1. In what year did Malta become a republic?
2. The name “Malta” is said to derive from the Greek word for what foodstuff?
3. What is jizya and why is this relevant to Malta?
4. In 1530, who gave Malta the Order of Knights of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem in perpetual lease?
5. What happened to the entire population of Gozo in 1551?

Check your answers here!

Author: Kay McMahon

Kay has been an expat for over 20 years. She set up the British Expat website more than 10 years ago, whilst living in London and missing the expat life. These days she spends much of her time lugging computers and cameras around the world. (Dave gets to deal with all the really heavy stuff.)

We survived the last of the water shortage, rainy season, and normal electrical outages for another month in lovely Chiriqui Province, Panama. That was in September ’10. Then we broke down and decided to put our house with a realtor for sale as there wasn’t much response from our “cheap” and free advertising.

At the beginning of October we contacted some realtors and listed the house with a couple. We got a call from one of them the day after we’d listed, saying a Canadian couple would like to come and see the house. That same day they made an offer for the house, furniture, everything including the truck…all for the price we were asking! Needless to say we couldn’t believe our luck. Was it meant to be?

Oh yes, and did we get a good deal. The couple wanted to close the deal in a week. We said, “How can we get a shipping company for our personal bits, book our flight and find somewhere to live in Malta in a week?”

So they said, “Well, take what time you need. But we want to be in by the time our relatives come to visit at the end of October.”

So hustle we did. We weren’t going to lose such a deal. We got the shipping sorted, our stuff packed and on its way in two weeks. Our flights were booked, we had a temporary place to stay in Malta and were itching to get going. But it took another two weeks for the Panamanian bureaucracy to get all the paperwork through. However, the buyers paid all the money up in the first two weeks into our bank and let us stay in the house and use the truck, all rent free, until all documentation was complete! Couldn’t have asked for a better deal!

Off we went, and in the first week of November we arrived in Malta to our little two-bedroom temporary apartment. A great deal; rent for a month included all utilities, TV, once-a-week cleaning and linens and personal laundry service. It was clean and convenient, but not too comfortable in the sitting area. We got a good deal on a hire car too, so we kept that for three months until we bought one. Anyway, after looking with several estate agents and us being very difficult customers, not used to apartment living, we found a very nice, albeit large, apartment.

In the meantime, we did the Valletta trip for our ID Cards and got them no problems within four days. We put in our application for health entitlement, saw an accountant and applied for the KartAnzjan (cheap bus and ferry pass, as we’re in the ‘old fart’ age range!) Everything was easy, plain sailing – apart from…The Bank Account!

As we’ve lived in the USA and other countries outside the EU, it seems as if our money has a jinx on it. Six months before we even decided to move to Malta, we tried to open an account with HSBC. We finally got an account in New York, but could we transfer it to Malta? No – not without paying all sorts of fees.

Next option, try the Bank of Valletta. Sure, we sent all the papers required, references etc. We went into the bank when we got here to move things on. Sure! They hadn’t got our references, told us they would call us, never heard from them.

Finally we went into HSBC here with our ID cards and opened an account instantly. We moved some money over and are now on first-name terms with the bank manager.

We bought the car, are getting some issues sorted in the apartment, and are even getting our Maltese driving licences. That was an interesting challenge. Both of us have non-EU licences, and thought our UK licences were lost or out of date. They told us we would have to go to driving school (maybe I need to, but definitely not my “better” half, having both driven all over the world!) and take a theory and practical test. No way!

So we called DVLA, got a “certificate of entitlement”, and hotfooted it back down to Transport Malta offices, after several calls and emails to a very helpful person. We handed him our certificate (which arrived from the UK in one week). We’ve now got a letter saying our application is being approved, and hope to have a licence in our hot little mitts soon!

We’ve even had the doctor experience! The husband had to go and get a re-evaluation from a doctor for his problem and get some medication. First visit to the Mosta clinic was OK. He took the queuing system number, found out who had the number before and waited for nearly an hour. Doc. did the question and answer bit and referred him to another doctor. A month later, husband got to see a “specialist”, but not the one he needed. However, the “specialist” made an appointment for the relevant tests. A couple of weeks later those were done.

