Day 44

Hi)

it's time to talk about TRAVELS  as soon as the holiday season is about to start

Vocabulary:______Find the "odd one out"

 There may be more than one answer. Give your reasons

a charter

a schedule

a timetable

a journey

a lift

a ride

an admission charge

an entrance fee

destination

goal

terminus

to book

to check in

to reserve

an adventurer

an explorer

an investigator

a desert

a dessert

a pudding

landscape

scenery

countryside

Text for dictation:

Students often manage to travel long distances on very limited budgets. The secret is to find cheap travel, food and accommodation.

In the 1960s, British students did this through hitch-hiking and youth hostelling. It can still be done today, though drivers are much more reluctant to offer lifts to strangers.

Youth hostels are also more expensive as they tend to offer a greater level of comfort. Hostellers used to carry their own sheet sleeping bags and would expect to sleep in bunk beds, often within large single sex dormitories. A long walk to one of few outside toilets was not uncommon.

Today, other possibilities present themselves to people living near one of Britain's international airports. The cost of internationalrail travel has become prohibitive, but hopping around Europe on charter flights can be done very cheaply. The chief snag is findingreasonably priced accommodation when you arrive at your destination.

Cheap flights are advertised on Teletext, in most Sunday newspapers and on the web sites of budget airlines such as "Go", "Easy Jet" and "Ryan Air". Tickets can be purchased by credit card over the phone.

The very cheapest flights are to be found on the Internet where you can look for special offers, specify what kind of meal you want and even choose your exact seat, providing it has not already been booked. Payment is by credit card over a secure page and you will receive confirmation of your booking by e-mail.

Whether your reservations are made by phone or on the net, you will be given a booking reference number. If it is too late for your tickets to reach you by post, you can collect them at the airport on your day of departure by quoting your reference number.

Many British people own holiday apartments in Spain and let their properties to holiday-makers when they are not using them themselves. The apartments are usually well maintained and in beautiful locations. The owners advertise in Sunday newspapers, in journals such as "Dalton's Weekly" or "Exchange & Mart" or in exclusive magazines such as "The Lady".

Dialogue:______read aloud in pairs

A: Which is your favourite country apart from your own?

B: I suppose I've got a soft spot for Sweden.

A: Isn't it rather cold there?

B: Well yes, but if you visit it in June, it's extremely beautiful.

A: What do you like about it?

B: Above all, the feeling of space, the wonderful lakes and the thoughtful city

planning. You have the impression that people are well looked after, whether they're

young or elderly. They have good sports facilities, hospitals and schools. Prices are

rather expensive, but maybe that's a good thing.

A: How do you mean?

B: I mean that the country isn't inundated with tourists. It hasn't been ruined by

time-share developments or scores of ugly hotels, bars and discos. It's just itself.

A: Is there anything to do or see?

B: Yes, plenty. Stockholm's among the most attractive capitals in Europe. You

can visit an open-air museum and observe several different traditional crafts such as

spinning wool, candle-making and glass-blowing. It's perfect for short outings - boat

trips around the islands and visits to show-piece villages such as Sigtuna.

A: Where's that?

B: It's just a bus ride away from Stockholm. The high street in Sigtuna is simply

charming. It's full of small shops which seem to be from another era. There's a

delightful church and the view over the lake is magnificent.

A: And I gather it isn't a tourist village?

B: Well, yes and no. Sigtuna certainly attracts visitors, though you'll probably

meet as many Swedes there as foreigners.

A: Where can I go after Stockholm?

B: There are many choices. You can travel north to see the midnight sun and to

visit the polar bears. You can take the night train south west to Copenhagen, the home

of Carlsberg beer, or else head south towards Berlin. You can take the ferry east to

Finland, or take the seven hour train journey across the country to Gothenberg passing

many spectacular lakes on the way.

Discussion questions:______ask and answer

1. How many countries have you visited and which is your favourite country apart from your own? Explain why?

2. Would you like to live permanently in another country? Why or why not?

3. Which is the longest journey you have ever made? How did you travel? What events do you remember on the way?

4. Which is your favourite journey for beautiful scenery? Describe what there is to see.

5. Which capital city is your favourite? How do you like to spend your time there?

6. Do you enjoy touring - travelling from place to place? Describe one of your itineraries?

7. Do you suffer from travel sickness or anxiety in cars boats or planes?

If so, what do you do to overcome these problems?

8. Do you buy travel insurance before going to visit other countries?

What worries would make you take out insurance?

9. Imagine you are an explorer and have the opportunity to make a big journey.

Which continent would you visit? Where would you go? What would you hope to see?

10. Is organised travel the best way of learning about the world?