It was one of those moments when you wished you had a benevolent dictator in your group ! We'd crawled to the top of a section of road 6% plus - 5km climb and we were temporarily basking in the sun taking in some coke & coffee trying to make a group decision as to whether to go a shorter distance to our hotel 85kms or do the fully scripted 95 km route, both options to include a 90 minute tour of the famed Buttrint archeological site / Roman ruins
"Is there any extra scenery on the longer route"? No ! "Are there any big hills on the longer route"? No ! Somehow the dont want tos (the non EFI's) were out voted 4-7 yet the longer option got up prompting one of our group to turn round say "what happened to the concept of democracy"!
It was here that the Aussie contingent finally excelled ! Affer tailing the gang in on the uphill segment both Lard Ass Henley and Barge Ass Litchfield flew down the mountain despite our leader imploring us to use caution, "be stuffed" said Henley I've earnt this !
We made our way through nondescript countryside to a rejoining point where Arjan wisely decided to split the group in two, those wanting to do the longer route (none of the Antipodeans) and those wanting to do the shorter route !
We all started immediately on a 10% hill dodging traffic and a working excavator with a safety marshall waving his red flag like he was starting an F1 race !
 |
| We finally hit the coast ! |
The "shorties" reached our lunch point just shy of the Buttrint ruins 45 minutes before the "longies" using the time wisely to kill wasps (read K T Henley ) and drink copious amounts of soft drink and beer !
When the "longies" finally arrived we took lunch during which our guide explained the post lunch options 1) Do the tour of the ruins 2) Stay at our lunch place and wait for the "ruins" group to return !
"What's option 3" said one our group ! I'm sure our guide did everything he could to avoid using an Albanian expletive !
The ruins at least to us Antipodeans were amazing detailing Roman and medieval life in this part of the world frequented by so many conquering races.
 |
| Amazing Buttrint ! |
 |
| Amazing corner stone |
 |
| Would be Emperor Henley ! |
Following the tour there were again 2 options 1) cycle to our hotel (17kms) - 2) ride in the team bus to the hotel !
While Pommie Kev, Julia and Kiwi Pete had at least some excuse (Pathogen Henley) Aussie Kev did not eloquently stating that he had an attack of the "CBF's" (can't be f.cked!)
After 17kms we arrived in lovely Sarander a beautiful seaside resort within spitting / coughing distance of Corfu !
Here we relaxed before journeying 50 meters for a dinner of almost exclusively Pizza with Kiwi Pete and self settling for large dollops of ice cream to wash it down !
We are fast reaching the end of a tough tour and we've decided to go out with a bang !
Sent from Samsung tablet
No comments:
Post a Comment