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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Travel
Katy Dartford

We skied three countries in one day: a backcountry tour of the Balkans

Accursed Mountains
The tour covered four to eight miles a day, with ascents of around 800 metres. Photograph: Jasiek Ksiazek

Pushing my skis forward in tracks carved deep into the snow and a swirling wind and thick fog, I finally reach a vast plateau where Alb Berisha, our guide, greets me with a high-five. “Welcome to Kosovo,” he says, beaming. I put on more layers to fight the chill, and nibble on a pita (a Balkan cream cheese-stuffed pastry) left over from breakfast, before swinging my arms around to keep warm.

Hold on … Weren’t we in Albania a moment ago?

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