Eastern Europe on a wing and a prayer

[grez]

Albania

Well here I am in Albania, Tirana to be exact. Crossed the border just before Shkodra after the slut nav took me into the mountains then got lost. Just followed the road and almost ran into the checkpoint. Asked for all my papers but only took 10 mins as not busy. Then the main road to Tirana. At some places this is new 3 lane wide highway, with no white lines so make that 7 lane, and at others between 2 and 3 lanes each way. It is difficult to tell as sometimes it looks like a hard shoulder and at others a road. In places goes to single each way with bridges you take at 10 kph as they have pot holes at the joint, some have no joints and those that do have bolts sticking up. The road also throws varied surfaces and pot holes along the way. The main highway is interesting, central divider like a proper motorway, doesn't stop people driving the wrong way down the road though, or cycling at you and even standing in the middle of the road thumbing a lift as traffic passes each side at 100 kph. Kept me awake as did suicidal Albanian drivers.
Then there is Tirana, what can I say, imagine Marrakech with everybody on crack and you get some idea. Lane discipline is totally out of the window and side of the road seems optional as well. If there is no gap, drive through anyway and hope one appears. Give me Morocco any day, those guys are sane by comparison.
Booked 2 nights at the Vila E Arte with the plan of riding to Saranda and back tomorrow but the receptionist advised against it as even though the slut nav says 3 ½ hours she says allow 6 each way. Anybody got any thoughts?
Only took a few pics will post when my frazzled brain has absorbed some beer.

 

[grez]

Along the coast road

Heading to Dubrovnik

 

[grez]

Dubrovnik

This is a big port with numerous cruise ships there. It was shortly after here just after crossing into Montenegro my slut nav went haywire and took me inland along unplotted roads and yet managed to get me to a crossing point.

 

[Sgt Bilco]

Great stuff mate. When travelling on those manic roads, you should try your old trick of seeing how far you can ride with your eyes closed. What could possibly go wrong?

 

[grez]

Ferry across Kotor Bay

Defiantly worth the 2 euros considering the size to go around the bay

 

[grez]

Albania

Just sitting having fresh coffee in the Vila E Arte Hotel in Tirane, very near the centre of the city and easily in walking distance of the sights. Bike is parked inside the gates and going to do the tourist thing and see what the city is like. Hotel is fine, 30 Euros a night for a double room and the receptionist and staff all speak good English and are very helpful. Think Bulgaria might be another trip as this one has taken longer than expected and it is nice to stop and smell the roses sometimes. So relax the day away, get the laundry done and tomorrow Saranda and Butrint. After that figure out how to get home.

 

[grez]

Tirana

Had a nice day off today walking around the city. The city is one of contrasts with brand new high rise towers being built and behind run down Socialist era slums and in places just the frame is standing. There are some impressive sights like the clock tower and Et'hem Bey Mosque and, if you like this kind of thing, the National History Museum has some nice 8th Century BC artefacts and some 16th - 19th Century Icons. Can be a bit hard to follow as not enough signs in English but you get a feeling for the persecution Albanians have suffered over the years, especially during Communist times.
The shopping/café area, Blloku, was worth a walk around, again contrasting modern consumer shops with run down accommodation. Top tip crossing the road as local drivers ignore pedestrian crossing, find a woman with children and cross with her as, generally, they want to preserve their kids, although this is not always the case.
Next stop Saranda assuming I make it out of the madhouse that is Tirana driving

 

[SkyGod]

NIce work Grez, keep it coming.

 

[paintman]

Good work Grez,we will pack up and start moving over to the west coast of Greece in the morning then on to the Albanian border.

 

[grez]

Tirana to Saranda

Hells teeth I made it. Thought getting out of Tirana on a Sunday would mean less traffic. Oh poor fool me, just as bad and with Sunday drivers added to the mix.
Took the SH55 out of Tirana through Vaqarr and Ndroq to the coast. First 15 miles were terrible, road broken apart and piss poor repairs. After that got to the coast and headed down the SH4 through Golem, Dushk, and further down somehow managed to get next to the new main highway between me and the sea. The highway was typical Albanian fairly new but with the occasional surprise pothole and unpaved section. Then joined the SH8 to Vlore which was a good road mainly. Followed it all the way to Saranda. Fantastic twisty road over the mountain and only real hazard was crashed cars and a surprise short rock section. Think doable with a caravan just keep alert.