Another appointment with the same “specialist” who told husband he had no need to be “cut open” (as the Panamanian docs wanted!); just take half the meds the Panamanians prescribed and all would be well. So off goes the husband a happy little camper…forgetting to ask for the application for the free meds card thingy!! Another appointment is then required and, maybe, in a few weeks that will be sorted. But we cannot complain, it was all free!

OK, so I hear you ask, “How’s Malta so far?” We love it: warts, cold and all. We’ve been overdosing on food and goodies we haven’t had for many years, going to concerts and the theatre, taking in all the beautiful sights, walking and eating ice cream by the sea (only when the sun’s out). The only big complaint we have at the moment is the cold indoors. No matter how many layers I have on, how close I’m to the gas fire, how tight I cuddle my hot water bottle, I just cannot get warm indoors! Only when I’m under my quilt in bed! Oh. I nearly forgot… and my single-size electric blanket is on.

Author: Talmaone

As an avid reader, Talmaone (Dee) became fascinated with her mother's writings - fifty-plus short stories and four books - and set herself the challenge of transcribing and editing them for publication, and to blog about the process. Inspired by the number of talented authors she came into contact with, she subsequently decided to make her blog a place for readers, authors, writers and anyone interested to meet, share and discuss. http://bookread-mumswritings.blogspot.com/

I’ve just driven my car from UK to Malta via the port of Livorno and this is an indication of the route/timings and costs of the journey.

My thanks to David, an English guy who lives in Gozo and gave me a lot of advice before I left. He drives a rather fine blue Ford Racing Puma, so say hello if you come across him.

Costings are accurate at the time of my trip (February 2011).

First off, obviously, check your vehicle is up to the trip. Check your UK insurance is fully comprehensive when driving in Europe. I also arranged for my local Malta insurance to start at 00:01 on the Monday I landed in Malta.

You need a warning triangle, spare set of bulbs, fluorescent safety vest and headlight deflectors when driving on the Continent. I ordered the European Travel Kit from the AA (cost £27.99). An advantage of this is that it also gives a discount on the AA’s European Breakdown Cover (£35.73).

For the Channel crossing I took the Eurotunnel. I booked a one-way ticket (£53) but you can book a day return ticket for less (£44).

Book your Livorno ferry ticket with Grandi Navi Veloci (GNV). Ferry sailings are every Saturday at 22:00. I booked a berth in a 4-berth cabin. In winter you will get your own cabin with this and save about €50 compared to booking the whole cabin yourself, as there’s not that many people using this service then. However, if you do find you’re sharing you can always ask to be upgraded. Total cost for the ferry and accommodation was €148. The shipping line, GNV, has a local agent in Zachary Street in Valletta. You can get details of the service from there as well as a map of the terminal at Livorno port.

I left South West London at 01:45 on Friday morning, eventually ending up on the M20 at Junction 11a, the exit for the Channel Tunnel. I boarded the 03:27 train and arrived in Calais about 30 mins later. Eurotunnel will give you a ticket to hang from the rear windscreen. If you are intending to import your vehicle into Malta under the 24-month registration tax exemption rule it is important that you retain this ticket together with your internet booking confirmation. You will need to present them to the ADT/Ministry of Finance.

Eurotunnel exits straight onto the French autoroute system. There is no passport check. Off the train you’re immediately away.

The French motorway system is excellent. The road surfaces are uniformly good. The speed limit is 130 km/h (81 mph), 110 km/h (68 mph) in the wet. Most drivers keep reasonably close to the speed limit.

Petrol is very expensive in France. At the time of driving it was between €1.55 and 1.60 per litre.

French motorways are well provided for in terms of service areas. Full service areas, known as aires, occur at regular intervals and smaller areas known as aires de repos, which are off-road parking areas, are very frequent. All are always clearly indicated in advance with standard pictograms. Note that there are very few hotels on the French motorway system.

