Breakfast is not offered. So I start without it. This time I don't want to take the "highway", I want to take the road through the villages.
Partially it is okay, but some parts of the roads are in a very bad shape so that I can go on very slowly. But there is nearly no traffic.
When I study the map at a diversion, a car driver asks me where I want to go. He points to a road. I take it, but it leads directly to the "highway". I return and take the other road.
So I come to Vlore, a big city. At a cafe at the main road I get a cappuccino with whipped cream! Half of the beach promenade looks pretty, the other half is under construction. This impression I have from all of Albania. If there only were not the many waste dumps!
I follow the coastline to Orikum, then the road leads into the mountains.
Now I realize what I'm going to do. It goes from sea level up to 1027 m to the Llogara-pass. Such an altitude difference I had not even experienced in the alps. The inclines are steep and long. The signs always tell 10%, but that should mean: at least 10%! I estimate 17-20%. Furthermore it becomes colder and colder. I come into the clouds. It begins to rain heavily at 5°C (39°F). The wind changes to storm from different directions so that I barely can go straight.
This mountain pass takes me nearly to my limits. But I can't give up. 4 km in front of the top point some prankster has posted a sign: 10% downward slope! Not at all!
Finally I arrive at the top point of the Llogara-pass. In many sharp bends it goes 800 m downhill. My rear brake is sounding strange. I believe that the brake pads are done and stop to change them. I'm very cold and want to hurry, but it turns out that I don't have the correct replacement parts. So I only change the position of the pads, and it works.
When I arrive at the bottom of the road I realize that from now on the road goes non stop up- and downhill, altitude difference often 400 m. That is very exhausting and keeps me from going fast.
At 7 pm I arrive in Himare that is situated at the ocean. Here I find just near the beach a cafe with rooms to rent. When the owner watches me looking searching around he comes out and offers the room for 7.50 Euro. It is a simple room but has a hot shower and ocean view.
At first I take a cappuccino. Then I have a long conversation with the owner who is from Greece and speaks English. In a nearby restaurant which is still partly under construction I get a good and cheap meal.
The distance to the Greek border is still 90 km. I hope that the altitude differences are not so big tomorrow and that I get to Greece.