This is one of my favourite weekend spots; Anchor Bay, a small bay in the northwest of Malta where you sit on a broken jetty that looks over the 1980 Popeye movie set. The water is deep and clear, perfect for snorkelling, and there are slightly less people than other accessible parts of the Maltese coast. Living in a country as small and densely populated as Malta makes it rather tricky to find quiet spots or nature. I’ve seen almost all of the coast of Malta (I walked all the way around the island) so I now find myself revisiting the same places over again.
No matter where we live, at times it can be a struggle to make the most of your home. I have grown tired of many wonderful places in the past, including the French Alps and Jeju Island (which was named one on the New7Wonders). Then I have fallen in love with those places over again. Equally, one can live in less amazing places and love many moments. It is the moments and the people that make a place. As human beings, our baseline happiness fluctuates based upon small daily occurrences, rather than being defined by single, significant events. Winning the lottery will not grant everlasting happiness… what you do with the money could or could not. Suffering a debilitating injury does not grant everlasting sadness… how you react to the situation and the small victories and losses that occur every day mean much more.
On my small island, Malta, there is considerably less space to explore than most other countries in the world and it is shared with more people, ranking as one of the most densely populated countries in the world. For me, this makes it harder to find adventures, and harder is the key. It is harder, it is not impossible. No matter where we live in the world, we can love or loathe the place – it is up to us to decide that we want to make the most of the here and now.
In Malta, I love the sea and the sunshine, so I explore it often, and I will continue to do so as I search for other joys on this small rock. What makes you appreciate the place where you live?
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