Day One: Saturday, Arrival!

Its early Saturday and the five McBain'

s are finally sitting in the departure lounge awaiting our call to board the plane.

 

So far the journey has been very efficient and very English: We were met at the drop off point by the car parking service, after unloading our bags laptops and guitars we were soon checked in and sampling perfumes, aftershaves and baileys in the duty free shop. So far so good .. Until the call was made for passengers who wanted th check in hand luggage to approach the check in desk. Suddenly the Albanian crowd instinct kicked in and the crowd en masse stormed the desk. The clerk made a plaintive plea ' We are not ready to board please return to your seats but the Albanian crowd refused to sit down.

 

A little later the call for passengers with children to board but the gathered crowd would not move turning the usually sedate British Departure gate into an Albanian maelstrom of chaotic energy.

Albanians just don't have any concept of how to form an orderly queue!

 

As the plane began its descent into Mother Theresa Airport the excitement rose, Albanians may not queue but its great to hear them applaud when the Plane touched down.

 

Another interesting factor of arriving in Albania is how many 'imigrants' have British passports. Imigrants are Albanians who have left the country but return for holidays and festivals like Easter.

The Albanian Citizens passport control had a few people waiting whilst the foreign citizens desk was again full of Albanians with British passports.

 

We were met at the Airport but old friend, Roger Pearce from BMS and Endri and Emilijano from Drita e Botes.  Driving in to Tirana it felt like coming home again; the new buildings, the traffic. Skendenberg Square has been covered in grass and re designed, Tirana has changed, more statues more lights - it looks cleaner than it used  to but it still has that buzz that no other city can capture.

 

Our first night back, staying in the city centre  we went to sleep accompanied by the sound of the loud Albanian music from the local café - It's good to be back.