FOOD POISONING, PEACE ATTACK, WILD DOGS AND THE CRAZY AlBANIAN COASTLINE

Oct. 26: Food poisoning, spent the whole day in bed.  Tight and loose stomach. :) Wendi from Albania College Tirana met us at 16:30 and we   visit the “bunker museum” to get a first hand look into Albania history. Lots of war. Ended the evening trying to eat and Joe took us home to two great comfortable beds. 

Dinner at an Eastern European restaurant didn’t turn out as we had planned. During the night the rumbling began and visits to the bathroom increased every hour.  

Dinner at an Eastern European restaurant didn’t turn out as we had planned. During the night the rumbling began and visits to the bathroom increased every hour.  

Oct. 27: Spend a great day in Tirana at the Albanian College.  Addressed three classes on acts of kindness and local peace. Held a Peace Attack and together with the students handed out 200 hundred hearts. Met a great Silent Hero called Jona Hoxolli (see: https://youtu.be/zl5aVsqKU9M).

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Instead of guns and violence, these students received hearts and a great day. No sorrow, just happiness.  

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The Piece Prize’s Silent Hero in Tirana, Jona Hoxolli - here on Ted Talks- knows about the struggle of Albania and this nation’s challenge to care for each other. See: https://youtu.be/zl5aVsqKU9M

Oct. 28: Ready to kayak from Durres to Vlore. Impossible. Waves are high and breaking. No other choice than to ask for help and get from A to B. 

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30 km of coastline takes 1.5 hours by car. We drive through amazing countryside and see a bit of everything. Lovely.  

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We find a place to spend the night. Take a long walk on the beach. We come back to find most of our food had vanished thanks to a friendly pack of wild dogs. That is, bread, all meats and a nice chunk of cheese. 

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Lots of debris and objects on the Topoje beach. 

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Oct. 29: Up early and paddle. A crazy roller coaster of a trip. The coast of Albania is like Denmark. Shallow and waves. We paddle far out into the sea to get around the challenges.  

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After 20 km, we stop for a break. It was the first suitable area to stop. I don’t know what the sign says, but it was a beautiful beach. 

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We continue to paddle thinking set on reaching  Orikum. No chance. At Vlore, wepull up to a beach and talk to a restaurant owner. He lets us store the kayaks in his restaurant and also finds us a room for 7€ .

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We stayed at a lovely place. The caretaker gave us oranges and mandarins.  

Albania is building. Where ever we go, we see new buildings and nicely kept places.

Albania is building. Where ever we go, we see new buildings and nicely kept places.