I couchsurfed throughout Morocco for five weeks by myself, relying on the kindness of strangers. A variety of Moroccans hosted me in 12 different cities for free.

I never felt intimidated or in danger.

Even after I negotiated a hell of a deal with three angry ganja farmers (who spoke no English) they drove me back down the mountain, defeated but peaceful.

The purchase or consumption of cannabis is not legal in Morocco so they agreed to take video of me explaining what I thought was going on, as long as I promised not to take any video of them.

I met them when I was wandering around Chefchaouen, a city nestled into the Rif Mountains.  It’s on the way to Ketama, the cannabis capital of the country.

Although remote, the city’s buzz is electrifying and energizing. 

I comfortably settled into a hotel called “Hotel Boston,” just a few steps from where the bus had dropped me off.  They had the best nightly rate along with an innkeeper who shared with me his love for techno music as he brought me large bowls filled with fresh cut fruit every night.

On my first morning in Chefchaouen, I was wandering around when a young man offered me weed. 

“Sure. Do you know where I can buy some?”

He didn’t speak English but it wasn’t long before he and his two buddies (also, no English) were driving me up the Rif mountains to Ketama. 

When we arrived at the “farm,” it was laughable.  It was clear to me they weren’t actually farmers and had just taken me to some random plot of land with small plants growing (that probably weren’t even marijuana but I couldn’t tell.)

I pretended to be impressed.

Then they took me to a small isolated home.  As we entered, I was immediately comforted when 4-6 children screamed with laughter and ran around the front room, playing.

One of the guys started to show me how they made hashish and agreed to be my cameraman.

Moroccan weed is dried in the dark for months, like aging wine.  So when he took it out to show me, I had to stop myself from laughing at the quality of the weed.  By American standards, it would be garbage. But when you’re making hashish, it has to be dried out like that.   

They put the grinded down weed on top of a filter, which sat on top of a large blue basin with water inside.

Then, he covered that with a tarp and tied a rope around the top of it. 

I need to mention – this is an ultra low tech way of producing hashish.  There are high tech machines and techniques all over the world that can do this more efficiently.  

But I was in rural Morocco on top of a mountain. So, we drummed.

Because they had no machinery, the best way for them to generate the necessary vibration to get the flower to pass through the filter is to drum on top of the tarp for five to ten minutes.

In the middle of making hash, we had to stop and drink mint tea.  In Morocco, every person who welcomed me into their house, at some point, served me tea. 

After tea time, we removed the tarp, rope and filter to uncover tiny particles that resemble the leftover weed that builds up in a grinder over time.  This is called kief/kif.

Kief is extremely potent.  It can be mixed with tobacco and smoked in a pipe.

To turn it into hash — which is solid but bendable, like the consistency of a tootsie roll, it takes heat and pressure.

This is done in most labs and factories using high tech machinery.  When it’s homemade, people use irons. These guys didn’t seem to have any of that so they used the palm of their hands and a lighter.

Traveling by myself, I never felt I was in danger. 

Although I could sense their frustration when I refused to pay what they were trying to charge me, none of them ever threatened or intimidated me in any way.  

In this scenario, the language barrier probably worked in my favor.

—

I’ve got more stories.

The best is yet to come.

Follow me on IG @Crystal_tothetop & Subscribe to my youtube channel – Youtube.com/crystalsparksfearlesstravel

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Oh, I know. You think heavenly pristine beaches, you think Bob Marley, you think reggae.

Who could have imagined that the island of reggae / dancehall culture would house one of the most flourishing carnivals in the Caribbean?

And yet … In the past few years, during the Easter period, more and more carnivaliers have invaded the streets of Kingston.

In 2018, I was part of it.

In 2019, I did it again!

Are you tempted? This short guide should be able to help you out.

Depending on the options of accommodation, costumes, parties and the number of participants in the trip, a budget of between $1800 to $2800 (excluding airline ticket) seems reasonable.

