Day 6 - Kotor (MNE) to Ohrid (MK)

Thursday 25th May
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Watched Manchester United thrash Ajax before turning-in. Some guys were partying nearby but it didn't bother me and I soon dozed-off. Warmest night so far despite a bit more rain falling overnight. Now realise that the ferry next to where I camped just goes across the bay, hence that other campsite way before Kotor was just a short ferry-ride away....

Left early as I knew that today had the potential to be a tough one. I was not wrong. My route should have typically taken me through what was Titograd, now Podgornica, but my phone SatNav contradicted the TomTom. With Phone Nav being pretty handy of late I chose to go where the phone suggested. It was a wild single-track road through the mountains, hugging the coast. No safety barriers and it went on and on. After about 5 miles I thought about turning back as I had no clue where I was going and didn't have much fuel. Checking the map, my concern was will I find fuel and will there actually be a border crossing into Albania at the end of the road?

To add to my concerns, it started drizzling. Real adventure stuff - now just need to get a puncture..... After about 20 miles I came across a bloke standing by the road. He confirmed that this scenic road does lead to Albania and that there should be petrol 30km down the road - he was right. Tanked-up said hello to some very well kitted-out Czech BMW bikers and headed-off toward the border.

The border had a significant queue so I pushed-in just a little. Another bike pulled-up next to me. It was a Ukranian guy with his girlfriend. He told me that he was going to Skopje and couldn't be asked with the queue (as it was heavily raining by this point). He shot-off right to the front and seemed to be getting dispatched so I followed suit and within minutes was wheeling my bike along the pavement and I was through into Albania.

100 yards down the road I found the insurance huts. I tried to find the least dodgy-looking insurance guy but the most dodgy looking one found me and we did business. 17 days insurance for €15 even though I would leave the country the same day - probably. A load or Romany Gypsies starting aggressive begging and even the insurance-hut owners couldn't get rid of them.

The weather turned real nasty and the roads were proper bad. The driving standards are shocking. In Montenegro they are fast and pushy but in Albania - everyone does what they want including ambulances and the Police.

Albania is a mess. Bad driving, bad roads, nasty half-finished buildings everywhere, litter all over the shop, people just walking out into the road without giving a shit, cops everywhere looking to make a quick buck, etc. The speed limits are stupidly slow and everyone goes even slower or speeds like a loon. I pulled-over to compose myself (in an abandoned petrol station, one of many) and to put on some waterproof under layers as I was getting cold. The Satnav reckoned another 4.5hrs to do the remaining 120 miles. It wasn't kidding. Ended-up riding over 8hrs today with no breaks >10 mins.

Got into Tirana - chaos, thunder and lightning, massive flooding, huge holes in the semi-constructed roads - brown muddy water covering everything. I was riding in an enduro race only with even more players than usual. Things ground to a halt, literally with shocking traffic, all being conducted by cops. Total mess, but my clothes and boots in particular were warming me like a wet suit. At one point I went into a puddle so deep that the water went up to me knees. In Albania's capital city! Phone sat-nav eventually got me out but led me onto an unfinished and closed-off road. I knew the direction but I just could't get there. I chose to put the new tyres through their paces an off-roaded up a muddy bank and then track and amazingly made it through without dropping the bike. That said, after a couple of miles I had to turn back as the road really didn't exist. Fuck Tirana.

Ended-up on another mountain road but this one was nasty, potholed, flooded and muddy. As the altitude rose, I got really cold and thought of bailing into the next hotel. Phone sat-nav died at this point so I chose to push on into Macedonia. 

Got to the border shivering and looking desperate. The Albanian guy in front of me in the queue decided to randomly reverse his merc. I rolled-back as much as I could but he still hit me. Stupid berk (he did say sorry though). Sums it all up really. Anyway, the border guard looked up at me from his cigarette and said "papers, green-card". Obviously I didn't have the necessary insurance so he suggested I phone my insurer and get him to fax a green-card over. I explaned to him that they won't and I need to buy one. He told me it's an issue and would cost €50. I banked on this before I left so wasn't shocked although €65 worth of insurance for one day was a bit much. In any case, I left my passport, ran into Macedonia and did the usual exchange of money for a worthless bit of paper routine and got let through.

In any case, I'm in Macedonia! It's still raining, the roads are still bad, but people seem nice. I followed the lake road until I saw a campsite / bar. Pulled-in and asked if they had rooms as I was wet and shrivelled and really couldn't be asked with more tenting in this weather. €20 later and I'm in a great place with safe parking for the bike, a warm shower and great food / beer / raki. Just what I needed! Not sure about being a place to open-up a moped rental business, but it's OK. 

I'm sure Albania would be better in decent weather, but for me it was shit and I'm so glad to be out of there! Tirana is the biggest shit-hole of capital city that I have ever seen. It's an embarassment to the nation. Guess if you can spot the only photo I felt worthy of taking in Albania.

Lake Ohrid is massive but there is nothing to see today. I hope to check it out tomorrow morning but need to head through the Mavrovo National Park and potentially into Kosovo. Can't do another tough day like today without a break - feel battered and bruised. Based on today and my 30mph average speed, I'll be lucky to make it to Skopje.

Mileage: 1926

Country count: 10 (GB, F, D, A, SLO, HR, BiH, MNE, AL, MK)

Beers: 16 + 0.5l of red + Blueberry Schnapps + 3 Raki

Fines: 0
Bribes: 0
Ass pain: 4/10
Mechanical issues: 1 (headlight bulb & fuse)
Accidents: 1 (witnessed) + 1 guy reversing into me
Coldness: 8/10