Breathing Difficulty - Air Pollution

Hi all,

I fell in love with Albania when I was there for a month last year, but had to cut my trip short because I became ill from the pollutants in the air - the car exhaust, diesel etc. It started in Tirana, but I found it stayed with me even in places like Sarande, and I was curious if any of you have been affected by it?

There were times I felt like I was going to die and have a heart attack, and I'd wake up in the middle of the night coughing, and was really irritable. I used to smell the exhaust all over myself when I'd come home from walking.

It broke my heart to have to leave because I wanted to put down roots and live there. I was surprised that it bothered me so much in places like Sarande, where there aren't as many cars, but all it took was one car to pass me or for me to walk by an idling car, with it's rotted out exhaust system and smoke coming out of the exhaust pipe and I was done.

But still, Albania remains on my mind constantly. I want to go back and don't know what to do. I don't want to compromise my health.

Short of buying a face mask (which I'd probably do anyway) is there anything else I can do? I read an article a few months ago that old imported cars from EU are going to be banned and some exhaust system testing would (finally) be put into practice, but who knows if that's really happening or how long it will take to implement?

Any ideas/input/updates on this policy from Albania?

I really miss it there. I just wish they'd ban the cars and clean the damn air

Thank you!