Rome to Malta

We left Rome very early on a rainy day...

View from the taxi

We were up at 6am, and left our hotel at 6:30. It only took about half an hour to get to the airport by taxi (arranged via the hotel the day before), so we had plenty of time before our 8:25 boarding! Our plan was to check our bag, get through security, and relax over some breakfast (and coffee!). 

But! When we checked in, the fellow saw our cane, and asked if we wanted assistance - I was pleasantly surprised, since I hadn't thought to book it in time! We said yes please! Soooo... We walked to the aid office (not far), and they took our names and flight info; we sat down to wait for a wheelchair. And sat. And sat. It eventually became clear that their system was to take people in flight time order - straight through security, to the gate, and directly to the plane. No chance for a bathroom, no chance for food or drink. It makes sense from their perspective, but it's really inconvenient from ours. Next time, we think we might split up, meet on the plane with breakfast in my hands 😜.

Well, it was only an hour and a half later to Malta 🙂. Our plan there was to collect our bag, see the tourist office for information, take the next bus to Valletta, drop our bags off at the apartment, then have lunch and sightsee until our check-in time (3pm).

We were pretty discombobulated though, so as soon as we got our bag, we found food! Then I found the bus office (to clarify what our bus passes actually did and didn't do), and the tourist office. By then, it was noon, waaaay behind the scheduled plan. We contacted our host about our delay, hopped the bus (X4, quick and easy), switched to the Valletta city bus (133, modified route), and got into the apartment. Not 5 minutes later, our host is there, explaining things, and said that they had just finished cleaning, so we could just check in then - what a relief!

A couple of hours later, I headed out for groceries - this is just one of the streets on my very short route!

After another rest, we went to dinner; there are *tons* of choices just a couple of blocks away 😁

~~~

Here's my bus pass - we ordered it (and one for Rick - they're personalized with a photo) a couple of months ago. It lets us use any bus without extra charge except the "TD" buses (they're express airport buses; we'd be able to add ~4.50€ to our card online if we wanted to use it). We can also use the ferries between Valletta and the two cities on either side (Valletta is on a peninsula, in a bay). Ferries to the other islands are sold at the entrance, and not covered by this card.