Well, today I was chauffeur-driven in my very own mini bus — solo passenger, first-class view! My driver looked about eighty but handled the wheel like a pro. Every so often, he’d pop the bus into neutral and coast gracefully down the hills. I’ll admit, the first couple of times I double-checked to make sure he hadn’t nodded off mid-roll!
The good news — my bike is fixed! Got it sorted right here in Shkodër. Turned out to be just a puncture, but the lovely mechanic also checked the brakes, gears, and even adjusted the seat for me. He wouldn’t take a cent for his trouble — such kindness.
Apparently, the tubes in my tyres aren’t the type that can handle puncture gel, so I’m crossing my fingers for smooth riding ahead. Tomorrow’s route of 50km takes me through lots of little towns, and honestly, I’ve never seen so many bicycles in one place — Shkodër might just be the bicycle capital of Albania!
Oh, and the border crossing? A breeze. Ten minutes flat — the driver handled everything while I sat back. No one even needed to see me or check the bus. Easiest border hop ever!
