I love to drive. And I love to drive stick-shift (manual transmission) even more. Fun fact: Every car I've owned is a stick-shift, which in the US is unique. Not so in Europe, where most cars have manual transmission. With COVID-19 I planned to do many things on my own (hiking, camping, etc.) and a car was the best way to do this. Plus, it was cheap - My rental began in the Skopje city center and ended at the Skopje Airport, lasted 15 days, and was only about $200 total!
Even better was that my Peugeot 301 had a diesel engine, which gets much better fuel economy than gasoline. I did not ask for this, but if you have the option to go with diesel, do it! An added bonus is that in many European countries, diesel is slightly cheaper, too.
Exploring places with my rental car that public transportation would never have reached.
For my journey, I rented the car in Macedonia, drove it into Albania, and then back into Macedonia. I was only required to obtain a Green Card from the rental company (35 € per additional country) which is an extension of insurance into an additional country. Before I left home, I visited my local AAA office and paid $20 for an International Drivers' Permit. I read that this was required, however the car rental agency told me that I only needed it if I was stopped by the police. As it happened, I did get pulled over in Albania (more on that below) and when I showed them my International Drivers' Permit, they told me that it was not a license and asked to see my real driver's license. So, I don't really know how this permit is necessary, unless other countries do want to see it? It's probably best to pay the $20 and get one just to be on the safe side - laws can be enforced arbitrarily from country to country.
A big worry I had was fuel - Europe is known for expensive gasoline! What I discovered is that gasoline is dramatically cheaper in Macedonia than it is in Albania. (Diesel fuel in September 2020 was about $0.97/liter or $3.67/gallon in Macedonia. In Albania, it was about $1.54/liter or $5.82/gallon!) And my diesel vehicle averaged over 50 MPG, so I spent far less on fuel than I had anticipated. In fact, I topped off in Macedonia right before I crossed into Albania, and only needed about 8 liters (2 gallons) in Albania before making it back to Macedonia to refill (admittedly on a nearly empty tank!).
The car allowed me to travel where I wanted, when I wanted. The one trip I took in a group van (see post on Theth/Valbona) involved alot of waiting around, and since I only had limited vacation time, I valued the efficiency of having my own wheels. Parking was never a problem (except in Ohrid and Tirana, which is why I stayed at hotels that guaranteed their own free parking), and in Albania I was drive to secluded places to pitch my tent for the night (see Camping in Albania page).
I just packed up the tent, threw it in the trunk, and continued my journey!
There was just one hiccup - I got pulled over in Albania on a long straight road south of Gjirokastra. Most roads in Albania are narrow and windy and you have to drive slow, so it can take awhile to get from place to place. On roads, however, it's possible to speed, and the police set up speed traps. They're EVERYWHERE - it seems that police in Albania spend a good deal of their time waiting for drivers to ticket. If you are caught, as a foreigner you have to pay the fine on the spot. Fortunately it's only about $20. In my case, I had learned to look for these traffic stops, or so I thought. I had just been on a slow mountain road and was happy to reach a straight road in a valley where I could drive faster. But there was a very slow car in front of me. I decided to pass him, even though it was a no-passing zone. (Albanians aren't known for their obedience to traffic laws and I wanted to be just like the locals!) Unfortunately for me, right after I passed him, there was a speed trap set up and they stopped me for the illegal passing. I was ready to pay the fine, when the officers confirmed that I was American and then told me that they would not make me pay! I was so surprised that I offered them some chocolate, which they politely declined. It is true that the United States has a positive image in Albania, being instrumental in assisting their transition to democracy and their fight against corruption.