So with my holidays now over - with a side-trip/mini break to Paris Disneyland for my birthday (it was SO much fun!) - we are now settling into a new routine. And all is going really well. We love it here!
Each morning I am up and walking/running along the gorgeous promenade that follows the shore for many kilometres. Then it's time to get sorted and start my working day. At the moment I am writing copy for a company's website as well as doing some edits. It's a good mix. Lots on and hopefully lots more to come my way...
Heading out for a mid-morn coffee, by the sea, it a simple delight. Just getting some sun, fresh air, looking at the water, and getting away from the computer does wonders. Then it's back to work. After shutting up the office I again will head for a walk along the beach or take my book for a little read by the water or on most arvos, while we can, I am in the water having a swim. So yes, I do have a slight tan. :)
Ahhhh the water...it is heavenly here. Sure, there's no great sweeping beaches of comfy sand to lie on, but the water is the highlight. It's just how I like it - calm and clear. No big waves to try and struggle through. It's like a big ocean pool! I just have to put on my goggles and drift out. The goggles are great as there's loads of fish to check out. So yes, we are doing lots of swimming.
We have even found that the local cinema is only a 5 min walk from us (seriously, everything is a 5 min walk!!!). And the best part is, for 2 tickets, large coke and popcorn, it's only A$20! We are definitely going to take advantage of that and check out all the new movies. And they're in English.
Anton is keen to make sure we take advantage of this wonderful weather while it lasts and so we took a boat trip to the other islands, Gozo, and then to Comino to swim in another bay and the 'ultimate' swimming area - The Blue Lagoon. It was incredible. Cruising was a delight, and swimming in the clearest water I have ever experienced was brilliant. This is 'the place' to check out if you love swimming and snorkelling!
So we are definately making the most of this seaside living.
It's still quite busy here, especially at night. Lots of drunk Poms. :) But they are all very friendly and lively - there's still quite a 'buzz' around.
One thing that is annoying me though...BUSES! There's not enough buses and they don't come regularly. So if you get to the bus stop for the 12.00 bus, you will probably find that the bus will go right past you because it's already FULL. So you have to wait another 30 mins, and again you can't be sure to get on that one either...SO ANNOYING. Makes getting around a little difficult. Mind you, once you're on, you don't have to travel that far to find other hidden Maltese gems.
Fingers crossed the bus situation get a little better once all the tourists go. HA - I am even starting to sound like a 'local'.
Time to get some work done, and head out for my morning coffee soon...
Sunday, October 18, 2015
Monday, October 5, 2015
So here we are!
After weeks of travelling in Italy having loads of fun on our cruise and with Mum and Dad, we have finally arrived in our new home of Bugibba, Malta. And it's pretty fab.
Our apartment is light, airy and huge! 3 bedrooms, so plenty of room for visitors. :) We are a 5 min walk to the beach and the main square. And in any direction there are local shops, pubs, cafes, supermarkets, the cinemas ($6 AU to go to the flicks) and even 2 bookshops!!!!
Our landlords have been really welcoming and friendly. They even had the apartment all set up with the basics - toilet paper, garbage bags, even some things in the pantry. And of course all the furniture, sheets, towels etc. are here. The bed is a little too soft for our liking; however, there is another in the other room that feels firmer, so we're going to swap them this arvo.
Our first few days were spent exploring our little seaside town. Bugibba is still full of tourists, mostly from Europe and England, who have been spending the summer months here. We really do agree with those that say Malta is the Bali for the Poms! There is a great 'holiday' vibe with loads of people out drinking, eating, shopping and swimming. It will be interesting to see how the crowds lessen as the weather starts to cool down. At the moment it's perfect for arvo swims.
We have even been into the capital city of Valletta. This walled city centre has so much history, which I can't wait to explore. When it was built by the Knights of St John in the 16th and 17th centuries, its founder decreed that is should be elegant - and that it is. UNESCO has even named it a World Heritage Site and described it as 'one of the most concentrated historic areas in the world'. And it has all the clothing shops, bigger bars and cafes you need. And I can't wait to check out the library! It's so lovely to walk through all the narrow streets and see what's on offer. It's about a 1 hour bus ride (a beautiful drive along the coast) so easy for us to get to. From there we took a ferry to another little place called Sliema. This is where we found the 'largest shopping mall in Malta' - it's about the size of Toowong (for my Brissie friends). But it has all the shops - so I can certainly do some damage to the budget if I wanted to. :)
After another few days of wandering around Bugibba and familiarising ourselves with the layout (with a delightful swim in the Med) I am now back in my 'office'. And what a gorgeous office to have!
Our apartment is light, airy and huge! 3 bedrooms, so plenty of room for visitors. :) We are a 5 min walk to the beach and the main square. And in any direction there are local shops, pubs, cafes, supermarkets, the cinemas ($6 AU to go to the flicks) and even 2 bookshops!!!!
Our landlords have been really welcoming and friendly. They even had the apartment all set up with the basics - toilet paper, garbage bags, even some things in the pantry. And of course all the furniture, sheets, towels etc. are here. The bed is a little too soft for our liking; however, there is another in the other room that feels firmer, so we're going to swap them this arvo.
Our first few days were spent exploring our little seaside town. Bugibba is still full of tourists, mostly from Europe and England, who have been spending the summer months here. We really do agree with those that say Malta is the Bali for the Poms! There is a great 'holiday' vibe with loads of people out drinking, eating, shopping and swimming. It will be interesting to see how the crowds lessen as the weather starts to cool down. At the moment it's perfect for arvo swims.
We have even been into the capital city of Valletta. This walled city centre has so much history, which I can't wait to explore. When it was built by the Knights of St John in the 16th and 17th centuries, its founder decreed that is should be elegant - and that it is. UNESCO has even named it a World Heritage Site and described it as 'one of the most concentrated historic areas in the world'. And it has all the clothing shops, bigger bars and cafes you need. And I can't wait to check out the library! It's so lovely to walk through all the narrow streets and see what's on offer. It's about a 1 hour bus ride (a beautiful drive along the coast) so easy for us to get to. From there we took a ferry to another little place called Sliema. This is where we found the 'largest shopping mall in Malta' - it's about the size of Toowong (for my Brissie friends). But it has all the shops - so I can certainly do some damage to the budget if I wanted to. :)
After another few days of wandering around Bugibba and familiarising ourselves with the layout (with a delightful swim in the Med) I am now back in my 'office'. And what a gorgeous office to have!
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