I’d forgotten how uncomfortable Easyjet plane seats are but, given we were travelling through the night and none of us had slept, I only saw 1 out of the 3 hours flight. The boys got their heads down too.

Leaving MIA airport on our shared shuttle bus was a cosy experience revealing a built up town, quite industrial in part and a little run down at times. Heading out of the town the sights became more rural with small vineyards, dry stone walling and hedges cultivated from giant cactus.

Looking at the buildings there was an instant sense of the islands history with large dome-roofed buildings perched on top of the hills. The were also a few religious icons and statues but this maybe historical rather than current or maybe both.

Arriving at the hotel an hour or so ahead of check in we dropped our bags off and went for a stroll to check out the locality. We found the Tal-Kaptan, an Italian restaurant with loads of veggie offerings, several bars advertising free wifi and the local corner store for essential supplies. Well, I say essential supplies, our last swag bag consisted of fags, munchies and a six pack of Bud.

Once checked in, we retired to our room on the 5th floor and unpacked. The room is good, comfortable for 3 and a balcony overlooking the sea. The main road alongside the seafront is quite busy in the day but much quieter at night.

Temperatures are good with a gentle breeze, I think I’m going to like Malta.