sarande | Clune Gap Years

28-29/10/2023

We left our cheap quirky apartment with an extra bed in every room

Destination another apartment just south of Vlore. The 3 hour drive was 7 hours. I’d planned some stops, of course.

The first stop was Borsh Castle. The tarmac Road ended just beyond it. Heart sank at the steep cliff, but there was an easy zig zag paved path up. My sort of castle as there was no one else there. Only the church had been restored. Free to roam and clamber. And great views.

*We stopped for a coffee and watched fill containers with spring water. Saw it a few times on the drive.*

Stop 2 was a viewpoint of another Ali Pasha castle. And the No. 3 was the castle on an island. The engineers built the castle and causeway. Then Ali P had them murdered. We often look at places and think what a lovely motorhome overnight stop that would be … this was one.

*The causeway. The young lad fishing was from a French Motorhome… a tad jealous*

*All the rooms radiated off this circle inner chamber*

*Holes must be from manacles as all round the prison*

Stop No. 4 was another Hoxha bunker, but a big one. It was also going to be our picnic stop. J’s vertigo kicked in badly … it did look as if there was a sheer drop. So I had a quick wander to the entrance of the bunker.

And our picnic was at another viewpoint up in the clouds.

*Stop No. 5 picnic in the clouds. Temperature dropped to 16C*

No. 6 and final stop was to tread in the steps of Caesar’s 7 legions who landed easily on a large flat beach and marched over the hills to surprise Pompei just south of Vlore. At the top of Ceasar’s pass fab view as you emerged from the forest.

We received a message from our next accommodation. Don’t try to find the apartment. Meet at Dontello Hotel, my father will be in a white VW Touran … follow him. Really pleased they do it this way, as we zig zagged up some steep un made tracks and semi tarmac tracks to the apartment. We would have definitely lost confidence had we tried to do it ourselves.

On arrival, we cracked open the wine to soak up the views. The apartment is basic, but clean. To eat at night we have to bring the garden table and cracked chairs inside, but who cares at £14 per night.

24-25/10/2022

Our ferry from Corfu was not until 7.00 p.m. so we mooched around the town. Had our tyres checked but told we don’t need to replace the front ones as they are new (20 months!), but sold us snow socks €40 to keep us legal in Greece from 31st October. Had a very indifferent lunch… another rip off the tourist place. Shame. And I walked along the sea front whilst J nanny napped in the car.

At the port, we both had to walk through passport control. I then had the car documents checked. But this car belongs to James Clune. No, look, there is my name too … he laughed when I said 50/50. I had to reverse 150m towards the ferry. Water one side and a fence the other. At least I did that in a straight line! It was a tight turn to get onto the ramp. The German lady ahead of me, well, behind really, had done it before and said it was no problem for her small car. A member of staff offered to reverse my car on. Bugger that … I was going to do it myself … and I did… just had to trust the staff instructions. What was remarkable was the chap who reversed a trailer with a large speedboat. It looked like it would jacknife. Then an inch forward and an inch back. 6 staff helping: 4 on corners and 2 trying to bend the fence to prevent the bumper snagging it. Really impressive driving. But, why oh why, is that fence there? It would be so easy to reverse on … in a straight line!!!

*The tight reverse turn onto the* *ferry* *due to the stupid* *fence.*

Our apartment was only 10 mins from the port. Quirky… they’ve added extra single beds to the kitchen and bedroom so it will sleep 4. Slightly lacking in crockery, cutlery and charm… but I have those 😆.

On Wednesday we took it easy. A no drive day. We walked into Sarande, as much as we could along the beach. Beaches were disappointing as small and stoney, but still some hardy sun worshippers out in cosies.

*Coffee stop. They cranked up the music when it was a good ‘un*

We didn’t stop at either of the 2 museums, it only took 3 seconds to circumnavigate the exterior. Mixed it up with the locals at a super cheap and tasty restaurant … my moussaka was only £3.50! It was bustling with young men, coming, eating, going and coming back. Lots of conversations and fist pumps. Why? And no, I didn’t see any packages exchange hands. Then, it was busy with a huge tour group.

Fortified with a half litre of red (between us), we took a few nano seconds to marvel at the remaining sites.