Tirana (Albania) | Back To Albania - Day 169

On my way to the bus station, I passed a sculpture of Bill Clinton and a memorial in honor of the United States' support of Kosovo's independence. This street in Prishtinë was renamed Bill Clinton Boulevard, and the statue was unveiled in 2009. The former president was present and spoke at the unveiling. This is another example of the great diplomacy created by the Clinton Administration during the late 1990s.

It is gorgeous today! The sky is clear and warmer than the last few days. I have the blessed opportunity to spend this beautiful day on the bus. Ha! I have a 5-hour bus ride back to Tirana, Albania, today. Kosovo differs from Albania. It is relatively flat, with mountains surrounding the edges of the country. The recent storms have covered the peaks in snow. It reminds me of the Southern Rocky Mountains in Colorado and Wyoming.

I started exploring opportunities to extend my trip into December after arriving in Croatia about 6 weeks ago. There was one primary reason that influenced my decision to return home. Prices of airline tickets have increased substantially. In fact, they doubled and sometimes tripled in price since I had last looked while in Spain. So this made it cost-prohibitive to move my ticket back to the United States from my Nov 30 return date. So rather than burn my return ticket home, I saw this as an opportunity to return home and reorganize before continuing. Also, relocating from Europe is more expensive than if I were to return home and relaunch.

So, although I am not excited about returning to the winter of the Rocky Mountains, it will be great to see loved ones for the Holidays! I still plan to spend the spring traveling and have some ideas about locations germinating in the back of my head. In addition, my heart keeps reminding me of several things we agreed to do, 1) it wants to experience other cultures, 2) it wants to volunteer, and 3) it wants to spend time in a meditative retreat. Accordingly, it will be easier to relaunch with the right gear and a bit of a plan after the new year than to continue on as is.

The countryside south of Prizren in Kosovo is lovely. I am fortunate today. The conditions for taking photos out of a bus window are about as good as it gets.

Since I decided to utilize my ticket home from Ireland, I booked the cheapest plane ticket back to Dublin a little over a month ago. Surprisingly, it was from Tirana with British Airways. So, when I left for Kosovo, I cut my time in Tirana short, knowing I would return before flying to Dublin.

It becomes apparent when we cross into Albania I am surrounded by mountains. The snow-covered peaks are not so far away now. Traveling back to Albania reminds me how beautiful this country is. It is even more apparent now since I left the country. The Albanian mountains are incredible, and I spend the rest of the trip simply enjoying the scenery.

After sitting for 5 hours, I need to stretch my legs and exercise, so I walk 3.5 km (2.2 mi) to the hostel. As I pass through Skanderbeg Square, I notice crews assembling a massive stage for what appears to be a concert venue. Across from the stage is a giant TV where people can watch the World Cup matches. Soccer, Football to the rest of the World, is a much bigger deal in Europe than in North America.

Once settled, I head out for dinner at a nearby restaurant. Not only is this plate beautiful, but it also tastes fantastic too! The homemade ravioli stuffed with confit tomatoes in a white cream sauce is awesome! It pairs perfectly with a glass of Pinot Grigio.