Bugibba, Malta - January 2016

Day 1 Fri 1st Jan

I arrived at Manchester airport about 4pm. It was very quiet with only three flights leaving from terminal two. The check-in girl offered me extra legroom seats at no extra cost. Of course, I accepted this offer graciously but wondered why I was given the option. It later transpired that the plane was under capacity and as well as extra legroom, the adjacent seats to me were empty and many of the rows in front and behind were empty. 

I had a one beer in the airport lounge and a snack and a bottle of water on the plane. From my earlier experience in Tenerife, I thought a little sobriety was sensible. But, I couldn't resist a bargain meal deal. For only 7 Euros, I had a miniature of vodka, a small can of coke and a packet of plain slightly sea salted crisps. It always amazes me how cheap the on board prices are. 

I must admit it was an enjoyable flight and with no screaming kids and extra lie down room, it was a gentle massage of the senses rather than the usual assault.

After 3 hours, we touched down at Malta International Airport at around 10:30pm. The transfer went smoothly and I arrived at the Blue Sea Bugibba hotel about 12:15am. 

At reception, I asked for a room on the top floor but didn’t expect to need directions on how to get there. Fortunately, there was a gentleman resident who was really helpful and took me all the way to my room. He showed me how to use the air conditioning and even tuned in the TV. What a great start to the holiday. To get an idea of where my room was located in relation to the front desk of the hotel here are the directions.

Pool in the Blue Sea Bugibba hotel

Leave reception on the 3rd floor, take the corridor to right of reception, walk to the end of the corridor, turn right, take lift on RHS to the 1st floor, turn right then turn left, follow the corridor to the door that opens onto the pool area, cross the pool area to other side, take the RHS and walk up a small ramp then turn right, go up several stairs, take the lift on LHS to 4th floor, turn left and continue to the end of the corridor and my room 441 was the last room on the RHS. 

I unpacked and navigated my way to reception to enquire about a safe deposit box since there was none in the room. I also asked if the hotel bar was open. I got a safe deposit box but unfortunately the bar was closed. I was surprised at this since it was only about 1am.

Not one to be beaten, I went for a walk and found a bar just around the corner from the hotel. It was called the Babylon Club. It looked a bit dark and dingy but this was probably because of the subdued lighting and my first impressions of it being seedy appeared to be unfounded. The bar staff were pleasant but the only complaint I had was that there was no draught beer. I had two cans of the local Cift lager but felt at 3.50 Euros a can, a bit overpriced. I went back to the hotel a short time later and was in bed for 2:30am

Day 2 Sat 2nd Jan

After a good sleep, I was up at 8:30am and in the dining room for breakfast at 9:30am. It was a buffet breakfast with a good selection of cold meats and cheeses. There was cereal, bread and bread rolls, apples and oranges, olives and a few other things I didn’t recognise. There was also bacon, boiled and scrambled eggs, tomatoes and frankfurters and a few other things I’ve missed here. There was a selection of cold juices, a coffee machine for making espresso, cappuccino or plain coffee if you preferred, and of course tea.

After a good breakfast, I went to the bar and had a few vodkas and fresh orange. It’s important to keep a good level of vitamin C in the body especially during the winter months. I left the bar about 1:30pm and went to the dining room for lunch. It was a buffet but I can’t remember what was available other than the soup. The soup was very tasty.

A half hour later I was back in the bar socialising with some of the other residents and topping up my vitamin C level. I left the bar around 5pm and got freshened up and changed for dinner at 6:30pm. I’ve no idea what I had to eat other than the soup. The soup was good.


I was back in the bar for 7pm. Things got a bit hazy after that. I can remember chatting with my new found friends and have a vague recollection of dancing on the small stage that was in the bar.
My one weakness after a few drinks is dancing. Some people sleep, I dance. I’ve came to the conclusion it’s in the genes since my great grandmother was French and a dancer in the Folies Bergère in Paris. That’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it. Anyway, it must have been a good night since I remember little about it.

