A fish out of water

 So eventually we were given seats and s departure time.  Our seats were the last row but I guess we can't complain or can we yes we can.. Why were we the unlucky ones to be on standby, why were we still given the last seats when actually there were spare seats further up the plane.  They actually moved people forward!!! I moved forward to a better seat and slept the whole flight so made no difference in the end anyhow..at least we're on the way home.  We arrived a round 2.30...definitely no trains, thought about getting the bus into placa Catalunya but we would have to wait for the next bus so we decided just to sleep at the airport and wait for the train.  All good.  We got the train and were treated to an amazing sunrise... What a great welcome home after an incredible trip!!  Now the fun starts with trying to claim back flight disruption, cancellation and overbookings ..oh the joy But it definitely does not take anything away from the fun I've had,...

 Just as an interest, the books recommended in the reading list... To kill a mockingbird  Rebbeca  The kite runner Life of Pi Pride and prejudice  Little women Beloved  A suitable boy 

 Didn't sleep great but did have the best views from my bed.  Up early and out to go and enjoy my last swim.  As I was changing there was a group of women also changing.  It's the same group I have seen all week . I heard one say 'where you from?' and then quickly followed by a morning from another 😄 we had a broken English conversation, the three of them swim every day at 6am even in the winter... They told me I was a very good swimmer 😁.  With my pride in check off I went, avoiding buoys, people and sunken pirates.  It was a beautiful swim 🥰 Kerry came down and we enjoy the last hour of sun , before going back to the hostel, showering, breakfasting packing the last bits before heading to the ferry.  Luckily the ferry port was very close !  We managed to get on an early ferry and off we went in the direction of Corfu.  We didn't manage a boat trip in the week so this was the next best thing.  Lovely views of the coastline of Corfu an...

 After a great night's sleep definitely needed to catch up we decided to go to ksmail, Albania's french riviera! Firstly we had to have our lovely apartment and swap it for the last night to a dorm room.  We could check in early.  Left our stuff and headed for the bus.  Literally within two mins there was a bus but also lots of people.  It's a very popular day trip.  If you look at pictures it looks amazing, white sands, turquoise waters.. paradise!    The bus made another stop and more people crammed themselves on.  We were lucky and managed to get a seat.  Halfway through the journey you could hear some excitement, it was the ticket man, basically pushing his way through the but demanding people's money.  You definitely have to be a certain character to do that job.   We didn't really know where to get off so we generally followed the people.  We knew that the concept of Ksmail is beach clubs but we were under the i...

 So the man from the hostel who said he would send my purse tomorrow, kept saying he would send my purse tomorrow until it finally got to Monday and he says he can't send it ...%®'™¥¢€!!! What to do ?? I went and spoke to the family, who were very helpful, trying to organise a guy they knew who goes to the city to contact a guy he knew who collect the purse from shkoder all without me actually having to do anything.. brilliant..no failed the man they knew wasn't going ..ah booo  So the decision was made to take the night bus from Sarande to Tirana wait in the 'bus station' until the first bus to shkoder.  I checked all times I would arrive at 0230 and there was a bus at 5 ..not too bad considering the bus station doesn't really exist , it's a car park with a bench or 2. Ticket bought,  message sent to make sure I could actually access my purse and retrieve it and could this be confirmed before 21.30 as I wouldn't have WiFi.  Caught the bus at 22h luckily...

 I'm a bit behind, the joys of relaxing!! After another day in the beach we thought it would be a good idea to do an excursion a) to get out of the sun and b) to stop being so lazy.  So Gjirokastër was on the cards.   Gjirokastër is known as the stone city, and from the pics it looks lovely.  Originally we were going to stay there for two nights before we decided to make sarandë our base.  So we researched the bus times, got ourselves ready and headed for the bus.  We asked around, it's very difficult to understand transport here because there are public buses and there are public buses run by agencies.  So my information told me we could catch a public bus.   But of course this information was wrong, it was a public bus run by an agency and wasn't for another hour.  But I didn't believe the agency guy I just thought he wanted our money, so we waited and waited for a bus that never came and then were worried that we wouldn't then ge...

