Travel Day Tirana, Albania 🇦🇱
September 30th
Just like our other travel days here in the Balkans, we took a bus from Podgorica. There really are no other options, but unlike the ride to Podgorica, this was a full sized bus with no one standing in the aisles, thankfully.
Annette & I were not able to sit next to each other, but were across the aisle from each other which was better than being totally separated. We again had the great fortune of meeting a fellow American traveler. Annette was sitting next to a fine southern lady from Virginia. she was on her way to Tirana for the last two days of her 10 days in the Balkans. We enjoyed hearing of her trip to this point, she had traveled with some friends for the first seven days in Montenegro. She was finishing off her trip solo in Albania.
The bus ride was uneventful and long of course because of the border crossing out of Montenegro and into Albania. After the long wait for the border agents to stamp out everyone from Montenegro and then into Albania we were on the road to Tirana.
The ride was beautiful, a mountainous landscape on either side of the farm lands and small villages we passed through on the way. It is very interesting to see all the construction even in these small villages.
Annette struck up a conversation with Frances as she was booking a place to stay in Tirana for that evening. This woman is what I used to be, footloose and fly by the seat of my pants, I love the spirit of adventure she has. The place she booked was very close to our AirBnB, (according to GoogleMaps) we offered to share a cab to her location and we would then walk to ours. I certainly am glad we did. When we arrived there was no way to enter, she called the number provided and found that the platform she used was not viable and the place was already taken. The host she spoke to was very kind and tried to help but he had nothing available.
There was no way we could leave her without a place to stay, so we offered for her to stay with us at our place for the evening. We enjoyed our first meal in Tirana with a fellow traveler from the States, such a blessing to spend time with someone else that enjoys travel as much as we do.
She told us of her first trip abroad and we were amazed. Her first trip to Europe was in 1962 to Moscow Russia while in college. What a trip that was I am sure. Such a different world from today. We were so thrilled to hear of her travels over the years. She truly is an inspiration to us both. In case you are wondering Frances is 81 and traveling on her own to a country she has never been to before. Annette & I are amazed and inspired by her.
A truly inspiring lady, so thankful we were had the chance to meet her
The next day Frances had a day trip scheduled with a confirmation to Durres. The pick up locationwas a 5 minute walk from our place. We walked with her and had morning coffee before she met the tour group and was on her way. We did offer for her to stay with us again that evening if she did not have a place to stay. Thankfully she had someone else look out for her that was on her tour group.
We have kept in contact and she truly is an inspiration to us both, an 81 year old woman traveling on her own. We both hope to be traveling when we are 81.
Connecting with fellow travelers has added such richness to our own journey, and for that we are very grateful.
Until next time…