Day 3 Sun 3rd Jan

I didn’t feel so good this morning. I had a vitamin C overload so I gave breakfast a miss. I wandered down to the bar about 11:30am and had a vodka and fresh orange. I felt better after a vitamin hit. I didn’t want to make the same mistake as yesterday so I visited the car museum. It was an interesting place with some great classic cars. I put a video up on YouTube that you can watch if you like your cars. It is The Malta Classic Car Museum

After leaving the car museum, I took a short walk along the promenade and was back for lunch at 1:30pm. I tried the pasta but couldn’t eat it. I tried the sausage meat but couldn’t eat that either so I settled for the soup. The soup was good.

I was back in the bar at 2pm and had some interesting conversations with the other residents in the bar. We talked about everything from the weather to the spin speeds on washing machines. I’ve always been amazed at what people become passionate about after a few drinks.

I met a lady from Cumbernauld in Scotland who was not happy with the hotel. She didn’t like her room or the food. In fact, there wasn’t much she did like. I’ve never been one to make judgements but the soup was good. How anybody could complain about it, beggars belief. She left the hotel and moved to a nearby apartment but regularly came to the hotel to talk about how bad our hotel was. I’m sure she had another agenda but that’s a story for another time. I had four large vodkas and fresh orange. The bar staff didn’t do small measures so if I make any further reference to vodka you can assume they were large ones.

I left the bar around 4pm and went for a nap. I’ve been told in the past that a nap is good for you. I can believe it although I draw the line at what’s sometimes referred to as ‘power naps’. Mental alertness has never been on my top holiday must dos. As a reader, you’re probably already aware of that.

I went for dinner around 6:30pm. I haven’t a clue what I ate but if I can’t remember, it must have been good. After the meal I had a drink in the hotel bar. All inclusive has advantages but the bar was empty so I headed out into the wider world. I found the Elvis tribute bar and had beer and a vodka to pay my tribute. There weren’t many Elvis supporters tonight so I headed back to the hotel.

On the way back to the hotel, I heard some great music from a nearby bar. It was like a worm to a fish. I had to investigate. The bar is called Munchies and not to be confused with the Amsterdam equivalent. It only sold alcohol as far as I’m aware.

That night in Munchies I met Garry and Gina from Cumbernauld. I couldn’t believe it. Another two from Cumbernauld, a town I had stayed in for around ten years in an earlier life. To cut to the chase we hit it off and did a few flaming shots. Not normally my tipple but it would have been rude not to partake. We had a great night and I have photos to prove it. Some of them are already on YouTube. It’s good to share.

I don’t remember leaving Munchies but being less than 50 yards from my hotel, it was an easy route home.


Day 4 Mon 4th Jan 

I woke up this morning and couldn't find my glasses. After a futile search it dawned on me that they were in my jacket pocket. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find my jacket either. I must have been blind drunk last night and left my jacket in Munchies. After breakfast, I popped across the road to check if I had left it there. There was no sign of it so I asked one of the bar staff if anyone had handed it in. To my dismay, no one had.

Munchies Bar, Bugibba

I returned back to the hotel thinking that I would need to buy another jacket when one of the residents called me over. He told me that Garry had picked up my jacket after I had left Munchies. That was great news and Garry appeared shortly afterwards with it. After putting it in my room I came back down to reception and chatted with Gary for a bit. He told me that his sister Gina wasn’t feeling too well and would be staying in her room for the rest of the day.

Talking can be thirsty work so Gary and I made an executive decision and went into the bar for a cold beer. We had a few games of pool and few more cold beers. We missed lunch so we both had vodka and fresh orange to supplement the beer and boost our vitamin C levels. We got well boosted because we missed dinner as well.

We left the bar and moved into the seating area near reception and continued drinking. I do enjoy a comfy seat after a few. There were also a few other residents there including a lass from Newcastle who had lost her passport and had to stay for another week. I found out later that she was a pole dancer.  I’m not sure what time we left but it was early morning and I remember getting to my room only to find that I had no key and couldn’t open the door. I made my way back to reception and told one of the girls there of my plight. She couldn’t find another key, so one of the security staff came back with me and opened the room door for me. I was ready for bed.


Day 5 Tue 5th Jan

I had a hangover when I woke up this morning and missed breakfast and lunch. When I was getting dressed I found an email address in my pocket. I’m not certain but I think it was the email address of Marie from Cumbernauld. I never followed it up, so never did find out for sure.

