gay traveller

Hi - I%26#39;ll be travelling in Albania this summer and was wondering if anyone had any advise on how I can stay gay and stay safe - I hear Albanians are not that tolerant. I%26#39;ll be touring the south coast from Vllora to Sarande.

Thanks.

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Hey there,

I would advise extreme coutiouse since this is very conservative country especially for gays and Albanian society is not so tolerant regarding homosexuality.

I am sure you will enjoy the country and its beauty, particularly between Vlora and Saranda is very beautiful, with stunning beaches.

Good luck, I hope you will find people you like but be careful.

Best,

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you are going to be alright as long as you dont stick a label on your forehead saying GAY AND PROUD. Enjoy Albania

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Thanks for your help guys, I had a great time in Albania this summer.

I stayed with a fun-loving (but short-tempered) guy from Shkodra, borrowed his dads car and went with him on a fantastic 10 day road trip. The driving is so different to Britain (my companion scolded me repeatedly for my %26#39;bad%26#39; driving) but not as dangerous as I had heard. The roads along the coast are being redeveloped and where this is complete they are better than British motorways; where they are not it’s like driving down a mine shaft with a 1000 foot drop on one side and boulders rumbling down on the other. And the road signs! Brilliant, lots of information, know where we’re going then – what? Where are they? Reverse, reverse! Backtrack 10 miles! If it was not for my friend asking for directions (in Albanian) at every corner we would have never made it!

The beaches and views are spectacular but the nearly-24 hour clubs on EVERY beach ruined the grand serenity (pumpin%26#39; techno was constant along the coast and travels a LONG way). But we went at the height of tourist season - it may be better off peak.

Gjirokaster was my favourite place. Stay in the old Tourism hotel for a genuine feel of old communist (grumpy) Albania. It%26#39;s being redeveloped but has cheap and comfortable rooms with excellent views.

I could write so much more! Albania is definitively worth exploring and I would like to go back very much.

A word about being gay: I don%26#39;t wear my sexuality on my sleeve but don%26#39;t hide it either. It never really came up in conversation and I didn%26#39;t press it – perhaps it%26#39;s one of those things that people consider but don%26#39;t want to discuss with a foreigner? I know from my friend that for native Albanians it is far more difficult - the macho image and pressure to have a family is unavoidable.

In any case, I%26#39;m a tall, pale-skinned British guy and drove a car with a Shkodra licence plate around Southern Albania – I could have dressed in nothing but pink feathers and people couldn’t have stared any more!

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