Fondue by the Sea

Day 19: Peshkopie (AL) – Shengjin (AL)

We wake up well-rested by the idyllic lake. Nature is at its most beautiful, with mist over the water and sun above the mountains. We enjoy a leisurely breakfast in this magnificent natural setting and get ready for the drive to the coast at Shengjin.

The last few days have been quite tough on our rally cars on the Albanian roads. Above all, we want to take a closer look at the underside of ALEXA.

We find a small workshop belonging to a farming family just a few kilometres away. After a few hand signals it’s clear we’re welcome to give our cars a quick check. While ALEXA’s underside is being repaired, more and more people gather around us. We can’t communicate verbally, but somehow it works out anyway. At just 09:00 in the morning the grandfather invites us to a glass of home-distilled raki — this time a blend of grapes and juniper. The damage to our vehicles turns out to be minor: a few scratches to the underside and a broken shock absorber. We thank them for the inspection and repair with a new set of keys. The delight is huge, and it’s immediately mounted on the garage wall.

The drive towards the coast takes us over four mountain passes through Bulqize to Burrel and then on to Milot. The road is relatively excellent and winds along enormous rock faces. We are impressed by the far-reaching views and the landscape.

Arriving at the “Duna” campsite, we find the gates locked. The campsite is apparently being renovated and not yet open. While we search for alternatives on Google Maps, Lukas talks to a worker on the site. A short while later comes the good news: the owner is happy to let us spend the night on his campsite — for free, no less. He is still in the middle of renovations and won’t officially open for another few weeks.

After a swim in the sea and a cold shower, we set up our sleeping quarters for the night. Going to bed hungry is out of the question, of course. So for tonight’s dinner we’ve thought of something special. We enjoy the well-travelled and “homemade” Gerber fondue in a scouts’ pot. All to ourselves on an unfinished campsite right by the sea, we devour the fondue as dusk falls and drift off to sleep, fully satisfied.

Brief summary:

We gave our cars a quick check. Apart from a few scratches and a broken shock absorber, they’re in great shape. We enjoy a wonderful mountain-pass drive west to the sea. As the only guests on the not-yet-open campsite, we set up camp and cook our Gerber fondue.

Your Judo goes Orient – Team