Now we have continued our journey from North Macedonia to Albania. After the visit to Kicevo we went back to the campsite in Struga, North Macedonia. You may remember that we were waiting there for the green card that the insurance company sent us?
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ShareAs soon as we turned in, the campsite owner approached us: "Your letter is here!". Great! It meant we didn't have to do what a Polish camping neighbour told us she had done when she was missing the green card. She cried get through border control ... which worked!
Table of contents
New friends at the campsite
We felt ready to embark on new adventures and yesterday morning we packed up the car and went over to the campsite restaurant to pay, and set off from Macedonia to Albania. There we met a young German couple who had just come in with a backpack each, and they were so nice that we stayed ...
Michael and Jana left Germany two months ago. All they have with them is a backpack and a small tent. They don't have a car, but get around by bus, train and hitchhiking (which they say is easy - they've never had to wait more than 25 minutes for a lift).
Many countries to hitchhike in
So far they have travelled through Croatia, Montenegro, Albania and Macedonia. They plan to continue through Greece, Turkey (where they hope the winter is warmer), Georgia and Kazakhstan, and then they will see.
How long will they be gone? Maybe one or two years, depending on how long the money lasts. To boost the budget, they plan to take a few different jobs here and there, such as working at a home for dogs in Greece. So, if anyone thinks we're adventurous or that we're living small - not so bad by comparison!
Travelling companion from North Macedonia to Albania
We chatted with Michael and Jana in the campsite restaurant all day and all evening yesterday. Today they accompanied us in the FREEDOM motorhome all the way from Struga in North Macedonia to Shkoder in Northern Albania.
There was a lot of talk in the car and a nice lunch (which they offered as a thank you!) in a restaurant on the way. They got off in the centre of Shkoder to continue tomorrow by train to the south. We have made our way to Lake Shkodra Resort, where we stand nicely by Lake Shkoder.
Read more about North Macedonia
We have been travelling by motorhome in Albania and North Macedonia for several weeks. In North Macedonia, we have visited Struga, and Ohrid empty Lake Ohrid and the city Kicevo. In Albania we have travelled from the south, along the coast, until we entered Macedonia at Lake Ohrid.
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Steel city anna says:
Brave people who dared to go with you 😉 I am absolutely fascinated that there are people who dare to hitchhike today... My husband hitchhiked a lot in his youth, all over Europe.
05 September 2015 - 22:49
BP says:
WOW! What a boost the German couple got then! I think it's great that you "give back". So what I mean is that you have experienced such incredible hospitality in Macedonia so now you "repay" it in the form of letting the German couple "hitchhike" with you. Nicely done!
Then I think of one more thing: I haven't seen a hitchhiker on Swedish roads for years and years...
Hoping for more adventures in Albania.
PS. Would never even think about camping through Europe. I/we did that with tents and air mattresses only once on an island in the archipelago. That experience lasted a lifetime, so to speak,-) DS.
05 September 2015 - 23:03
Maggan and Ingemar says:
How sweet 🙂 of you to offer a lift.
. Of course you meet a lot of nice tourists when you are travelling. We met a couple from Bulgaria and he was a fashion designer. They travelled and slept in a mini car, luckily none of them were very tall 😀 They did not know many words in English or German either, but we managed to understand each other anyway and with sign language. We recognise Shkrodra camping.
I hope you have better weather than us because it's raining here and in Skåne it's been hailing.
Goodbye!
05 September 2015 - 23:32
Marina says:
As I've said before, travelling means meeting many wonderful people.
06 September 2015 - 4:37
admin says:
Steel city Anna, haha, yes or not? 😉 But why would it be more dangerous to hitchhike today than in the past? People in general are not more dangerous now than in the past?
BP, I agree that you almost never see hitchhikers in Sweden anymore. Do we have it so good that no one needs to hitchhike? In Stockholm, at least, the municipal transport network (buses and metro etc.) is so good that you should hardly need to hitchhike. We saw lots of hitchhikers in France in particular, and here in Albania we have seen many. They stand along the roads with signs about where they want to go. When it comes to camping, we camp in a very comfortable way. I could imagine a tent for a week or so, but not for a year. It's impressive that people have the stamina!
