Zed's visit to Malta & Gozo

[Jim Jamieson]

Hi Folks
Zed here again on my travels, this time with big Jim and his friends.
Here I am after scurrying aboard a big jet belonging to a Mr Ryanair.
Dont think big Jim is too happy though, something to do with his missus forgeting to book in cases. Anyway he had to cough up £80, hope that wasn't for my nice seat.



Things have cooled down now especially down there, thats the Alps we're flying over.



Ah! dry land at last and nice and warm to heat me up. here we are the Dingli Cliffs. That looks like a golf ball but I,m told its a radar station looking for bears



Now onto this car thing The Maltese certainly like their wheels but their driving well !! nuff said. This one would do for me and believe it or not yes I did see ZED 300 as well several time again on another Z3



And another one belonging to Who!!


Ah! now this is better almost like our hire car well ! maybe. Note the number, dont think I would like to park next to a Lada though


You can have almost any number plate you like in Malta I have seen some with single figures 1 & N and also full names if it can be squeezed onto a plate.
Now about that hire car we really struggled to get out of this space.



No dafty the car two behind
and just to finish off with cars for now here is one of the many R8 convertibles on the island yes Rover 's code for these models well before Noddy used it.



And this one with an Identity Crisis I wanna be an MG



See ya for now
Zed

[Jim Jamieson]

Hi I'm back

Now for a quick tour of the beautfull island of Malta.
Here I am looking down to The Poppye Village. This was constructed for the film then abandoned for several years. You used to just walk in, but now it's been taken over and cleaned up a bit so you pay, but not me cos you can sneak a great view from above.



This is down in the Three Cities area accross from Valletta the capital City.
The building behind me was an old lookout post many years back and you can see the carvings of the "eyes" and the "ears", looking and listening for invaders.. accross the way is The Upper Barraca Gardens, well worth a visit.



And here I am doing my lookout duties out to the entrance of The Grand Harbour.



Behind me is the giant China Dock, I believe the largest dry dock in the Mediteranean. This was one of the main targets on Malta during the war. The wall I'm sitting on must be at least 10 feet wide at the top and tapers down all the way, just imagine how long that took to build.



Now round the other side of Valletta looking over to Manoe Island, a small island accessed via a bridge from Sliema front. The building shown was an old hospital for infectious diseases many years back.



Now we've been looking for Rover 75's for a few days now, and none to be found, then just as we were pulling in for fuel at Manoe Island a Burgundy one drove past to go onto the island. We quickly fuelled up and pulled out only to see another Burgundy one going the opposite way. We drove the short distance onto the island and found this one which was the first one spotted, as Mary (Jims missus) had clocked both numbers were different.
here is the first one we spotted, a 2.0 diesel conny.





Its a well known saying, like the buses none then two come along together although in Malta they have got rid of all their old buses and now have Arriva buses, a lot of them bendy buses which are totally useless for a small island like Malta and cause major jams as up to 4 at a time pass along the roads at one time.

Now up onto The Upper Barraca Gardens in Valletta looking out to the entrance of the Grand Harbour.



And looking the other way over to The China Dock.



Then it's back to the hotel for a chill out drink with big Jim



Who said "Bears" don't drink.




See ya when I'm sober enough to fly

Zed

[Jim Jamieson]

Look at me I'm flying ! what do you mean well I must be at least 6 feet off the ground.



Back to earth with a bump these are a couple of the aicraft from The Malta Flying Club.



We attended The International Malta Airshow and had a great day out. we even saw one of the F1 jets impounded from Lybia during the recent crisis.

Then it was of to the Malta Car Museum at Quarra.

Oi !! I'm over here you dumbat Oh! sorry it was the garage you were taking sorry.



This garage is full of UK plated used cars. I have noticed a huge influx of UK cars even since last year, also the number of Smart cars is on the increase due to thier size and ease of parking which is a major problem on Malta.

Hey Jim ! can you give me a punt up to have a look at this nice MGB.



And your "spot" on with this MGA.



Did I hear you say Abear Oh! sorry Abarth, Oh yes this little dinky thing, it's a shortened fibreglass runabout with sealed doors so you just hop in. Their are a few of these going around the Island.



Now this better though I don't think it's an original with those brakes.



Now its off to Gozo for a quick visit.
see ya

[Jim Jamieson]

Here I am on the "Cruise Ship" well ok the car ferry MV Malita one of the three which takes you on the short 40 miute journey accross the channel to Gozo. This is us just leaving Malta.



And as view of the Blue Lagoon as we pass by Comino, another small Island betwen Malta and Gozo



Cor Blimey how did we miss that 75 as it was just behind us coming off the ferry, never mind more of it later.



A little "Bear" rest at a nice spot overlooking Malta, its called Ta Cenc



Then up to The Inland Sea & The Azure Window. If you look round 180 degrees you will see poor Zed cooking in the car sorry Zed



You dumbat Jim I'm so cooked up now all I want to do is chill out in the shade up this tree.



A nice spot for lunch, here at Marsalforn, lovely cooked "bear" grub only joking



Then it's back to the ferry and we just made it last car on.
OOps! the secrets out on the hire car.



And a last look as we leave Gozo's Mgarr harbour.



Almost done Zed

[Jim Jamieson]

Now back to 75 stuff
Remember the 75 we just missed coming off the ferry on Gozo, well we later saw it several times both on Malta and Gozo as shown here near Ta Cenc.



and its another conny diesel



And Mary was quick to spot this tourer in the car park at Msida Creek.



Yet another diesel conny with a distinqutive number,




Now I wonder ! No it couldn't be. He lives in Monaco.

We also spotted a silver one reg No. TFI 124 in Sliema but no sign of the one I've previously spotted with an ROV number.

So with our trip over for another year it was time to "Getz" home, yes at last the secret is out our humble Hyudai which I hire from the same family owned firm for several years now.





It was great to have Zed along with us on our trip, and we certainly got some strange looks but its all in good fun and to whoever or wherever he travels to next :

Mary & Jim wish you Zed

Bon Voyage

Hope you all enjoyed the tour of the Maltese Islands

JYJ