WELCOME TO JOCHARVEL

We met a Swedish guy during the bus ride from Saranda to Himare. He was heading to Tiranë to catch his flight home. He bought the bus ticket in advance, thinking it was the bus taking the highway. No! He got put on the same bus as us, which takes the much slower coastline road instead of the highway route, which would double the time to get to Tiranë. It’s the last bus of the day, so he had no other choice. Aidan overheard Charlie and me conversing about this Swedish guy’s

By midday on our second day here, my legs felt like jello. The heat added up to the exhaustion. Aidan's and Sofia’s indomitable spirit and energy constantly surprise me. If it weren’t for their enthusiasm and strong wish to walk over the Ali Pasha Bridge, I would have stopped at the viewpoint, just viewing the Bridge from a distance. The view from the Bridge overlooking Mount Nemërçkë and the Drino Valley during dusk, tinged orange, was resplendent. I would have missed out on

Gjirokaster is a beautiful city made of stone with a deep-rooted history and culture. The only downside is that the old city is built on a hill. To access anywhere from the new town to the old town, within the old town to the castle, bazaar, or any sites, you need to hike up very steep slopes. On Route to Gjirokastër's Bazaar The slopes are so steep that we think twice about going out for dinner or getting heavier items from the stores. Walking (Feels More Like Hiking) to Ali