The night is relatively sleepless for me as I still don’t feel well. I’m in a half awake state and use the time making new plans for tomorrow because I don’t see myself going to a bus at 7 in the morning. Around 2, I take some drugs.
Then loud thunder. Lightning. And total darkness. It starts raining outside, electricity returns after a while. This goes on until almost 6 and when my alarm rings at 6:30 I simply dismiss it and turn around for some more relaxing. I check some hotel options from the bed for Vuno where I am now (my priority is to leave the hostel and recover in a more comfortable place) and for Vlore in case I still go there today. Around 8, I decide to get up and slowly pack my stuff. My mind is set to make it to Vlore, sleep there and go to Macedonia tomorrow. Unfortunately there is nobody to know if there are more buses and when, now that I missed the 7 o’clock one.
But the drugs work and I walk up to the bar and sit down, ready to wait for 1,2,3,4… hours. I have the same conversation about the bus times with the same lady as yesterday but she still doesn’t know anything and even when a bus labelled “Vlore” turns up after only 5 minutes, she still says she doesn’t know. I get in and with the curvy road over the mountains belly anche and exhaustion meet nausea. If the magical Go-home-button existed, this would seem like an adequate moment to push it. But it doesn’t, so I take a different drug and enter a weird state, half sleeping, half awake, half dreaming of parallel realities and the rest of the journey is almost pleasant.
I arrive to Vlore before 11. The sun is shining again and there is some very nice cool breeze from the sea after tonight’s thunderstorm. After 2 hours of waiting, I go to the place where my direct bus to Macedonia is supposed to leave. I reckon, if I made it until here it’s better to go on. Until the last second, and even though I had called the bus company and confirmed its existence, I still doubt that the bus will appear but it does. It is a minibus and already full and I ask myself where people come from and how they know. One place is still free and I settle for a long sleepy drive during which I only open my eyes twice for the breaks we take on the road.
Around 5:30 pm, we reach the Macedonian border. I had crossed borders so often these last weeks but this is my first official border crossing with the whole choreography. It goes quick and at 6 we arrive to Ohrid.
Already when I walk towards my place, I know that this was exactly the right decision. I also realize now how desperately I had been desiring to leave Albania. Ohrid is so calm and relaxed and friendly and safe and protected that it almost feels like home and I feel like I can breath for the first time since I came down from the mountains days ago. Only now I realize how stressful Albania had actually been. Also, I’ve been here before and know my way around and also the place I am staying at. Also, Covid is visible again. People wear masks in shops and everything seems so much more civilized and sympathetic than in Albania.
I walk the well-known way through the vivid old town and along the shore of the big Ohrid lake, turn left and I’m back at Nade’s and Vladimir’s mini studio appartment. Nade welcomes me warm-heartedly like last time. We catch up about the last two years and I learn how Macedonia dealt with Covid and how things have been for them during that time. If I understand right, the Macedonian state gave out vouchers for people with limited economical resources during the pandemic which then could be turned into different things like food, transport or vacations. Nade participated in the program as a host and hosted mainly Macedonian tourists with vouchers in their appartments while the borders were closed. Now both are vaccinated with the Chinese vaccine and the tourists from abroad return.
I ask for a bike rental and Nade just leaves me her personal bike for the next days. I try to refuse but her hospitality is too big.
I take the bike and ride back towards the center. It’s already dark, quite chilly and there is a strong wind that makes the lake all wavy like the sea. Ohrid is a very livable city with very calm and sympathetic vibes and nice people everywhere. The promenade is now much more lively than last time I was here in April. Food stands, corn grills, street sales and people walking everywhere. But everything seems in perfect balance. No big new hotel buildings, no loud music or blinking lights, some tourists but not too many, many locals, everyone calm and relaxed, many children, perfect for going by bike.
I go to a chicken grilling restaurant and the man working there is so nice to explain me in some German he knows (many people here work in Germany, Austria or Switzerland during the winter so it’s not too strange to find people with some German knowledge) what ingredients he uses for seasoning.
After a stop at a supermarket where I even find gluten free bread, I go back home for a very necessary dinner, shower and more sleep.
