When I booked my hotel room in Valletta I asked for a taxi to be at the airport ot meet me. However, when I arrived I found that there was nobody to meet me but, as my guide book said that I could buy a taxi voucher at the airport I did that and, unlike the airport here at home, the drivers were waiting to grab any likely passenger so there was no problem at all in getting transport.

The taxis in Malta have meters but rarely use them and the fare is negotiated in advance. I was warned that it was necessary to be extremely specific about where I wanted to go; no good negotiating to go to Senglea - I would be dropped off at the city gate or expected to pay extra to be taken to the address I wanted. Therefore the taxi vouchers from the airport are a good idea and prevent newcomers from being fleeced.

My daughter was due to arrive five days after me and rather than arrange for her to be met I decided to catch the bus out to the airport and meet her myself. I sent her an email to that effect several days before she was to arrive. Regretfully, she didn't check her email and was expecting to be met by a taxi as we had previously arranged. Therefore she was not looking out for me.

At Ggantija on Gozo

Even though I was on the lookout for her I didn't see her come through from the Customs Hall. To compound the problem there were constant announcements over the loudspeaker that there were delays due to a breakdown with baggage handling so I didn't start to get worried for some time.

There were almost no seats in the Arrivals part of the airport and the only chance I had to sit down was in the cafe which necessitated buying myself a cup of coffee, which I did and waited until the announcement that her plane had landed after which I stood right up against the barrier where I should have seen her.

At the temple at Tarxien

She must have walked straight past me, expecting to see a driver with a placard bearing her name. As there was no driver waiting for her she did what I had done on arrival - bought herself a taxi voucher and went to the hotel, where they told her that I was out at the airport to meet her.

Walking up to the Lookout at Fort St Angelo

I waited until there were no more passengers emerging and then asked an armed guard who was standing at the entrance to customs if there was anybody left inside. He checked and when he found that there was nobody left he passed me on to somebody else who phoned the hotel for me. Thus we eventually got together. She had been given a room next to mine and between us we had the best views in Valletta.

Despite the wait and the sore feet from standing, the bus ride out to the airport was worth all the rest. It was the most antiquated bus I have ever ridden in and it took 30 minutes to travel the 7 km to the airport. I thoroughly enjoyed the trip.