A day to celebrate the country and communities of Australia.
I recently returned back to Perth where I grew up after 12 years being away to attend my high school reunion and catch up with my friends. Perth is the best place in the world I have lived so far for the lifestyle it offers.
So many great memories forever in my heart until my next visit.
Happy Australia Day to everyone who loves Australia around the world, and to my friends who live there!
Escaping the leftovers and festivities of Christmas it was a wonderful feeling to hop on a plane to start 2019 with a trip to Malta.
Having never been before, we were excited to explore this gem three hours away from London. Malta is nestled between the island of Sicily (below the southern tip of Italy) and the North African Coast (north east of Tunisia).
Flying on New Years Day has its benefits; as a tip – it’s generally cheaper and usually quieter. However, our flight was full as we caught the early morning flight to Valletta. A plane change caused some seat dramas with other passengers and lucky us ended up getting the best seating plan as we just let it all unfold.
Malta surprisingly for such a small island is densely populated, full of history and character. The Maltese people are easygoing, laidback and friendly. It was easy to relax and have chats with locals pretty much everywhere. After living in the ‘tight upper lip country’ it’s always noticeable when I travel how open a culture is to engage with strangers. I felt welcome in Malta and safe. A hangover ‘six sense survival’ skill always kicks in from growing up in Iran and Africa when I travel. I’m very sensitive to energies and I felt protected here.
Not one for staying in touristy popular places; AirBnb once again had delivered a real quaint and traditional Maltese village, Qrendi.
The locals in this village are particularly friendly and the hospitality was welcoming. Being just after New Year one night we had difficulty finding somewhere local open to eat. A local bistro and wine bar, Il-Grokk were celebrating with staff and we joined them for their meal; despite not being open. Chatting to the owner we discovered many synchronicities that makes travelling and meeting people fun with unexpected moments of not knowing what’s going to happen next.
Conversations around psytrance, Cape Town, DJs, trance parties and travels made this night a night to remember with our new local DJ friend. He had just returned from playing in the clubs of Cape Town! A place we know best-our former home city.
To get around, we hired a very small car to navigate the tiny streets and alleyways. There were many hair raising twists and moments when we breathed in going through some very narrow and tight alleys. We thought English country lanes are challenging! Not a chance. Driving is a bit chaotic and we adapted and just drove with caution as we had our insurance excess to think about! It’s the best way to see the sites and explore little villages along the coastline.
A day trip to Valletta is worth a visit and we caught the bus from the village square. All buses and routes go into the central bus station and it’s easy to go anywhere if you have the time. A bus from Qrendi takes about half hour and costs a few euros.
Valletta is full of history and the best way to explore is to walk the cobbled streets and admire the architecture and old walls of the city. There’s plenty of sites to see and make sure you’re wearing a comfy pair of walking shoes.
Stopping at plenty of cafes for a quick coffee; we were spoilt for choice to get a hot drink as we had a chilly biting winter breeze to make friends with.
The weather was sunny and we wrapped up warm as Malta had an unexpected cold snap, which the locals had all commented on how unusual it was. We didn’t mind as the skies back home were grey and it was a welcome sight to see bright blue skies again with the odd white cloud.
A must do is to catch the ferry across to Sliema from the ferry jetty in Valletta. It’s a great way to experience the full scale of the city and a shortcut across to the bays and inlets.
A favourite spot; Marsaxlokk is a small fishing village on the south east side below the capital. Every day there is a market and Sunday is the weekly fish market.
The harbour is full of colourful painted fishing boats known as ‘luzzu‘. Each boat has the Eye of Horus thought to offer the fishermen protection when they go out to sea.
Walking the length of the harbour is peaceful and there are plenty of fish restaurants and cafes all competing for your euros for a bite to eat. The fish is freshly caught and there are chalkboards advertising ‘fresh fish caught by my husband’. Servings are generous all over Malta and it’s custom to serve a smorgasbord of artisan Maltese breads or bruschetta, olives, dips and local hummus. No need to order starters!
If you like the influences of Italy and Mediterranean cuisine you’ll be spoilt for choice with fresh and local menus. We ate locally every day wherever we were to really experience the freshness of food on offer.
The ancient temples of Hagar Qim and Mnajdra are worth a visit. These temples are believed to be older than Stonehenge and even the Pyramids. As with all these hot spots be prepared for small crowds and a dose of patience.
After exploring temples a drink was needed. I was pleasantly surprised to have a long chat with the elderly local cafe temple van man who sold me a Kinnie – an orange flavoured herb fizzy drink. It’s a local soft drink that tasted like bitters. He had all the time in the world and was amused I was up for a Kinnie as I listened to his weather wisdom. Like the Brits – the weather is a favourite topic to talk about it!
After five days of exploring it was time to fly home. Next time the weather will be warmer and a trip to the Blue Grotto by boat will be on the cards, and some beach time on the golden sands of coves tucked away all round this island.
With love from Malta!