You’re on the A16 and head towards A26/E15 (Saint-Omer, Arras, Reims, Paris).

At Setques/Calais you pick up your first motorway ticket. At Courcy you pay your first toll (€20.20).

Head towards A26/E17/E50 (Reims, Chalons-en-Champagne, Metz-Nancy, Strasbourg, Lyon).

At Taissy you collect another motorway ticket.

Head towards E17/A26 (Saint-Gibrien, Chalons-en-Champagne Rive Gauche, Troyes, Lyon).

Continue towards E17/A5 (Mulhouse, Lyon-Dijon, Chaumont).

Continue along A5/E17 and A31/E17/E21 and you will be approaching Dijon (about 350 miles from Calais).

Head towards A39 (Grenoble, Genève, Besançon, Dole).

Head towards A40/E21/E62 (Milan, Annecy, Genève, Oyonnax).

At Viry you pay your second toll (€45.80).

Head towards A40/E25 (Annecy, Grenoble, Chamonix-Mont Blanc, Turin-Milan).

At Nangy you pay your third toll (€1.70).

At Cluses you pay your fourth toll (€3.70).

You’re now heading towards Mont Blanc tunnel (about 550 miles from Calais) and will leave France. Local time is now about 15:00. The cost for the Mont Blanc tunnel is €35.10.

You’re now in Italy.

Pick up your Italian motorway ticket at Aosta.

Continue on the A5/E25.

Head towards E25, E64/A4 Milano and A26 Alessandria, Genova.

The first thing to notice on the Italian autostradas is that the motorway numbers appear very small on the motorway signs. You’ll also notice that whereas the speed limit is the same as in France (130 km/h), this appears to be a minimum as far as Italian drivers are concerned. I kept to the speed limit all the way and I was very much the slowcoach. Service areas are not as frequent as France and not indicated as well in advance. Petrol is cheaper at about €1.40 to €1.45 per litre.

Continue along A26/E25/E80 to Alessandria/Genova. A7/A10 into Genova.

It’s now about 17:30 and approaching Genova. There are a lot of tunnels around Genova. At rush hour on a Friday evening it is like a racetrack in tunnels; initially a bit daunting but ultimately quite exhilarating. At this stage I decided to stop for the night in Genova. There are no hotels on the Italian motorway system so I came off and paid my first Italian toll (€26.10).

I stayed in the Novotel in Genova, which is just off the A7. It’s a bog-standard business hotel but the advantage of this hotel is that it has secure underground parking, so if your car is loaded up like mine it’s reasonably secure. Cost of the room was €74 for the night.

Back on the autostrada next morning, take the A12 to Livorno. If you weren’t taking a break at Genova you would go straight from the A26/E80 towards A7 Milano and A12 Livorno.

The drive from Genova to Livorno is about 100 miles, again through lots of tunnels and dramatic views of the coast through the breaks in the tunnels. I took it slowly and stopped for a very nice lunch in a place called Camogli.

Approaching Livorno, come off the motorway system at the signs for Livorno and “porto”. My second Italian toll was €12.20 but if you didn’t take a break at Genova the toll would be €38.30.

The sign for the port (porto) also includes Firenze (Florence) but it is Livorno port you’re heading towards. You soon come to a sign indicating about 5 terminals. It includes Varga Galvani.

Continue until you come to a large sign stating simply Varga Galvani. This road is Via L. Galvani. It looks as if you’ve entered the container port but you’re in the right place. Continue until you see a number of car transporters with lots of UK-plated cars on them. The terminal building is on the left. You’ve arrived at Stazione Marittima Galvani. It’s an ochre coloured building with blue doors. The only mention of the shipping line Grandi Navi Veloci is on the letterbox. The terminal opens at about 16:30.

This is not the glamour end of ferry terminals. There is nothing there. There is a bar/trattoria attached to the terminal but it wasn’t open. There is another bar/trattoria 100 yards up the road but that also wasn’t open. So basically you sit in your vehicle. If you want anything to eat or drink, bring it with you.

