Following the success obtained by our athletes in the GSSE Malta, the euphoria is slowly dying down.
Now it's back to barracks for all those who were involved in this unforgettable adventure.
It's a next to impossible task to mention the highlights of these Games in a nutshell.
From an organisational point-of-view, the Malta Olympic Committee (MOC) was congratulated from all quarters.
A three-fold strategy was revealed when Malta won the bid in Liechtenstein in 1999.
Maltese athletes were expected to achieve their best result ever with a fourth placing in the medals' table earmarked as the chief target.
Furthermore, the event had to produce a profit as the deficit recorded in the 1993 Games haunted the organisers for years.
Even though the MOC are still in the process of finalising their accounts, projections point to a positive balance. The objectives of this venture were met, hence the title of this write-up.
Moreover, the GSSE mobilised a nation. Thousands of people turned up at the venues to support Maltese athletes in action.
All those critics who opine that the general public has turned its back on local sport are wrong.
On the contrary, the sporting public is yearning to watch committed athletes sweating for success.
No wonder that extra police officers had to be called to ensure order, especially when hundreds of fans tried to make their way into an already-packed venue for the women's basketball final between Malta and Cyprus.
All seats inside the University Sports Hall were filled an hour before the match actually started and it was a good idea that a big screen was installed outside the venue to the delight of those unlucky souls who ventured to the complex without managing to get a seat.
I was told that there were hundreds of people watching the historic moment on the big screen outside the venue and their cheers were equally deafening.
Most of you might not know that some bold characters risked serious injury as they somehow managed to abseil the walls of the complex and climbed onto the window sills to catch a glimpse of the Maltese girls in their march towards glory.
The memories will remain vivid for a long time to come as the hundreds of spectators inside the complex stood up and sang the Maltese anthem as our girls, some of them with tears flowing freely down their cheeks, stood proudly on the highest step of the podium. It was the first ever gold medal for Maltese basketball at these Games.
With the exception of volleyball, Malta won medals in all disciplines. However, I feel that I have to single out the bold effort of our women's volleyball team.
The girls started briskly with two fine wins and then endured some bitter and cruel moments as they lost two consecutive matches in the decisive set.
Critics may point out that the team regressed as it failed to defend its bronze medal won in San Marino two years earlier.
I beg to differ. True, Malta missed out on a medal but our girls displayed grit and determination throughout, including in their match against eventual gold medallists, Cyprus.
Sometimes, lady luck deserts athletes and volleyball was one such case. Although we failed to win a medal here, the Cottonera Sports Complex was always a full house with spectators waving Maltese flags, hooting horns and beating on drums.
For years, I have been taking supporters to task for their lack of commitment on the terraces. I was finally proved wrong.
During the week of the Games, venues were turned into a sea of colour as supporters rallied behind the athletes. Free entrance to the venues meant that people could simply walk in and enjoy the show.
Following the hectic campaigns of the referendum and the general elections, the Games were the right tonic to foster a sense of national unity once more.
I shall not attempt an analysis of each and every discipline at the Games. Suffice to say that excellent results were registered in athletics, shooting, sailing and squash.
In swimming, Angela Galea defied the odds as she came agonisingly close to clinching Malta's first ever-gold medal in the pool.
The judo youngsters are on the right track and in tennis, our ladies lost in the doubles' final. In table-tennis, Simon Gerada found the going tougher than expected and had to settle for a bronze medal. However, the Gerada brothers - Simon and Wayne - claimed a silver medal in the doubles' events.
The greatest headache is trying to identify all the people who deserve a word of thanks for this success.
As Director of Media at the MOC, I would like to thank all journalists, photographers, producers, broadcasters and technical people who worked long hours to ensure that maximum coverage was provided.
The idea of having the three main television stations joining forces and sharing footage meant that viewers were spoilt for choice.
Volunteers were crucial to the success of the Games. Without their input, the event would not have been possible. Most of the volunteers were working more than 16 hours a day and they were actually looking forward to the following morning.
Police officers were a tremendous help especially in directing traffic in the vicinity of the venues.
Tough challenges
The members of staff working at the MOC worked relentlessly in the weeks leading up to the Games and during the days of competition.
Spare a thought for these people as some of them did not even enjoy the luxury of venturing to the venues to experience the excitement at first hand.
The Malta Olympic Committee faces some tough challenges ahead. Our next goal is to have a Maltese athlete on the podium in the Olympic Games. We believe that such a feat is within our reach. This should be our next objective.
The success of these games was to a certain extent jaded by Pippo Psaila's decision to step down as Director of Sport.
Contrary to what the media may have hinted, there were no internal squabbles within the Executive Board of the Malta Olympic Committee or the GSSE Organising Committee.
His decision to retire from his post caught many by surprise. One only hopes that he has a change of heart as his contribution to Maltese sport is priceless.