Malta's national dance company ŻfinMalta is making its UK debut this month. Martina Zammit takes you with the dancers on the journey.

The Cast in Doncaster is a beautiful theatre, brand new and so warm. It's the first time we get to actually plot the double bill properly as well as rehearse particular sections in great depth. The day goes smoothly by as we plot all lighting cues and staging tips ready for a run the next day followed by a performance. We were only expecting an audience of around 20 people, so I was surprised by the good turnout and a warm welcome.

Gulping down some hot and spicy take away Chinese soup as soon as the performance is over we sign out of the theatre and scramble into the tiniest of mini-vans (the luggage takes up all the space it should be allotted as well as the only two seats we do not use). Next destination: Derby.

Photos: Niels Plotard: ©Niels Plotard WorkPhotos: Niels Plotard: ©Niels Plotard Work

Jure is super excited about this trip as we are staying at Jury's Inn in Derby. The hotel moves to the top of the list as it includes breakfast which Elaine manages to get as compensation for the rather tight van situation. It's a bitter-sweet morning as Zoe finally joins us the night we arrive but this also means that Emma is leaving us. We say goodbye for now.

We had to perform on the same day we arrive in Derby. This is the smallest theatre so far with audiences at a very close proximity. We perform the triple bill that night without having run it but all goes smoothly and it feels good to have the audience at such close quarters as projection is not much of an issue and the audience may read more into the pieces.

Photos: Niels Plotard: ©Niels Plotard WorkPhotos: Niels Plotard: ©Niels Plotard Work

Bow, pack, rush, go. We leave for Liverpool straight after the Derby performance and arrive at our Travelodge at some early hour of the morning. Our performance of the double bill in Liverpool happens that same day and we squeeze Home onto a tiny stage.

The work is well received in Liverpool and many audience members engage through the questions asked after the show. Knowing we had to leave the next morning, I am determined to have a walk around Liverpool on a Friday night.

I just about manage to drag everyone to Albert Dock for a drink. I'm not very good with maps and directions so this takes a while. I almost manage to get them to follow me on the hunt for the Cavern Club, but the majority wins and half way through we turn back to the hotel.

However not all hope is lost and the next day we manage to drag ourselves out of bed before checkout to walk around a little more. This is when we make it to the Cavern Club where great music legends have performed. Though we miss out on the live music element, the others thank me for dragging them there.

Photos: Niels Plotard: ©Niels Plotard WorkPhotos: Niels Plotard: ©Niels Plotard Work

Next comes our glorious mini-van ride to London. Suffering from motion sickness, mini-vans are really not my thing. Picture a six-hour drive in this situation. As excited as I am for London, drive dampens my mood. And I am hardly amused when I am allotted a triple room in Easyhotel with no space to lay luggage on the floor, or walk around or hang clothes, or anything. And... the room has no windows.

Realising this is not going to be viable for a week, Elaine, Mavin and Nico and ZfinMalta's administration try to find another hotel.

They finally manage and the next day we check into a cosy hotel in Paddington. The only good thing about the EasyHotel is that it is down the road from Fabric, so we snatch the opportunity to spend our night there rather than at the hotel. Sunday is the day of rest for all of us recovering from the stress and party of the night before.

And so we're in London. And Sadler's Wells is next!

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