We caught the 9am ferry from Corfu Port and we understood why they didn't run all day, there was only us and two other tourists on the boat, plus about half a dozen Albanians.
At the port in Saranade we caught a taxi to the bus station where we purchased tickets to the Albanian capital of Tirana on the 10.30am furgon (mini bus). That gave us just enough time to go to the bank and get some of the local currency (lek), a sim card and a packet of chips for the five and a half hour trip.
We arrived into Tirana and checked into our room. We had decided to join the 6pm walking tour and though it had been raining it didn't look too bad so we went to the square to meet the group. Incredibly M met someone in the group who he used to work with, an amazing coincidence as Albania isn't on the tourist trail and there were only a dozen of us on the tour.
The tour was really interesting with the guide telling stories of living under communism until 1991, we were taken to see underground bunkers, and heard about the government propaganda that told the locals that the US wanted to invade because Albania was the best country on earth. That has changed of course, now they even have a street named after George Bush.
We also went to a Catholic church which had a statue of Mother Teresa out the front, Mother Teresa was born in Macedonia to Albanian parents so both countries like to claim her as their own.
Our guide also told us about the new Prime Minister who turns up to international meetings in a black suit and white runners, apparently he is an eccentric artist and is working hard to fight corruption and improve the country.
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