Robbie was joining us for the holiday this year, but with Nikki flying back to Basel on the Friday morning as well, there were the five of us at Gatwick on Thursday evening.  Tricia and I both had hospital appointments on the Thursday. When I got back from my appointment it was about 3:15pm. By 4:30, after some rearrangement of luggage to meet our 2x20kg luggage limit, we were on our way. Nikki drove. We got caught up in the rush hour traffic on the M25 so ended up getting to Gatwick later than expected. Robbie, who had been working on the Thursday, had taken the train out of London to Gatwick. We picked him up at the ‘drop off’ point, and then parked up at the Premier Inn where we were booked into for the night. After a quick check-in, and the dumping of overnight bags in the rooms, we went out in search of food. Not that Ellie was really concerned with food, she was more concerned with how Adam Gemilli was doing in the European Athletics Championships! We went to a pub that Robbie had found by searching on the internet…’The Farmhouse’.  Three steaks were ordered … but they only had two, so Mum had something else instead. The food was prompt enough, and ok. After we had finished, Tricia and me were dropped at the airport where we checked in the suitcases, whilst Nikki, Rob and Ellie went off in search of McFlurries for puddings. We caught up with them at the hotel, and said goodbye to Nikki, as she was travelling later on the Friday, and wouldn’t be up quite as early as the rest of us.

Friday 15th August… The alarm went off at 4:55am. Tricia and I managed to get up … a feat in itself at that time of day … and quickly got ourselves ready whilst trying to have a cup of tea. We were out of the hotel room at 5:15, where we bumped into Robbie and Ellie who were already waiting. Straight out of the hotel, into the car, dumping our overnight stuff in the boot, we drove to car park 6, where a lady took our car keys, and we made for departures and security. All very easy regarding the car. Dad and Ellie got separated from Mum and Robbie, and then we had trouble finding each other on the other side of security… Robbie it seems was carrying illicit cargo (scissors) and got held up in security. Mum then wanted to buy some perfume, whilst the rest of us were anxious to get to gate. Ellie and Rob went on, whilst Dad waited for Mum. With perfume purchased, we got to gate as boarding had started. We were all seated in good time. Breakfast was had on the flight. The flight itself was smooth, and we landed ahead of schedule. Luggage collected, through passport control, we then picked up the car… which was a disappointment, slightly smaller than I had expected. But it worked and had air con, which was needed as it was hot! We followed the initial instructions given to us, Dad driving and Mum on the map… signs and maps weren’t particularly useful as it turned out. We stopped to get some cold drinks, calmed down and tried again. Eventually we picked up signs for Il Birgu, seemingly more out of luck than anything else. Then having found the Marina entrance I missed the turn, and a protracted detour ensued to get back to where we should be. We eventually got through, down to the car park and located the security guard… who didn’t have the house keys! .. So, we parked up and went down the harbour admiring the boats and settings and found somewhere for lunch.

About 2pm we got the keys… a lovely apartment, and a lovely balcony. After some unpacking, and settling in (and putting shorts on), me and Rob went on the hunt for some milk and loo roll (as there wasn’t much in the apartment). We enjoyed our walk, but it was a feast day (holiday) and it was the afternoon, so there wasn’t much open…. we did get some water though. On returning I ended up having a nap on the sofa, the long day being all too much, whilst Tricia and Robbie went out on foot in the opposite direction to me and Rob earlier. They were more successful, and managed to get some milk and breakfast items… but no loo roll. In the evening we went for a meal at Don Berto’s, just above where we had lunch. Eating outside, in the warm Mediterranean evenings is always a pleasure and this was no exception…. the only minor downside was that we could hear singing from a karaoke bar across the harbour. Back at the apartment it was off to bed…

Saturday 16th August… Anniversary day. 28 years! It was off to Valletta today. After the obligatory showers, and ‘creaming up’, water bottles loaded, we set off. Mum driving, Dad trying to work out which way up the map should be held. Eventually, and without mishap we arrived, and parked in the MCP (5 euros for the day, not bad). It was 30c.  We stopped for a hat and sunglasses for Robbie, and headed for the cathedral… which was shut. Oh well, undaunted we went to the Palace Armoury. Robbie Heaven! It was an impressive display of medieval weaponry. Rob took about 3 million pictures….. It was then time for a spot of lunch.  On the way we had to get Ellie some new flip flops, as her sandals were rubbing her feet raw and causing some discomfort. New flip flops on and old sandals in the bin we carried on. For ‘a laugh’ I ran through a water fountain, and got somewhat wet… the rest of the family declined the invitation to join me, and walked some distance from me as if I was some sort of village idiot. We stopped at a street side café. Unfortunately service was poor, the food took 45 minutes to arrive, drinks were warm and the food distinctly average. When I paid the bill I provided some ‘feedback’, which wasn’t particularly welcome, but they understood my feelings nonetheless.