When

The Jamaica Carnival takes place on the weekend following Easter. So, according to my calculations, in 2020, the grand parade should take place on Sunday, April 19th.

I’m sure you won’t be able to hold back on the desire to visit the rest of the island. So, a stay of about a week seems like a good option.

The best way to maximize accommodation choices, and find reasonably priced airline tickets is to start getting organized 6 to 8 months before!

How to get there

Everything depends of course on your place of departure. I am from Martinique, so there is no direct line from the French caribean islands but there are plenty of direct flights from the US and the UK. Alternatively several routes are possible (via St. Martin, Barbados or Miami).

(If you are from Europe, Think of your ETSA if you choose to go through Miami!

Be careful, there are several airports in Jamaica, make sure to land in Kingston! Other foreigners might need to check out your visa requirements)

Where to stay

Kingston town!

The parade and most events take place in the capital city, so it’s best to stay in the area. The New Kingston neighborhood is known to be safe and packed with hotels.

• The Jamaican Pegasus

• Spanish Court Hotel

• Courtyard Kingston

• Altamont Court

• Four seasons

• Knutsford runs

• Terra Nova

• Courtleigh Hotel

If like me your budget is tight, airbnb and booking are alternatives but let me still tell you my misadventure.

In 2018, everything went perfectly well.

In 2019, however … The homeowner sent us a message about a king or queen size bed. As this did not seem to us of capital importance, we were a little slow to answer. BIG Mistake! She assumed that we would not come anymore, and ended up renting the apartment to someone else (without notifying us).

To avoid finding yourself in the same situation, do not hesitate to harass confirm and reconfirm your reservation and its terms.

How to get around

Car or taxi?

Driving in Jamaica ?! A whole adventure !!!! First thing first, be aware that: People drive on the “wrong” side of the road. If you are from the US, Europe like me and most countries in the world, that may come as a surprise! You will need time to adjust driving on that side. For us it was quite an experience we took the first roundabout on the opposite direction which brought a lot of emotions !!

Driving in the city is hmm, well “entertaining” to say the least. Jamaicans generously make use their horns. Taxis are very lively and tend to change lanes and / or pull up without warning. This can drives you nuts…

If Waze and Google Maps work very well, make sure you follow the street signs. A person I know well (me!) took a one way street the wrong way… Right in front of a police officer… Please Do not do that!

Most international rental companies have a branch in Jamaica (Hertz, Budget, Avis, etc) but again, be aware, the amount of people during carnival period can sometimes be annoying and play bad tricks.

In 2018, everything went perfectly well.

In 2019, however … Upon arrival and despite our online reservation confirmed weeks in advance we were greeted with a “no car” sign. It only took a delay in the logistics of rental returns, to find ourselves without a vehicle (and to make matters worse, all the cars of the other agencies were already rented out).

For those who do not feel like trying the adventure behind the wheel, you can always rent a taxi by the day or have a driver with whom you organize (departure times, return hours, etc.) throughout the duration of your. stay.

Even if you rent a vehicle, do not hesitate to use a taxi if you plan on drinking. Drink or drive, you already know …

How to party

Breakfast fetes (parties), cool fetes, pool parties, cruises, concerts!

There is a plethora of fetes, parties and events! Most events are announced as time goes by, but you always need to be ready as despite the hefty prices (between $30 to … $150), they are sold out within minutes sometimes for the most popular ones!

I strongly advise you to subscribe to the social networks of Trinidad Carnival Diary, French Soca Lovers and LehWeGo not to miss anything. You can get discounts and “early birds” tickets and stay tuned with the calendar of fetes and parties.

Events take place at any time of the day or night, so it is very easy to get carried away by your enthusiasm. Dear readers, it is ESSENTIAL to make a schedule to avoid ending up with overlapping parties and especially, to allow time for rest.

