4.3 MB - Blundell's School

The Choir in MaltaWritten by Sam DavenportOn the 16th December 2011members of the Blundell’sSchool Choir set out forMalta. The trip departedfrom GH at 1 o’clock in themorning, everyone arrived atGH the night before so, notsurprisingly, no one sleptthat night. (Sadly the nightbefore was ‘The Gut’ wheremost people also got verylittle sleep!).We left on our mammoth journey to Gatwickairport in the School mini buses (all credit tothe drivers who were also up early to drive usthere!). Gatwick security was negotiatedwithout a hitch although half the teacherswere frisked! We arrived in Malta airport tofind we were all very over dressed for the‘cold’ weather that they were having at thetime. We were greeted by our bus driver whogave Mrs Weaver some incomprehensibleinstructions we think, about how to get to thecentre of Valletta. The hotel where we weregoing to be staying was like a maze, even theporter had trouble navigating us around it!After unpacking and changing into somethinga lot more appropriate for the weather wewere experiencing we all went out for lunch.When we all traipsed back to the hotel atabout 4 o’clock in a state of massive sleepdeprivation there was a short practice for theconcert that we would be giving the next day.After a good meal at the hotel everyone wentto bed for some well earned rest.The next day after a lie in, kindly allowed byMr Barlow, we had breakfast with themassive French windows open and the sunon our faces, then set off into the heart ofValletta to do a spot of sightseeing in thebeautiful town that was built by the Knights ofSt. John. We took a boat trip around Malta’stwo harbours; the Grand Harbour was thehome of the British navy in the Mediterraneanfor many years. We then returned to thehotel, changed into our concert gear andpractised for the concert which would takeplace at the British High Commissioner’sresidence. Her Excellency Louise Stantonwas entertaining the Greek Ambassador, theAustrian Ambassador and the RussianAmbassador as well as numerous influential12