I went to reception and asked for another key to my room but was told there was no spare key and that I would be given another room. Looking back it made sense not to have a spare key because anyone who found the key I had lost; they would have access to the room. If that person was unscrupulous, then who knows what the outcome could be. I believe they changed the lock but didn’t ask me for any money, only that I leave the key in reception before I went out.

The room I was given was in the main building above reception. I could understand the logic. However, there was no balcony. The original room I was in had a balcony overlooking the pool and I could take advantage of the early morning sunshine. The new room only had a window overlooking the courtyard. The upside was that it was a self catering apartment with a full size cooker and fridge. Since I was fully inclusive, I didn't use the cooker but the fridge was handy for keeping water and juice cool.

I had dinner at 6:30pm but without alcohol and bought some bottled water and juice from the local shop across the road. I went back to my room around 7:30pm, watched TV for an hour then read a book until 11pm before going to bed.

Day 6 Wed 6th Jan

Malta National Aquarium

I was still feeling rough but had breakfast at 8:30am. After breakfast I went to the Malta International Aquarium. I arrived before the official opening time and had a coffee in their bistro before entering the main aquarium area. There were some amazing displays of marine fish inside and there were touch screens beside the tanks that displayed information about the fish and their habitat. I bought some souvenirs in the shop and returned to the hotel about 12pm.

I had a coffee and a beer followed by lunch at 1pm. I hadn’t seen Garry or Gina since Monday and there was no one in the bar so I had one beer then went back to my room and watched TV. I had fish for dinner but it looked and tasted raw in parts.  After dinner, I went back to room for an hour and then went down to the bar.  I met Garry in the bar and he told me his sister wasn't well and he had to book a flight home for her and take her to the airport. 

We had a few beers and a few games of pool until about 10:30pm. We then left and went to Munchies to get some decent beer and vodka and fresh orange juice. The beer in the hotel was the local beer and not to Gary’s taste and they were now serving it in half pint glasses. Also, there was no fresh orange left in the hotel bar. We had a couple of beers and a couple of vodkas with fresh orange in Munchies and I left at 12pm and went back to my room. Gary stayed a bit longer.

Day 7 Thu 7th Jan

I didn’t feel great when I woke this morning.  I had the dreaded Delhi belly probably from eating the fish last night. I couldn’t face breakfast and had to sit down five or six times throughout the morning.

I went down to the bar at 12pm and had a beer. I sat outside for a bit because the sun was shining then went for a walk around town. I got back at 1:30pm or lunch then went back to my room and watched TV then read a book for a bit.

I had dinner at 6:30pm then went to the bar. There was still no fresh orange so I didn’t order anything else and went back to my room and watched the news. I got changed and went back down to the bar. There was no sign of Garry so I sat with a group of folks for most of the night and had a couple of beers and a few vodkas with cokes. The group finished and left the bar around 11:30pm since they were going on an early morning trip tomorrow. I left too but went to Munchies for a bit and had a few vodkas and fresh orange. I got back to my room around 12:30pm, another early night.

Day 8 Fri 8th Jan

I had breakfast at 8am and said my farewells to the few in the group that turned up for breakfast before their trip. I then had a lie down for an hour after breakfast then came back down, had a coffee and read my kindle for a bit outside.

I then went back to my room and got washed and changed before walking to the harbour to check the price of boat trips. I also watched some folk playing bowls. I had a couple of beers and a cheese toasty in a restaurant in the square called Miracles then it was back to the hotel for lunch at 1:30pm. I had soup and a slice of pizza with a beer then went back to my room for a well deserved nap. I watched a film then got ready for dinner at 6:30pm. I don’t recall what happened after that.

Day 9 Sat 9th Jan

I missed breakfast again and didn’t surface until 11:30am. I walked around town and did a bit of a pub crawl. I missed lunch but had dinner at 6:30pm. I watched TV until 8pm then went to Murphy’s Irish pub and listened to some live music. I had a beer in some other pub but can’t remember the name and once again finished up in Munchies until 2am.

