After a beachy freecamp in Durrës, I picked up this hitchhiker from Austria. By ‘picking up’ a hitchhiker I mean that I talked to another backpacker and he joins my plan to also hitchhike. He told me he was not traveling by hitchhiking in Albania because of the scary stories going around. But he generally had hitchhiking experiences. Good. Even better was that he didn’t have a fixed plan. So he joined me hitching back to Tirana (pictured, holding my beautiful hitchhiking sign at a road in the city that was under construction) from Durrës and then onward to Elbasan.Continue reading
Europe
Here you’ll find lots of articles about my hitchhiking and kayaking travels in Europe. As you may know, Europe is my ‘homing’ continent where I’ll – like a stinky pigeon – always return to even if I’m trying to stay away from it. And to be honest, it’s not bad; there’s always more to explore.
I undertook many of my trips around Europe while at university in Maastricht (the Netherlands) and Aarhus (Denmark). That’s why I dropped out. I honed my hitchhiking skills here and set the most personal records and firsts such as:
- First solo hitch: from Kirkenes Airport in Norway to Kirkenes town with a military guy with his son
- Longest distance hitched in 24 hours: ~1200 kilometers from Maastricht (the Netherlands) to somewhere east of Lubljana (Slovenia)
- Most hours in one ride: 3 days with one British driver with a rental car in southern Spain and Portugal (his contract said he couldn’t take the car across the border)
- First plane hitch: over Malta (A to A)
- Longest sailing yacht hitch: from Corfu (Greece) to Malta, which was 340 nautical miles over 2.5 days. Here’s my CrewBay profile
Besides hitchhiking, I also kayaked a long distance in Europe down the Danube river in an inflatable canoe named Zucchini. But before I did that trip with my partner Jonas, I returned to university to finish my degree to erase my student debt. Thesis here.
As you can see, it’s not always a fun continent for me; it’s also the locus of worry about the people and pets I’m close to, of bureaucratic fuckery, and of most of my childhood memories. For most of my life, Europe has tied me down. Now I’m trying to experience it from a place of choice and freedom.
If you are not interested in the Danube trip, you can click this link to not show the Danube posts.
Seaside Freecamping in Durrës, Albania
Good morning from Durrës, Albania! I went freecamping on the north side of town at a quiet spot on a seaside hill. First I wanted to camp at the beach, but there were already some people there. So I climbed up to this flat space and pitched my glorified mosquito-net/inner tent layer, rolled out my sleeping bag, ate dinner, and went to sleep until sunrise happened again. The ferries from Italy were slowly rolling into the bay. And during the night I saw some cruise ships passing by on the Adriatic Sea. It was some real good alone time. Alone…Continue reading
Dogs of (Spontaneous) CouchSurfing (Tiranë, Albania)
I love it when my CouchSurfing – spontaneous or official – have pets, such as dogs! Look at this adorably small dog of my host in Tiranë, Albania. It’s so small and sweet and playful. As you might know, I grew up with a dog named Ashley, who is now a bit old but still doing great. I also recently hitchhiked with the humongous dog of my drivers in Romania, which was nice because it was cold until I received dog cuddles. Though getting into a car with a dog present is always a little scary. Will the dog like me?Continue reading
Hitchhiking from Montenegro to Albania: It’s Border Time!
I’m packed and ready to hitchhike from Montenegro to Albania! That’d be country #57 if you’re wondering. The last weeks in Kruče have been absolute bliss. Packing to cross a border is, however, a little bit unchill. But I did it and I’m ready. Aleksandra has been a wonderful host and I really love her life stories and passion for music. Sometimes you meet people with an openness that just blows you away. I’m definitely going to miss this, but it’s time to move on and see what the much-hyped Albania has to offer. Some people think it’s a scaryContinue reading
Literal Book Worm (Kruče, MNE)
This little fellah – a literal book worm – was reading along with me last night. I led the bendy boy off the page and onto a wall to not squish him. I’m reading the book The Price of Salt/Carol that Aleksandra had lying around her place by torchlight. It’s basically about two women on a road trip, which makes my thumb a little itchy to hitchhike on to Albania. I’m slowly preparing to leave Aleksandra’s elaborate hospitality here in Kruče. I didn’t meet her via CouchSurfing, but this has been my longest surf so far! Apparently, I arrived here on the 16th of May.Continue reading
Kruče: Happily Stuck in Montenegro
Just another beach day in Kruče, Montenegro with books, beer, buddies, and bloody awesome sunsets. [INSERT SILLY INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE] 😉 I can’t leave this place because it doesn’t want me to leave. I can’t be arsed to move further away than the nearest supermarket to buy the necessary supplies for another day of hardcore relaxation. The night is coming and there will just be my good friend, her dog, and me with candles, blankets, and conversation. Guitars and songs. Sometimes satisfaction and happiness come really close to each other. The last rays of the day are going, but I’ll beContinue reading
Decorations, Ajvar, and Seaside Shenanigans (Kruče, MNE)
Today we made some year-round tree decorations for Aleksandra’s place in Kruče. These trees overlook the Adriatic seaside here and the decorations catch the sunlight beautifully. I’m a fan of this idea of decorating. So far, I haven’t been bored. Perhaps I should have become an interior (exterior?) decorator or something. It’s nice. As you might have noticed, what started as a few days in Kruče has become more than a week already. Aleksandra has extended her invitation here and I feel very welcome. I’m reading a book called The Price of Salt/Carol in the sunshine and am enjoying it. We often walkContinue reading
Power Outages, Thunder, and Independence Day (Kruče, MNE)
Yes, that’s a torch on my head. I’m freaking night blind! The last few days were marked with the ultimate chill, beer, new friends, and Lu Lu the dog. Also this small thing: massive primetime thunder and lightning that was our TV for two days and the subsequent power outages (hence no internet and no posts!). Though a bit annoying, this is the perfect weather for reading a book or fixing my backpack by candlelight—or torchlight. We’ve also cooked our meals – pancakes, lots and lots of pancakes – on a Real Fire™. Tomorrow is the day I’ll go to the localContinue reading
Lu Lu the Dog (Kruče, MNE)
Meet Lu Lu, the dog who seriously knows how to chill. She’s Aleksandra’s and she’s one of the sweetest dogs I’ve ever met. She’s quite big, which is why I think she deserves to occupy the outdoor’s bed. Aleksandra, her dog, and I often go swimming down at the beach. It’s not the best beach in the whole wide world, but it’s petite and secluded. I think that’s more important in a beach. And there’s always a stick to throw to play fetch with Lu Lu. I haven’t seen her on a leash yet, which is also not necessary asContinue reading