When I lived on the continent, I used to commute to
university by train. I’d get up at the break of dawn, rush to the station and
take an early train to be able to sit on an actual seat rather than on the
floor right by the toilet. My 30-minute journey was the perfect opportunity to
catch up on some reading. Sometimes I’d drive to uni, but finding a parking
spot in the “capital of Europe” was such a hassle that I’d always end up
regretting it.
Back in the days, shopping in London was just a two-hour
train ride away. So were crêpes in Paris and tulips – yes, tulips – in
Amsterdam (although I’ve never been, shame on me!). No need to book a plane
ticket to enjoy a day at the beach in the north of France. Or to sip Glühwein
at the Christmas market in Cologne.
Then I moved to the rock and the word “travel” took on an
entirely new dimension. Gone were the days when I would hop in the car and
drive all the way to Italy for a weekend break, singing Europop rubbish on
empty motorways in the dead of night.
Now my choice in transport is limited to planes, ferries and
catamarans.
On the rock there are over 400,000 cars – that’s more than
one for each inhabitant. Traffic is a nightmare. Driving from one side of the
island to the other – 23 km tops – takes forever during rush hour (good thing I don't commute). The air
quality is, well… quite poor to say the least. When we want to catch a breath
of fresh air, we head to Malta International Airport and board a plane – it’s
like stepping onto a bus, nothing extraordinary. It’s just part of life.
Hubby-to-be and I had a long-distance relationship for about
a year. That’s when I became a seasoned traveller. Planes were no longer a
luxury, but a necessity. I must admit that even though I now fly several times
a year, I still find it an unsettling experience. My hands sweat at takeoff and
I say a quiet little prayer as we reach cruising altitude. I should thank
National Geographic Channel and their “Seconds from disaster” series for
convincing me bolts can melt mid-air, exposing parts of the plane’s engines and
killing all the passengers in the process.
I have a few plane trips scheduled this year. Oh dear…
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