Rich NATA

Barney, Thanks for the info; very much appreciated Just one more thing... I haven't yet booked my return flight; even with the border crossing, would it be better to fly home from Podgorica rather than Tirana?

I'm flying Tel Aviv - Luton (landing early evening) before flying Luton - Glasgow the next morning. The town looks very close to the airport and I was wondering whether to stay in the centre instead of at the airport. All I've ever heard about Luton (albeit 20 years ago) was that its was a bit shit. Anyone any idea of what Luton is like these days and especially for a night out?

I haven't really got anything to back it up... I just think we'll make hard work of it over in Haifa and Shkoder... I don't know why, but I just feel there's a ring of Georgia and Macedonia about Israel and Albania

I can see us struggling over at their places. Hope I'm wrong.

Cheers Barney I always make a point of staying in the host city for a few days and if it's a provincial city, tag on a few days in the capital (think Trnava/Bratislava or Novi Sad/Belgrade). Albania will be no different. FRI-SAT-SUN in Shkoder, preceded by umpteen days in Tirana. Thing is, I'd quite like to have a weekend in Tirana and that would mean spending 10 nights in Albania and likely 7 of them in Tirana. Would 7 nights in Tirana be excessive? Is there lots to see and do? The guidebook I've read doesn't indicate so, but I don't necessarily believe they cover everything. Would you recommend anywhere else, midweek, in between Tirana and Shkoder? P.S. Shkoder looks a nice wee town; good of weekend?

Is that bus into Podgorica city centre or straight to the airport?

From what I've read; if someone can afford to catch a furgon (a mini bus type vehicle?) then they do! Seemingly the Albanians only use trains as an absolute last resort - due to the dreadful condition of the carriages, I suspect. I got that far and never looked into schedules/reliability. I almost always favour a train over a bus, but after my Thessalonika to Skopje journey all those years ago, I don't fancy another long journey in a carriage best described as an 'ashtray' pulled by a locomotive, which is what I suspect an Albanian train carriage will be.

I knew it. By the way, you never actually answered my question... I never asked you what you wanted; I asked if you think Scotland is actually capable of being a successful independent country (?) Yes or no?

Just one more thing, Bonny... Do you sing Flower of Scotland?

Don't you f*cking start Get it back on topic... The Croatia team... I love France and the French, but it would be very special to see a country like Croatia win the World Cup.

Yeah well, The EU is already formed is it not? Of course, the British Empire was already formed before it crumbled... The Soviet Union was already formed before it crumbled... Yugoslavia was already formed before it crumbled... Things don't necessarily stay the same as you've always known them. Anyway, do you think Scotland is capable of being a successful independent country? I'm not asking what you want; I'm asking if you think Scotland is capable of being a successful independent country. P.S. I'll decide what I am.

You've gone from "Damaging and dangerous" to "Interfering old biddies". The latter are rarely considered damaging and dangerous. You make it sound as if the EU has never done anything positive. They have set standards; that is surely a good thing. Anyway, I listed some countries to you earlier... Denmark, Norway, New Zealand, Singapore, etc... All similar populations to Scotland; some are actually smaller. They are all successful independent countries and yet you view Scotland as incapable of being so. You think we're better in the UK? Why? I think it's easier for countries of our size to feed, clothe, educate, employ and look after their citizens. Per head of population, they are better at everything that matters.

Explain.

Well, I don't share his vision of Brexit. How on Earth anyone can think an all out, full on, Brexit will be anything other than damaging to UK jobs/economy, I do not know.

I admit, the Scottish Conservative and Labour parties need to improve their pool of MSP's... In an independent Scotland they would need to improve in order to get into Government. However, I think Nicola Sturgeon and her colleagues are a far more professional and credible group of people than the 'buffoons' I listed above (Boris, Gove, Rees-Mogg, etc...) Farage a legend? So, do you think leaving the EU properly; totally out; hard Brexit; we're off...... Do you think that would be good for the UK economy? Let's say your an small/medium sized independent company exporting to Europe one day and then the next day... Rees-Mogg for PM??? And you're okay with that? FFS, how would the people of Scotland view that? On the up side, it may well be the appointment that drives us to independence! Just thinking it about, how would the people of Liverpool, Wolverhampton, Sunderland and Grimsby view it. Rees-Mogg is barely of the same species.