Maggan and Ingemar, haha, great to hear about the fashion designer in the minibus. Surely you meet nice people when travelling! I have seen pictures of the hail storm, does not look fun! We have warmer weather again (closer to the coast and down from the mountains). Admittedly a few drops of rain, but it is mostly nice...
Marina, can only agree!!!
06 September 2015 - 7:29
Mr Steve says:
Exciting places you visit, exciting people you meet. Yes, exciting adventures have become your everyday life.
I'm glad you don't have to try to cry your way through border controls. Enjoy!
06 September 2015 - 8:03
shefik veliu says:
Hi my friends I try to keep up with you in the journey it's exciting hugs my friends
06 September 2015 - 9:32
snort says:
How nice that it worked out! Not all border control officers are as co-operative...
06 September 2015 - 9:45
Lena in Wales says:
Great meetings with nice people!
Nice to follow you!
06 September 2015 - 10:00
Ama de casa says:
How wonderful when you can be so flexible and change the plans when needed and/or you just feel like it 🙂 .
It was certainly an adventurous way to travel around. A bit too simple for my taste, even though I don't have high demands on comfort. (Those requirements have increased gradually with age and opportunities... 😉 ).
Glad you got your green card in the end! 🙂
06 September 2015 - 10:38
admin says:
Steve, I'm really glad I didn't have to cry my way through the border controls 😉.
Shefik, it's so nice that you're joining us! 🙂
Znogge, no that's just it....
Lena in Wales, right? Funny that you follow! 🙂
Ama de casa, that's one of the best things about travelling like this - that you can change plans at any time! Nothing is ever written in stone 😉 Yes, that way is a bit too easy and adventurous for us too. Maybe it could be an experience for a few days or a week... but for a year, nope. But I am impressed! They certainly get to experience a lot! 🙂
06 September 2015 - 11:00
Ditte says:
What meetings you had/have during the trip! This is a big part of the trip itself and gives so much.
Can smile at the Germans and feel that they are doing what they want, freedom. That the comfort is not optimal is another matter. If you are young and alert, most things are possible. I have camped through the USA for three months in the late 70's, alternating with hotels, motorhomes and regular cars.
I'm glad for those memories, but today it's more about comfort. Age takes its toll...
It's good that your green card arrived because it makes things easier.
Wishing you a pleasant journey. And I'm coming with you.
06 September 2015 - 12:10
Elisabeth says:
How nice that the green card came. In my youth I hitchhiked a lot. I often had a tin of ground white pepper in my pocket - as if that would have helped, but nothing happened, other than exciting experiences. Now we have arrived in Croatia. Writing in eggs sensre. Now we will explore the place. Hugs from us
06 September 2015 - 13:39
pocket hexane says:
Glad that you appreciate my little Fototriss with our pets plus the neighbour's puppy that we borrow from time to time when we need some puppy joy and cuddles.
Continue to have a wonderful time on your journey and enjoy all the meetings you get because it gives so much to meet other people and take part in their lives.
Hugs!
06 September 2015 - 13:50
admin says:
Ditte, meeting other people is a big part of travelling! I'm also not prepared to travel as adventurously and uncomfortably as the Germans, at least not for a whole year. But they certainly get many experiences! And it's not surprising that you want to be a little more comfortable as you get older.
Elisabeth, haha, maybe the white pepper was good for the sense of security anyway! 😉 I think most people are friendly and hitchhiking is fine, but I wouldn't like to do it alone. How long are you staying in Croatia? We will be there in a while, but we will probably stay quite long in the southern parts.
Pockethexan, cosy to have a puppy to borrow from time to time 🙂 Yes, the meetings with others are a big part of the trip!
06 September 2015 - 14:33
Helena says:
What a meeting! And nice of you to offer the ride 🙂 I think I'm quite adventurous, but I don't know if I would dare to do as that couple anyway.
06 September 2015 - 15:21
admin says:
Helena, same here. We are also somewhat adventurous, but I would probably think that travelling as they do would be a bit stressful in the long run. I would probably not be afraid to hitchhike (if we were two) but it would be tiring in the long run. But they get an exciting trip with lots of experiences! 🙂
07 September 2015 - 7:44
steel city anna says:
Well, I think it's probably more dangerous, although I think the husband was stupid even then 🙂 he was robbed several times, but he had nothing of value so it went well. But it's nice that there are still people who guard.
07 September 2015 - 9:42