A new life in Korce

We were picked up at the Tirana airport by a professional driver sent by our host family. He was able to phone the Loring family that our luggage did not make it, but we were reassured that this does happen and it would be sent to us. I wanted to keep my eyes open, though terrifically tired, to see the our new country. The first part of the four hour trip was through the capitol city of Tirana. I soon realized the need for a professional driver as car dodged pedestrians, taxis, buses, crazy drivers, donkey carts, and delivery trucks, through city streets, then onward and Upward across the mountains to Korca. John was with either so exhausted or so frightened that he closed his eyes and did not see much of the adventures journey as our pro driver would pass slow moving trucks around the narrow curving mountain roads. There was one viewpoint where we stopped to take pictures of Lake Ohrid which is on the border of Macedonia and Albania. Our driver pointed out beyond the ridge of mountains was also the border between Greece and Albania. We arrived to find our new host family to welcome us and show us our new home. We are able to stay for six weeks in a nicely furnished apartment compliments of a Dutch couple who are currently on home leave.

Arriving in Korca Albania

Our daughter, Gretchen, shuttled us to KCI on Monday, September 12th. We each had a backpack and a small roll-on as carry-on luggage packed with essentials in case our three large pieces of checked baggage did not arrive with us. Good planning as those three pieces of checked luggage did not arrive in Tirana when we did. Our flight out of Chicago was delayed due to a slowed baggage scanner, according to the pilot. We landed in Brussels with no cross Atlantic sleep and 30 minutes to make the transfer eto our next flight. John said he felt like O.J. Simpson's commercial as we ran down the stairway, through the long, long passage ways, short wait (fortunately) through passport check, and able to find the gate where we were to board our next flight with 2 minutes to spare. Whew! As I passed by the first flight attendant, I asked for water, please. I was so thankful she brought a cup of cold water just as we were seated.

We had a very strong feeling that our checked baggage did not make the very speedy run through the airport that we had just made, though the stewardess assured us that every effort is made to keep checked luggage and passenger together. From Brussels we flew to Budapest where we also had to go through passport control. We were there with enough time to change clothes, brush teeth, and rest before the final leg of the trip to Albania.