I was mostly joking when I texted Dad yesterday to tell him I was thinking of flying to Malta between exams.
Ryanair has a page of flight deals listed by airport. If you’re not picky about dates or destinations, you can snag some unbelievable tickets. I was poking through it yesterday morning (my procrastination knows no bounds) and I discovered a one-way flight from Bristol to Malta for £25.
Dad texted me back that I should ask the student newspaper if they want a travel piece.
Which is the story of how I booked a round trip to Malta.
That’s not where the story gets good. The story gets good when I jokingly asked the Aberdare girls over dinner whether anybody wanted to come with me, and got half a dozen volunteers.
Fiona and I fly out on the 8th, Anna joins us on the 9th, Fiona flies back (to make it to her engineering exam by the skin of her teeth) on the 13th, and Anna and I fly back on the 15th. We’re booked in three separate dormitories on three different floors of a high-rise hostel on the beach in Sliema. We’re all bringing our textbooks to study while we’re there. There’s been much Skyping of parents, making of puppy eyes, and syncing of train, bus, plane, ferry and shuttle schedules, not to mention trying to figure out what language and currency they use in Malta. What began 24 hours ago as a solo writer’s trip has become the Aberdare Flying Circus.
I have to admit, though, it’s going to be a lot more fun with some wingwomen along.
I’m still not sure how we sold Anna’s parents on the idea that Fiona and I are Responsible Adults.
Assuming we don’t botch anything, this is going to be a whole boat (train, bus, plane, ferry, shuttle) load of fun.