Saturday and guest blog with Elisabeth Haug
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ShareFrom Dubrovnik to Safari Beach, 16 kilometres. It should be pretty quick, we thought. Just blow down. NOT 🙂 We got stuck at the border crossing between Croatia and Montenegro. Nice to have a motorhome, I went to bed and read, Elias walked around in the car. The road further was under all criticism, we drove for about 45 km on European roads, luckily there were fantastic views and much to see during the journey. We passed Sveti Stefan and many nice cities.
Table of contents
Engine failure at an intersection
Once we started to approach, about 5 minutes left, the car died in the middle of a junction. Completely dead. Not even the hazard lights worked.
We quickly realised that the battery was the problem, I ran out with the warning triangle, started waving at the cars behind and Per started tearing away the carpets to get to the battery (which is very messy).
Very true, the plus pole has been shaken off, then there are bad roads. 🙂 Away with the warning triangle, into the car and find the campsite. Phew!!!
Montenegro, Camping Safari Beach
What a wonderful campsite, we got a place right on the beach and then very close to the service centre. Nice that Elias can run to the toilet himself without getting lost. Once we had taken out the furniture and were going to have a drink before dinner, our new neighbours (German) came up with some of their dinner for Elias and welcomed us. The beach is a nice sandy beach, warm and nice in the water. It was about 10 min to cycle to the market so we could buy food.
At the campsite we met Karlheinz, a camper of class 🙂 He had been out for many years with his wife Iris and when they heard that we were going to Albania, he thought we should of course go to the coast. He said: "Lakes!!!, you have that in Sweden!!!". Go there, we will follow! Yes, yes, there are lakes in Sweden, it's true.
We listened to Karlheinz and travelled down to a small town called Kavaje, just south of Durres. Once we were on the road, yes road and road, we wondered if we had been fooled. It wasn't exactly a highway. Our GPS had no idea how the roads went, it said: turn right, turn left even though there was no road to turn into. Finally, after a few but still smooth mistakes, we arrived. Paradise!!!
Albania, PaEmel camping
This is "bohemian camping", super cosy and deserted. Completely quiet and no fuss. The campsite had a restaurant out on a small island where, among other things, fresh fish was served, very good. Day number 2 came Karlheinz and Iris. Very nice and we had dinner together at the hotel next door. Italian owners so it was Italian on the menu, good and very cheap. If we needed to go into Kavaje (12 km), the camping staff drove us in, free of charge 🙂 .
Road between PaEmel, Albania and Thessaloniki, Greece
With some nervousness, we moved on to Greece, knowing that we would cross Albania. The journey began by travelling along SH 71. It went quite well in the beginning and there were fantastic views. While travelling on SH71 we saw many different animals, some more unusual than others. We saw: cows, horses, donkeys, geese, chickens, snakes, turtles, goats and sheep (on the road !!!).
After a few miles and hours, the road started to look like it was under construction and eventually it was so bad that we didn't dare to continue. We made a decision to turn around, go back and go via Elbasan where we knew it was a European road. Eventually we got there and the European road was a fact 🙂 .
It wasn't great either, but if you compare it to SH71, it was great. That road took us to Greece via the beautiful lake Orhid. The border was completely deserted, took 5 minutes to cross. Then waited 20 miles on the best roads of the holiday. What good motorways there were down to Thessaloniki.
Camping Agiannis
Fun to be in Greece, I probably would not have thought that we would make it all the way down here. 🙂 A little trouble on the road. 5 extra days in Dubrovnik that allowed us to meet new friends, HannaMaja and Robert and their children. It would not have happened if the fridge had not been broken. Things probably have a meaning anyway.
We chose the campsite simply because it was on the right side of town, by the sea and looked nice online. It is ok, charming but not top of the list. Cosy, ok sanitary facilities and a nice restaurant with great views over the whole of Thessaloniki.
We will stay here for a few days to start the journey north at the weekend (sometime). We have plenty of time and the ferry from Ventspils (Latvia) is booked on Friday 11/8, 266 miles, without miscarriages 🙂 Feels like new adventures are underway next week as well. 🙂
Did you miss the last post about the trip? Read the Now it's half-time
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Mr Frank Olsen says:
It looks like you are having a fantastic trip? And there will always be some surprises when you drive far and in countries like Albania and Montenegro. Lucky with the battery that it was only the positive coil that had jumped off? How nice that you found the way, even if it was not so easy, down to the paradise of "our" PaEmer and that you also enjoyed yourselves there. Fantastic place ! I have a tip for when you start your return journey, one of the most amazing pictures places we have ever seen; Meteora !!!!
http://janneogfrank.blogspot.gr/2016/09/meteora-seks-helt-spesielle-klostre.html?m=1
Enjoy yourselves in Greece and happy travelling!
29 July 2017 - 8:06
Elisabeth says:
Thank you very much for the tip, it looked absolutely fantastic. Ja PaEmer må man nokk tillbaka till. ?
//Elisabeth
29 July 2017 - 17:28
Kenneth Risberg says:
What an adventure and what a journey?
Return trip via Latvia, now that's what I call a holiday trip, good luck and have a nice holiday?
29 July 2017 - 8:35
Elisabeth says:
Thank you very much. Yes, it happens a bit. Looking forward to the next stage of the journey
29 July 2017 - 17:29
Aila says:
We also did that trip this year. We don't really agree on how bad the roads were.
We were also at the campsite outside Kavaje and also had problems finding it with our GPS.
Monte Negro became a favourite with us.
29 July 2017 - 9:47
Elisabeth says:
Yes, Montenegro was super nice. There is a lot left to discover there. Will probably come back several times.
29 July 2017 - 17:30
Britta says:
How cosy it sounds.You should go down to chalkidiki (the coast at Thessaloniki) absolutely wonderful.Enjoy your trip.We are going on today to Smögen ??say hello and kiss your guys./Britta.
29 July 2017 - 9:51
Elisabeth says:
Thank you. I think we have to turn north now, otherwise we'll soon end up in Turkey ?
The rest of Greece remains until next time. ? Have fun in Smögen. If things go well tomorrow, we will end up in Serbia.
29 July 2017 - 17:33
Anonymous says:
I think it is wonderful to read these blogs, One thing is always missing !it is the size of the motorhome and the weight of it, it will be quite difficult to determine how the trip is really with a motorhome if you do not know this.
Thank you for wonderful blogs
With kind regards,
Peter Olsson
29 July 2017 - 13:06
Elisabeth says:
Hi Peter.
Of course it is of interest, sorry.
Our car is about 8 metres with bike rack, weighs under 3.5 tonnes
?
29 July 2017 - 17:35
Husis blog says:
Luckily, it was "only" the battery that malfunctioned. Sometimes you can feel pretty powerless in those situations.
Wishing you a continued pleasant journey and hopefully without mishaps.
29 July 2017 - 20:36
BP says:
The end good - always good. Oh Mojiton in the last picture probably did the trick:-)
I don't know what you have against the luxury campsite in Thessaloniki. For me, who doesn't camp, it looks absolutely amazing with the pool and everything - WOW.
30 July 2017 - 0:32