Distance cycled: 52km from Podgorica to Skadarska lake camping ground, Albania
Average speed: 19.2km/h
Moving time: 2h42m
Total distance: 5077km
Border X'ings: 19
Money spent: €18
View 15nov12 in a larger map
Boška took me up the hill to see the view of the city, although a bit foggy I could see that it would be very impressive if it were clear and/or the sun was setting; incidentally 'pod' means 'under' and 'gorica' means 'hill' - this is how the city got its name.
From here to the border of Albania was 20km of flat, no shoulder roads but the roads were almost vacant of traffic and when crossing over the border that involved a little waiting, I had the sense that things were a little different in a daunting way.
The first person I encountered after receiving my stamp into the country was a teenage boy on a bicycle who stopped after seeing me in the distance to pick up some rocks, he then crossed onto my side of the road and threatened me as I passed by raising his arm ready to throw. He had a very stern and serious look on his face so I didn't stick around to see what was his problem.
Next I saw an old woman who was beating an obviously sick cow with a stick as it lay there probably dying.
Soon the overcast sky began to change in a bad way, lingering above casting a dark shadow on my surroundings, cooling the air and freaking me out a little bit, I didn't expect it to be so different from the rest of former Yugoslavia; I did not feel safe.
Also a boy and his friends slowed me down and attempted to mount my bicycle as I swerved around them, what the fuck?!
As the new asphalt on the main road disappeared I was left cycling through a small town on THE shittiest road I have ever cycled, this includes the some of the roads I cycled on in Vietnam but what better way to test out my new wheel and tire - look at the positives right?. Having to cycle at snails pace it was a painful experience getting through this town avoiding mud filled potholes, rocks the size of tennis balls and lack of road altogether but eventually I got back onto the freshly paved highway with the donkeys and mules towing carts of vegetables.
First impressions last and from what I have seen so far Albania is a filthy country with garbage everywhere especially on the roadside, overgrown, tall fenced gloomy properties with destroyed abandoned buildings and vehicles (namely old Merc's) and the constant and daunting sense that something bad was going to happen, this feeling was certainly more abundant as the rain clouds moved in and as such I wanted a place secure that I could camp.
I found a camping ground beside Skadarsko Lake paying a reduced price of €3 because they were closed for the season and pitched my tent in the rain.
I really do hope things get better in Albania for the time I am cycling here because if you didn't notice from what i wrote, today in Albania was S-H-I-T!
A Memorial to the Solders lost in battle against the turks.
Montenegrin side of the border, looking forward to Albania and its offerings.
Undeveloped, gloomy and not so nice, I was legitimately frightened when entering the country… really, not what i expected.
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