Hey there, fellow 2wheelers! Rui here, ready to spin a tale that’ll take you from the allure of turquoise dreams to the curious world of ferry adventures. The Balkans are calling, and while the vibrant waters of Albania beckon, there’s a fair share of ferry rides and strategic miles to conquer before we dive headfirst into that warm embrace. So buckle up for our Balkan bound adventure, grab your helmets, and let’s explore the art of motorcycle touring strategy – a journey where paper plans meet road reality, and where decisions turn into lessons, some good, some bad, and a few downright ugly!
Ferries and the Art of Motorcycle Touring Strategy
Ah, the allure of teleportation, wouldn’t that be a dream? It would have placed us right where we wanted to live our motorcycle travel adventure. But since teleporting isn’t on the menu, and we do love riding, we had to strike a balance between riding all the way to Albania, and getting us and our motorcycles there. From a practical point of view, shipping the bikes and getting a couple of plane tickets was just too expensive. On the other hand, riding all the way would mean at least 3800km’s outbound. We just didn’t have that time frame. So, we’ve decided to get crafty with our motorcycle touring strategy. Picture this: we’re at the cusp of our grand adventure, eyeing the ultimate playground that awaits. The options? – A couple of ferry rides to bridge the gap between road and sea, offering a unique twist to our journey. But how do we tackle this puzzle? Let’s delve into the intricacies of our motorcycle touring strategy.
A Ferry Fit for Adventure
Our first strategic move? A 24-hour ferry ride from the lively streets of Barcelona to the picturesque port of Civitavecchia. Imagine a colossal vessel, a floating city amid the expanse of the Mediterranean Sea. It seemed like a masterstroke – a chance to rest, recharge, and perhaps even conjure up some ingenious ideas while gliding along the waves. Yet, as with all great plans, a catch awaited us. No cabins available meant 24 hours in regular seats, a challenge that left us yearning for the comfort of our motorcycle saddles. Also, no place to store all our luggage so we needed to have some faith in the idea that no one would mess with all our belongings while we slept. Thank God we borrowed some faith from Pope Francis before leaving Portugal. Lessons learned? Next time, secure a cabin to avoid wistful daydreams of motorcycle seats, to guarantee the simple luxury of showers and charging outlets, and escape wandering around the decks having motorcycle-related hallucinations like the ones you can see in the pictures.
Mosquitoes, Midnight Choices, and Road Revelations
As the ferry adventure concluded, it was time to embrace the ride from Civitavecchia to Bari, or better put, somewhere in between. Nightfall enveloped us as we embarked on a 300-kilometer journey, seeking a place to rest our weary bodies. While the exact location eludes my memory, what I do recall is a bird’s-eye view of our trusty motorcycles, nestled on a street in the dead of night. On a side note, it came to my mind that the roads that we had ridden through deserved a daytime view. Unfortunately, this was not possible. And as dawn broke, so did the battle against persistent mosquitoes, a tribute to a fellow 2wheeler previous encounter with the winged adversaries. If you’ve read the chronicles of the last tour that Mario did around Wales, England, Scotland, the Isle of Man, and Ireland, (yes… all of that alone) you’ll think the same as I thought – He sent the little suckers out to get me!
Sailing into Solution 2
With the morning sun came a new goal – ferry number two, sailing from Bari to Durres, Albania. We had to be there by 11am. As we navigated high-cost pit stops and tackled the reality of Italian fuel prices, the path to the second ferry unfolded. The Bari port was a bureaucratic mess but we dealt with it and boarded the ferry. With the boarding came a new dose of the discomfort of having to stand by our motorcycles to ensure that the luggage remained safe while an orchestra of crying children played the chorus of Wagner’s Valkyries ( pretty sure that was the tune although some of the might be of note). We braved the ship’s prices, just like we did on ferry number one, relying on resilience and our stash of provisions. Oh lessons…
Apart from that, the ferry ride to Albania marked the true commencement of our Balkan adventure, where familiar territories, as I mentioned in our previous encounters, promised new discoveries and revelations.
Twilight Triumphs in Albania: Unveiling a New Chapter
Ah, the sweet taste of success as we finally set foot in Albania by nightfall. It’s been a whirlwind of motorcycle riding stages and our not-so-conventional ferry “shortcuts,” and would you believe it? All it took was a mere 3 and a half days. Not too shabby for a shortcut, huh? Forget GPS – this leg of the journey called for a dose of night navigation, adding a dash of mystery to our adventure.
After all the twists, turns, and unexpected encounters, it was time to pull over and indulge in a well-deserved rest. Our trusty motorcycles had carried us through, and now it was our turn to recharge – both ourselves and our batteries. With the night sky overhead, we found solace in a cozy haven, a great hotel that welcomed weary travelers like us. Time to forge new plans for the days ahead. From acquiring a local sim card to mastering the art of currency exchange, this was the moment to prepare for the next thrilling chapters in our motorcycle odyssey.
And there you have it, my fellow riders – a glimpse into the complexities and surprises that make up our exhilarating journey through the Balkans. From turquoise dreams to ferry odysseys, we’re braving discomfort and embracing the unexpected with open arms. Stay tuned for more tales from the road for tomorrow we ride to Ksamil and enjoy a rest day
