-The Second Returning Operation-
Mar.06 Skopje - Pristina
Spring in Kosovo
Pristina
Though we never expect to pass the same border after such a short period, we were passing Blace again at 1230. Because of the cargo's haven (in Kosovo side) or the timing, border-passing process finished within 20 minutes and we arrived at Ferizaj (FE = Urosevac) at 1345. Concerning the departure time (1200), the journey was reasonably quick (as it was in Feb.1999). Since the cost is different from condition to condition (eg. 9DM from Tetovo to Pristina (PR), 9DM from Skopje (SK)to Ferizaj (FE)), we bought the ticket to Ferizaj so as to save up 8DM. Since Kosovo-Albanians are the people who locked over the sleeping Japanese in the cold bus, we expected them not to notice us in FE. (Then we failed this time)
for abbreviations, see here
The weather was so lovely and good to trip according to our friend, we should have climbed up Vodno (the mountain behind SK) today. But that's life. Unlikely to the last time, we're blessed by sunlight today. We passed by TIR cargo havens on the border, an enhanced K4 base on the border, Kac(h)anic border with more people on the market, then arrived at Ferizaj. We thought we could pass, but this time, the driver was kind enough to wake us up. We had to get out. After 20 minutes, we headed for Pristina with another bus. The station was much more crowded than 3 it was months before and the shop where we had break last time changed into a CD shop
in Gracanica
Burek Come Baaaaaack!!
Swamp!!
The road near Ferizaj remained terrible among swamps and it took several minutes to get out from the city area. Again, the weather was nice enough to see Brezovica (a ski resort in Kosovo). Due to the timing (1400), the bus was full of students. They were curious enough to touch everything in the bus and to say anything about the strangers. However, only one talked to us. Though talking with him was a good time, we reconfirmed that Albanians sometimes cannot recognize their words from stranger's mouth.
After passing the plain, over a hill, the 200,000 city, Pristina was in front of us again.
MW's Return
1
This time, the bus didn't look over us in FE
Desperate dive
2
When we ordered a Burek, it fled from our table, dove onto floor and committed a suicide..
3
but we got another one for free
4
The bus from Ferizaj didn't charge from us
The Airstrike (object from the sky)
5
around 1750, the ravens (so called 'Serbians' by Albanians) started dancing on the sky. We started counting and watching their formation, then, as usual, an object hit my head. needless to say, it was garbage for that bird. After polishing my head, I started culculating the probability of being hit. It ended up disastrous since I tend to put my hand on my nose when I'm thinking.
To recap:
all the good aspect was made by people's kindness