A soldier who worked at the Governor’s residence was sure there was a han (a resting place) about four or five hours away. However, people laughed at him, saying that the han had been in ruins for many years. Later, I found out that the reason the Christian guide, who was asking for twice as much money as was reasonable, didn’t want to leave until the next morning was because he didn’t have any horses of his own. He was hoping to get some ponies that were coming from the south with loads, and he wanted to make a deal to have me and my assistant travel with the ponies to the Valona road, with local peasants guiding us. The guide would pay the peasants a small amount, maybe a couple of lira, and keep some money for himself The Long Journey to the Han.
Facing the Truth and Making a Change
Once I realized what he was trying to do, I quickly asked him to leave. Later, he came back, asking if he could help for two lira. I refused and told him that if he wanted to be involved at all, I would only pay him a much smaller amount, called a “medjedeh.” He tried to use our shared Christianity as a reason, but I told him that his being Christian was actually one of the reasons I didn’t trust him and preferred honest Muslims like the others bulgaria vacations.
Finding a New Guide
When others heard that I had decided to hire the incoming caravan myself, many pony owners quickly offered their animals. I picked one man, made sure he was not a Christian, and agreed to hire him and three ponies for three lira. He turned out to be very trustworthy. Even though I was feeling weak with fever and aching limbs, I insisted on leaving in the afternoon. It felt amazing to breathe fresh air after the unpleasant smells of Berat. In just three hours, my fever was gone, and I was glad to say goodbye to Berat and its sickness.
