Balkan
 Igoumenista - Dubrovnik : August 10 to 20, 2007
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Balkan

Our entered in Albania was great. The country seemed little developed. We were happy to feel us faraway from the tourist spot. When we cross the border, we felt a little like in Cambodia. The asphalt stops and the road became into gravels. People were very nice but, we felt than the country was not well developed economically. The first 150 Km was very pretty. The landscapes were picturesque but, the path was relatively tough into the mountains. We have also been marked by all these new cities in construction. Everything was half build. We would have believed ourselves into a ghost’s town. Thereafter, everything get deteriorate and the pollution took over. Garbage was let on the side of the street and the trucks poured their garbage into canal and put them in fire. People like nut drive as h over there. Finally, we don't know too much what to think about this country without color. For us, it is the Cambodia of Europe

Montenegro is quite a small country between Croatia and Albania and overflow with pretty places. On the other hand, since the obtaining of their independence with Serbia a year ago, the country is full of tourists. It is frightening! We didn't even risk swimming at the beach. It is in Montenegro, than I began to live some important difficulties with the bicycle due to the state of my back wheel. I was not able anymore to advance. Several counseled us strongly to go to Dubrovnik in Croatia to replace the wheel. Can you imagine than it took one day and a half to browse 60 km to reach the place. No one has stopped to help us. The second day, I decide to put myself into the middle of the road to force a truck to stop and help us. You imagine!!! Even there, he had put the blinkers to go around me and continue is way without ask me if everything was right. To our arrived to Dubrovnik, we were mentally burned. We learn bad news; no one could help me to replace my rim. The solution, we had to go to Split (200 km). But, how can we get there. No one, want to take us on the road. We have to forget hitchhiking. Our last experience was only frustration and loosing time. We try to go by bus but they ask us 50 Euro extra to put the bike into the bus. Ridiculous. I get mad and I tell him he was part the mafia!! He said than if we do not pay this price, we could not go there by bus. We had to forget it. The big problem, we just did not know if they had a good bike shop over there.

It was the hell, what should we do. Tension came up between me and Ben. We were just so much tired. Around 20:00 hrs, we decide to put an end to the all of this and we decide to find a hotel room for the night, question to let go the pressure. Impossible to find, everything was complete or to much expensive. Exhausted, we push the bike out of the cities to find a place to sleep into the bush. We were very hungry; we did not eat any dinner. As an apparition, a kindly gentleman, presents himself to us and congratulate us about our exploits. He offers us a room for two nights for a ok price (21:30 hrs). After several reflections, we let ourselves tempt because we were too much tire. Finally we were happy of our decision and were exiting to take a shower and sleep with the air cooler. It is at this moment than the owner of the place, force us to pay immediately. I did not understand too much but, we give him the amount for the two nights. It is at this moment than I realize than he was trying to rob us. The amount was finally only for one night. You should have seen us. Demolished, burnt, frustrated … I think I this moment, we should had wake up the whole neighborhood because were so much in fury. How is this possible to just think to do that to us when we just had pass over so much problem and efforts? We continued to go with the bicycles outside of the city and we finally found a place to spend the night.

The following day, I was still stuck with my bicycle and I should push it everywhere we were going to. We finally took the decision to leave the country and buy a boat ticket boat for Bari in Italy, Monday evening. We were also quite dirty and exhausted; we decide to pay for a hotel for 2 nights. We finally find a pretty apartment for 40 Euro. The problem, the place was on the top of a hill and we had to climb the 130 stairs with the 2 loaded bike. As a good team work, we bring the bicycles to the hotel thru the intense heat. I am a little frustrated, because the owners look at us and no one comes to help us. Check that!! When we finish climbing everything, he look to us and said: I have no place for the bicycles. I don't have any place for you! Good bye." Than, I just could not believe it and I said: “Pardon " You saw me brought up the bicycles until top without telling me anything and the only thing you have to said his good bye; I'm sorry ". I don't know if you know me very well, but since Vietnam, I develop a very bad character face to these situations. After 30 min of blasting and arguing, I burst into tear because I just could no believe it, how people could be so bad face us since the 2 or 3 past days. We could not understand how people with so much procession could be so hard with us, when people from Asia without any procession had given us everything since the pass year. We were just completely lost.

We finally found a room for the same price for two days. We benefit maximally from this. We don’t even leave the room. We relax. We did not really want to go out into the cities and visit (a little bit). We finally take the boat Monday night for Italy. We might find a bike shop over there. Thereafter, we have some friend waiting for us close to Venice.