1 September 2025 (sunny and hot 26C) 34km
5.10am wake up after a pretty average sleep.
This morning we were riding the "Death Road" on our way to Shkoder, in Albania.
This route along the Montenegran coast, you ride with your heart in your mouth.
Any enjoyment you may get from the views, is ripped away, as you tighten your grip on the handlebars and hope that everyone on the road had a good night's sleep.
As cars scream past and you feel the wind due to close proximity and trucks sound their horns to warn you of their approach, but you have nowhere to move to.
In tunnels where the echo of every car, truck and bus, is accentuated and you feel your balance thrown out as cars, knowing you can't go any faster, close in on your rear tyres, totally disinterested in having you on the same road.
The sheer relief of exiting those tunnels, still in one piece, you take one deep breath which you seem to live on for the next 10kms.
The traffic is endless and you wonder how so many people, can have so many places to go to.
We stopped at a Voli supermarket in the town of Bar and quickly found a park bench in the shade to eat our breakfast. We noticed a lot of school kids mooching around as all the schools are heading back this week.
Back on the road and back into the traffic.
After 34kms we reached a small holiday spot called Zucotrilica and decided to deviate off the main road and go for a swim, as by now it was hot.
At the bottom, just across the road from the beach was Oliva camp, open year round with stunning views and a village atmosphere.
It was only about 11am, but we'd had enough. Enough of the speed, the terrible driving, the inconsideration for other humans.
The owner showed us a pitch, for Euro 25 which was nice, but the occupants hadn't left yet. Told him we'd go for a swim and left the bikes parked up by his reception.
Found a nice spot on some terracing, in the shade. Beach was quite busy but the terraces were pretty empty. So in between swims we had a workout.
Enjoyed forty five minutes there, before strolling back to camp for a shower and some lunch.
Spent a couple of hours sitting or lying on the groundsheet in the shade, before putting up the inner.
Researched some routes, blogged and chatted.
Went for a walk up to the minimarket, but it was slim pickings, so we think we'll eat out tonight.
This campground backs onto another, with only a tall hedge in between.
Guess what's on the other side of the hedge children? That's right....a screaming frigging baby.
And we know what that means tonight...don't we? Is this God's revenge?
Ju here. We only had two cans of tuna and a tomato for dinner so we thought we'd investigate the local restaurants. Asked at one if they had gluten free pizzas bases.
The guy said ...yes!
I was salivating at the thought of my first pizza in about two months when we last found gluten free bases. But while we waited, and waited for him or anyone to come to our table and take our order, I thought, Did he really know what I was asking? And if he did, would he care if it gave me stomach cramps for the next 24 hours?
I decided the answer to both these questions was a resounding No. So we summoned the waitress over who had been standing there doing nothing while we closed our menus and looked directly at her, for about five minutes.
I thought I'd do a double check as I was really looking forward to a pizza. “Do you have gluten free pizza bases?” I asked.
“No,” she said.
Ok, Caesar salad without croutons for me then. Both meals were really delicious though and big too.
We walked the thirty metres back to camp to have a call with Toffa. Chatted to him until 9.40pm which is a much better time to head to bed.
The camp had filled up remarkably while we were at dinner. The small lawn at the front had two tents before dinner and there were seven when we came back, all at very close quarters. We were glad to be at the back amongst the camper vans and in the shade, especially now that baby had finally shut up.
Comments
Post a Comment