Sunday 16th July
Driving day Rreshen to Boge – We had to buy a new van battery battery today, (160 euros fitted), we also picked up more euros getting ready for Montenegro which uses euros apparently, Lucy got bike insurance paper printed and on the beautiful drive upto Boge, we discovered a lovely campsite run by a local Albanian who was also a restaurateur in the UK in the winter. The Alpine Hotel costs 5 euro per person per night. it had great shade for dog/van and good beer.
Driving day Rreshen to Boge – We had to buy a new van battery battery today, (160 euros fitted), we also picked up more euros getting ready for Montenegro which uses euros apparently, Lucy got bike insurance paper printed and on the beautiful drive upto Boge, we discovered a lovely campsite run by a local Albanian who was also a restaurateur in the UK in the winter. The Alpine Hotel costs 5 euro per person per night. it had great shade for dog/van and good beer.
We met up with a bunch of German biker lads, who were on a two week trip, lovely guys all on Tenere 750's and one BMW F800.
Monday
17th July
Boge – Theth – Mesi – Dedaj – Boge
We set off on a long loop today, (100 ish
miles), so having shade for the dog was really important as we knew we would be
back later than usual plus there was no water in the local rivers in this
valley, so no let up in the heat factor.
We had a windy night in the van as the
temperatures dropped by about 15 degrees, cloud smothered the stunning
limestone peaks that were all around us and it seemed like a catabatic wind
blew down the valley as the evening came on, then as the morning came, turned
180 degrees and blew back up the valley as an anabatic wind! Lucy even got her sleeping bag out for
the night, that must the second night on the trip so far.
We were up just before 7am, coffee and
breakfast wolfed down before the bikes came out, then once dressed for a cooler
weather day, we set off, leaving a very grumpy looking labrador in the van all
alone!
The first section was all tarmac to the col
at 1700m, this is a part of a standard tourist route showcasing the beautiful
views around this valley, which is also a National Park. Lots of the peaks are
well above the 2000m mark, with the highest at around 2700m just over the col.
(Mt Vallt).
Once at the col, we took a load of photo’s
then headed down the steepish winding dirt road towards Theth. This proved to
be a bit hair raising as several 4x4’s seems to be in a race and nearly took us
out on several of the hairpin bends. Once at Theth, the TET follows the western
river bank, heading to some villages rather than following the signs to Shkoder, (which apparently dead ends anyway)!
The trail was lovely all the way, (one of
the better days on these trails). The terrain was rough, the landscape was huge
and impressive, the trail was varied with plenty of rough sections to keep you
concentrating yet never so difficult that you started to worry. The local
‘buses’ use this trail all the time, they must have some heavy repair bills for
their suspension is all I can say!
We crossed high col’s, rode through thick
forest, then down the side of really blue river water bouncing over really
white rocks. At about Prekali, the road becomes tarmac again, but this is a
beautiful section of road, winding down past a river cut gorge, with small
hamlets perched on the hillsides, nice and easy after the wrist jarring zigzags
preceding this. We turned off at Boks to take a mixture of tarmac village lanes
and dirt tracks to cut the corner and avoid going onto the main SH1 route.
This led us through loads of unusual
places, past islamic minarets, christian churches, rubbish piles, irrigation
channels and the high security prison at the entrance to the Madhe Valley. We
finished the day by winding up the tarmac road back to Boge. A great day on the
bikes and a fitting end to the Albania part of the TET.
Albania has delivered some amazing scenery,
lovely people, great trails and a few challenges. Jussi Heinman of the Rolling
Hobo blog rightly described this place as an adventure riders paradise and it
is. However if you come, be prepared, it’s hot, tough and rough, it’s not a
picnic place for those looking for the easy life on the road, it’s a place
where you have little access to modern resources, there is little in the way of
internet unless you check into a hotel in a city. Campsites are few and far
between in the south and east, the north sees a bit more tourism, so is better
set up.
It’s a place of contrasts, stark old world
for the most part with ancient farming techniques, mules for transport,
ramshackle stone houses perched on hillsides and a very old road system. Tirane
on the other hand is a vibrant capital city with fast cars, motorways, cafe
culture and a couple of other places are trying to match this. The driving
standards here are as crazy as a bag of cats on crystal meth so beware what’s
coming at you round the next blind bend!
Lek is the currency in the south and east,
euro’s in the north, fuel is around £1 per litre and is generally easy to find
in any town or on the main roads. It’s a cash economy for the most part too.
Water is from springs on the side of the road, but these are more difficult to
find in the north for some reason. Little shops are everywhere for supplies and
stalls on the side of he roads sell vegetables, fruit, honey etc etc.
This is a country both Lucy & I will
return to at some point in the future, it’s a fabulous place!
checked out.