Michael and Susan are taken to Malta by Trudie, Lloyd and Jaja

July 2003

Wednesday 23rd July 2003.  At last the day arrived, having been months away, weeks away and finally only days  now  was today really happening and excitement was mounting.  It was no longer a distant dream.  Sue’s first real holiday since we’d met, Trudie having done all the sourcing, booking and organisation of practically everything except our shopping, washing and packing, which was done mostly by Sue.

Trudie and Lloyd  arrived with Jaja just before 1700 hours, the time the taxi was due to pick us all up from our house.  They were leaving their cars on our drive as it was safer than on the road outside their house in Moss Lane.  bill was persuaded to hold the keys in case they needed to be moved for the fire brigade for example.  He wanted then left in our house, they hae a key, but Lloyd was concerned someone would break in and steal his Mercedes.

They had monster packing cases but there were only two cases  between the three of them and there was lots of ‘stuff’ for Jaja plus lots of food and things we may need and not be able to get.

The taxi arrived and the driver stowed the luggage and we all piled in, Sue in the front because of her travel sickness.  He drove in a hurried way, criticising other drivers when he was just as much a road hog as they were.  Trudie got quite upset within herself because of the driver’s antics, he was driving much too fast.  We drove down the M65, M61, M60 an eventually the M56 having an uninterrupted journey arriving at the airport at approximately 1800 hours.  with Lloyd £65 lighter the driver drove of  having taken Lloyd’s mobile number in case of difficulties whn we were to be picked up on the way home.

We entered he departures hall and almost directly into our queue, the check-in desks weren’t to open until half and hour later.  Lloyd took Jaja off for a wander round the public access parts of the terminal to stop him from becoming fractious, we’d had difficulty persuading him not to sit in the front of the taxi, a small minibus type.

The ladies in front of us in the queue were Maltese,  mother and  daughter, they had been to one of the Manchester universities to check out the daughter’s rooms etc., she was starting at the university in autumn.  The were from St. Julien’s near Valetta.

Eventually the queue started to move, we were told to form three  lines only to find that our line was for Clib Class and we had to edge our way into one of the other queues.  We checked in, Trudie trying to get me a seat with more leg room and we thought we had but once on the plane it proved to be a normal seat.  Jaja brightened up the check in lady’s day, he was to prove a valuable asset, smoothing our passage everywhere throughout the holiday and making friends of everyone.

We had a snack before going through Security, £22 for the three of us.  Through Security and Passport Control and found Gate 210.  sue had no black knickers to wear under her black see through trousers.  We looked in all the shops but couldn’t find any.  Several people were buying duty  free but we didn’t haveany use for the articles.

We watched our aicraft, an Airbus A320, unload and then we watched our own luggage being loaded form the window alongside our boarding gate.  After several visits to the toilets we eventually started to board about twenty minutes late but at last we were on the plane taxiing down the runway  to a fairly good take off.  The flight, KM147, a Malta Airways scheduled flight, settled into the usual routine of drinks, meal and duty free.  As it was scheduled flight it wasn’t packed to the eyeballs, only about two thirds full so we moved our seats to get us all in a line across the plane.  Sue got the jumps in her leg but Jaja was very good.  A litle boy was sick a couple of rows behind us but otherwise the flight was uneventful until the descent ot the airport.  Both Sue and Michael had severe earache and we think Jaja was troubled  too but we touched down Ok and pored out ot the plane into the waiting airport bus, standing room only.   We arrived roughly on time despite our late start, it wa about 0100 hours local time, one hour ahead of us, I guess that is standard European time.

We had a short wait for our baggage and into the arrivals zone where we spotted our taxi driver, holding up a  ‘Malta.com Holidays’ sign, waiting for us.  Again a small minibus.  Trudie liked this driver much better as he conveyed us sedately to our hotel , our first experience of the Maltese roads.  The impression of Malta was of Iraq after the war but his was to change as the holiday progressed.

