Travelling and Tourism

21. Travelling and tourism

1. Let’s talk about travelling. What role does it play in your life?

Tourism has become a highly developed business lately. Almost all people are fond of travelling. They travel to see other countries and continents, to learn a lot about people’s traditions and to enjoy picturesque places. It is interesting for them to discover new things, different ways of life, to meet different people, to try different food. And I make no exception. When travelling I always carry a camera with me and take pictures of everything that interests me — the sights of different cities, old churches, castles, mountains, lakes, waterfalls, forests, trees, flowers and plants, animals and birds. Perhaps, years later they will remind me of the happy time I had.

2.   How do you like to travel?

There are various means of travelling: by air, by rail, by sea or by road.

 Travelling by air is the fastest and the most convenient way of travelling, but it is the most expensive one. Most people prefer travelling by train, as it is cheaper and more convenient.

 Travelling by train is slower than by plain, but it has its advantages. With a train you have speed, comfort and pleasure combined.  You can see many interesting places of the country you are travelling through. Modern trains have very comfortable seats. There are also sleeping cars and dining cars, which make even the longest journey enjoyable.

Travelling by ship is also very popular now. It is very pleasant to feel the deck of the ship under the feet, to see the rise and fall of the waves, to feel the fresh sea wind blowing in the face and hear the cry of the seagulls.

A very popular means of travelling is hiking. It is travelling on foot. Walking tours are very interesting. Hitch-hiking is a very popular method of travelling among young people. But it is not as popular in our country as abroad.

Many people like to travel by car. It is interesting too, because you can see many sights in a short time, you can stop whenever and wherever you like, you do not have to buy tickets or carry your suitcases.

As for me I prefer travelling by car. Every year my parents and I go to the South for holidays. The Black Sea is one of the most wonderful places, which attracts holidaymakers all over the world. We often go on excursions. It’s interesting for me to go sightseeing and see ancient monuments and places of historical value. As a rule I make new friends there. I never feel bored when I travel, because I always have good companions. I’m always full of impressions when I come back.

3. What questions should you ask a travel agent to learn more about a tour?

How long does the tour last?

What sights can I visit?

How much is the tour?

Am I going to travel 1st-class or economy?

4.   What can you advise a person who doesn’t know where to spend his/her holiday?

Nowadays those who live in the country like going to big cities, visiting museums and art galleries, looking at shop windows and dining at exotic restaurants. City-dwellers usually like a quiet holiday by the sea or in the mountains with nothing to do but walking and bathing and lying in the sun. Tastes differ, you know.

If you have enough money you can go on a bus-tour and travel around Europe, for example.  If you don’t want to spend much money you can just travel around the country you live in. Ecotourism, for example, has become very popular in Belarus. You can enjoy the quiet and beauty of the countryside and learn more about the customs and traditions of Belarussian people.

5. What difficulties can you have when visiting a foreign country? Is it possible to avoid them?

When you are in a foreign country, you are subject to its laws and are under its jurisdiction. You can be arrested overseas for actions that may be either legal or considered minor infractions (нарушения) in Belarus.

One more point is that you should be careful with the food. It’s known that one of the joys of traveling is eating the food of a foreign culture. Not only can it be an intense gastronomic experience, but food is also an insight into the culture of a nation. At the same time though, eating foreign food can often be a difficult experience, and sometimes, can leave you with a rather upset stomach.

Another difficulty is the ability to speak the language of the country you visit. Sometimes tourists can lose their way and don’t know how to get to the place they live. Or there can be just some misunderstanding between you and the native speakers.

My advice is that if you want to go somewhere you should learn as much as possible about the country you are going to.