Frantic journey Hitchin’ boarders again.

Today started in my ¨Camping” waking up to a hard stone bench. It was Outsides to begin with but non stop winds were driving me crazy this night. The noise, the movement and the hair tickling my face were too much and did not allow me a correct rest. I found shelter from the wind on a stone bench, in a small cabin normally serving as a fresh lunch spot during the hot days. I spent my last Albanian money on last nights dinner, the night, a comestible neck less of dried figs and a coffee, leaving me with 400 leke for the ferry.
I meet a couple of Germans slowly heading home from a nice trip in Greece on a rented scooter, They are kind enough to complete my collection of lowest banknotes with a 100 lek note :) thanks! We have coffee and we then go to find a ride up the ferry port. Located a little higher, on the top of the hydroelectric barrage it offers a view into the beginning of what is going to be a beautiful ride through a narrow canyon.
The first car ride, who already brought me up the ferry pays for my ticket and explains to the locals who are asking why he does this that i will come back with 10 or 20 people next time :) Who is up for a tour in Albania?? b my guest i guide you around. My driver is a lawer who went to Germany for 4-5 years, worked and came back with some money and opened business. A very common life path in this area. In western Albania many speak Italian because they worked there (or are still do but are home for a couple month holidays), in the south they speak Greek and here closer to Kosovo and in Kosovo, they mostly know German. He now takes me to Bajram Curri, there i get delicious very needed midday breakfast break with the money i fortunately still have (thanks to my driver who payed the ferry ride) and pays for a spicy salty “boudin”, the Shujuk, some salad and bread, some fruits, fresh water and sweets.
Back on the road as i just walked 50 meters from the last shop and have my finger up to the first 5 cars, a seat iziya with a big fat albanian flag painted on the hood breaks hard, leaving two big black break marks on the asphalts, pulls back and a smiling dude invites me in. One more mad drive, no seatbelt allowed, he is a cop, knows the rules and drives fast and furiously through the curves to the next village where he invites me for a big cold beer. He is some sort of special agent and does transfers of convicts if i got it right...
Back again, after 5 min, only one cars past and this time a huge nissan patrol loudly breaks some 30 meters after the curve, pulls back and smilingly invites me to jump in. An other German speaking dude who made some money in Germany and open a business, he has a building company, 60 trucks and other heavy machinery under his hand. He will drive me past the boarder, driving good 120 as soon as its possible. The boarder is not passed without a good long red eagle, pit bull or coffee break and offering the boss of the place a cold beer. He is all frantic and talks to all the cops around. I, who cross boarders regularly at home, am amazed by the relationship between locals and customs officers. At the Kosovan boarder, we stay an other quarter of an hour talking to the agent whom i saluted by his name in Albanian :) I don't get a stamp but a separat piece of paper so i dont have trouble getting beck into serbia... As soon as we are over the boarder, he keeps speeding but askes me to put on my seatbelt, different country different police :) After the crasiest boarder passing so far, he tells me how little they earn and that they deserve a little extra (he give i supose when he needs to take something over the boarder).
Dropped in the first bigger town where he has business to do, he wants to get me on a bus :) again they don't understand hitchhiking around here... As i walk my what out of town, a gypsy picks me up with his machine. It is not commercial serial car rather hand crafted, but still i will see 2 or 3 very similar looking engines. blue soldered metal, a smoking engine fixed on the front, no hood, no shell at all actually, small amortizes from a scooter or something similar, a 2 seater bench and in the back a big ass saw which can be connected to the engine by swapping belts. Thats is his job, he drives around to the costumer and cuts wood!
The new spot is good enough to be squatted by 2 wondering young kosovan asking what the fuck i m doing around here sticking my thumb up ... hehe
Yet an other German speaking dude picks me up for a couple kilometers. For the first time today, i actually waited, maybe short 30 min :)... The ride is unfortunately to short for him to tell me his whole life story which sounded dramatic and very interesting. Married to a German woman, he ended up in jail for 18 month, the type of none deserved and heavy impacting jail experience from what i can read in his eyes. He was betrayed and got 18 month of shit for it. God helps he tells me, now i have a good wife and just got a son 3 weeks ago! All the man wants is a simple family life. I am glad he found it and wish him more luck, kids and a happy life, sincerely.
After a bit into my apple, a Porsche cayenne drives up, the driver is the man from Koman i chated with a little while waiting for the ferry and on the ferry. An other heavy breaking, silent this on, must be the ABS :) and i m off to Pristine... He also speaks German, was actually born in Germany, as he says you got all sorts of Albanian stories in Germany! He has a successful business he wont speak much about. As a matter of fact thy don't speak much at all. The driving is little more cautious when overtaking, but this is only considering the power of his car, roaring up to 130 in a matter of a couple meters. The acceleration can really be felt. I know have a little more understanding of th people driving this fat ass car. Not that it is justified but it it fucking comfortable, fast, well acclimatized and sonorized (bose speakers). As i think this and give the driver a little credit, he justifies my original opinion about fat ass luxury 4 wheel drivers, he is a big pig throwing his garbage out the window.
He leaves me at the crossroads to the airport where i hop on a bus. Sitting just behind the driver who again asks me if i speak German... He worked 5 years to buy his bus (in France) and now drives people around Kosovo. Simple life with German investment. He is as most people well surprised by my trip and offers me the ride. His friend sitting next to him and entertaining his drive, asks if she can join me to hitchhike to France to visit her brother :) i a couple month, sure :)

Arriving in Pristine at sunset, after passing the white UN blocks, the city center reddish blocks reflect the evening light. Asking directions on the street i get into a conversation with Fatos who wants to take care of me and show me around, but tomorrow, he has loads to do today. Nice people around here! I Head for an internet cafe and speak to my future hosts. I m feeling excellent once again. Waiting for Kreshnik and his cousin Koka under Bill Clinton's portrait, I realize i am all pumped up a sped up... is it the reading of Neal's rides trough the states or mine trough the Albanian-Kosovo boarder???
Good feeling anyhow. I think I love the road.

Ferry ride