February half term was cold and wet. It was the tail end of Storm Dennis, a storm that battered the Cornish coast and tore down trees and flooded lots of communities along the coast. But that didn’t stop Becca and I from making the journey down to the very tip of Cornwall and having a wonderful week. Our 6-hour journey down to Cornwall went around London and past Stonehenge. It felt like it might not ever end, with heavy traffic and torrential rain, but when we got there, and pulled into our sweet little Airbnb, we knew it was worth it. We popped the prosecco to celebrate our arrival.

Becca and I hired a little cottage in Penzance to stay for 5 nights. We had a lovely little bedroom and living room, everything that we could need. The next morning, we had a lazy start, and then took the car to Land’s End. The wind was completely wild! With our hair whipping around us, we walked to the edge of the country. From England, I was the closest I would be to Canada. We decided to go for a walk along the coast to take some pictures, and it was then that I noticed the ominous cloud looming in the distance. We ran back to the car as the heavens opened up on us, a true welcome to Cornwall.

The next day took us to Falmouth to Rick Stein’s “Fish”. We wandered the quaint streets and looked in little shops, buying endless birthday cards, and beginning the Great Wellington Boot Hunt of 2020. We ended up in “Fish” and enjoyed a wonderful meal along with a little drink.

On our way home, we stopped by St. Michael’s Mount, a tidal island walkable from the coastline near Penzance during low tide. We wandered down the boardwalk towards the island as dusk set in and the tide pulled out. It was very quiet, and Becca and I remarked several times that it seemed as if we were at the very beginning of a horror film. Two young women, wandering into a place that seemed eerie, barely a soul around, and then bam! Can you picture it? We were jumpy and laughing the whole time we were out there.

The next day, Becca and I ended up in St Ives. When we arrived and parked the car, we wandered down to a gorgeous little café that served a beautiful breakfast. We then wandered through the shops and down the little roads. We were amazed by how busy it was mid-February. In talking to a local shopkeeper, we were told that come mid-August, you couldn’t even walk down the road without shuffling in a mass herd of people. I would really recommend to anyone planning a Cornwall getaway, go in the winter! You’re not going to get the same “beach weather”, but you’ll actually be able to sit in a restaurant without a queue to get in.

Despite it not being beach weather, we both ended up on the beach, sporting our new wellies. After splashing a bit in the surf, we sat with hot drinks and had life chats sitting and watching the sea. Before long, the weather started to turn again, and our morning in St Ives had come to an end.

Since our unpredictable weather was cold but not rainy (well, only a little rainy), we did a little Google of the local area and discovered that not too far away were the remains of an old tin mine right on the cliff’s edge in Wheal Coates. We put our walking shoes on, and went for a walk along the cliffs. It was a stunning walk, and we were in fits of giggles trying to get a photo of the two of us in the gale-force winds.

Our last adventure in Cornwall was a journey to Tintagel Caste, the birthplace of King Arthur. Becca and I had been trying to go there all week, but with the strength of the winds coming off the ocean, the castle had remained closed for the safety of the visitors. On our last morning, we checked online, and they were closed. When I called them a mere 15 minutes later to ask about the forecast for the day, they got word that they were opening (while I was on the phone). We jumped in the car and made our drive down there. And this is a drive that Becca and I will never forget. A lesson we learned: do not trust the Sat-Nav in a car over Google Maps. You might get stuck down a road you car can barely fit in.

Tintagel was WILD. The wind was SO strong that we genuinely watched a child fall over from a gust of wind. Becca and I stood holding onto one another, trying to take one step at a time to clear the cliff edge. But it was beautiful. The crashing waves, the ruins, the bridge to cross to the castle, and a cream tea: what a way to end our trip.

It was a lovely trip to Cornwall. I hadn’t been there since I was 7, and it was better than I remembered. What a wonderful holiday we had; filled with laughter, Netflix documentaries, cheesy films, lots of wine and a wonderful time together.  

