While we may currently be having a glorious sunny patch here in Edinburgh, this isn’t always the case and one must plan ahead in terms of vitamin D consumption. With that in mind, Chris and I booked a quick trip to Malta. We’d never been before, and truthfully didn’t know much of what to expect, but armed with a can-do attitude and some sunglasses there was no stopping us. Here’s a breakdown of five places we went and one top tip if you ever decide to go also. Golden Bay I think what both Chris and I will take away most from this particular adventure are the views. The coastline of Malta is truly epic and the sheer drama of it almost needs to be seen to be believed. After spending a bit of time sitting on the beach enjoying the evening sun, we climbed to the top of the bay to get a closer look at the looming cactus plants and the epic drop below. Blue Grotto I think my number one strategy when it comes to travelling is to always wake up early. Somehow, we always seem to beat the crowds and this was no exception. We sat right next to the water, careful not to let the gentle sea spray turn into a full-blown face in wave situation. We were able to wander down to the dock before making our way to the top of the hill to enjoy the spectacular view in all its glory. Mdina An ancient walled city not to be missed, regardless of your feelings of Game of Thrones (which apparently filmed quite a bit here). After expertly hunting down a parking spot, and convincing each other that it was totally legal to park there, we fueled ourselves for the day with some oh so flaky pastizzi pastry. Everything was sandy and ancient and, despite the obvious popularity of the town, there were many moments where we felt like we had the whole place to ourselves. Peter’s Pool Malta is quite small and with a car, we were able to go from one end to the other in a matter of hours. A GPS was a must and, aside from when it tried to drive us directly into the ocean to see Peter’s Pool, it really made our lives much easier. After a bit of expert manoeuvring on Chris’ part, we found a clearing to park in and climbed down the hillside. We had some particularly windy weather which made for some exciting waves but made it far too dangerous to actually go into the pool. Instead, we made do with climbing around the rugged shore, half expecting a dinosaur to poke its head out from one of the giant rocks. Valetta Valetta is the capital of Malta and, although we chose not to stay there the whole time, it was great to explore for the day. After finally finding our way into the park and ride, we were ushered into an unmarked van but a highly gesticulating gentleman. It would have been slightly ominous were it not for the large families also nestled in the van, clearly going into town on this sunny Saturday. We wandered through the streets, peering around the corners to catch glimpses of the sea at the end of each road. We ate and ambled our way around, enjoying the sunshine and the sounds of some poor music students practising their scales that somehow seemed to weave through every bend. And one tip if you do go.
Driving This holiday was the first time Chris and I had a) rented a car and b) driven on the left side of the road. I’m thrilled to say that both went splendidly well. The car rental process was straightforward and painless, and the flexibility of having our own car was continuously appreciated throughout our holiday. We changed quite a few plans at the last minute, depending on what mood would strike, and we were able to see everything we wanted to without much coordination. Chris was a total rockstar at driving on the left, and handling the one-way-two-way lanes of heavy traffic. Aside from a few audible squeals as we inched passed a delivery van, it was smooth sailing. I became a master navigator and somehow, we didn’t argue even once. I’m so proud I’m thinking of adding this to my resume.
2 Comments
Jim Stables
14/5/2018 10:13:12 pm
A thoroughly enjoyable, educational and informative travelogue well up to your usual high standard, Sinead.
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Sinead O'Carroll
15/5/2018 08:39:09 am
Hi Jim
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