Day Three: Crossing Borders and Finding My People

There is always a tiny bit of nervous anticipation that comes with joining a group trip late. On Day Three, I officially met up with the Contiki crew at 7:30 AM. Because this particular itinerary is a modular trip, I was stepping into a group of over 20 people who had already spent a week bonding their way from Budapest through Slovenia and Croatia.

I’m not going to lie, I was a bit worried about pre-formed cliques. To add to that, I was highly aware of the fact that I am sitting right at the upper edge of the 18–35 age bracket. I had a fleeting fear that I would be the "oldest traveller" on the bus.

But within ten minutes, every single worry completely evaporated. The group was incredibly inclusive, warm, and welcoming… and honestly, age didn't cross anyone's mind. We were all just excited to be there.

The Road to Montenegro: Ferry Crossing and Budva Bites

Our day began with a hefty stretch of driving to get out of Croatia. To break the ice and help the newcomers integrate, our Trip Manager, Meg, set up a game of bus speed-dating.

Meg is absolutely wonderful — super knowledgeable, full of energy, and just a lovely human to guide us through this region. Chatting our way down the highway was the perfect distraction, and by the time the wheels stopped, I was already matching names to faces.

Eventually, we crossed the border into Montenegro and hopped onto a ferry, making our way over to the coastal town of Budva for a lunch stop.

I paired up with a couple of fellow Canadian travellers to explore the stone alleyways of the historic core. Our first mission? Caffeine. We ducked into Bon-Bon Cafe and Bakery for a quick espresso and a sweet treat to fuel our wanderings. After a bit more exploring, we caught the scent of freshly baked pastry and made a final stop at a local bakery to grab a warm, cheesy burek, the ultimate Balkan comfort food, to eat on our walk back to the bus.

Entering Albania: Tiranë and Finding a Bestie

Back on the coach, we settled in for another long, scenic driving stint. We watched the landscapes shift as we crossed yet another border, this time entering Albania and pushing on toward the capital city, Tiranë.

We checked into the VH Eurostar Tirana Hotel just in time for an included group dinner at the hotel restaurant. I ended up sitting at a table dominated entirely by fellow Canadians (funny how we instinctively find each other across the world!), swapping stories about our past travel experiences.

*Bon-Bon Cafe and Bakery bites (May 2026)*

It was over this dinner that I properly connected with Leah from Vancouver. You know those people you meet while travelling where you instantly just click? That’s Leah. She became my absolute Contiki bestie on this trip, and looking back now, I truly cannot imagine the journey without her. I am so incredibly grateful our paths crossed on day one.

The Ultimate Travel Luxury: A Room of One’s Own

By default, group tours like this typically pair travellers up in shared hotel rooms to keep the price accessible and foster group bonding. I've done the room-share route on past trips, and while it's a great way to make friends, I decided to splurge this time around and book a solo room upgrade.

After a long, wonderful day of heavy socializing, navigating borders, and being constantly "on," walking into my own private room at the hotel was pure bliss. I was able to fully decompress, unpack my thoughts, and catch up on some well-deserved rest.

I turned on the TV, let the ambient noise drift over me, and drifted off to sleep, ready for whatever adventures Albania had waiting for us the next morning.

Next up on the blog: Exploring the colourful chaos of Tiranë!