When you book in you’ll be given two 2-part tickets: one for the ferry and one for your accommodation.

At about 20:00 the cars/vans drive forward and are separated into Palermo and Malta-bound in a holding area. At about 21:30 a guy takes your ferry ticket, rips it in half, keeps one himself and puts the other part under your windscreen wiper. Keep your eye on this piece of paper. Once you’re on board this ticket will not be checked again but you must make sure you retrieve it as if you intend to import your vehicle into Malta under the 24-month registration tax exemption rule you will need to present it to the ADT/Ministry of Finance. He’ll also give you a piece of paper to put on your dashboard which simply says “Malta”.

Shortly after this the cars are loaded on the ferry. The ferry leaves at about 22:00.

There is a self-service cafeteria on board and the food is OK but expensive for what it is. It closes quite quickly after leaving port so if you want to eat, get in quickly. There is a bar but this also closes early, about 23:30. Unless you speak Italian there is no entertainment at all, and even if you do speak Italian the only entertainment is the dubious pleasure of Italian TV. Otherwise there is nothing to do on board so bring a good book. The ferry travels about 30 miles from the coast so all you can see is sea!

On Sunday morning the cafeteria is not open so the only available breakfast is coffee and croissant from the bar. Lunch is available for about an hour and a half around midday.

The ferry arrives at Palermo, Sicily around 16:00. Passengers in transit to Malta can get off and look around. The plus as far as Palermo is concerned is that the port is right in the town and it’s a big, lively place. It’s well worth having a look and you can get some decent food here. You need to be back on the ferry about 18:30pm and the ferry sails at around 20:00.

The ferry gets into Grand Harbour about 07:00. It berths at the quay just beyond where the cruise liners dock. You drive straight off, there is no passport, papers check and you’re home.

The trip was very enjoyable. However I had no hold-ups at all and the weather was good and the sea calm.

The drive can be done in a day if you leave the UK on the 03:27 train but that allows for no hold-ups and very limited breaks. Total mileage from Calais to Livorno is about 850 miles.

Costs for me were: Eurotunnel, £53; travel kit and breakdown insurance, £63.72; ferry, €148; tolls, €144.80; overnight stay, €74; petrol, €200; eats and incidentals, €50. About €750 in total.

So after three years of living (or should I say “surviving”) in a Third World country, we decide it’s not for us any more. Where do we go? More to the point, where can we afford to go? Or where do we want to afford to go? We moved to the Third World to stretch our little amount of money in retirement. But that’s not always a good reason, as we have found. This is my philosophy now…

We’ve learned not only that we can control our cost of living, within parameters, anywhere we decide we want to live…but also, more important, that cost of living isn’t the best reason to think about moving to another country in the first place.
Beyond the media view of our world is another one, where every turn brings not worry and fear but discovery and adventure.

Not sure where I found this, but it’s appropriate for us and these times we live in!

Anyway, we don’t want to go back to England. After 28-plus years away with infrequent visits, it’s almost like a foreign country! They keep changing the money on us – I have a collection of coins you can’t change or use any more. On one visit we had, we needed to use a public phone…that was fun! Had to get a local to show us. How embarrassing!

We don’t want to go back to the USA.

So the search begins.

Well, so I thought. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I’d heard someone talking about Malta. Don’t know who, when, where or why. But as I started thinking more and more about looking for somewhere, that little word, country, Malta, kept popping into my mind.

OK then, let’s find out some more. Of course the first thing is to check the CIA World Fact Book. Great resource, gives you all the basic information on a country. But now we need some personal input. So we search the internet for blogs and forums. Lots of reading and chats to people. Then, of course, the most important decision to make is: has this country intrigued me enough to warrant a visit? Oh yes!

Right, let’s book a trip, we say. No problem, all can be done online: flights, car rental, hotel, self-catering. All done. Time of year is September.

