Name: Fiona Vella
Age: 42
Occuption: Writer

My earliest travel memory…

I remember this quite clearly because I was 18 when I travelled for the first time. My younger brother had been invited by his pen-friend from Yorkshire to spend a week with her family and I accompanied him. I felt very brave at the time since this was a totally new experience for both of us.

In reality, our Yorkshire friends made us feel very welcome and took it in turns to introduce us to various interesting sites in the nearby areas and beyond.

I was mostly fascinated by the Lake District since I had never seen such endless spaces of raw nature.

My best holiday ever…

Every opportunity to travel is an adventure in itself and therefore we always seek to get the best out of each holiday. However, there will always be those holidays that turn out to be more memorable than others for one reason or another.

One of these was our long voyage from Barcelona to Santiago de Compostela, stopping off in several remarkable places in northern Spain, until we eventually reached our final destination at the popular cathedral in Galicia, where we joined other pilgrims who were also ending their journey.

I sense the subtle feeling of an inherent kinship between Maltese and Sicilians, which I treasure very much

Another fantastic holiday was our recent visit to Lapland in northern Finland, where we enjoyed a real white Christmas. We rode reindeer sleighs, drove huskies in the snow, went on an expedition in search of the Northern Lights on snowmobiles, sled down snowy hills on colourful toboggans, and tried our luck at ice fishing.

We also experienced the unusual phenomenon of living in the period of polar twilight, when the sun never rises and people use the pearly brightness of the snow in order to get on with their daily activities.

The most dangerous place I’ve visited…

Egypt! Being deeply interested in archaeology, I definitely had to visit this country some day or other. I eventually did about 20 years ago and found it to be delightful.

The desert, the people, the culture, the archaeology. How can I ever forget the emotion of finding myself looking directly at the mysterious sculpture of the sphinx? Or how can I replace the excitement I felt as I walked down the internal narrow corridor within the Great Pyramid of Giza?

Yet likewise, I cannot obliterate the fear I felt when, after visiting a convent at an oasis in the desert, our coach had to be escorted by a group of soldiers armed with bayonets, since another group of tourists who were travelling in the same area had just been attacked by a group of rebels. Luckily, all ended well for us.

My favourite city…

Up to now, it must be London. The endless collections within the large museums are the primary factors. Yet there is also so much more to see and do. Moreover, everywhere is within easy reach due to the efficient transportation network.

My most treasured holiday souvenir…

When we go abroad, we always make it a point to bring back a particular souvenir which usually represents our experience. All these souvenirs are very dear to me and I simply cannot choose just one.

Three holiday souvenirs come to mind: a delicate figurine of a guardian angel holding a child, which we purchased from the area of Lake Bled in Slovenia; a clay figurine of a pilgrim of Santiago de Compostela in Spain; and a witch drum used by the local Sami shamans of Lapland.

My biggest gaffe abroad…

The first part of our honeymoon was in Geneva, Switzerland, where we stayed at the Holiday Inn.

After three days, we packed our luggage and prepared to continue our voyage to Scotland. However, when we arrived at the airport, we were informed that our flight was the following day!

You can imagine the astonishment of the receptionist at the Holiday Inn when she saw us return. Yet, since we had actually booked this hotel for the following day, we could return back to our suite with no problems. It was our biggest gaffe abroad, but we can always say it was due to the excitement of being on our honeymoon.

The friendliest people…

I think it is the Sardinians. We spent a 15-day holiday there and had the opportunity to meet a lot of people. The decision to lodge at small agritourism sites instead of the usual large hotels made it easier to get closer to the locals.

Our coach had to be escorted by a group of soldiers armed with bayonets, since another group of tourists who were travelling in the same area had just been attacked by rebels

Sardinia’s amicable characteristics were also evident in other situations, such as when we were visiting the cavern of Ispinigoli in Dorgali in the province of Nuoro, and the guide gave me her personal book about Sardinia when she got to know I was studying archaeology and anthropology.

I never travel without...

A book with an excellent storyline. I’m an avid reader but I rarely have time for fiction during the rest of the year. So during our holidays, part of my enjoyment is reading a book just for the fun of it.

My all-time favourite holiday photo...

We take hundreds of photos when on holiday. Presently, my favourite is the one that was taken at Santa’s resort in the Arctic Circle in Lapland, where I’m playing with the huskies, after my husband had driven us around on a sled.

An unforgettable hotel...

One of the most splendid hotels we stayed in was Hotel Su Pinu, which is situated in the surroundings of Monti village in Sardinia. The service was excellent, the food was great and the room was comfortable.

Yet the strongest point of this hotel was its location, snuggled comfortably at the foot of a mountainous area surrounded by thick, luscious forest.

Best of all, you could take in this gift of nature while relaxing in a gorgeous, crystal-blue pool which offered breathtaking views.

I return most often to...

Sicily, because it is so near and yet it is so different. We have visited Sicily five times. By choosing to stay in different areas, we enjoy a distinct holiday every time.

The Sicilians are so similar to us Maltese that we find ourselves completely at home on this island. Moreover, many of them have visited Malta, or at least have met some Maltese tourists at one time or another. I sense the subtle feeling of an inherent kinship between us, which I treasure very much.

My ideal travel companion...

Definitely my husband. I could travel to the end of the world with him because he makes me feel safe wherever I am. On the other hand, he cherishes my ability to find unusual places each time we travel in order to enhance our holiday with the exquisite elements of mystery and wonder.

Naturally, once we had our daughter, she became engrained in our travel team and through her we get to discover other superb places only a child can introduce you to.

My next holiday plans…

We would like to visit the Shetland Islands because they offer distinct landscapes, flora and fauna. I am also very interested in getting to know more about the culture and the traditions of these people, about whom I know very little.

My dream trip…

I have several dream trips in mind. At the moment, I would really love to have the opportunity to visit China, since once again, I have seen several documentaries about this country and its people, yet I feel as if I hardly know anything at all.

Indeed, what attracts me most to this huge country is my acute void of know-ledge. I wish I could visit several areas within China to experience its beauty.

I am also quite curious about getting to know more about the country’s archaeological sites and artefacts. Furthermore, I would love to meet the locals so I could discover the differences and the similarities between our cultures.

My travel tip…

Be a traveller not a tourist. Prepare yourself well about the sites you intend to visit, but be flexible enough to allow some space for adventure. Look out for areas off the beaten track. Try to meet the locals and to understand their culture. If you learn nothing about the people of a country you have visited, it will be as if you have never been there.

I travel because...

I have always been fascinated by famous travellers and explorers I read about. During my childhood, people like Marco Polo, Amerigo Vespucci, Ferdinand Magellan, Vasco da Gama and Christopher Colombus helped me to wonder about what might lie out there, beyond the coast of our small islands. Now that I’m old enough, I travel to find out…