[West Ender]

I spoke a bit of Greek last time I was in Cyprus. The chap I was talking to said, "Oh you speak Greek. Did you learn it at school?" I explained that my Greek is confined to "Good morning", "Good evening", "How much?", "Please", "Thank you" and "You're welcome". He proceded to give me a lesson in Greek, which was quite funny as he was brought up in Wandsworth and had only been back in Cyprus for 3 years. He went "home" because the English climate was playing hell with his arthritis and he spoke English with a broad London accent.

Malta is very English in some ways but it still retains its own, unique Maltese character. The Maltese people are lovely, and what's more they like the English, but they are NOT English. I drive when I go to Malta and I don't have many problems - apart from roundabouts. They have only had them for about 10 years and they haven't really grasped the concept of what they are FOR. To a Maltese, a roundabout is just a bloody nuisance on the road, to be negotiated as quickly as possible. The food in Malta tends to be largely Italian, which suits me, and the hospitality is second to none. One thing I really love is that, being a widow, I can go to Malta alone and I feel perfectly safe going out by myself. There is almost no crime in Malta and none at all in its sister island, Gozo, where they leave their keys in their front door locks all day, quite safely.

I have been to many countries in this world in my time. All are special in their own way and I've never been anywhere I don't want to go again but I do love Malta.