Destination: Skopje, FYR Macedonia / Thessaloniki, Greece
Time of travel: August 2014
Duration: 10 days in total
Travel plan: Thessaloniki, Greece - Skopje, FYR Macedonia - Prizren, Kosovo - Sofia, Bulgaria - Skopje - Thessaloniki.
16:59
We stared at the empty bus platform where our bus was supposed to be. We ran back to the ticketing counter, where we stood with the bus driver just a couple of minutes earlier, to check if we got the platform wrong but they said it must have left early.
Our Greek driver actually left ahead of schedule.
Next bus was leaving the next morning and there were no trains either. The lady at the ticketing counter called the bus driver and asked him to wait by the Hilton hotel in Skopje and we were told to catch a taxi and drive there. There were no buses by the hotel.
We call again and again while our taxi chases the bus. He said he'll wait but he was no where to be found. We drive further yet nothing. The bus was out of sight. We had been chasing him for a good half an hour him telling us he'll wait but he actually didn't.
With a hiking trip all planned for the next morning and a trail guide waiting for us in Thessaloniki we had no time to waste. With no hotel in Skopje and dragging two large suitcases with two smaller ones we weren't up for a hitchhike either.
What to do..
Where to go..
Our taxi driver was shaking his dark haired, lightly tanned head. He was probably around 45 years old, thin man, who had been driving this illegal taxi in Skopje for over 20 years. His car and him looked like they knew the roads of this country. Yet they both had certain charm about them. They were warm, friendly, just a little scruffy.
With our limited Macedonian, the taxi drivers limited English and equally limited Russian we started discussing the options. He couldn't drive further because of the old motor he had in his car, according to the driver. It was an old Volvo or Mercedes, from the 70's probably. The black color had faded into slightly brownish black, with a hint of rust here and there.
He called a couple of friends and finally we were getting somewhere. 150 EUR to drive to Thessaloniki from Skopje. Our haggling attempt led to the new driver, a friend of the first driver, rolling his eyes and almost driving off.
17:40
After about 30 minutes driving outside the city we felt the car nudging a little every now and then. Then the driver started calling on his phone and sighing. Eventually we ask if everything's ok. He shakes his head, stops the car, says he is not sure, and stares at the open hood for a while, yet we manage to continue driving for a while. He wasn't sure what it was but it was indeed something and he was afraid to drive across the border. He stopped at the gas station to get some water. He bought three bottles. One for each of us.
Some more calling followed, he was trying to find someone to drive us from the border to the city - an hour and a half drive away.
20:15
We were at the border right after the sunset. A guy with a rough voice, bodybuilders physique, shaved head and some miscellaneous tattoos pulled over with his yellow old Mercedes to pick us up. He didn't speak much and his driving habits were terrifying.
The sun had gone down and it was dark already when we passed our passports to the border control. They had a few words with our driver; asking about how his family is and making few jokes. It sort of assured us that we'll get to our destination safely.
Almost there
We were about to reach Thessaloniki when he asked for the address of the hotel. We both put it into our navigators yet he was taking us to a completely different direction. We pointed it out but he insisted he knew where he was going.
We passed the city and it was getting darker again with less street lighting and less houses. We were getting a little worried.
We asked him to stop again yet he claimed he knew where he was going.
Finally we demanded him to stop.
21:45
Tony and the driver went to a cafe to ask for directions when a lovely elderly gentleman said he knows the place and insisted to show us the way on his scooter. Off we went following this incredible Greek in our yellow taxi cab along the long streets of Thessaloniki. Every now and then he looked back at us, showing where to drive next.
Time of travel: August 2014
Duration: 10 days in total
Travel plan: Thessaloniki, Greece - Skopje, FYR Macedonia - Prizren, Kosovo - Sofia, Bulgaria - Skopje - Thessaloniki.
16:59
We stared at the empty bus platform where our bus was supposed to be. We ran back to the ticketing counter, where we stood with the bus driver just a couple of minutes earlier, to check if we got the platform wrong but they said it must have left early.
Our Greek driver actually left ahead of schedule.
Next bus was leaving the next morning and there were no trains either. The lady at the ticketing counter called the bus driver and asked him to wait by the Hilton hotel in Skopje and we were told to catch a taxi and drive there. There were no buses by the hotel.
We call again and again while our taxi chases the bus. He said he'll wait but he was no where to be found. We drive further yet nothing. The bus was out of sight. We had been chasing him for a good half an hour him telling us he'll wait but he actually didn't.
With a hiking trip all planned for the next morning and a trail guide waiting for us in Thessaloniki we had no time to waste. With no hotel in Skopje and dragging two large suitcases with two smaller ones we weren't up for a hitchhike either.
What to do..
Where to go..
Our taxi driver was shaking his dark haired, lightly tanned head. He was probably around 45 years old, thin man, who had been driving this illegal taxi in Skopje for over 20 years. His car and him looked like they knew the roads of this country. Yet they both had certain charm about them. They were warm, friendly, just a little scruffy.
With our limited Macedonian, the taxi drivers limited English and equally limited Russian we started discussing the options. He couldn't drive further because of the old motor he had in his car, according to the driver. It was an old Volvo or Mercedes, from the 70's probably. The black color had faded into slightly brownish black, with a hint of rust here and there.
He called a couple of friends and finally we were getting somewhere. 150 EUR to drive to Thessaloniki from Skopje. Our haggling attempt led to the new driver, a friend of the first driver, rolling his eyes and almost driving off.
17:40
After about 30 minutes driving outside the city we felt the car nudging a little every now and then. Then the driver started calling on his phone and sighing. Eventually we ask if everything's ok. He shakes his head, stops the car, says he is not sure, and stares at the open hood for a while, yet we manage to continue driving for a while. He wasn't sure what it was but it was indeed something and he was afraid to drive across the border. He stopped at the gas station to get some water. He bought three bottles. One for each of us.
Some more calling followed, he was trying to find someone to drive us from the border to the city - an hour and a half drive away.
Matka canyon near Skopje.
20:15
We were at the border right after the sunset. A guy with a rough voice, bodybuilders physique, shaved head and some miscellaneous tattoos pulled over with his yellow old Mercedes to pick us up. He didn't speak much and his driving habits were terrifying.
The sun had gone down and it was dark already when we passed our passports to the border control. They had a few words with our driver; asking about how his family is and making few jokes. It sort of assured us that we'll get to our destination safely.
Almost there
We were about to reach Thessaloniki when he asked for the address of the hotel. We both put it into our navigators yet he was taking us to a completely different direction. We pointed it out but he insisted he knew where he was going.
We passed the city and it was getting darker again with less street lighting and less houses. We were getting a little worried.
We asked him to stop again yet he claimed he knew where he was going.
Finally we demanded him to stop.
21:45
Tony and the driver went to a cafe to ask for directions when a lovely elderly gentleman said he knows the place and insisted to show us the way on his scooter. Off we went following this incredible Greek in our yellow taxi cab along the long streets of Thessaloniki. Every now and then he looked back at us, showing where to drive next.
The lovely Greek was gone as fast as he appeared when we reached the hotel. Off he drove on his red scooter and white hair.
22:00
The kind Macedonian driver helped us with our luggage and off he went. Half an hour later we sat at the restaurant of our hotel munching on some Greek delicacies with a glass of Italian wine as if nothing ever happened.
22:00
The kind Macedonian driver helped us with our luggage and off he went. Half an hour later we sat at the restaurant of our hotel munching on some Greek delicacies with a glass of Italian wine as if nothing ever happened.
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