Following on from the very successful LCGB visit in October last year, I am pleased to offer a repeat tour to Albania in October 2010. Our agents in Tirana have kindly agreed to hold the 2009 prices, so I urge you to make the most of this opportunity! Last year’s programme simply cannot be improved upon, so 2010 will be a ‘carbon copy’, as follows -

Sunday 17th October – London Gatwick depart 16.50, Tirana arrive 20.45. Transfer to the 3* Vila Tafaj Hotel in Tirana for overnight.
Monday 18th October – essentially a railway day. Free morning for sightseeing, then depart Tirana by train at 13.15 northwards to Shkodra, arrive 16.42. The train overnights here, so we return to Tirana by road. Overnight at the Vila Tafaj Hotel in Tirana.

Tuesday 19th October – a sightseeing and railway day, leaving Tirana after breakfast by road to Kruja and visits to the Skanderbeg Museum and the Old Bazaar. Lunch break, and then return to Tirana by road. Depart Tirana by train at 14.45 southbound to Vlora, arrive 19.52. Overnight at the 3* Pavaresia Hotel in Vlora.

Wednesday 20th October – a sightseeing day, leaving Vlora after breakfast by road to Elbasani. En route we will visit the ruins of the ancient Greek city of Apollonia, where lunch can also be taken, before proceeding to the hilltop monastery at Ardenica. Continue by road to Elbasani. Overnight at the 3* Hotel Univers.

Thursday 21st October – essentially a railway day, with an approx. 08.00 departure by road, east to Pogradec on the shores of Lake Ohrid (approx. three hours). En route we will visit a store of diesel locomotives at Perrenjas. We will then take the 12.50 service train to Durres, due to arrive 18.00. Overnight at the 3* Arvi Hotel in Durres city centre.

Friday 22nd October – a leisurely start, with morning sightseeing programme, including the Roman Amphitheatre and the Archaeological Museum. After a lunch break, we will have an official visit to the main HSH depot and workshops at nearby Shkozet, where you will see the dumped Polish Tkt 48 steam locomotives. Durres depart 17.30 by train to Tirana, arrive 18.30. Overnight at the 3* Vila Tafaj Hotel in Tirana.

Saturday 23rd October – a morning trip up the Dajti Mountain on the Dajti Express cable car (at own expense). Lunch can be taken in one of the several restaurants at the top, before returning to Tirana. Free time until we transfer to the airport early evening to check-in for the 21.40 British Airways flight back to London Gatwick, arrive 23.40. (local overnight accommodation will be arranged for those who require it!)

We need 15 participants for this tour to run, and the cost, ex. London Gatwick, will be around £750. This is dependent upon the eventual exchange rate against the Euro, which is the hard currency the tour is costed against!

Single supplement will be approx. £125. If we get 20 persons, the cost will reduce by £30. For anyone wishing to take a land arrangement only in Albania, you can deduct £200. These prices are for dinner, bed and breakfast throughout. All road transfers are included, as are the railway journeys from Monday to Friday inclusive, which will be on normal ‘HSH’ Albanian Railways diesel hauled passenger trains.

Please send a deposit of £200 per person now, along with a 9” x 4” first class sae, to secure your place on this tour to a little visited corner of Eastern Europe, combining as it will a reasonable amount of cultural activity, plus the opportunity to travel over all sections of the Albanian Railways still operating a passenger service.

British Airways flights will not be booked, and deposits will remain fully refundable, until such time as minimum numbers are achieved. COLIN MIELL, 2 Manston Avenue, Norwood Green, Southall, Middlesex, UB2 4HE. Tel: 0208 893 6885. Email – colinmiell@hotmail.com PTO