In a few weeks, I will be returning to Albania for the first time since I left almost three years ago. Somehow, these past three years have seemed to have gone by very fast and slow at the same time. It seems almost like a blink of an eye since I left and somehow also seems like a lot has happened in the past three years. There have been some big changes in my life since I got home- I have gone back to school and finished a program to be a licensed teacher. In other ways, things have not changed at all- being home, I have gone back to many of the routines I had before Peace Corps. Anyway, I am excited and nervous to go back.
Unlike my parents, who didn't return to the Philippines for almost 30 years from the time they left, I am making my first return trip only a few years after leaving. I honestly didn't expect that I would be going to Albania so soon. So why now? It was actually my dad's idea. When he came to visit me at the end of my service three years ago, we had some adventures, but there were a few stones unturned. For one, my dad is a climber. He likes to climb things. When he came to visit me before, we did some hiking, but no climbing. This was my fault- he wanted to bring a rope and harness and various other things that would have made it possible for us to climb things, but the timing was not good. He came at the end of my service and I was leaving to travel around the world, so I needed him to take a suitcase (or two?) home with him when he went back. This was by far the cheapest way to get stuff home (since he was planning on coming anyway and he was flying on my mom's passes). So he didn't bring ropes or a tent or anything else we might need to have a backpacking/climbing trip. We therefore had another kind of trip, which was great. But . . . there are some beautiful rocks in Albania that are just crying out to be climbed. Some people don't understand rock climbing. What is the point of climbing that rock? Basically, it's just fun. It's a challenge. It's a puzzle. And for the last three years, my dad has been thinking about the rocks that we saw in Albania and wanting to go back and climb them. So we are.
Weds, April 24- Arrive Durres
Thurs, April 25- Tirana
Fri, April 26- furgon to Peshkopi
Sat, April 27- Peshkopi
Sat, May 4- hiking? Lura? (camp)
Sun, May 5- hiking? Lura? (camp)
Mon, May 6- to to Tirana- stop in Kruja?
Tues, May 7- Tirana to Durres- ferry
Weds, May 8- Bari to Naples
Thurs, May 9- Naples to Rome
Fri, May 10- to airport- fly home
Unlike my parents, who didn't return to the Philippines for almost 30 years from the time they left, I am making my first return trip only a few years after leaving. I honestly didn't expect that I would be going to Albania so soon. So why now? It was actually my dad's idea. When he came to visit me at the end of my service three years ago, we had some adventures, but there were a few stones unturned. For one, my dad is a climber. He likes to climb things. When he came to visit me before, we did some hiking, but no climbing. This was my fault- he wanted to bring a rope and harness and various other things that would have made it possible for us to climb things, but the timing was not good. He came at the end of my service and I was leaving to travel around the world, so I needed him to take a suitcase (or two?) home with him when he went back. This was by far the cheapest way to get stuff home (since he was planning on coming anyway and he was flying on my mom's passes). So he didn't bring ropes or a tent or anything else we might need to have a backpacking/climbing trip. We therefore had another kind of trip, which was great. But . . . there are some beautiful rocks in Albania that are just crying out to be climbed. Some people don't understand rock climbing. What is the point of climbing that rock? Basically, it's just fun. It's a challenge. It's a puzzle. And for the last three years, my dad has been thinking about the rocks that we saw in Albania and wanting to go back and climb them. So we are.
This is the (very tentative) schedule for our trip.
It is flexible based on the fact that we are flying on passes and may
not actually fly on the day we plan. It is also flexible based on the
fact that we may just decide to change plans. Anyway, it looks like a
good trip!
Sunday, April 21- Fly to Rome
Monday, April 22-Rome
Tuesday, April 23- train to Bari, ferry Monday, April 22-Rome
Weds, April 24- Arrive Durres
Thurs, April 25- Tirana
Fri, April 26- furgon to Peshkopi
Sat, April 27- Peshkopi
Sun, April 28- Peshkopi
Mon, April 29- Peshkopi
Tues, April 30- to Korab (camp)
Weds, May 1- Korab (camp)
Thurs, May 2- Korab (camp)
Fri, May 3- hiking? Lura? (camp)Tues, April 30- to Korab (camp)
Weds, May 1- Korab (camp)
Thurs, May 2- Korab (camp)
Sat, May 4- hiking? Lura? (camp)
Sun, May 5- hiking? Lura? (camp)
Mon, May 6- to to Tirana- stop in Kruja?
Tues, May 7- Tirana to Durres- ferry
Weds, May 8- Bari to Naples
Thurs, May 9- Naples to Rome
Fri, May 10- to airport- fly home
1 comment:
I'm curious about the ferry from Bari: cost, schedule, convenience, (safety). I hope you post details after the trip.
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