The Wheels on the Bus Go Round and Round Forever

After a flawless trail run on Wednesday from here to the airport on Malta, yesterday, the real thing, was pretty terrible. Dorian had to get up at 4am in Edinburgh to catch his flight which arrived at 11:40am.
After the aforementioned trial run, we decided we could catch the next ferry and still be there in plenty of time. On our way to the bus stop, the bus to the ferry flew by - 5 mins early. No amount of waving and jumping about will make a bus stop - even at the bus stops, they barely slow down. The ferry terminal is a 20 min walk, down hill. We figured we could make it. The ferry waited until it saw the whites of our eyes and pulled away. A little more waving and jumping about.
The 9am ferry left on time and there was a bus waiting at the other side which took the posted 55 mins to get to the airport. All was well as we walked into the terminal. Dorian's flight was early and he made it through all the formalities in time for us to hop aboard the same bus just before it left for the return to the ferry. At last, the plan was working.
Then, every person in Valletta who owes a car decided to take it out for a spin. An hour later we were still sitting in traffic in Valletta; as we were an hour and a half later. Two and a half hours after leaving the airport, we roared down the hill towards the ferry and you guessed it.....

The next ferry meant we'd missed our bus connection on Gozo The buses run every hour. Following the dictum of our good friend, Kathy Graham, we threw money at a cab driver and finally arrived home. And then the lights went out.
Fortunately, we were prepared, having listened to the caretaker to buy candles for such an eventuality. And the stove is gas. I could have charged an extra 20 euros for the ambience at supper.





We finished the day at  the Cathedral in Victoria listening to a lovely Christmas concert by the National Orchestra. The total blackout didn't stop the buses running but it did mean they slowed down We arrived stirred but not shaken. By the time we got to town, the lights were back on. All the churches have the most magnificent chandeliers. The atmosphere was beautiful. They could have charged an extra 20 euros.