Sue and I were very impressed by our entrance to the hotel, of course it was as Trudie and Lloyd had said it would be, it was their fourth visit.  It reminded me of the Sheraton at Heathrow and I suppose the one in Singapore too.  We checked in and found our rooms which we liked very much, a great start.  They interconnected as requested but hey were over the ‘entertainments’ area whuich Trudie had requested that we weren’t near.  We found we’d each signed in for the wrong room but we soon settled in.  We had a double bed and Trudie, Lloyd and Jaja had a bed each in their room.

Trudie’s routine on holiday is to unpack straight away so we followed suit and it was 0300 hours local time before we got to bed.  the air conditioning fan was very noisy, we only had a sheet covering us, the warmth was heavenly, so we turned the fan right down during the night.  Our fridge door was locked, Trudie’s had a key in it but we eventually found our key, it was on the same ring as the door key!

Thursday

We were up late about 0900 hours but we   got down for breakfast at about 0930 hours with forty-fie minutes to spare.  It was self-service but with a chef serving the cooked part and waiters hover around taking away your used dishes with speed and efficiency.  The choice of food was enormous and we had no problems getting the choice that we would have made at home, except for cranberry juice and muesli in lieu of shredded wheat.  We were shown to a table near a window overlooking the sea.  Trudie discovered that we had the wrong tariff printed on our ‘key ‘ document so straight to reception to sort it out, which they did once she had found our ‘accommodation voucher’ in her sheaf of holiday documents, she was proving to be a good ‘tour lrader’.  They had us down for bed and breakfast whereas we’d paid for half board.

We applied factor 35 sun cream and  went down to he pool and got our towels, we’d signed a deposit slip for each towel, 60 Maltese lire, and been given a token which we exchanged for towels with tony, who Trudie and Lloyd remembered and were remembered by.  We found five sunbeds and went into the pool.  the waater was as warm as we expected, relatively that is, once in it turned out to be fine, warm even.  We were in the water for some time, Jaja loved it, took to it like a duck just  swimming around totally enjoying himself as if he’d been doing it all his life.  He had his arm bands on and showed no signs of fear at all, a complete contrast to a few months ago. An elderly gentleman was totally taken in by him and he seemed fascinated with Jaja every time we met.

At 1230 hours the ‘Animation Team’ arrived at the poolside and started to get everyone ‘splash dancing’.  The animation team were modern ‘redcoats’, a group of people organising games and entertainment for the guests and as it turned out later local visitors paying 7.50 a time.  There were three animators, two young women and a young man. Later we knew they were Jana, Glen and Jolene.  I was completely fascinated by them.  It was like a stage show, of which I’ve seen very few.  It was much more alive and exciting than things seen on TV, uplifting and transporting even.  It never again lived up to impression of the first day. One of them was in front on the pool steps, see picture and the other two were a couple of steps behind and to the side in triangular formation.  It wa a kind of water aerobics to music with dance routines as well.  We copied their movements, like line dancing I suppose.  I tried but Jaja wouldn’t let Trudie join in at first.  I was a different person, completely lost all my usual reserve.

We found some sunbeds on the side of the pool and moved to them,  bit too near to rubbish bin, smelled a bit sometimes.

There were waitresses hovering around ll the time and we eventually ordered some food and drinks.  Water was dear, 85 cents for one and a half litres.  We were still confused about money but worked out that a lire was worth just under two pounds, the actually called the lire a pound which again was confusing until we realized that it wass their ‘pound’.

I lay in the sun for ten minutes with the sun on my front, my first and last sunbathing!

In the water again after lunch but this time with my almost new Glasson T shirt on to protect my shoulders.  A foreign lady in the pool tried to introduce her daughter to Jaja but he became all shy.  There were all shapes and sizes and all nationalities round the pool.  Looking out to sea and along the coast to the west  it looked like we were in  quarry, everything sand coloured, no signs of green anywhere.

