Malta PART 1

My first day in Malta. 13 April 2007

It was Friday, 13th. A day before that I had got a ticket, voucher and short instructions what I should do in Malta and I shouldn’t. I had been calmed down in the travel agency, they assured me that everything absolutely organized and wrote a local mobile number of their representative of an agency just in case. I left them almost confident.

I felt first nervous on board the plane, because nobody spoke Russian, of course. Actually, I had a ‘Malta airlines’ trip. Stewards were in uniform with badges and one showed me my place. The plane took off and flight began. To be honest, I didn’t find that service hi-end, as usual, we drank tea or coffee and had breakfast without meat meals for some reason. In the next seat sat a boy from Siberia, of course, he was going to improve his English. In Malta you can see, apart from natives, thousands of English school students and, much less, crowds of tourists in fixed places. So, although we lived in the same city, I’ve met him only once in 4 weeks. After landing and finding my baggage I was met by women with sign with my name in her hands. My vocabulary allowed me realized what I should do next. I had been waiting about 40 minutes till a custom officer stuck a visa in my passport. I was taken by taxi boy and looked through a window to unknown landscape. I saw castles on the horizon and wondered about left-side traffic there. There were plenty of tiny cars around. Later I understood that streets were extremely narrow. I even told cliché to my driver that here rather warmer than in Russia. He pronounced long phrase and our conversation finished. We were moving through the whole island and at last arrived at the hotel. The driver helped me take my luggage from a boot and moved out. I put on a wide smile and went to reception. It took the time to explain who I am, got a key from «excellent room» and then exchange my «excellent tiny-dingy-shabby room» for another. I realized that Malta had similar service to Egypt…

What would you do on your first day? I suppose the same, You must have local money, obviously. But the first thing I made was a journey along the sea shore I saw from my shelter before. After traditional touching the sea by palm I returned to reception with euro-banknote and asked the question kind of «excuse me, I need..aa..money..aa..this..aa..where?...». Thank goodness bank was on the corner. Then I decided to have lunch and went to a café. Small town Pachewill where I stayed is the biggest tourist’s center of Malta due to gorgeous night life. Add Malta’s local traditions and you will have some idea why all restaurants and bars open only after 7pm. I could have a typical coffee and pasta. I found out that dishes are huge, but they were a bit expensive. For instance, I paid 3ML for 1 pizza. It was almost 6 euro. Satisfied enough I took my camera and went to see surroundings. I did do a lot that day, first of all I tried to find post office, banks, ATM, bars and shops, of course. But it was so cold and I had been walking so long time and I felt so lonely that I stayed in some Italian restaurant, took a bottle a red dry wine, king size pizza and began my first supper. After the first glass of wine I realized it had been good idea to leave Russia actually. After second one world around me became amazing and entertaining.
To be continued…