Balkans road trip part 1

A couple of my friends suggested we take a trip through some of the countries in Eastern Europe (the former Yugoslavia), and I thought it sounded like a great idea so we set out early one morning. If you've ever traveled around Eastern Europe you'll quickly learn the travel conveniences available in the U .S. or Europe are definitely not at the same level. So, on the eve of departure we filled up several 5 gallon cans of gas in case there were any issues or we were unable to locate an open gas station along the way. We also took along some food and of course international cell phones. If you’ve ever drive in another country you can probably appreciate that as a general rule there are issues that you as a driver need to be aware of and the Balkans are no different.

To begin with the roads are not exactly like what you may be accustomed to in the west and most would be categorized as secondary. Many are paved but they are definitely not maintained to western standards. The next issue you should be aware of are rest stops, when you travel in the west on major highways or in urban areas there are plenty of gas stations, rest stops, restaurants and places where you can take a break, use the bathroom, get gas or something to eat … well, you get the idea.

To travel in the Balkans by car you need to plan and compensate for a different type of infrastructure. You may or may not see a gas station for long periods and even if you do come upon one, it may not be open or accept credit cards, or the currency you're carrying. As any experienced traveler can tell you, be prepared for a variety of issues. These are some of the reasons we brought along gas, phones and food. So, we’re off quite early in the morning and driving south to the Albanian border. We started out in Pristina, Kosovo and the drive south was scenic and covered with rolling terrain, farmland, mountains and lush vegetation. A relatively new feature in the area of transportation is an up to date freeway from Pristina, Kosovo to Tirana, Albania, which resembles what we're accustomed to seeing in the west.

It made for a pleasant, high speed drive and we were at the border check point in short order. We handed our passports to the guards and after a quick inspection they were handed back and we were on our way. As Shkodër, Albania was the nearest major city we decided to take a quick drive through as it was on the way to our first stop which was Montenegro. Skodra or Shkodër is typical of what I saw during my travels in Kosovo and Albania. It was active with pedestrians traffic and despite the weather, people were out shopping and the cafes had people in them having coffee. I enjoyed my trips through Albania and found the people friendly, helpful and accommodating and I would definitely return if given the chance. The economics of the country however are evident everywhere and in the course of meeting the people I learned that jobs are hard to come by and good jobs even harder.

The commercial buildings had that same feel and appearance I encountered when I first traveled to Bulgaria. In Tirana there was quite a bit of color to the buildings but in Shkodër they were for the most part, gray, prefab structures (at least that's how it appeared). We wound or way through the city taking in the sights and snapping a few photos. One of the guys in our group wanted to stop by an airport as he has an interest in aircraft and we all thought it sounded fun so off we went. Back on the highway we were soon at an old airport and driving around the place in search of aircraft but none were apparent. We eventually stumbled upon a couple guards and managed to convey our desire to see some airplanes and were told they were gone or in storage and this airport was no longer in use.

So, having given it a try we drove on the runway a few times and noticed that in fact it had probably been quite some time since the thing was used as it was overgrown with vegetation. As we drove on the runway I could see the road we needed to be on and headed in that direction as I could see an access way from the airport to the road. As we approached it however, the lack of maintenance had allowed the point to deteriorate to the point that accessing it was pointless so we retraced our route back out the main gate. This experience it typical as there doesn't appear to be a meaningful amount of money invested in infrastructure due to the smaller economies and a few other things I suppose. The drive through Albania was quite nice as the country is beautiful, dotted with little villages, farms, rolling terrain and people going about their lives.

In no time we were at the border of Albania and Montenegro with passports in hand. If you've never crossed borders in Eastern Europe (not all but all I crossed) it is definitely different than crossing in the west. The border guard asked the usual questions but also asked to see our auto insurance policy (here is a recurring theme I noticed). We showed them the policy but oddly enough it was not the one they were looking for. So, we asked them what was required and were told we needed to purchase a “Montenegro Auto Insurance Policy”. Remember I told you driving in other countries had unique requirements? Well, we debate the issue a bit and it appeared there was no way to win so we asked what the cost was for this “Montenegro Auto Insurance Policy”? The guard told us it costs €10 so we purchased our new policy and after around 20 minutes we had the certificate in hand. It was in case we get in an accident in Montenegro we were told. When I returned to Kosovo I made some inquiries of the locals who had lived in the Balkans for years and they were for the most part amused. Yes, this is common in the Balkans but forget trying to use it if you’re in an accident as it is just a way for someone in the government to make money. I took it in stride and have the certificate as a souvenir, a memory of Montenegro. The guards were decent about it we were soon on our way

This is a long one so I'll break it up. Part 2 is next

Wizard of Where