Years ago, we wrote about stepping through a portal, into a metal tube and then reemerging from the portal in another country. This morning we enter the portal and then numerous tubes and find ourselves in Tirana, Albania. Why Albania? Why not!
Considering Albania is not well know, the airport is very crowded. I think it must be getting popular. Flying along the coast, from Frankfurt, the water and beaches look marvellous. The country side is arid, groves of trees, perhaps olives.
Entry into the country takes about two seconds as they, similar to Australia, have passport scanners and photo recognition. Since we are travelling carryon, we cruise through the baggage claim to go find the Luna Bus that runs a service between the airport and Tirana for 400 Lek, or about $7 Cdn.
The traffic around the airport is stop and go, mostly stop and a little bit go. Once clear of the airport environs we pick up speed, and then when we get inside Tirana, we revert to mostly go and a lots of stop. We get off the bus at the last stop of the bus, near Skanderbeg Square, and get hit with the 28C heat.
Tirana is a big city, with traffic and pedestrians and tourists. We are figuring out how to properly cross the streets, who has the right of way. We read menus of all the restaurants we pass, gauging what is expensive and what is not. A couple of small stores get our business as we buy Coca Cola and then water.
We are going to go for supper soon and then allow ourselves to pass out from severe lack of sleep.Talk tomorrow.