Hitchhikers, Land Rovers, and a Picnic by the Lake: The Journey to Sofia

It was one of those crisp October afternoons, where life throws you a curveball just when you think you’ve got everything planned out on the road.

It was one of those crisp October afternoons, the kind that demands adventure but throws you a curveball just when you think you've got it all planned out. I was on the road, heading towards Sofia to meet a colleague, Fried Didden, who runs the excellent borderlines blog. Fried was landing around 6 PM, and I had a few hours to kill—time I planned to spend getting my brake pads fixed after an ill-fated attempt with a supplier in Kosovo. My trusty Land Rover had done a solid 27,000 kilometers on the last set, and the grinding sound it now made felt like an unwelcomed companion on the highway.

Here I am with my friend Mohammad, who’s been a great help in keeping my Land Rover running smoothly on these long journeys. I brought him a gift today—an Albanian Plis, a symbol of our shared heritage and connection. It felt right to share a piece of my culture with someone who has been so generous. We snapped this photo inside his shop, where the tools and parts behind us reflect the hard work and…