Day 10 Sun 10th Jan

I missed breakfast and got up 11am and went for a walk around town. I enquired about boat trip to Gozo but was told to come back tomorrow because of a possible storm warning. I had two beers and a cheese and ham toasty in Miracles. There was a bikers’ convention in the square and there were some really nice bikes ranging from old Harleys to new Yamaha and BMWs. I headed back to the hotel for lunch, stopping in a shop to buy t-shirts on the way. 

After lunch I went out for a walk and had a beer in the Queen Victoria and a Guinness in Murphy’s bar. I returned to the hotel and had a beer in the bar. In the bar I met Rob from Plymouth who had just arrived on a 10 day break. He came on his own because his wife wanted to stay at home because of her condition. She had cancer in the face and neck and had recently undergone plastic surgery. He would have been happy to stay at home with his wife but it was her idea that he took a break.

Rob and I met later in the dining room and had dinner together. We had a couple of beers with dinner and a good old chat. I had another beer but took it back to my room about 8pm, watched a film and turned in early.

Day 11 Mon 11th Jan

I was up early and had breakfast at 8:30am. I booked the Malta Sightseeing hop on hop off bus for today at a cost of 20 Euros and a boat to Gozo for tomorrow for 40 Euros.

The Blue Grotto, Malta

It was a sunny day but windy and I hopped on the bus at 10:06am at main square across from the HSBC bank. I hopped off at the Blue Grotto, the Mdina main gate and Quil-Crafts village. I had two beers in the Blue Grotto, chatted with a restaurant owner and walked around the area and took some photos. I had a coffee in the Bacchus restaurant in Mdina and then took a stroll around admiring the architecture. In the Quil-Crafts village, I bought a t-shirt and some presents to bring back home and was back in the hotel for 5pm after the last hop on.

I had a beer in the bar and then went back to my room to sort a few things for my trip tomorrow. I was back downstairs for 6pm and had another beer before dinner. I met Rob in the dining room and we chatted over dinner. We had a couple of beers with dinner and I was back in my room for 8pm. I watched TV for a bit then came back down to the bar at 9:15pm. I spent most of the night chatting to the barman. He had some interesting stories to tell. One of them concerned his Thai wife who he had been married to for twelve years but was recently separated from. Others concerned happenings and incidents in Pattaya and Bangkok in Thailand but I can’t mention them here. I left at 11pm after a few more beers and was tucked up in bed by 11:30pm.

Day 12 Tue 12th Jan

Gozo

I got up at 7:30am and had breakfast at 8:15am. I was picked up by coach at 9am for the drive to Valetta. One of the other residents Derek Hocker also booked the Gozo trip so it was company for both of us. He also came on holiday to Malta on his own. He had a family but was divorced several years ago. He told me that he had been a postman for the last 15 years and a few other personal details. We chatted about a number of topics holidays, marriages, jobs, etc. 

After docking in Gozo, we took a coach to the capital and had lunch. After this we were taken to a nearby beach although it was too cold this time of year for a swim. We arrived back in Valetta about 4pm and back at the hotel for 5pm. Some photos of the trip can be seen at: 
A Boat Trip from Valetta to Gozo

Day 13 Wed 13th Jan

I was up early and had breakfast at 8am then went for a walk around town. When I arrived back in the hotel I met a couple from London who had recently arrived and a girl called Alison who was chatting with them.  After lunch, we went out and had a few drinks together. I found out then that Alison was a day trader, something I had looked at a number of years ago but didn’t because of a market crash. We ate out and had a few more drinks. Later we played a few games of pool and had another few drinks before rolling back to the hotel.

Day 14 Thu 14th Jan

I missed breakfast but went for a walk and bought a few last minute items and presents to take home. After lunch I met up with the couple from London and we hit the town. We missed dinner and never got back to the hotel until after 2am.

Day 15 Fri 15th Jan

Surprisingly I was up early and had breakfast at 8am. I collected my passport and money from the safe deposit box and handed back the safe key. I then packed my suitcase and went down to reception at 11am and said my goodbyes to several of the residents. I was picked up at 11:40am and taken to the airport. To soak up the booze, I bought a tuna and coleslaw baguette and a mug of tea in the airport lounge. During the flight I had no alcohol, only water and a snack.

I hope you didn’t find this blog too boring. I did much more than I’ve mentioned here but I can’t remember much of it and can’t mention some of it. Thank you for reading it.