On the Road, Sicilian Style

Valletta, Malta

An Easy Excursion?

You would think, would you not, that getting a mere 120km to a sizeable (and international) ferry port would be easy?  Pozzallo is serviced by train, bus and a smart new main road (still under construction).  Well, this is Sicily and buses don’t run early and neither does the train, so the ferry provides a bus, leaving from the International Airport, a similar distance north of here.  We waited and waited at the appointed pick-up destination for the 6.15am bus.  By 7.30, we knew it wasn’t coming.  Finally we found someone who could speak English; the consensus (our new friend and a local bus driver, including all his passengers) was that we should catch the 8am local bus from the nearby Syracuse terminus, which of course, meant missing our ferry to Malta.  In desperation, we called the taxi that had picked us up from the marina and for a mere €80 and a drive “with a little bit fast”, we made our ferry – just in time to board.  Thank you Giancarlos, what a star!

Are we coming or going?

Needless to say, our collective moods were lethal.  Still, after the 90 minute superfast ferry ride (a Malta-run and on time concern) across to Valletta, there was more to come…. 

Breaking through a barrage of taxi drivers at the port who for €20 offered to take us to our hotel, we lucked upon a bus stop with a €2 fare to our destination.  Despite the confusion over Marina Street and marina (meaning beach in Italian), our bus driver let us off at desolate Fort Rinella.  His problem solved (i.e. he got us out of his bus), he pointed us down an even more desolate road, leaving us with a bit of a hike in the heat and lots of stops to ask directions to our hotel, Villa del Porto, on Marina Street. 

About time you made it, I've been waiting for ages!!

Despite the very early start, we had little of the day left, so after a brief respite in our air conditioned room and a refreshing cold shower (by choice!), walked to the local village shops for a pizza and a medicinal beer.  Finally, we could relax!  Orientating ourselves, we noted that Kalkara Marina is on Marina Street too and the beach near Fort Rinella, just over the ridge.  The bus stop we really needed was, naturally, almost in front of the hotel!

Kalkara Marina and Il Birgu in background