Another indispensable element? Prepare yourself physically. Try to remember your last very good evening. Now imagine that you live it 10 times in the space of 7 days. You have body aches just thinking about it? It’s normal. And that’s what might happen if you’re not physically ready. So you need to start the cardio training 3 months before departure and don’t forget the little vitamin cure.

How to parade

Soca music blasting in the speakers! The feathered bikini! Rhinestone makeup! The Kingston sun burning your shoulders !! Can you imagine a carnival without a parade ?! (Well, hmm maybe Yes, but it’s definitely not for me ..!)

To parade in costume, you must register with a group and buy its outfit.

Red, blue, yellow, green, black … whatever your favorite color, you will find the costume you need.

Group registration allows you to benefit from packages including the costume, of course but also meals (often breakfast, lunch and dinner), unlimited drinks, snacks on the road and services specific to each group. (For example, I had a massage during the lunch break.)

In Jamaica, there are several groups including:

• Xaymaca

• Xodus

• Bacchanal Jamaica

Once you have chosen your group and your suit, just select your outfit, the options (Bikini? Monokini?) And the meal of your choice, and head to the website’s payment section.

For those who do not fancy or do not dare being “half naked” ;), the groups offer the possibility of parading in Tshirt at a cheaper cost.

Attention, there is only one day of parade!

And security?

The issue of safety is always important when traveling. It is even more so in Jamaica, where the figures for violence and lack of security are above average.

Having said that, during our 2 stays, we never felt in danger and did not witness any violent scenes. Our interactions with Jamaicans have all been marked with kindness and friendship. We have always been approached with respect and have never encountered situations where guys tried to hit on us or were insisting to such a point that it became uncomfortable.

Events related to carnival festivities are usually held in secure environments, safe locations and are supervised by police and / or security agents.

In addition to the basic security principles (do not move alone, keep an eye on your credit card, etc.) Obviously there are areas you might want to avoid such as Grand Kingston (Trench town, Spanish town, Mountain view, etc.). Beware of certain neighborhoods of Montego Bay too.

Now that you have all the info, You just need to pick a few friends, create your whatsapp group …

Welcome to Jamrock! Make sure you have plenty of FUN, sweat, laughs, dance, wine like there is no tomorrow! And memories!

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If there’s one question I get asked more than any other, it’s “Why did you move to Canada?”

I always pause, wondering whether to give them the real answer or my politely constructed answer I reserve for when I don’t want to break it down.

The truth is for as long as I can remember I’ve always wanted to live abroad and I was open to many places, however Canada had a less vigorous process and fewer restrictions. Under the International Exchange Canada (IEC), also known as the Working Holiday Visa you can live and work in Canada for up to 2 years. If after 1 year you claim this land as your own forevermore, you can apply for Permanent Residency. 

Whilst suppressing the urge to cry about turning 30, I told myself it was now or never to do something this selfish because perhaps this would be one of the last times in my life I wouldn’t have to take another person (or a mini person) into consideration.

Without hesitation, the next question that always follows is, “How are you enjoying Toronto”?

“Cold!” always gets a chuckle and it beats breaking down the very intricate experience of being a Londoner here, because having experienced 25 paid vacation days from work, the night tube (which runs 24 hours on weekends) and not having to file taxes has added an extra layer to living here. It’s a comparison only few can understand and can give a negative impression but the truth is, the 2 cities shouldn’t be compared. Toronto is great in its own way. I remember when I first explored Downtown and I would strain my neck looking up at the buildings. The Toronto skyline is beautiful! Every so often, I’m reminded of the scale of Canada, Toronto resides in a province called Ontario and I’ve been told you can drive for 24 hours straight and still be in Ontario! 

I love the fact that I can go to the beach, the mountains, or even whale watching. Another thing is, the levels of creativity in this city are on a hundred. Street art is not just confined to alleyways but postboxes, shop fronts and whole sides of apartment blocks. I also love having earlier access to artists like H.E.R, JMSN & DVSN without waiting for a ‘European Tour’.

H.E.R.

