Albania

Distance: 233 km – Elevation +1720 m -1750 m Weather: Sunny. Temperature: High 28 degrees I think with better planning I could well have saved a day. The night sailing has meant another complete day in Bari. First I went to purchase a ferry ticket from an agency near the port and then I took and left my rucksack with the “Left Baggage” department at the ferry terminal. After yesterdays tour of Bari there was not

Distance: 20.2 km – Elevation +170 m -170 m Weather: Sunny. Temperature: High 34 degrees I said goodbye to my new Australian friends this morning, they were catching a bus to Struga and from there to Athens.  Walking out of Durres it appears to be a prosperous, well kept and lively city – lots of bars and restaurants. Rather than follow the coast road to Golem I decided to take the back rural route – I

Distance: 25.5 km – Elevation +450 m -430 m Weather: Sunny. Temperature: High 34 degrees I slept well and with another hot day forecast and knowing the trail ahead had a few hills to climb I wanted an early start and was walking out of Golem by 6.00 am. Albania was still sleeping as I followed the tarmac road through the village of Tilaj.  After Tilaj the path left the road to join a farm track

Distance: 14.1 km – Elevation +400 m -260 m Weather: Sunny. Temperature: High 35 degrees Finding my way out of the hotel was like being in a maze and I eventually exited via a side door. It was 6.00 am and surprisingly I came to a small bar/cafe on the approach to the village and it was open. There were already a few early morning customers who I guessed were farmworkers. I enjoyed a good breakfast

Distance: 12 km – Elevation +70 m -180 m Weather: Sunny. Temperature: High 34 degrees I slept remarkably well for 5 hours on my makeshift bed of hay balesI I had little appetite yesterday so I had plenty of food in my rucksack for breakfast and a later snack. I was ready to continue to Peqin just before 6.00 am when the shepherd appeared, he seemed a little hesitant and I think uncertain about me. I

Distance: 20.2 km – Elevation +230 m -200 m Weather: Sunny. Temperature: High 35 degrees It was a warm and muggy night but despite the room having no air conditioning I slept well. I was feeling much better, the tiredness and queasiness that had hit me the day before yesterday had gone. I have no idea of the cause, it could have been something I had eaten or drunk or maybe a touch of sunstroke but

Distance: 23.0 km – Elevation +170 m -110 m Weather: Sunny. Temperature: High 34 degrees The ‘ AutoGrill’ where I stayed last night was not an experience to be missed! Surprisingly I slept well and woke at 4.30 am for a 5 am start. I looked in on the caretaker but he was sleeping on a camp bed inside a small building on the forecourt of the filling station. I followed the main road for 2.5

Distance: 2.63 km – Elevation +20 m -40 m Weather: Sunny. Temperature: High 33 degrees I elected to stay another day and explore the history of this extraordinary Albanian city. It was one of the major stations on the Roman Via Egnatia, Mansio Scampa, and after the fall of the Roman empire, it was occupied by the Byzantines and then the Ottomans. The Via Egnatia runs from west to east straight through the centre of the

Distance: 25.3 km – Elevation +620 m -570 m Weather: Sunny. Temperature: High 36 degrees I started early this morning as it was forecast to be a scorcher of 37 degrees and I had a big hill to climb. It was still dark at 4.30 am as I left Elbasan but street lights showed the city already coming to life with street traders vying for the best positions to sell their produce. Dawn began to break

Distance: 15.1 km – Elevation +270 m -180 m Weather: Sunny. Temperature: High 34 degrees Resort Balkan where I stayed last night was comfortable enough and the staff were very helpful and several spoke reasonable English, but they didn’t know how to serve a gin and tonic! It was very popular on a Sunday night as I dined, there were several families enjoying drinks and meals at adjacent tables with the river Shkumbin flowing slowly past.