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After the free for all to get into our cars, we disembarked the ferry into the land of Albania where we were greeted with begging children and dilapidated buildings before we'd even made it through passport control! Not the greatest of first impressions and to be honest it didn't get any better. Once outside the gates of the dock we had men waving bundles of money at us (they were offering us the most intimidating money exchange I've ever experienced), others were shaking keys at us which we've still no idea why despite asking the locals, and there were people with all kinds of disabilities and women with children begging us for money, it all felt a bit 3rd world and was a crazy introduction to Albania. After finding our accommodation for the night with no help from our sat nav, we checked into a clean and friendly family run hotel, and after our night on the ferry we were so grateful to see a proper bed! There were 80's movies on TV in English with Albanian subtitles which we just vegged out to, it was a perfectly relaxed afternoon and just what we needed. We did manage to take a walk around the local neighbourhood (between movies) and it turned out we were right near the beach, but it was dirty and covered with rubble, there were massive holes in the road and no footpaths, so we headed back to the sanctity of our hotel. Just to add to the list we found out that the road outside our hotel was only tarmacked the week before we got there even though the buildings have all been there for quite some time. Am I painting a picture for you?
Onto our next location and Darren found this campsite called the Lake Shkodra Resort. Driving down a dirt road to get to it we really weren't sure what to expect judging by what we'd found everywhere else, but it was spectacular. It's this beautiful lake surrounded by mountains and there was just something about it that reminded me of Mulroy Bay in Donegal where my parents caravan is. It was just so enchanting to look at; you'd never get bored of it. When we arrived, we were greeted by an English lady who along with her Albanian husband set up this 'resort'. It's definitely a step up from some of the campsites we've stayed in although I personally wouldn't call it a resort although it definitely had an exclusive feel to it, so then again maybe I would! Being there you just felt like you were in the middle of nowhere but in a really good way, it felt like we'd escaped from it all and time just stood still. So needless to say we ended up staying longer than we'd planned, we never wanted to leave! Our first night there we'd booked into a tepee looking tent which was really nice and something different but as the camping was only €10 per night we really couldn't turn that down so the next tight we got out our wee tent. That is the great thing about Albania, it's really cheap! So up until now we've been watching the budget religiously so with everything so inexpensive we completely splurged out and ate like kings in the resort's restaurant for lunch and dinner the whole time we were there and still managed to stay under budget, it was luxury! We also went kayaking for only €3 on the beautiful lake which was fun and will hopefully make my kayaking mad parents happy!
Albania is definitely a country on its way up but I think it's just tried to get there too fast; it's not stopped to ask itself "what do I want to be when I grow up?" There is building work everywhere, motorways that just abruptly end, the skeletons of abandoned buildings that were started and never finished and even the 'finished' buildings look like they need some work. It just leaves me wondering if this country knows how to finish anything, and it actually feels a bit war torn, although it could actually be for all I know of Albanian history! The people however are friendly and smiling if a little awkward. When you're in a shop they literally stand right beside you and don't say anything, there are lots of awkward silences and they just stare at you, it's all very strange but it's something new for us!
I'd describe Albania as interesting and unfinished; although I'm glad we went because it was just so very different to everywhere else we've been.
Clare
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