Did see a coach crash. Coach was on its side with 2 cranes trying to right it. Police waved me through though locals just stood in the way as I was trying to squeeze round the cranes until the police made them move. Then had to take the panniers off as the police wouldn’t move their car to let me pass after waving me past the crane, was like Faulty Towers.

Made it to the Hotel Brilant co-ords N39 52.197 E20 00.884.

Next stop the Blue Eye and Butrint.

 

[grez]

Tirana

A few pics to give you an idea of the city. First one is a mosque, then a general view of Skanderbeg Square, old but still in use government building, the National History Museum and a view of the city with the old and the new

 

[grez]

Road to Saranda

Pics of the bottom part of the road before and after going over the mountain.

 

[grez]

Saranda & Hotel

Saranda and the hotel

 

[grez]

Coach Crash and any idea

This is what I found around a corner on a not dangerous looking bit of road. Any ideas what the second pic is, looks like a submarine pen.

 

[B4ndit]

Any ideas what the second pic is, looks like a submarine pen.

Careful they might think your a spy.

 

[grez]

Butrint

Gentle run to the ruins to soak up some "culture". Then took the cable ferry over the water to follow the road to Shkalle. Plan was to turn here to Finiq then the Blue Eye. I did say plan.
Yes sir the road is good asphalt......until you get to the section about 5 km long that isn't. Started as just no surface and gradually got worse. So time to stand up and push on with the road type tyres hopefully surviving and after a few km of the bike twitching like a fresh fish on a river bank I stopped at an unmarked fork in the road. Sat nav no good and map didn't have a forked road either. 5mins later a local farmer pointed the way up a rocky road and off I went, over a rocky/sandy rise and there it was, a tarmac road. Really glad to not get a puncture. Followed the tarmac and mapping to Mesopotam and then it all went wrong. After going down endless unpaved roads to nowhere, being a mixture of rock and a random collection of stones and potholes, I called it a day after passing the same slum camp 5 times. My desire to see a lake is not that strong and don't fancy my chances picking it up if I come a cropper. Decided to head back to Saranda and see why the bike was sounding a bit upset. Getting a low dry grinding sound and vibration through the pegs on a closed throttle so letting it cool down to see if anything obvious shows up. If not will just use earplugs and trust it gets me home.

 

[grez]

Final drive woes

Found out why the bike was sounding upset. Topped up the oil, checked everything still tight, loaded up and pulled out of the hotel. No ear plugs so could hear a bit of grinding so went to stop round a corner and had a bit of slid so I stopped next to a police bike to watch the oil pour from my final drive all over the rear tyre. Bugger, police just watched as I drained the drive onto the road and pushed the bike the wrong way down a one way street for 500 meters to a local garage. A bit of a look, no English spoken but the owners cousin arrive, "yes we can fix". Off with the wheel, pull bits of seal out of the casing and off with the casing. Drive is fine but bearings are shot. Off the owner goes and 1/2 hour later comes back and says he can get the bearing tomorrow, he had a seal (but no metal reinforcing strip) and tells me it will all be fixed by 10:00 am tomorrow.
Depending on what he can get hold of and how it is fixed might be a detour to Italy on the ferry in case it goes again. Probably a better chance of getting it fixed and don't want it to let go in the middle of nowhere in Albania.
Any things I need to make sure are done please let me know as never seen one done and don't know oil type or capacity etc.
Back to the same hotel who gave me the same room. Interesting ride on the back of a scooter with a hard pannier in each hand and nothing to hold on to.
Don't know what it is with me and bearings as did 2 sets of rear wheel bearings in Morocco last year.

 

[Norrie]

Hope ye get sorted Grez, and enjoying your RR

 

[grez]

More bad news

Things have got worse. Mechanic told me that the bearing and seals were in Athens and should be here today. Apparently Athens does not have them and he might know some time late this afternoon. In which case they will be here tomorrow with luck......or not. Hotel is fully booked tonight so searching for new place to stay.

Anybody got any good ideas?

At this point I am looking to see if I can locate the parts and get them here by courier and then get to Corfu, Italy and home.

 

[paintman]

Oh Grez we passed through Sarunde early today after spending a worrying night at Butrint ruins car park listening to heavy gunfire in the hills the security guy told us 'no problem' but we were shitting ourselves !!!

We thought it was a safe place to park but the ferry runs night and day if you sound your car hooter enough times, not had Internet access for two days so was unaware of your problems, we are now in northern Albania but hope you get fixed up soon.
John.