As I was swimming this morning I do believe I needed to expand on the buoy incident!! The buoys here aren't like our big yellow minions we have at home they are alot smaller and alot harder.  I guess they are a bit bigger than a small coke bottle.  Also when I happen to come into contact with said buoy I was swimming into the sun and couldn't see Jack shit!  This morning's swim was different, there were clouds, a lot of grass and also a cruise ship but still got in the hour,!☺️

 We've been here now a couple of days and already into a bit of a routine.  I wake up and go and swim a good hour.  I can swim round the bay in the swimming area and then I finish of in the pool.  It's an outside pool in the sea it's great.  Walk back have some breakfast, eggs, feta ( so cheap) cucumber, pepper , olives (incredibly cheap and super good) and bread.  Delicious and we have a little balcony to enjoy it on.   The first morning the family brought round some donut type things freshly cooked with honey 🤤🤤🤤🤤 we had had a problem with the Aircon and there was no WiFi.. compensation who knows but it was good.  Breakfast done we headed to the beach.  Now when I swim normally around 6.45/ 7 I'm not alone ..it's busy!! I would say with locals of the retired age.  When we go down to the beach around 10/11 it's completely different, fully of families 😊  The closest beach to us is the port beach which people say isn't very...

Another early start, packed the night before so just needed showers and breakfast.  Breakfast was incredibly sad..there was a packet of what looked like half chewed ham, a spoonful of cereal and a bottle of pepsi!!! And the showers..well there are three, one didn't work, one is only boiling water and the last the hose was broken so water went everywhere apart from out of the shower head.  So I did a bit of hose swapping so at least the was one functioning shower.  Also took the opportunity to borrow some washing powder.  It's a really shame this hostel has got so much potential but there is just no love there!! In the rush of just wanting to leave I blooming well left my purse behind( the one with my Spanish id and bank cards) so it was the to be nice to the hostel guy after I had sent him a picture of the very sad breakfast.  Any way we left in a hurry to catch the 9am bus to Tirana.  We needed to get money out because we had given our last pennies to the ...

 Early start, quick make of sandwiches from breakfast things and along with another couple from the hostel we boarded our minibus for the mountains.  Today's adventure was to Theth, the gateway to the Albanian Alps. Originally we didn't think that a day trip was possible, but the man in the hostel said it was so we booked.  After picking up a few more people we headed up the mountain.  What a spectacular drive.  We got to 30 mins before our destination and we stopped at a restaurant.  It's very common as a side business for the drivers to make deliveries on route.  So a few essentials were also dropped off.  Eventually we got down into the town.  There are many hikes to do.  Most people come here, stay overnight then catch a taxi to valbone and hike back..it's a good 8hr trek , if we had both been in better condition this would have been the plan but instead we settled on a trip to the blue eye.   You could walk 2 and a half ho...

 So the plan was to use the bikes from the hostel to cycle to the lake.  After an ok breakfast which included cereal which I've not had in ages, we went out to inspect the bikes.  On closer look we chose to rent from a place we had seen near the bus station.  Quick pop to the supermarket and we managed to get two decent bikes for 5€ each for the whole day.  Everyone uses bikes here it's great, there are bike lanes everywhere! And noone has fancy bikes they are all old and rusty but perfectly functional ☺️ I was super happy love riding bikes and for Kerry it was easier to move so all good.  Downloaded Google map in hand off we went.  When we got out of the city we basically just followed the road around the lake. It was beautiful and hardly any cars..super contenta .  I just wanted to keep on cycling.   After a good hour we found a beach so headed down.  It's all pebbles so a little uncomfortable to lie on, you definitely had to do s...

