Finally on the way to Albania.

[Cessna 180]

Decided I best make a trip report as much for myself as others..!



Today at this time, I am seated in 1A on QF37.

This time last year I was in Romania, Bulgaria and Hungary. However, I really wished to go to Albania and some more of The Balkan countries. As I soon discovered, three weeks is not enough to explore that amount of area. So not long after arriving home I had myself a classic ticket to Dubrovnik via BKK. This did not exactly suit me but it was a start.

I did not give it much thought for a few months until things were a bit quiet at work earlier in the year and started looking into things a bit further. Added to this a good friend of mine needed to go to Sicily for a few days to attend to some things. So after a few phone calls to QFF and a couple of reward changes I ended up with a completely different ticket via SIN, DBX and MLA.

This new trip involves a few “firsts”. First time in SIN. First time (well second but a long time ago) in EK and first time in FIRST! Oh, and also second time on A380. Now I am not really a “F” type of person, but as the taxes are the same and for a few more points than J it seemed worth it. Also, as an a side, the taxes are significantly less via Asia than beginning in AUS. Around $800 from MEL to MLA plus the standard points.

A night in Malta, a ~$100 RyanAir trip to Catania then a few days in Sicily followed by another RyanAIr to Sofia and I will finally be where I need to be!. Bloody puffed out already haha.

I have already realised I will not get to Bosnia and Croatia this trip so yesterday I was able to book a start to next years trip. MEL-DFW-LHR-DBV. This planning ahead business is great when it only cost 5000 points to change. My idea is to add the returns when available next month to turn it in to a classic RTW.

 

[kpc]

We just came back from a Balkan trip including Shkoder and Tirane in Albania....so will be interesting to read your TR. You must visit Sarajevo in Bosnia & Herzegovina...in fact that country is amazingly beautiful!

 

[Cessna 180]

We just came back of a Balkan trip including Albania

Oh good grief! tell us more? I have no real plans, other than a bus through Macedonia thence hiring a car in TIA and driving around.

 

[kpc]

Oh good grief! tell us more? I have no real plans, other than a bus through Macedonia thence hiring a car in TIA and driving around.

We did a small group tour, starting in Sofia, --> Belgrade-->Sarajevo-->Mostar-->Trebinje-->Dubrovnik-->Kotor-->Shkoder-->Tirana-->Ohrid-->Skopje-->Sofia.

We also did a very quick side evening trip to Pristina, Kosovo from Skopje, North Macedonia. After the tour ended, we went by ourselves to Bucharest and Chisinau.

The only Balkan country we missed is Slovenia so will try and do that next year.

Ps...double check about hiring cars in Albania as our guide said there are major issues with car insurance there and advised not to if we ever came back ourselves to Albania.

 

[RooFlyer]

I'll be doing a small group tour of Bosnia Herzegovina and Montenegro in a few weeks so that TR might give you some ideas for next year.