Dialogue. Travelling.

-Have you heard the news? Sarah has just come back home from her Europe tour.

-Wow, I didn't even know she was away!

-Well, she was.

-When did she go to Europe? And why didn't she tell me?!

-Don't you remember, at Tom's party she came up to us and told us she went to the tourist agency and was going to see the places of interest of Europe?

-Hm, yeah, I think I remember something like that. Ok. Have you already seen her?

-No, but I called her a few hours ago.

-What does she say? Did she like it there? Tell me everything!

-She seems to be pretty excited. She promised to bring us the brochures and the detailed maps of the cities she has been to.

-Oh, that's so nice of her!

-She has also taken a lot of pictures and we'll see them on the Internet soon.

-And what about the trip itself? What cities she has been to? How much did the trip cost?

-Well, as I remember, she's been to Stockholm, Berlin, Paris, Madrid, Barcelona, Prague, Rome, she also visited a few Italian cities and Amsterdam. Speaking of the cost, she didn't tell me the exact price but she said that it was a real bargain from a tour operator, so the price suited all pockets.

-It must have been a real voyage of discovery!

-Yeah, It seems so.

- Oh, by the way, don't you know if she visited the Louvre while in Paris?

-She didn't tell me, but I guess she did.

-I'm sure she did. As well as she probably visited the Coliseum in Rome and Eiffel Tower in Paris.

-Oh yeah, Eiffel Tower is beautiful.

-True. And from the top of it you can see the city at the bird's eye view. Well, there's another place in Paris that allows you to observe the city. That's The Montparnasse Tower. You can see the Eiffel Tower from there. The view is truly breathtaking.

-Did you visit the Montparnasse Tower?

-No, I didn't have much time, but I've seen the pictures. They're beautiful!

-Sarah also told me about her shopping in Europe. She said that there are sales so you can buy everything you want at a discounted price.

-Sound like she had a shopping spree! And where did she live during her trip? Did she book a room in advance? Or maybe she lived in a vacation rental?

-I forgot to ask her but I don't think she had that much money that she could spend it on expensive hotels. I think she just lived in small inns not far from the landmarks.

-I remember when I travelled to Europe I was almost living in a bus. Didn't she tell you how she travelled from one country to another?

-She said something about the double-deckers.

-Ohh, so she was coaching! Well if it was a guided tour then it was time well spent. Moreover she could see different towns with its small churches and houses and sights in the window. And what about the seaside? Did she go there?

-No, but she visited a few waterparks.

-I'm so jealous! I wanna go to the waterpark, too!

-Me, too. What are you going to do next month? I think you said something about backpacking?

-Oh no! That's not for me. I don't want to spend night on a rollaway; besides, it's too cold for backpacking now. I'd better book a beach-front room with the satellite TV and internet access at the sunny coast of Egypt or some other country. Ahh, dreams... And what about you?

-Well, my friends want me to go to the holiday camp with them but I think that's too expensive. I just want to make an itinerary, book rooms in different budget hotels and travel within the borders of one country somewhere in Europe.

-That's a good idea.

-I know, thanks!

-Ok I gotta go. I want to call Sarah now and ask her why she didn’t call me first!

-Good luck! Say "Hi" to her!

-I will.

Four things airlines don't want you to know

Planning a cross-country vacation? With today's soaring airfares and sneaky baggage fees, you may be wondering whether it's still possible to get a good, drama-free deal. To help you get the best bang for your travel buck, we did some detective work and found four inside tips to keep in mind before you pack your bags.

1. Frustrated by a flight cancellation? Remember rule 240. Airline can't get you where you need to go on time? Ask about Rule 240. Prior to airline de-regulation, this old-school rule stated that a person's chosen airline had to get them to their destinations at their stated time or put them on a competitor's flight if that would get them there faster. Fast forward to today and this rule is now off the "official" books. However, experts say it has now been integrated into many airlines "contracts of carriage" (a formal statement of rules and services airlines have to abide by in different circumstances). Unfortunately, airlines rarely share this info with consumers (for obvious reasons), so many folks are often left in the lurch in the event of cancellations and delays. The bottom line: Throwing out the phrase shows customer services reps that you are seriously informed about your rights as a passenger--and many experts say it can quickly turn things around. (One exception to this rule: If the flight's delay is beyond the airline's control, like in the case of bad weather, you're out of luck.)

2. Fantasizing about first-class? Ask about "Y-ups". Y-ups, also known as Q-ups and Z-ups, is airline code for "discounted First Class airline tickets." While not much is known about how Y-ups came to be (some experts say they were likely intended to allow the airline's best and most frequent travelers to skirt corporate travel policies in order to reward them by allowing them to book seats that usually went empty), they do exist and are currently offered by all major airlines. "I think most travelers do not realize that these fares are out there, and they can result in some big bargains," says Matthew Bennett of FirstClassFlyer.com.

3. Not happy with your flight experience? Speak up. Annoyed by lost baggage or a rude flight attendant? Say so in a calm, clear way right when the unsatisfying experience occurs, say experts. The truth is, most airlines are quick to try to soothe grouchy passengers with frequent-flier miles, free seat upgrades or cocktails, so it's not worth it to fume silently, says Terrance Zepke, author of the Encyclopedia of Cheap Travel. Too upset to express yourself clearly? Write a letter to the airline stating your specific complaints when you get back home.

4. Remember, 21 is key. Wondering when the best time is to buy airline tickets? "Airlines can differ, but generally, once you hit 15 days before a flight, the price begins to go up, then it goes up again at the seven-day mark. So if you want a retail ticket, buy it at least 21 days out for the best price," suggests Brian Ek, travel resource expert at Priceline.com.

Дата добавления: 2015-11-04