{"id":9850,"date":"2022-06-17T22:52:40","date_gmt":"2022-06-17T20:52:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wobblyride.com\/?p=9850"},"modified":"2024-10-14T12:09:03","modified_gmt":"2024-10-14T10:09:03","slug":"cycling-in-albania-vjosa-pindus-korce-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wobblyride.com\/pl\/2022\/06\/17\/cycling-in-albania-vjosa-pindus-korce-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Cycling in Albania, part 2: Vjosa, the Pindus mountains and Korce"},"content":{"rendered":"

Permet and Vjosa River<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Every bit of my legs felt like a heavy rock fell on them. Even getting out of the tent was a challenge. I cursed when I realised I didn’t have anything for breakfast and the nearest shop was three kilometres away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The owner of my campsite, Dona, saved me by offering me white cheese, boiled eggs and fresh goat butter. The day was young, but the sun was already scorching, so I had to eat fast before the butter melted. Its taste was strong, unlike any butter I had eaten before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read also the first part of my stories from Albania, from Durres to Permet<\/a> and my bike touring guide to Albania<\/a><\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was supposed to be the last day with summer weather before rain and snow loomed over Nem\u00ebr\u00e7ka mountains. Originally, I planned to cycle for one more day and then take a proper break, using the cold and wet weather to catch up with work and admin. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But not only were my tired muscles not keen on cycling again. My heart, or my brain or however you call it, also wanted to stay. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are not many people with whom I can swiftly move on from a boring small talk to an inspiring, gratifying conversation. When I come across those unique beings, wired in the same way as I am, even though their life experience is a far cry from mine, I try to keep them in my life for a tiny bit longer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dona was one of them. Although she has never travelled, she was more open-minded and curious about the world than many full-time travellers I\u2019ve met. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

-I could never leave Albania, but running this campsite is like travelling. My guests tell me stories from different places, and conversations with them are like a trip around the world – Dona said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

On the opposite side of the road, freely flew the river of Vjosa. I heard about it long before I even planned to visit Albania. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I think it all started when I saw the turquoise Neretva river in Bosnia. I googled the story of all the artificial lakes on its course and fell into the Balkan rivers rabbit hole. In a documentary Undamaged<\/em><\/a> <\/em>about kayakers trying to save them from destructive dams, I first saw the wild waters of Vjosa. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n