Malta, Day 1

Up ridiculously early. Not even time to finish a coffee before the taxi arrived to take us to the airport, which was remarkably busy despite the time (5.40 am!). We grabbed a quick bite to eat and then faced the long trek right to the end of Pier D and down to what I though had just been a temporary departure while the new Pier was being built but turns out to be still operational and still desperately ugly. The Ryanair flight was fine, and touchdown in Valletta was marked by a fanfare and an announcement that Ryanair had 'once again' arrived ahead of schedule. We got two taxis between the five of us and were checked in to our hotel, shown to our rooms and back downstairs again all by 1.30 pm (one advantage at least of the early flight). The blip is of an open space right beside our hotel, perched atop Victoria Gate, and laid out with tables and chairs for lunch each day. The flag of St George is given almost equal prominence as the Maltese flag (especially in Valletta), no doubt due to the island being awarded the George Cross for valour during World War II.

One of the guys had a place in mind for lunch, and we were all happy to follow his lead. The part of Valletta we were in is built on a hill, with flights of steep steps all over the place, which can be quite tiring if you're not fully fit. We'd already found the main shopping street, and now made our way to the far end of this and back down towards the waterfront where we came across Fort St Elmo and the Malta Experience building (cue for a beer stop) and the Siege Bell before wending our way back down to our hotel and a much-needed nap.

Mentioning the hotel ... if you ever go to Valletta, make sure you never stay in the British Hotel on Battery Street. It's described as being two-star, but I'd be hard put to give it even one. It has two wings, which are separated by a block of communal facilities such as reception, restaurant and bar. Unfortunately, only of the wings has a lift, so if your room is in the other wing you're faced with taking the lift to the second floor on one side, walking through the restaurant and then wending your way through a maze of passageways and up several steep flights of steps. We paid 10 euro pre night extra for a sea view (admittedly a spectacular view over the Grand Harbour), but the room was tiny, and the standard of décor and furnishing was basic to say the least. The proud boast of having a bar with 'a magnificent view over the Grand Harbour' was totally pointless, since the bar wasn't open anyway and was a desperately uninviting place, and the 'restaurant' was equally uninviting and judging by breakfast would not have been a pleasant place to eat an evening meal. All in all, one of the worst hotels I've stayed in anywhere.

One of the other guys had found a recommendation for a restaurant for our evening meal. The place looked really nice, and was already quite busy when we got there at 8.30 or so, but they were booked out. Fortunately it didn't take us long to find an alternative a bit further up the same street, where we were treated right royally and had quite a nice meal. It was before 11.00 when we finished, but we still found it difficult to find a place nearby for a drink. Three of us ended up in an okay place which was obviously popular with the locals. After one beer it was back for a much-needed sleep.

beginning here[/url].]