Tone Stith 

JMSN

DVSN with live orchestra 

The thing I love most about Toronto is the way the city transforms between summer and winter. It’s like living in 2 different places. In that way it’s a city of extremes – toboggan down snow covered hills at Broadview Park in winter and get on your paddleboard at Toronto Islands in summer.

Let me tell you the height of summer is hot, hot, hot! Last summer got close to 40 Degrees Celsius with humidity. The vibe is so fun, ‘Patio Season’ is a real thing- after hibernating for months and sticking to subways and underground PATHS, almost every restaurant and bar opens a patio along the sides of the roads in summer. Also the annual Caribbean carnival ‘Caribana’ takes place early August and brings visitors from all over the world – it is not to be missed! 

Having just celebrated a year of being here, I’ve witnessed 3 epics events in that time. First, I landed around the time the bill to legalise Weed across Canada was passed, Viola Desmond – the “Canadian Rosa Parks” became the first the first Canadian woman and first person to colour to grace the national currency. She has proudly been printed on the $10 bill. Last but not least, Toronto Raptors WON a NBA final for the first time in history. The city went wild each game, gathering in mass at Jurassic Park (a location to watch the games) and celebrating like crazy after. It’s truly been such a special time to live in Toronto. #WeTheNorth

If I could only say one thing to you, it would be that…if there is a lingering thought in your mind about wanting to do something, that is a calling and a desire far beyond you. The only way to appease it is to explore it; it’ll bring you peace, alignment, creativity and your future. Please, please, please do not stand in your own way because resources and opportunity will come but fear is by far the biggest obstacle to overcome.

There’s nothing I had that made this transition any easier for me than it would be for any other person. I had no family (that I knew of) before arriving, I didn’t come with anyone and I had only saved for a few months. I left my job and my flat, landed and figured it out. I networked my ass off to find my current job and still did 2 other jobs before that. Now I work for a major movie studio! I viewed basements of college students trying to make money on their empty room over the summer and a bunch of other funky spaces -and people- before finding my current place and I spent every waking moment Facetiming my best friend back home before finding friends that I can sit in silence around (because that’s when you know it’s real). 

A year later the hardest things are the little things, guessing which way a door opens, or the light switches on/off or know exactly North, East, South & West.

If you want to find out more about moving to Toronto check out the Government of Canada website. When I moved and to this day my city bible is Narcity and BlogTo. There are so many forums and blogs detailing the process but you can always reach me on social on Instagram: @Runaway.bae and Youtube: Britsinth6. 

The post A Jamaican born east Londoner in Toronto! appeared first on blackvoyageurs.com.

For those of you who are unfamiliar, this is a major slave port where countless captured African people were trafficked through. It is called the Point of No Return, because once they reached the shoreline, they would never come back. I thought what better way to throw the proverbial middle finger to the oppressive, diabolic structures that be (then and now) than to return to this place on behalf of the people who came before me.

After spending about two and a half weeks in Lagos, my trip was coming to a close, and it was time to make good on this symbolic journey. Some newfound Nigerian friends and I loaded up into the car, and took a four hour drive down the most poorly maintained road I had ever been on (I travel through developing countries frequently, so this is saying a lot). As we exited the main road, and headed into this quaint impoverished town I didnâ€t really know what to expect. We turned down Mobee street, named after the royal family, and stopped in front of a small, unimpressive building titled “The Slave Museum”. Someone in plain clothes walked up and introduced himself, offering to give us a tour.

This place was but a small 14×14 room but it packed a punch. Inside were original slave relics. The 30-pound chains that captives wore hung near the ceiling, an empty bottle of gin marked with the price of ten slaves sat on the counter, a picture of a castrated man begging for forgiveness was mounted on the wall. The guide started to explain the items before us in Yoruba. It always stings a bit when African people have to switch to English for me. He took the rusted chains off the wall so I could put them on. The weight of them knocked me a bit off balance. He said they wore these for months at a time, and I couldnâ€t bear to be in them more than 30 seconds. After going through each relic in detail, he offered to take us from the mainland where captured Africans were stored, down the original route to the Point of No Return. Allow me to put a finer point on this. We were going to walk the literal path that had been taken by African people as they left in chains into the unknown. So we went.