Back to rooms and showered before dinner.  There was a message for Trudie from Malta.com, they would come and see us tomorrow morning at 1000 hours. 

Whilst we were getting ready we could see the some of the animation team preparing the stage on the ‘Sea Waves’ terrace for the evening show.  Jaja was fascinated by the ‘faces’, the red and blue clowns masks on the stage.  He’s been fascinated by them since they went to the Dominican Republic last year.

On the way down we met Belinda and she made a fuss of Jaja, as did most people.

We went to reception and picked up our  new key documents, this time all correct – Trudie was concerned that we may get ‘challenged’ in the dining room. In the dining room we were given the same table, again the choice was fantastic, able to keep to my Hay diet all the holiday.  Trudie and Lloyd recognised some of the waiters from their last visit six years ago.  Llotd wa amazed trhat they were still in the same job!  I had th same job all my life so six years diesn’t sem long to me but I supose Lloyds never ben in the same job with the same company form more than a couple of years.

The Animation Team show was very lively, Belinda in particular.  Started at 2115 hours.  their were several    nationalities round the audience, some from Eastern Europe, but mostly Maltese.  Jaja went up on the stage at the end of he show with all the other children and danced.  He was to become besotted with Belinda.

At about 2230 hours back to the room for a Horlicks from Trudie’s impressive stock of goodies.

Friday

Sat on the balcony writng my first notes at 0730 hours, already towels were on the sunbeds. Were the staff doing it?  The sea was calm and people were already swimming in it, there were ships on the horizon and cats were prowing around below me.

At 0930 hours Jaja was still asleep so Sue and I went down for breakfast, this became a pattern for the rest of the holiday, Trudie, Lloyd and Jaja being slow risers.

In the room, after breakfast, whilst Trudie and Lloyd had theirs, I spotted Belinda on the terrace below leading stretching exercise, stretching’ as it was known.  I went down and joined the couple that were doing it with her.

Michael went into the pool afterwards and did approximately forty ‘diameters’, it’s a circular pool.  Six diameters in fiveminutes as opposed to about twelve at home so could be about twenty metres diameter?

Belinda came into pool and started throwing ball to Jaja who was on the side near the steps.  He tried to kick the ball back to her but stubbed his toe.   Tears and cut which bled which bothered him for a few days despite Belinda fussing over him and getting him a plaster.

Joined in splash dancing again and ordered more food for lunch, this time we ordered on meal between the two of us, one each was too much.  It was a longish bun sliced in two with salad and goat’s cheese   etc.

Back in the pool.  Out of the pool we sat in the shade of the parasols all the time.  This time   a little girl, nearly eight, joined us.  She introduced herself as Larissa and Jaja became friendly with her, eventually.  Her dad, Steve, is Bolton fan and Trudie and Lloyd spent quite a bit of time talking to them over the next few days.  They used to sit in the shallow rim of the pool next to the sea, see photos, quite a lot while Sue and I sheltered under the parasols.

In the pool again.  We moved camp again, nearer the sea to what was to become our ‘territory’ for he rest of the holiday.

I had a plastic glass of fruit while the others had ice cream.  Sue and Jaja went back in the pool again.

Michael went back to the room first and after showering played football with a balloon with Jaja in the room.

Lloyd’s boss has arranged for Lloyd’s mobile to work so Sue phone Steven to see how he was.  They were experiencing a heat wave.  Pity we didn’t have Alison’s number, they were on holiday in Greece and had texted us a few times before we left home.

Tonight was our first dinner on the terrace, a posh barbecue, with a young man playing soft music on a keyboard.  Michael had grilled swordfish which was delicious, with vegetables followed by an apple, orange and cheese, just like at home.

Jaja spilled his drink, he was very tired and we all went back to the room.  Jaja had been fractious since he stubbed his toe, poor lad.

