Around the World with Hardy(T)Around the World with Hardy(T)We head off on Day 1 of the trek after a hearty breakfast - the jam is
so authentic, it actually has wasps in it! We're a fair way up the
valley and we're about to cross the first of many rickety wooden suspension
bridges over the Vjose, when we encounter a wizened old man with a huge
bag of plums, which he starts handing out to us. Our offers of money are
flatly refused, but he gratefully accepts our thanks and, eventually, one
of Emma's cigarettes. 
This is the first
of many examples of the generosity of the Albanians, people who, remember,
are probably Europe's poorest. The episode is soon repeated. As we approach
Peshtant, we're greeted by a gaggle of small children carrying walnuts in
the folds of their jumpers. Again these are offered to us and the kids follow
us back to the village, where we're met by a couple of old women giving
us cherries, figs and dates. We're treated like visiting VIPs, and we're
not allowed to leave Peshtant until - unbelievably - we've been back to
the village 'pub' (a stone barn with a crate of beer in one corner) and
played a few games of pool! The faces of the village elders tell a story
of real hardship over the years, but the bright eyes and laughter of the
children holds some optimism for the future.
The 'real' trekking starts as we leave Peshtant and start heading up into the mountains. The terrain is rocky and the views down the valley spectacular, and Albania lives up to its name of "e Shqipërisë" - the Land of the Eagle, as several of these majestic birds are spotted soaring high above the valley. We get to camp shortly before the heavens open, and we spend the night listening to just about the most violent storm I've ever experienced - I'm sure I hear Kevin and Mark in the next tent calling for the coastguard.
The next day is more of the same. We climb fairly high
above the valley and pass through several more beautifully kept villages
where, again, we are very much the centre of attention. Exodus are the only
British company trekking in Albania and it's only their second year of operation,
so it's quite likely that we're some of teh first 'westerners' these villagers
have come across.We are also beginning to adapt to the pace of Albanian
life. "Avash, avash" means "slowly, slowly" and it's
probably the most useful Albanian phrase you'll ever learn. Albanian minutes
seem to be shorter than English minutes - we'll have a rest for five minutes
- but Albanian hours seem to be much longer - we'll be at camp in a couple
of hours. We eventually camp above the village of Argova and settle in for
another battering from the overnight storm.
It's still raining in the morning, so we delay our start and take shelter in the ruins of the Greek Orthodox church. Enver Hoxha banned religion - Albania was the world's only officially atheist state from 1967 to 1990 - but now it's legal and resurgent. Hoxha turned the churches and mosques into cinemans and bingo halls, or simply razed them to the ground, but many are now being rebuilt or restored. Once the rain stops, we're under way again and we soon come across an old woman, who would be at least 70, leading her cow across the fields. Upon seeing our group she stops and ties up the cow and comes across to shake us all by the hand!
We continue our walk above the Vjose
and eventually reach camp at the village of Boual. Our local guide, Vladimir,
is kind enough to take us to his family home to meet his mother, his sister
and her kids. I'm amazed at how well kept and well furnished the house is.
Although from the outside it looks like a stone barn, with corn, shallots
and figs drying in the garden, on the inside it has all mod cons: TV (we
catch a glimpse of the government run channel TVSH), washing machine (apparently
the villages have free electricity thanks to Hoxha's hydro-electric schemes)
and a beautiful Welsh dresser full of the best glass and crockery. 
We're invited in and greeted with kisses from the
women and we're given drinks: a cherry liquer for the women and raki for
the men. We also have a delicious dish of walnut fruits in honey. Again,
the generosity of the Albanian people astonishes me. Unfortunately the conversation
is limited to a few words of English and Italian plus a lot of hand-waving.
We promise to take photos and send them back to the village. Of course,
as soon as the cameras come out, kids from the whole village arrive at the
house to get in on the act!