In Albania!

Day 40:

It's f**** cold!....and an icy wind maked hiking really unpleasant! In Arnissa we hope to find shoe glue or new shoes for Marita because her boots start to fall apart. But everything is closed and the only open supermarket closes right after our visit... We find a nice grassy area near the lake where we can camp and make a fire - if it just wouldn't be so cold!!!

Day 41:
In the morning our tent is frozen solid and we have to defrost it over the fire to be able to pack it... and we are headed to higher elevations still. From Kelli, which is at about 1000m it finally goes downhill again! The cold doesn't decrease though... We camp near Vevi at about 700m

Day 42:
SOOOOO COLD it has never been before on the whole hike -in the morning the tent was frozen still, the sleeping bag covered with a layer of ice and even the water in our pot that water was almost frozen solid. While we are packing the greek border patrol pays us a visit. After making sure we are not illegal immigrants from Albania they even speak english and wish us all the best and just say: "You are CRAZY to camp in this weather!"
We decide that they are right and hitch a ride to Florina which is 20km away to find a hotel and make plans on how to cross the mountains. Between us and Albania there is a pass with 1550m...
We hitch a ride with Toni and Natasha who offer us to celebrate the New Year with them in their village what we of course embrace! After buying new shoes for Marita in Florina (we even find a pair with goretex and vibram sole!) we go to Fanos with Toni and Natasha. We celebrate the old year with a hot shower, freshly washed laundry, coffee and good food. At 10.30pm we are sound asleep - we completely overslept the new year....

Day 43:
After a hearty breakfast we head (with the car) up a mountain where we have a nice little walk and a coffee. It's amazing how fast a car is in comparison with walking....
In the afternoon we make a big birthday BBQ for Kevin in the garden - yummy meat and greek rezina!!!
In the evening Toni and Natasha decide spontaneously to visit her family in Albania an doffer us to take us over the border (and the high pass) We agree, not without the promise to ourselves to come back and make those missing 80km from Florina to the border on foot one day.

Day 44:
We get up early and pack our stuff. A few hours later we are in Albania. Our friends help us to find a hotel, invite us for lunch and then give us a hearty goodbye with tears in the eyes of Natasha that just doesn't want to let her new "daughter" go!
Thank you for everything Toni and Natasha!!!!

Day 45:
Albania is really a completely different world! Balkan pure!
We walk the 27km from Bilisht to Korce almost without a break, because it is just too cold! In Korce we take a hotel - without heating but cheap and still warmer than outside!
We enjoy a cozy evening, wrapped in sleeping bags with typical albanian food (bread, cheese, sausages and beer) and watched Austrian!?! TV - a crazy feeling, indeed!

Day 46:
We actually wanted to continue our hike to get to lower regions, but with a cold camping night at 800m in sight we decide to make a day of break in the hotel - watching TV, going for a walk, surf in the internet and enjoy civlilisation....The next days we will be far away from all that....