We took a boat from the mainland to the island. It was beautiful. This place could have been a resort town if it werenâ€t for the eerie feeling that mass human trafficking gives you. A short ten-minute ride and we were on the island. A narrow dirt path led from the dock into the distance and we embarked on this almost two-mile journey. The guide told us what it was like to be on this path so many years ago. Slaves were chained together in clusters of 15-20 wearing those heavy chains like what I had tried on earlier. They were flogged and called apes. The rowdier captives had their mouths padlocked shut. I felt like I was there. I wondered where God was.

About halfway through we stopped at the Attenuation Well, just as the slaves had done. The Attenuation Well is infamous for its spiritual nature. The waters are believed to be intentionally tainted by white people with a spirit that causes one to forget. Victims were made to drink from this well on their journey such that they would forget their country and their life in Africa. This way if they escaped, they would never be able to return. To this day, the people of Badagry despite lack of clean water abundance refuse to drink from or interact with this well, still believing in its curse. I stared into the bottom of it, picturing each person coming up to have an involuntary sip. We marched onward.

Another 15 minutes or so and we were standing at Badagry beach, also known as the Point of No Return. There was a huge modern version of the port building obstructing the beach view. Giant arches jutted up towards the sky. Here yet another ritual was performed to induce amnesia. Captives were made to circle the arches 7-9 times and once finished they were redistributed to different groups, separating families and tribes to discourage revolt. We walked to the littered shoreline, as the guide painted a picture of what those final moments on African soil were like. Kidnapped Africans paddled small boats to the larger ship that awaited in the distance. They embarked on the ship and were led down into the cargo area where they laid atop one another still wearing the heavy metal chains. If the boat became overweight, chained people were tossed overboard until the ship reached equilibrium. The lives of these people were meaningless in the eyes of Europeans. The imagery of what the guide was describing turned my stomach.

About a year ago, I had done my DNA test to learn more about my ancestry. Turns out about 30% of my heritage is from Benin, my father almost 40%. In that moment, it sunk in that though I am not Nigerian, this beachfront was just a mere 13 miles from the Benin border, making it highly likely that my bloodline passed through these shores. I pictured my older family members in chains. It was all overwhelming. I thought about how successful Europeans had been in separating African-Americans and other members of the diaspora from their roots, how disjoint we were as a people, and it made me angry. I thought about how the narrative around African-American history makes us feel like our story began in chains, and we are only seeking to elevate ourselves from our desperate beginnings. This trip made me really take in that our great grandparents were human trafficking victims who had lives and loved ones. Our history was hijacked by an inhumane pursuit of capital.

I had decided to visit Badagry to mark the ending of a dynamic year, but this trip turned into a milestone in my life that I will continue to draw energy from. This place is no longer The Point of No Return for me. I returned. The walk back made me smile, because I felt like I was being lifted up and smiled upon by the people who had died just trying to live. From that point forward, I vowed to pursue every dream unapologetically, and fight that much harder for equity in my community, and for cohesion among people of color. I owe it to my family members who didnâ€t make it where I am today, to the millions of black people who passed through the prison system, to my ancestors whose dreams could never be realized on American soil, and to my ancestors whose lives were forever changed by chains. If you are a person of African descent, just 8-10 generations removed from the continent, know that you are just that, not a descendant of slaves. With Africa being the birthplace of civilization, we have a much longer line of freedom, than captivity. So, every time you fight for justice and equality, know that it is not something you are fighting to get, it is something you are fighting to get back, which is very different.

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So you guys know that feeling, the nostalgia, the sudden blues you have when your holiday comes to an end. It was my final day in Chatillon, a beautiful town on the outskirts of Paris.