My, my, what a journey from down here. Feels like you’re going to the end of the earth! Six hours’ drive to the country’s main airport. Have to stay the night and fly out the next day. Flight to USA. And change planes for the long-haul night flight, get to Amsterdam, and… oh well, no luggage! Good job I packed a change of clothes in the carry-on! So on to the third plane and we finally arrive in Malta on the afternoon of the third day of travel.

Lovely! A car from the hotel picks us up, straight to the hotel and, on our second wind after very little sleep, we have a drink and take a walk down to the seafront. Wow! What interesting buildings, little roads and paths. And a super seafront with promenade, cafés and all sorts of interesting things. We look at each other and say, “I could deal with this!” First impressions. Good feelings. So back up the hill (with a few rests!), another drink, shower and change for dinner, and early night.

Now, after a week in a hotel walking and bussing, then two weeks in self-catering, one on Gozo and one on Malta with a rental car for that time, we’ve pretty well driven and walked all of the Islands. We leave Malta with good feelings and sad that we have to leave.

Once home some serious thought is given to our situation. One big consideration: our elderly, sick cat. She travelled from the States to this country and has survived three years, but is really not doing so well. So we put our wishes on hold.

Sad to say, she only survived another five months.

We’re both feeling really down in the dumps after our little friend of seventeen years passed on. The first time in twenty-six years we’ve been without a feline friend. What to do? Book a trip to Malta. Empty the pool, lock up the house, and off for a month.

Try a different route this time. But still takes three days. What a shock when we get off the plane in Amsterdam, get hauled off to the side, and are given the third degree! “Why did you book your trip and travel within a week?” And more questions about why, what, where, who, when. Guess it was because we went direct from the third-world country and not though the States.

Anyway, we arrive in Malta safe and sound (with all our luggage!) This time we are completely independent. Hire car, apartment rented, and experience living and doing, not being too much of a tourist. But we “do” the whole island and Gozo again. Discover many new things and friends. Make our minds up that Malta is where we want to be. Warts and all!

Back to our home and put the house on the market. Still waiting five months later!

Some of the things we’ve had to deal with so far to get organised for the move:

• Finding a shipping company…no one goes from Central America to Europe, has to go through USA. Part loads could be a problem, packing and moving.
• Getting a bank account established in Malta…they all think we’re trying to launder money!! Getting documentation to them is a nightmare. For fear of getting lost, stolen or ID theft. No proof of residence, as there is no such thing as a street address, it’s all “PO Box xxx” – that raises a red flag.

Since making the decision to leave this country, we’ve had a few more difficulties here that have led us to truly believe we are making a good choice. Paying insurances month by month doesn’t happen, you have to pay a minimum of three months, and good luck trying to get any money back!

It’s now the rainy season (lasts about eight-plus months). But this year there is more rain than usual. Oh no! The water treatment plant is having a problem! Mud, silt, rocks and trees have blocked an inlet and a part is broken. So the water is turned off for a week! The part is ordered from another country in this region. They can’t get it. The part is ordered from Germany three weeks ago! More heavy rain, more mud, silt, rocks and trees block something else. Water is off again for a week plus! But this time we do get a dribble each day. Not enough for hot water or showers or washing! Fill up the pots, boil it, jump in the pool, aren’t we lucky!! And we wait for the part to arrive. Perhaps tomorrow or mañana, or tomorrow or mañana!
PS Not sure if the part arrived…but water is back on in full flow for a few days, hope it stays…Yea!!

Read Part Three

Author: Talmaone

As an avid reader, Talmaone (Dee) became fascinated with her mother's writings - fifty-plus short stories and four books - and set herself the challenge of transcribing and editing them for publication, and to blog about the process. Inspired by the number of talented authors she came into contact with, she subsequently decided to make her blog a place for readers, authors, writers and anyone interested to meet, share and discuss. http://bookread-mumswritings.blogspot.com/

The Festival runs from Thursday 9 September to Saturday 11 September 2010. For a full programme of events, please visit the festival website.