I can't write an entry for every day I'm here in Malta, but rather that call them 'Part I', Part II' etc. I'll try to tell you to what date the story relates. So this is Day one. Traveling to the island and settling in.
Traveling over wasn't too bad except for a few stressful moments on the first flight from Manchester to Heathrow. They boarded us thirty minutes late, then announced we had a further one hour delay due to fog in London. So why board us then and get us strapped in? I was bursting for the loo but had to wait nearly ninety minutes before I could go. I think the business guy next to me was worried he was about to get a wet trouser leg!
But the delay wasn't enough for me to miss my connection, and right on time I landed in sunny Malta. I can call it sunny, because it was, although there was also a strong wing coming over from Italy, so it wasn't exactly short sleeve weather. Guess what I was traveling in!
Michael was there to meet me, and he drove us both to the town of St Julians where we would both be staying overnight. Different hotels mind you (he got the posh one, I got the cheap one hidden down a back street). No, I'm doing it a injustice. The hotel is lovely, quite small but clean, warm and comfortable. I keep losing it when I go out for a walk, but that's half the charm of Malta I think.
That first night I walked around the town, and took a few snaps as the sun set. It's quite a tourist destination. Lots of restaurants and bars. A few recognisable names mingle amongst the local taverns (MacDonalds and Pizza Hut for example). Surprisingly there are a lot of 'corner shops' that sell bottled drinks, beers and water. The one I bought a drink at even had a till like Arkwrights that slammed shut when you put a banknote in it!
The people are all very friendly, even if they don't always look it. Shop keepers tend to stand out of the pavement, which can be a bit intimidating, but it's the same for everyone. I got an early night as it was going to be an early start the next day. As I lay in my bed, the noises form outside seemed to get louder. As with many Mediteranean destinations, the towns come alive at night, rather than in the afternoon - so at 10pm it was far busier on the streets than it had been at 7 when I was walking around. I thought it would keep me awake, but I still drifted off to sleep.
p.s. I'll be adding photos at a later date, so worth coming back to these entries another time.
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