Love from,
Taylor

With a population of less than 500 000, Malta is the tenth smallest and fifth most densely populated sovereign country in the world at only 17 miles across. You can cross the whole country in an hour (or 45 minutes if you’re a taxi driver). I’ve been a little obsessed with going to Malta for a couple years since my friend and colleague went with her family and I saw the photos. Not frequently visited by Canadians, it’s a very popular destination amongst Brits, and most of the people I know have been. 

If you went to Malta, and wanted to go to a different church every single day of the year, you absolutely could. The country has 365 churches on its island; one for every day of the year unless it’s a leap year… then you’re out of luck on December 31st. 

Last October half term, Jonny and I headed to St Paul’s Bay to an all-inclusive resort for our last week of sun before the winter really sets in. And were we ever lucky with the weather, the perfect temperature for a little winter sun. It was 25-28 degrees every day, and sunny the whole time. 

The hotel we stayed in was all-inclusive with both an indoor and outdoor pool. We truly embraced our relaxation lifestyle, with an all-you-can-eat buffet and unlimited drinks (wine on tap!). We woke up, put on our bathing suits and went down to the pool to enjoy the sunshine and bevvies.

Our trip wasn’t all R&R, as I’d never been to Malta before. Jonny and I took the bus for a day trip to Valetta. Valetta is the capital of Malta, and we enjoyed eating al fresco in a beautiful square and ice cream in the sunshine. We wandered through the little streets and took pictures of the beautiful buildings. Jonny and I went to the St. John’s Co-Cathedral, built between 1572 and 1577. It was unbelievable; it was covered in gold, paintings and was filled to the hilt with ornate treasures. We wandered through the Roman Catholic cathedral, and listened to the music inside. We also spent time overlooking the Grand Harbour from the Barrakka Gardens, looking at locations that various films had been shot in. It was a lovely day. 

The next day, we went to Mdina and Marksaloxx. Mdina was an original set for Game of Thrones. The walled city was established in the 8^thcentury BC, and is absolutely breathtaking. It’s very tiny, and it didn’t take long for us to wander its streets. We had dinner in a restaurant in the wall, and then walked the perimeter of the city. There wasn’t much to do in Mdina, but I think it was a highlight for both of us. 

Because we had another half-day left, we followed the recommendation of Jonny’s mum and dad and went to a seaside village called Marksaloxx. Marksaloxx is a fishing village, with restaurants serving the day’s latest catch on small water-side tables. Jonny and I walked the seafront, taking pictures of the beautiful boats dotted in the water. We stopped for a drink, Jonny had a beer, and I had an Aperol Spritz (of course!). We enjoyed the last of the sunshine from the day. We then called a taxi and made our way back to our hotel in time for dinner. Now let me tell you, taxis in Malta are wild! They drive so fast, and swerve like their life depends on it (sometimes it does). It was a wild ride back to our hotel, and considering Jonny and I both suffer from motion sickness… a bit unpleasant. 

Most nights, Jonny and I frequented the bar downstairs in the hotel. On one of these nights, where the drinks were ¾ alcohol and ¼ mix, we sat on the beautiful sofas in the lobby and played the newlywed game. I have to say, if you’re ever at a loss of something to do on a holiday, it was absolutely hilarious. We learned so much about each other and had a good laugh. 

Our last adventure was a trip to Gozo and Camino, and we tried to go to the Blue Lagoon to swim. Honestly, I’m not going to spend a lot of time talking about it, because the day was just okay. Gozo was quite nice, but the seas were SO rough. The water was so rough that the boat rocked up and down and side to side. As previously mentioned, Jonny and I both struggle with seasickness, so it was a bit of a difficult day for us. Since the seas were so choppy, it was not possible for us to swim in the Blue Lagoon, the reason we wanted to go on this trip in the first place. The day wasn’t a complete bust, and we watched a beautiful sunset over the water and had a gorgeous walk through the island of Comino. 

Malta was a wonderful holiday. One that I hope to repeat for many years to come. 

Love from,
Taylor