In the hotel room I watched some show and Istanbul came up. The meltingpot of Europe and Asia, the city which divides Europe and Asia. In fact the bridge on the pic divides Europe and Asia.

I had to go there. It became obvious to me that Istanbul was the perfect place to turn around and head back. I grabbed my maps, which still beat any google maps (google maps btw sucks big time when it comes to Eastern Europe). I had to make a decision how to get to Istanbul. Into Montenegro, then Albania? Or bypass Albania and instead ride towards Kosovo and Macedonia? If Albania then towards Macedonia or straight to Greece?

I looked up advrider, one of the biggest motorcycle web sites, and most of the reports about Albania urged caution. I then looked up horizons unlimited, probably the most serious overland (motorcycle) web site, and reports about Albania (and Macedonia, Kosovo,...) painted a more positive picture about these countries.

I read that there was some border tension in Kosovo, but I also read that the road to Tirane is absolute madness.
I then went to a biker bar in Dubrovnik and asked. All of the people I asked urged me not to go into Albania, not even Montenegro. I decided to call it a night and call the German embassy in Tirane, Albania tomorrow.