It was then onto the National War Museum, again a pretty good museum and display. By now it was late afternoon and a lot of places were shut so we headed back. Along the way we stopped at the war memorial, and saw the splendid views, then we found some cats… as we always do, then stopped for a cold drink in a park…. then as we went towards the car park I passed a local sat listening to the radio and 5 Live commentary… it was the first day of the new season. I enquired, any news on West Ham vs the Totts… 0-0 he said, but West Ham had missed a penalty. Damn.  At the car, it took some time to find where we paid the parking fee, but we got there in the end.

A quick stop on the way back for some much needed provisions including loo roll… hoorah. Sadly, when I got back to the apartment I found out West Ham had lost 0-1 to a last minute Spurs goal :-(… Oh well. Tricia opened a bottle of bubbly she had got for an early evening celebration of our anniversary…. except it wasn’t white it was red, and tasted like sparkly cough mixture ! Never mind, the intention was good :-).  In the evening we went to a restaurant called ‘Lupanara’, a short walk from the apartment. It was excellent… and as it was our anniversary, Robbie picket up the tab :-)…  We liked it so much we booked for Sunday night :-).

Sunday 17th August… A good start to the day for Ellie, when she put salt instead of sugar on her Weetabix :-)…. We had nothing more extensive planned than a walk around the harbour, to see the buildings on the other side of the harbour. I didn’t really even want to do that, the balcony had a great view of the harbour, I could have just sat there all day getting the sun, having a drink, watching some of the boats go in and out… but off we went on the walk. When we got to the other side of the harbour there was very little to see, the buildings that would have interested us were either closed or being renovated. Disappointed we turned back. Rob and me went into another military museum, whilst Ellie and Tricia got some items for lunch. We went back to the apartment for lunch and stayed in for the afternoon enjoying the sun from the balcony. Ellie and I went for a swim in the harbour, Tricia came across and took some photo’s and sat in the sun for a while. In the evening it was back to Lupanara, where again the food was excellent. Then it was back to the apartment for the last night at the harbour.

Monday 18th August… Monday morning was a time to pack and move onto Qrendi. Tricia, Rob and myself went to see a couple of churches  that Tricia in particular wanted to see. They should have been open, but weren’t… so we had a final walk back along the harbour, before going back to the apartment and then driving on to Valetta.

We parked in the same car park as previously, and walked into the city. First visit was St John’s Cathedral, which was magnificent in it’s golden décor. A visit to the museum was also included. It was then a visit to the Fine Art museum, which was located after some deliberation between Mum and Rob. For lunch Rob, Tricia and Ellie had a subway meal, I had a roll we had made at the apartment, which we ate in the gardens overlooking the whole harbour. It would be difficult to find a better view for lunch anywhere. Then it was back to the car via a small shop for some replacement sunglasses for Robbie.

In retrospect we went the long way round to Qrendi, it took some time, in particular down one long and bumpy road that made us all think we might be in Beirut or Gaza! When we did arrive in Qrendi we struggled to find Tower Street and we needed locals to help direct us… and when we did find Tower Street we struggled to find the house. Rob and me walked the length of the street and all the odd little turns off of it before we eventually found it.  A comfortable enough place, it lacked the classy view of the Marina and harbour. It wasn’t quite as I had imagined it, and wanted the harbour back, so I was bit sulky and grumpy :-(.  We shopped in the local supermarket. Pizza for tea, which took some time on account of us not realising it was a gas oven :-)… still we got there. The view from the roof didn’t lessen the ‘Beirut’ feel, lots of odd houses with unfinished work… but it was all endorsed by the fireworks going off everywhere… it was because it was ‘fiesta’ season, but sounded like we were under attack!