Day 1
The short version for those in a hurry:
We nearly missed our flight - but didn't.
We nearly got rained on - but didn't.
We nearly went hungry - but didn't.
For those with a little bit more time, grab yourself a cuppa and read on...
Saturday stretched ahead of us with hours before the flight. There were a number of jobs to do before taking the dogs to my sister-in-law's where they would be spoiled rotten for the coming week. While giving Brandy a huge 'I'll miss you loads' hug he yelped as if I'd hurt him and as I let him go he ran for his Dad. Feeling terribly upset for doing nothing wrong I tried to get him to come to me, but he was having none of it and I began to wonder if he had realised something was different about today.
The first job was taking Neil's car to the garage for a repair and MOT while we were away. Both dogs enjoy a ride in the car and I popped them both on the back seat hoping this treat may get me back in Brandy's good books. Half an hour later saw us all back home and Brandy was definitely thawing.
Next job on the tick list was a final walk with the dogs and although the sky was threatening rain we did our usual circuit of the estate. With the dogs well settled the hard work of packing and cleaning began. I, like many, prefer to come home to a clean house but it means more work before leaving. Eventually, the bags were packed, the dogs were delivered and we were on our way to the airport when I realised the first thing we had forgotten - our coats. Although we hoped not to need them while away the forecast for the week was rain and thunder so it was wise to take them - plus we would definitely need them on our return to the UK at 5am in a week's time.
Coats on board we set off for the airport once more, both equally convinced we knew where we were going, both equally convinced which exit we needed from the motorway and, as it happened, both equally wrong. By the time we realised we were on the wrong road we had lost half an hour of our travel time and the relaxed journey turned into a fraught dash to reach the airport in time to check in.
As it turned out the half hour delay worked in our favour as, by the time we arrived the normally large queue had already been checked in and we walked straight to the desk. Only one more hurdle to get over. This was my first flight since having my pacemaker fitted and, although I am aware many people fly with pacemakers , I was unsure of the procedure through security and I am not good with uncertainty. I asked at the first check point to see what I needed to do and they advised me to speak with the people where you put your belongings in to baskets prior to walking through the scanner and they would sort me out.
I handed my pacemaker card go the chap and he called a lady over who explained I would be be taken past the body scanner and would be frisk searched instead. They asked to see my passport to make sure the name agreed with my pacemaker card and that I hadn't borrowed one to help me bypass security and, frisk over, I was free to rejoin Neil. Finally we could relax and look forward to the flight.
Once on the plane the pilot explained we would have a smooth flight until we were near Sicily where there were thunderstorms.
It was a night flight and as we approached Sicily we could see the sky lighting up in the distance as the lightening flashed almost constantly. To avoid the turbulence the pilot flew around the storm leaving us 15 minutes later on arrival but having had a very uneventful journey.
Our driver was waiting when we got through customs and we were soon on the final leg of our journey. A further 30 minute drive on roads which were far busier than expected, considering it was 3am, and we pulled up at our hotel. This would be home for the next week.
It was not surprising we slept through breakfast considering the late arrival but 2 things had stuck with me from our conversation with the driver from last night. The first one was a good point - that the weather forecast didn't always refer to the weather over the island. Malta covers a distance out to sea and often when they they forecast thunderstorms they aren't over the island. The second, and more concerning comment was that he'd previously been unaware of our hotel due to its remote setting. Considering that we had missed breakfast and that we weren't getting our car until tomorrow I began to worry what we were going to find close by for our first meal in Malta.
As anyone would on the first morning abroad we flung back the curtains to take in the view.
We nearly got rained on - but didn't.
We nearly went hungry - but didn't.
Next job on the tick list was a final walk with the dogs and although the sky was threatening rain we did our usual circuit of the estate. With the dogs well settled the hard work of packing and cleaning began. I, like many, prefer to come home to a clean house but it means more work before leaving. Eventually, the bags were packed, the dogs were delivered and we were on our way to the airport when I realised the first thing we had forgotten - our coats. Although we hoped not to need them while away the forecast for the week was rain and thunder so it was wise to take them - plus we would definitely need them on our return to the UK at 5am in a week's time.
We knew we had a sea view as we had seen the harbour lights the night before and now we could take in our fill of the vista... through the rain. Taking on an 'Oh Well!' attitude we went to get ready for our search for food in the rain.
By the time we reached reception the rain had stopped, confirmed by looking across at the still waters of the swimming pool. Things were looking up. Remembering the remoteness comments of the driver we asked where we could find somewhere for breakfast.
"Just along the main road." replied the receptionist.
Sure enough only 15 minutes walk brought us to a very busy restaurant serving a wide range of hot and cold food. We took an outside table at the roadside across from an array of small boats bobbing along at their moorings.
As we sat sipping our coffee and drinking in the atmosphere the clouds started to move and the sun began to shine. Maybe today would be a good day after all.
So now I'm sitting on the hotel balcony gazing out across the black water to the bright lights of the town across the bay, listening to the gentle waves as they meet the rugged coastline. A few boats light up the the waters out to sea and I assume there is heavy cloud cover as there is not a star to be found in the dark night sky, so black it's impossible to see where the sea stops and the sky begins.
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