Just as the beginning of my trip was a celebration, so was the end! My parents and I headed back to the airport in Rome, and they headed home while I headed off to Malta. I was going there to celebrate a friend’s travel milestone. Alvaro, who runs Wander Expeditions, was about to visit every country in the world twice! He threw a big party in Malta. It also functioned as a sort of reunion for all the travel friends I’d met on trips with Wander, where I got to see people I’d met in PNG, West Africa, and my various other trips. It was so fun to catch up with everyone and meet some of the other travelers who I had heard stories about!
Our first full day, we did a boat tour. It was a bit of a rough start for me since I was hungover from the gala and bar hopping the night before, but once we were out on the water and I had rehydrated a bit, I had a great time! Malta is so beautiful. Fun fact, Valletta was originally used as King’s Landing in Game of Thrones during the first season, until the film crew didn’t take enough care and they were banned for future seasons. It was very cool to see the city and the coastline from the water, which is one of my favorite ways to see any place.
Every night, we would have a big dinner and then go out to the bars and clubs. As it turns out, Malta has some pretty fun nightlife!
The second full day started with a travel competition that Alvaro calls Wander Games. I was on a competitive team and we made it through all the team rounds, and then when the individual competition started, I was up against someone who had been living in Malta for a month, so she smoked me in the scavenger hunt. Still, it was a great way to see the city of Valletta as we rushed around following the clues.
After a hectic morning, I spent a chill afternoon at the pool before our last big night out.
All in all, it was an intense two and a half days. I did manage to see a lot of Malta, but more importantly, I got the chance to catch up with so many of the friends I’ve made in the last two years of traveling. It was a really fun experience. I definitely wouldn’t mind returning to Malta!