 Up early, with a quick trip to the bakery that robs money from tourists to buy bread.  Check on the fire, nothing you wouldn't even have known it was on fire for pretty much the whole day!!  Sandwiches made and off we trot to the bus.  You never know how long the journeys are going to be, especially with bother crossings involved.  The bus arrived and on we got after the driver telling us something that we didn't understand.  This time we sneaked our bags on..if they are good enough for Ryan air hand luggage they are good enough for bus hand luggage.   Sat quite smuggly we are then told we are on the wrong bus 🤣🤣 that will learn us.  So a quick change and we were on our way.  A very prompt start.  We head been told that the buses weren't that reliable but so far so good.  We first stopped at budva and then Podgorica.  The views were incredible, rolling hills, lakes and we managed to sit on the right side of the bus!!!...

 I woke up early had headed for a swim, sky looked kinda grey but it was obvs still warm.  The swimming area is marked out by bouys and quite limited but on one end it just stops so I thought about swimming a bit further out, and then along came a speed boat to put me in my place !  So I continued to swim around and around, checking the sky as it was getting darker.  Then came the first roll of thunder and a little bit of lightning! I kept swimming, more thunder, darker clouds, more thunder and then more lightning.  And as much as I love swimming in a storm lightning is the sign to leave.  As I got it the rain started but also I noticed that the top of the hill/mountain behind the hostel was literally on fire !! There had been a warning about forest fires in the area but this was full on on fire!! I got back to the apartment just in time before the heavens really opened.  Al though I was wet already.  For the morning we decided to go in and explor...

 All packed and armed with free sweets we had for the bus.  The journey time for the trip was supposed to be 1hr 50! First scam we had to pay to put our hand luggage in the hold.  It's too big it weighs 10 kg blah blah blah ...bar steward took our money. After reluctantly paying we took our seats..as we found out on the wrong side of the bus.  The views were amazing but from the other side.  It was very busy traffic wise.  We arrived at the first border to leave Croatia , everyone off the bus .  Two by two up to get your passport stamped. Back on the bus then another queue of traffic to get into Montenegro.  Our driver was obviously a little bit impatient as he decided to over take the line of traffic into oncoming traffic 🥴🥴I guess he skipped a few cars. Everyone off the bus, passport stamped.  What I don't understand is why the passport men stamp the same page as other countries, I have a whole passport that needs to be used!!! Anyhow sta...

 After a smooth flight we caught the bus into Dubrovnik, first stop old town.  Which was cool to see it again from the bus, we drove right down by the old walls, another mini sightseeing tour.  Ours was the last stop at the bus station.  Fortunately our hostel is a five minute walk away.  We are also close to the port, where there was a great big cruise ship in.  We checked in, the guy on the desk was most helpful.  I do like it when they are.  Some literally check you in and tell you where your room is, this guy another level.  He told us of sights to see, places to see sunset, tips for going into the city and there were free sweets in reception.  He also gave us a tour of the hostel.  Now this is the most expensive hostel we are staying in at nearly 50€ a night! So we have high expectations!! The hostel has a little garden, with some tortoise, a BBQ, chairs and tables.  It has two kitchens, the main one with a common area and...

 After a night of ok sleep, we were up and out early.  Didn't un pack anything apart from essentials as trying to get everything into my rucksack is a mission especially even you fly budget airlines and I had to add my swimming treasures in.  It's fair to say I only kept one mask which is attached to the outside of my rucksack. So It looks like It has eyes 🤣 Anyway so we must the hostel by 8, map in hand we headed for the sights.  We were lucky enough to have the market next to the hostel so that was it first stop.  We picked up and super cheap fruit and some amazing and cheap olives.  Then we had a wander through the meat and fish market.  The meat market always fascinates me, although I'm not eating meat to see the fact that you can buy pretty much any part of the animal is amazing, nothing goes to waste.  There was one butcher who was dissecting the head of I guess a cow or an ox.  The tongue was already out, and he was taking off what ev...