In the conversation below one speaker describes the problem that arose on his trip to a foreign country. The second speaker tells him what to do to prevent situations like these from happening.

       Speaker 1: On my trip to Italy last year I got lost and I had no idea how to get to my hotel. I was afraid to ask because people never seemed to understand me and just talked louder and louder and moved their hands dramatically, making me feel frustrated and embarrassed.

 

     Speaker 2: Personally, I would advise you to learn a few words and expressions commonly used in the country where you plan to go, otherwise you’ll be having a hard time making yourself understood. If you use just the word for “thank you”, they'll be impressed. If you know more about their language, even if you are not fluent, you'll find yourself learning more about
real people, not the ones shown to us in films.

 

Now continue a conversation giving advice to someone who is going on a trip. Use the ‘Travel Tips’ below.

1

Speaker 1: We are going to Spain next month but we don’t want to stay in a hotel with crowds of people. My husband was delighted yesterday when he saw an advertisement for a small inexpensive hotel in a village.

     Speaker 2: …………………………………………………

(Travel Tip: When travelling to many countries, before

paying for a room, make sure to look at the room first. Take a quick tour of the hotel before deciding to stay. Even though some of the hotels may be nice from the outside, what is inside is not always up to your standards).

 

2

Speaker 1: Tomorrow I’m leaving for Moscow. I’ll be staying there for a couple of days and I'm afraid I won't be able to see much of it.

Speaker 2: …………………………………………………….

 

(T ravel Tip: Upon arriving at a new destination, consider

taking a taxi instead of riding by Metro or train because it’s a nice way to get a glimpse of your new ‘home’. It also gives you a chance to become accustomed to open spaces once again. You can see much more on the taxi ride than during other parts of your trip.)

3

Speaker 1: My friend suggests we should go to Asia or Africa for a holiday, but I think we might have problems with drinking water because it is different from what we have here.

  Speaker 2: …………………………………………………...

(Travel Tip: It is usually not safe to drink water out of a tap. If you aren't used to a country’s drinking water, then you may get a lot of problems with your health. Buy bottled water. In a restaurant, ask for a bottle of water unopened. Have them open at the table.)

 

 

 IS TRAVELLING FRUSTRATING OR EXCITING?

 

A

‘Leaving home was one of the hardest things I have ever had to do. In the first place, there were the numerous details that I had to take care of. I had to make a special trip to the passport office and talk with the head of the department. My visa did not take many days to get, but I had to go to the embassy one morning at six o'clock and stand in line for about four hours. The airline told me that I would not be able to book passage during the week I needed to travel, but after a dozen or more phone calls, they eventually wrote me a ticket. Finally, my bank did not get clearance to convert my savings into foreign currency until two weeks before I was to leave, and by then the exchange rate was fluctuating widely, and I was worried that I was going to lose a lot of money.’

(http://www.testandlesson.com)

B

‘Should you ask me what I think of my trip to Russia, I’d say: Well, I’ve made up my mind never to go there again!’

My first trip abroad presented me with a large number of impressions, but the one that stands out most vividly was the tremendous confusion surrounding almost everything I did the first few days.

It all started at the airport (on my way from Moscow to Vladivostok) when I was told not only that there was a mistake on my ticket, but also that my original flight had been cancelled, and I would have to wait two hours. After finally getting the details straightened out, I was then insure what to do with the friends who had come to see me off, who were getting a little bored just sitting around trying to be cheerful until I left. When I finally got on the plane and got seated, the attendant explained to me that only those who had paid extra for the video could sit in that section, so I had to move to another seat.

At the hotel in Vladivostok the clerk informed me that because they did not have a record of the reservation I remembered making, I would have to pay extra for a suite. The room I finally got was not only expensive, it was horrible. The paint was peeling off the walls, and the windows wouldn’t close. I lay awake all night listening to the trains rumbling by and to the people who were having a party in the next room.’

(http://www.testandlesson.com)