I was preparing for my flight back to London and so I booked a cab online from my accommodation to Chatillon station in order to get the train to Charles De Gaulle airport.

Sad, and already annoyed that I was too late to pick a window seat, I hear the driver beeping his horn, alerting that he has arrived.

 

I donâ€t know if you do this, but at the end of every trip I ensure I leave with that final slay. Feeling cool with my white vest top, booty shorts and my white wedges and I almost forgot, I had a four-wheeler suitcase to top it off. Exactly, nobody could question that I had just returned from holiday, that was the aim of the game.

I digress, so as I sat in the taxi, I lounged in the chair desperately preparing my mind to get back into reality. The Taxi driver makes that small talk to get you comfortable and BAM. I look at the Taxi meter, why is the meter saying 20 Euros??? I had only just sat inside the taxi! We were stationary and had not gone anywhere yet!

Look, I had only 30 Euros left, I had not budgeted for this, I frantically asked “Why is it 20 Euros, we havenâ€t gone anywhere!!!!

After many hand gestures, raised eyebrows and lip reading to get past the language barrier he says, “Itâ€s because you requested I pick you up at your location!”

I am looking around thinking is this life? I replied “NO! I was not aware about the pre-charges, I would like to get out the car now!!!”

He gave me that death stare looked and said “no, you will pay”. And drove

Yes, you read right, he just drove, with me still in the car.

At that point I was like ei? You know when your life flashes before your eyes and youâ€re just thinking you havenâ€t even done half of the things you wanted to do in life…is this my exit? Like one of character unexpectedly axed from a sitecom.

He drove me down to Chatillon town centre and it suddenly hit me that this was low key kidnapping.

I screamed for help whilst we were approaching some traffic, a woman heard my frantic screams and so she came and asked if I was ok. I explained the situation and she immediately tried to speak to the cab driver through the window whilst we were moving in slow traffic.

As he got distracted by this woman who was pleading with him to let me go, I took this opportunity for my escape. I got out of the car, opened the boot to get my 4-wheeler and ran for my life.

Having realized this, the man drove fast to catch up with me. Now at this point I felt like Beyonce at the beginning of the dangerously in love video…where sheâ€s walking in booty shorts, such a bad ass. But in reality, I was in the middle of a road in between two car lanes in Chatillon running for my life!

Now, a black woman in booty shorts, wedges and a vest top running from a cab driver throws around all sorts of stereotypes in Paris.

 

That being – 

 

Prostitution.

A group of men began to chase me, I saw the bus I needed to take to get to the train station for Charles De Gaulle airport, a sudden sigh of relief and adrenaline rush hit me, I was thinking “yes…yes…I can actually escape this”…and so I pushed my way through to get on it.

But it was too late.

This driver caught up with me and had recruited a group of men who grabbed me and my suitcase and screamed “prostitute prostitute prostitute”…“you need to pay you need to pay”.

 

My phone smashed, suitcase broken. They were punching me and I was punching them.

The people in the town stopped and starred. I wasnâ€t embarrassed, I was disappointed. Nobody helped me. They believed the stereotype. Sniggering, disgusted and laughing.

After the commotion, I kicked the manâ€s face and threw him his 20 Euros and got onto the bus. I heard sniggers from middle class French women. Very disheartening because they were blinded by the stereotype and the assumption that I was indeed a prostitute, but they didnâ€t know the truth.

I gathered myself after the fight, caught my breath and looked around the bus, I saw the sniggers, the raised eyebrows and I stood tall and exclaimed, “Iâ€m not a prostitute”!!!

An Australian lady who understood English and French and a Black woman came and consoled me. They told me that thatâ€s how the town are towards some black women and I shouldnâ€t worry.

I then went to report it to the police station before my flight. It painted a bad picture of my trip.

My mum said for 20 Euros you suffered this ordeal, why didnâ€t you just give it to him. But itâ€s the principle, and people cannot get away with such disgusting behavior.

