Before traveling anywhere, most people search for a few insider tips on what to expect, how to conduct yourself, and the best times and places to visit. In this video I went over all of those things so that anyone who is hoping to visit the country will get all the information they need. I discuss the currency, how to get around, the language, where to stay, and more!
If you have ever considered coming to Albania, be sure to watch this video before you arrive!
After a car ride to the Tiranë airport, flight to Munich, bus to Nuremberg, then car ride to Hubmersberg, I finally arrived at Hotel Lindenhof. It’s a 150 year old hotel that was built seemingly in the middle of nowhere, that has been added on to throughout the last century and a half. Because of the restaurant and bar at the hotel, many of the farmers from the surrounding area would come to have a drink or to eat with their families eventually resulting in the village of Hubmersberg being built surrounding the hotel.
Because this hotel is a partner of the organization I work for in Albania, I was asked to go and take photos in order to update their website, and have social media content. I spent a couple days at the hotel, before traveling to Switzerland and another part of Germany to take event photos for other partners of my work.
There are two main ways of getting from the Tirana International Airport to the center of the city; taxi and bus. I will give a quick rundown of both of them, but I’ll be honest, the video is very short and simple and easy to follow.
A taxi from just outside the center to the airport cost me 2000 lek ($17.50 USD) when I last went. It was super easy, simple and quick. Just found a taxi driver parked on the street and hopped in asking him how much the trip was. The pros of the taxi are that you can get them anywhere in Tirana, they take you right to the front door of the airport, and they are usually quicker than the bus. The con, however, is the price. It may not seem like a lot to tourists, but to those of us living and working in Albania it’s a bit expensive.
You can catch the bus from the middle of Tirana to the airport for 400 lek ($3.50 USD). There is a specific Airport-Center bus that parks behind the opera building right next to Skanderbeg Square (https://goo.gl/maps/AET3nGtrUTqV1eFf6). This is both the pick up to go to the airport and the drop off when you’re coming back. The bus leaves every hour, basically on the hour, from here to drive to the airport. Pros of taking the bus are that it’s very inexpensive… And that might be it. The main con is the location. If you’re staying nearby it’s fine. If you’re staying further out of town you might need to walk a bit. The bus drop off/pick up at the airport is just outside the doors next to the rental car kiosks. It’s fairly easy to find but just watch the video below if you’re concerned. Overall, the bus is a good option. Usually pretty quick and direct and plenty of space.
Again, to see how simple it all is, just watch the video. I’ll even show you exact locations and what’s around them.
A giant part of the reason I love living in Pogradec is because of Lake Ohrid. In all seasons, the lake provides incredible opportunities for photographs and is a constant source of inspiration for me. Countless people in both the Albania side and Macedonian side of the lakes depend on the lake for food, income, or livelihood. So what makes this lake so interesting, or special? I dive into the importance of the lake for the community as well as some geographical details of it in my newest video.
I’m thoroughly convinced that each year of my life is better than the last, and 2021 was no different. Sure, every year has its ups and downs but I never want to be caught looking back and thinking, “Man, remember that other years? It was way better than this one.” For that reason, I make sure to edit together a recap video of each year. This way, I can have a visual reminder of all the things that I did in each and every year and can recall those memories much easier.
This year’s recap took a bit longer to finally put together, but it’s better late than never. Because when I look back on this 2021 recap video in 5, 10, or 20 years I won’t worried about when I uploaded it… but I do know I would regret not uploading it at all.
Cheers, 2021, thanks for the ride!
Two and a half years ago I got an idea for a short video series… Little did I know it would take two and a half years to finally bring it to completion.
After asking over and over about the people and places depicted on Albanian bank notes, I decided to just take matters into my own hands and do the research myself. This brought me to the idea of creating a 5 part series that went through each of the bank notes and gave a short explanation for anyone else that may be interested. To make the videos more interesting not only for myself but also the viewer, I set out to find each of the spots on the notes. After visiting Vlorë, Butrint, Krujë, Frashër, and now - finally - Vau i Dejës, I have completed that journey.
While I was attending college in northwest Georgia, I had a number of friends who were into rock climbing. Because of where our school was situated, most of the climbing took place outdoors. I wasn’t super into the climbing, so I didn’t buy any shoes for it and because my feet are larger than average, none of my friends had shoes for me to borrow. This led me to being the one in the group to either sit in a hammock and watch, or belay.
Moving forward a few years, I had a handful of jobs working with youth. A few of these jobs had outings to places that had climbing walls, but most of the time I was the one supervising and making sure the children didn’t hurt themselves. If I remember correctly, there was exactly one instance that I have ever set foot on a rock climbing wall. That is, until last week.
I had heard a few things about an indoor climbing gym in Korce, about 40 minutes away from where I live. So i took the opportunity to hang out with a friend, and try this out for the first (real) time.
A few weeks ago I asked people in my audience what sort of things they would find interesting to watch. One of my brothers replied and mentioned that he and his kids would be interested in seeing what grocery shopping looked like in Albania. So, I decided to give them a look.
Many things in Albania have become so normal to me that I forget they aren’t necessarily the typical way of life in the rest of the world. For instance, getting any fruits and vegetables from a guy on the street who has his tomatoes and apples sitting on the sidewalk in cardboard boxes. I see it every single day so I forget that it would be something novel to someone who spends most of their life in the United States.
