Louella’s Journal

 

Newsletter 2


We had a nice break in Kukes, which is not an exciting place, but we were very comfortable in the Hotel Amerika.  It is an old hotel with a huge new extension being built on the back of it and for some reason, as honoured and very unusual foreigners, we were to sample the new rooms on the 4th floor of the new extension. The lift shaft was a gaping hole on each floor as we staggered up the 70 steps to our rooms; the floors below and above as yet unfinished.  But our two rooms were unlike anything ever experienced.  Someone must have persuaded the three brothers who own the Hotel Amerika to invest in sensor lighting and water.  Lights flicked on and off, the water sometimes flowed if you waved at the sensor, but was on a three second timer so even cleaning your teeth was difficult.  The bathroom light was on a 30 second timer so you sat on the loo waving your arms to try and get the light on again, and the bidet shot water across the bathroom if you went anywhere near it! We had a hilarious time; but Mickey was happy with the internet café, and Robin and I found the market and bought various provisions, including a rubber rain coat and over trousers for me.


Our second pair of horses arrived about 10 miles outside Kukes at a small village called Kolsh.  Here the head man, Hasan, very kindly looked after them for 2 days along with our new driver, Durim (who looks like George Clooney!) and our camp master and cook Ylli (Ully).

We left on the horses on Sat. 8th and are delighted they are both grey, have lovely natures and are about 15.2hh. so much bigger than our first horses.


We have had 6 days now and each day has brought it’s joys and it’s disasters.  The horses are not very fit and are very tired and unwilling.  We spend most of each day leading them as we have to climb huge mountains to cross over the passes and down into the next steep valley. It is totally not possible to ride. The paths and roads are very stoney which is horrible terrain for horses and us, and the Toyota has to go hours and hours on unimaginable roads which are really just for logging trucks and rutted and rough and practically impassable.


Durim is a brilliant driver but it is taking its toll on the vehicle and the anxious passengers. The joys are in the incredible scenery; quite glorious valleys and farmland, huge mountains and deep gorges.  The people come in 2 categories (as in any nation in the world), those who look the other way and don’t wish to acknowledge us at all (mostly in mini-buses hair-pinning their way along the perilous tracks), or the wonderful friendliness of the rural communities who want to fill you with warm bread, salty white cheese, buttermilk and raki. 


Annoyingly the hot September we had been promised has not materialized and the heavy rain and low temperatures make each days riding a challenge in themselves - added to which the problem of getting from A to B, and then locating our vehicle before dark. Each day so far has had major dramas, but we are determined to succeed in our ride and make a great film to show how lovely Albania is. 


Two nights ago we reached the village of Kraste high up in the mountains and a day of hard slog from the town of Bilqize.  Kraste had been a thriving community of over a thousand families when the chrome mine was operating, but ten years ago the German Company who were financing it pulled out and the mine closed down. People left to go and seek jobs in Tirana, or to go abroad, and now Kraste is as sad and dysfunctional as anywhere I have ever been. About 150 families remain; the buildings are all in a state of dangerous decay; there are no jobs, nothing for the children to do and the buildings are surrounded by rubbish and covered in graffiti.  We bumped into an English speaking man who immediately offered us his flat for the night, despite his leaving immediately for Tirana. The kindness and generosity of Albanians is wonderful, and we jumped at the chance of a bed and some water to wash in. We could not meet up with our vehicle and crew as there is no road in this area, and the villages are linked only by small mountain tracks. 


Yesterday we walked on over the mountains to Bize. We were lucky in that we met up with a family riding their mules up into the high passes to collect wood, so our reliance on Robin’s map reading and compass bearing, was not essential. It is incredibly difficult to find our way as the slopes are covered in small tracks made by the flocks of sheep and goats and it is very easy to lose our way.  We are frequently lost and with the horses being so tired it is dreadful when we have to back track and try and find the path again.  The countryside is utterly beautiful and made more so because it is the first time we have been in an area which has not had forest fires. It is lush and green and healthy, with no scarring, no blackened trees, no dead ground. At Bize we could go no further as my horse, Chris, has developed a saddle sore on her back which is obviously contributing to her desire to go no further.  Robin’s horse, Semi, is also looking likely to develop a sore, and although we love them and they seem to like us and want to please, we think it  only kind to stop. 


Thanks to friends in Elbasan, who made miracles happen overnight, a small lorry drove up to Bize and took the horses the three hour drive (which would have been another eight hour walk for us) to Elbasan. I doubt the horses would have made it.  They are now enjoying a two day rest, and we are considering changing to two new horses to carry on our ride.


Keep watching the website and do ‘email the team’, if you feel so moved to do so. 


Faleminderit! (Thank you!)


Louella Hanbury-Tenison


Picture by Mickey Grant www.creativehat.com

 

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