What would I do differently?

 

Nothing.

Stereotypes cause so much confusion and misunderstanding. This made me realise how dangerous the media is in creating stereotypes of different races. Itâ€s time to create our own narrative.

I want you to understand the power that we have in changing the narrative whilst we travel. Change requires a shake up in the status quo and indeed we will encounter many situations like this, but it is these situations that show that we are doing something right.

 

Go and be your unapologetic self in a space where many do not see you in.

 

We are all behind you,

 

Go.

 

Karen Safo

 

Founder of The Black Voyager

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If youâ€re looking for a relaxing holiday which wonâ€t break the bank, Malta is the place to be.

Dealing with the winter blues I was in search of an affordable holiday when I stumbled across Malta. To my pleasant surprise, the more I looked into this destination, the more excited I became about the trip. Malta, located in between Sicily and North Africa has umpteen options for relaxation, exploration and culture. And boy… was I glad I went.

Malta is known for underground temples, walled cities, beautiful old towns with cobbled streets, coastal walks, islands a short ferry ride away, as well as food reflecting its Italian and north African influences. Need I say more?

Now letâ€s get straight to the meat – here are the top 5 things to do in Malta

See 5000yrs old underground temples

Whether youâ€re a history buff or simply intrigued by mankindâ€s many creations, these should not be missed. To see the most popular of them all, head to the Hypogeum of Hal Saflieni – an underground temple and burial chamber built 5000 years ago. Due to its archaeological significance, it is very popular so you must pre-book and reserve tickets well in advance which you can do so here: Heritage Malta

The Grand Harbour and the city of Valetta

Valetta, the capital of Malta is a pleasure to explore on foot. Its cobbled and narrow streets make every corner picture perfect with many restaurants along the way to satisfy your taste buds. One of the highlights of Valetta are the pastel coloured buildings. You can explore this part of town in a few hours and enjoy great views of the sea along the Grand Harbour.  Make sure to stop by the fort and take a brief tour of the Upper Baraka Gardens.

Mdina & Rabat

This ancient walled city will take you back in time as you get lost in streets that have kept their medieval charm. Behind the tall walls protecting the heart of this town you will find churches, palaces and restaurants, making it the perfect spot for exploration and reflection. You will also be graced with spectacular views of the town.

Sliema

The ideal place for some retail therapy whether it be fashion, supermarket stores or restaurants you are after. It is also lined with a promenade making it perfect for a leisurely stroll.

The island of Gozo

Your trip to Malta is not complete without stopping in Gozo which is worth you saving a full day for. You can get a ferry from Cirkewwa in Malta which will get you there in only 20 minutes.

Once you get there you will have multiple options whether it be to see the beach, countryside, museums or Azureâ€s Window. I opted for the latter and had a total sense of serenity walking around and relaxing by the natural rock formations. Whilst on the hop on and off tour you can also get great views of Ramlaâ€s Bay beach and also stop at Xlendiâ€s Bay with the tiniest beach ever but still worth wondering around the rocks and the sea.

Another popular day trip is the Comino Island and Blue grotto where you can stop by the blue lagoon and caves. The beautiful turquoise sea makes it look like heaven on earth. I sadly couldnâ€t go as it rained on the day Iâ€d reserved for it but should you have the time, it should probably be on your list.

Other hint & tips

Food: La Cucina Del Sole was my favourite by far as I went there 3 times. The walk there was scenic and they serve delicious oven baked pizzas, with fresh ingredients and affordable prices.

Accommodation:  I stayed at a really spacious self-catered apartment with lots of shops nearby called Rocca Netunno Suites

Transport: Public transport is extremely cheap at 2€ a trip so this was my main mode of transport. Alternative as there is a lot to see in Malta, if you do want to explore you can also get taxis or hire a car

Gozo trip: You can get a ferry to Gozo for 5€ from Cirkewwa and once there, opt for a hop on hop off day pass around the whole island of Gozo for 20€

  

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