Shkoder 🇦🇱 - Podgorica 🇲🇪

I headed off to the bus stop this morning in the rain. 

A Saturday and the streets were busy with shoppers, stray dogs everywhere 😥  The busses run amazingly to time.  I like the front seat for the panoramic view and I knew it would be a picturesque route.  The heavy rain and fog allowed glimpses of the lake and the mountains.  Excellent highways too.    The driver chain smoked (on a non-smoking bus) and then texted while driving 😂

I arrived at the bus terminal and had to get euro from the ATM.  I always feel a little lost and lose confidence for a bit changing countries and currencies.  I recognise it now and have some strategies.  The wind and rain were driving into me and only 4 degrees and so I decided to go straight to my hostel in the hope the weather would settle and I could go out later.  Cabbie had no change and so I walked to the shopping centre

, had a bite to eat, tried to find the bus stop unsuccessfully and so caught a cab.  Loveliest young man chatted all the way.  

The Q hostel is stunning. Immaculate, stylish with a warm friendly common room, welcoming staff, well decorated.  The storms raged on and so I have just stayed in, apart from a walk to the supermarket.   I've met the most inspiring travellers and we have all been chatting, sharing food and stories.  A group of Argentinians, doing workaways too and made a big apple pie to share😊. A Mexican girl made bread. Heather shared her tea.

The guy in the bed next to me has panniers beside his bed!  Mateo had worked in Australia for 7 years and decided to cycle home to Italy instead of fly.  He took a flight to Ho Chi Min city in March with his 2nd hand gumtree bike and is nearly home.  He had done a small trip in Australia and liked it and then committed.  He has the best travel stories.  And Heather who teaches English and does tutoring remotely and has been on the road for 2 years, also does housesitting.  An American guy who works the winter deep sea fishing season in Alaska for 4 months and then travels for 8 months of the year.

An afternoon of warm connections when it's freezing outside❤️ Forecast -2 overnight and snow in the mountains nearby.  It's a cold snap across Europe.