When it comes to traveling in Albania, it’s wise to abandon all preconceived notions about safety, reliability, and punctuality. Getting from pikë A to pikë B here can be stressful from a foreign perspective, but it’s actually pretty simple. You just have to–as with all things in the Peace Corps–be flexible, and then you’ll succeed.

I do the majority of my traveling on furgons and buses. Furgons are nice and fast (unless you get a driver that goes too fast, which can be terrifying), but they are often uncomfortable. Buses are cheaper and roomier, but much slower. So if I’m traveling for business, I usually choose a furgon because it gets me there on time, but if I’m on vacation, I’m fine with a bus. However, there are certain circumstances where neither of these choices are available. Public transportation is scarce after sundown, and unless it’s summer, the daylight runs…