We've officially arrived in Malta, our second stop in our journey across the Eastern Mediterranean. We are here until Wednesday night, right next to the city of Valletta. We haven't explored quite yet, but have a tour later today to do so.
This past weekend has been difficult mentally and physically, tackling the Samaria Gorge. We hiked from the top of the path down to the bottom, stretching about 16km. It was absolutely beautiful, we got to witness a wide variety of plants and landscapes and even a few mountain goats. We started the hike at 7:15am, and continued until around 2pm.
Of course the hike was physically taxing, but it was a big test of mental toughness as well. With the heat and length of the gorge tolling down on you, you have to find a way to keep determination and the mindset to keep going. It was hard to do so, and you learn about yourself in the process. But, what helps is when you have 12 other students alongside you doing the same thing.
After the gorge hike, we got some big glasses of fresh squeezed orange juice and some cold water. After that break and our refreshments, we then had the option to take a second hike, 2km this time. This second hike was straight up and down the side of a small mountain on goat paths, and at the top was the ruins of an Ottoman castle. I decided along with a few others to take this second hike, and it was definitely a challenge, again, both mentally and physically. The view very rewarding, looking to the South we could see the islands of Gavdos and Gavdopoula.
Photos at the top of the second hike
After walking back down on the other side, we went down to the beach to cool off after about 11 miles of walking that day. We then took the ferry back to meet the bus to get us back to Alikanas.
I'm looking forward to exploring Malta for the next few days and beginning to understand the geopolitical importance of this island.
- Kaitlin Wojcik
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