David’s music was very loud as it was to be over the next two nights as well.  Lloyd got quite upset and considered asking to move rooms.  I didn’t want to do that, I liked the rooms but he noise was  awful, simply awful, and all six nights he played it was the same programme each night.  He had the quite a lot of people on the terrace with him and they seemed to all join in and dance.  It was Country and Western music and they did a lot of line dancing.  He played for 2030 hours and we went to sleep in his first beak at 2300 hours, sadly Lloyd and Trudie couldn’t’ get off despite Trudie putting her earplugs in.

Saturday

Up reasonably early and feeling better, over the first late night by now.  I went down and put the towels on the chairs and Sue and I went into breakfast.  It was nice and a lovely feeling to be on holiday together.

We were out round the pool just in time for ‘Stretching’, Michael enjoyed it but Sue didn’t feel up to it.  By this time Michael was thinking that he could reduce the fat round his waist and very enthusiastic.

Lloyd took me shopping or water, cranberry juice and Oilatum for Jaja’s eczema.  Jaja’s eczema was troubling him in the heat.  He is fine in the water but once he gets   out into the heat, which is considerable, it comes out.  Also got sunglasses attachment for Sue’s glasses.  should have got one for me!  I was supposed to get flip-flops for Sue but couldn’t remember them, sue said write the four items down but I couldn’t imagine forgetting one of only four items.  Plonker.  Also got issues and what I thought were paper towels but tined out to be toilet rolls.  Lloyd bought some biscuits and goodies for hem.  I was delighted to get three litres of cranberry juice.  We got two packs of six two litre bottles of water 1 lre per pack, so much cheaper than the poolside.  We loaded up the rucksack for Lloyd and I carried the water, one pack under each arm.  We didn’t get far before I had to put them down and after a few stops Lloyd carried one.  By the time we’d got back to the hotel he wa wringing wet with perspiration.  He had to shower and change.

Jaja wasn’t very happy, his toe was hurting him and hesemed to be weeping a lot.

Michael did the splash dancing again and this time Trudie felt sorry for me all on my own amonst al te women and joined in.

We had the second item on the Nautico menu today for a change, didn’t like as much as the first, again one meal between the two of us.

Went into the sea for the first time, lovely although the water varied, sometime warm, sometimes cool.  Walked down the slip on the pool side of the harbour and swam out to sea and into the harbour and out up the steps, a ladder on the quay side.  Sue came down the steps and swam for a little while.

Lloyd and Trudie went in their indoor pool again with Jaja.  Jaja was to spend most of his time in the water in he indoor pool, he could touch the bottom there whereas he couldn’t in the outdoor pool.  Jaja never enjoyed himself with the same nonchalance and exuberance in the outdoor pool as he’d experienced on the first day.

There were a lot of people in and around the pool today.  It turned out hat the local people were allowed access to the pool at weekends.  The sea was also busy with people and boats, and water skis.  the Maltese schools had broken up for the summer now.

I did twenty diameters again.

We went down to dinner early but Jaja was a bit naughty, very well behaved for his age but not up to mum an dad’s standards.

Michel was very adventurous, or stupid, ha a third of a glass of red wine, Trudie and Lloyd had wine nearly very day, a few times they had larger and lime.  Mostly we had water.  After dinner we went into the hotel shop, or the shop in the hotel, and bought a book about Malta and a map.  We also got newspapers.

On the rocks to the west of the hotel there seemed to be a lot of flames in the dark, barbecues?

Started to use the stairs, Trudie did it first and by now Sue didn’t mind going in th lift on her own.  Her knee was still bothering her and she’d had a mysterious pain in her left leg just before the holiday.

David’s music was again loud and monotonous but his audience seemed to be happy as we watched them from the balcony.  He didn’t finish at 2300 hours as we’d thought yesterday, he started again at 2320.  We eventually got to sleep.

Sunday

TO BE CONTINUED