adventure about most of the other travellers I met. It will be very interesting to return here in a few years and see what has changed. There's easily enough beautiful places and interesting towns for the country to become as big a draw as anywhere else in the Balkans, should the information and budget accomodation network develop.

Another thing that I enjoyed about the country was the people. They all seemed so warm and friendly, and genuinely pleased to see foreigners. About 2/3 of them were genuinely helpful people, and would go out of their way to help if they could. The other 1/3 were taxi drivers. They would also go well out of their way if at all possible.