Where: Vlore Albania

Distance: 2,850 km

Albania is a crazy place. I have only cycled about 30 km and I have already been high fived twice. I have been cheered by kids and nearly killed by mad drivers.

As I came to a bridge crossing three small dirty kids ran up to me begging for money. The poor little kids looked far too grown up and confident about what they were doing. At this age they should just be playing. Before I had a moment to think a car was honking its horn for me to make my way onto the one-way bridge.

On the way from Durres to Vlore while I was having lunch a man joined me to chat about Albania and what I was doing in the country. Some thunder storms began to roll in and he offered me a ride up the road for 30 km to avoid the storm. Initially I refused as I felt a bit guilty for skipping some of the distance but then I thought what the hell.

As we sped along the road with my bike strapped to the roof he pointed out places of interest and explained the political and social turmoil that the country had undergone. He pointed out the various developments that were going on and how this person was connected to the next person. Its always nice to get an inside perspective on a country.