Travelling, Getting ready for a journey

Travelling

1. a) prípravy na cestu, dôvody, cieľ a význam cestovania (za prácou, na dovolenku, služobne),
2. b) dopravné prostriedky (výhody a nevýhody jednotlivých dopravných prostriedkov),
3. c) individuálne a kolektívne cestovanie (spôsob a druhy dopravy, druhy ubytovania, stravovanie).

Travelling is a way to get somewhere.

Every day hundreds of people travell from one place to another. They travel to work, to school or to business. Many people travell for pleasure for example they travel for holiday, or they want to see the most beautiful places of world´s, they want to meet new people, or they want to visit friends and family, people travel for fun,for relax, for study, they want to understand other cultures – their tradition etc. Travelling is one of the most favourite (popular) hobbies. In every season of the year the airports, railway station, seaports and bus station are full of people travelling for long or short distances.

Getting ready for a journey (príprava na cestu):

When people travel abroad they need passport or identification card (Slovaks don´t need passports when they travel to the EU countries), sometimes they need visa (for example if someone travel from Slovakia to USA), they need ticket (usually they must book ticket a long time before), they need book the accomodation (zabukovať ubytovanie) and of course they need a money.
If people travel for holidays, they often address travel agencies which arrange them travel, accommodation, insurance (poistenie) and a travel guide.

We can travel: by land /po zemi/: by car, by train, by bus, by bicycle, by motorcycle, by underground (by subway/by tube), by foot (go on foot)
by water: a boat, a ferry, a ship, a cargo
by air/vzduchom/: a plane, a helicopter

TRAVELING BY CAR:
advantages – travelling by car is comfortable, you can go anywhere anytime, you can stop any time when you need to have a break
disadvantages – travelling by car pollutes the air and it´s not good for environment, a car is expensive to buy and also petrol is expensive, you must have a driving licence, it´s the most dangerous way of transport – you can have a car crash

TRAVELING BY TRAIN:

advantages – travelling by train is cheap and safe, in train we can relax (we can read, sleep, work, listen to music or look out of the window where we can see beauty of nature), we can spend our time talking to other passengers on the train, we don´t have to drive, it´s fast
disadvantages – trains are not very clean (if we talk about old trains because nowadays we have some new trains which are clean and beauty and comfortable), trains are often crowded (preplnené), trains are sometimes delayed (meškajú)

TRAVELING BY BUS:

advantages – in bus we can relax (we can read, sleep..), we can spend our time talking to other passengers, we don´t have to drive (for example we don´t have a driving licence or we are not good drivers)
disadvantages- it´s often crowded, buses are sometimes delayed (for example in winter when anywhere is snow which is a big problem in the ways), it´s expensive
TRAVELING BY UNDERGROUND: it´t very safe, cheap and fast, it´s used in the UK (it´s favourite in the UK)

TRAVELING BY PLANE:

advantages – it´s travelling to long distances, travelling by plane is exciting, comfortable, safe and fast, we can read a book, listen to music, sleep..
disadvantages – it´s very expensive, some people are afraid of heights and confined spaces, sometimes happens that plane has a crash and it´s dangerous because if car has a crash there is a option that someone survive but if plane has a crash there is no option that someone survive, it´s because planes flight in the high altitudes

TRAVELING BY SHIP: travelling by ship isn’t very used nowadays – it was more used in the past, nowadays it is mostly used for trips during holidays

advantages – it´s comfortable, safe and clean
disadvantages - it´s expensive, we can get seasick or ship can sink (potopiť sa)

• Big cargo ships aren´t very good for our environment because they pollutes water which means that they kills out fishes and plants in the ocean (because the oil of them can get into ocean). Cargo ships transport the cargo.

TRAVELING BY BICYCLE AND TRAVELLING BY FOOT:
advantages – it´s healthy, ...

We can dividing traveling by the number of people on – Individual and Collective. 

It is normal when people going to school or work alone, but some people also prefer to go on holidays alone. It has some adventages for example all day is our own, so we can rest when we want, we can go to the pool when we want, we can do everything what we want and we don´t need care about others. But it has some disadvantages for example we can feel lonely and not very safe. The most of the people prefer collective travelling. We go on the holidays with our families or friends, because with more people around one can feel safer and in collective is always better fun.

The way how you spend your holidays depend on money. If you have a lot of money, you can go everywhere you want, with full service provided by travel agency. But if you haven´t a lot of money, you can find right (another) way how to have great holidays too. You can try to travel on your own and stay for example at a campground or stay everywhere you want to. You´ve got freedom. You can do what you want and when you want.

Accommodation:
When we travelling on vacation we should look for accommodation. In the first we find some place where we can sleep (for example hotel or motel which differ in price and comfort). Before we arrive to this place we should make a reservation (book a room in a hotel). We can get a bed and breakfast or full board. Hotel’s services are for example a restaurant, a bar, a coffee shop, a beauty salon, swimming pool or a fitness center. In these hotels you can pay all inclusive packet and you can eat and drink whatever you want. 

*A special kind of accommodation for young people is youth hotel (mainly in GB) where it is possible to stay for cheaper but only for a limited number of times.

* There’s new type of holiday called ´home swapping´. That means, that you can exchange your home with home of family from another country. It´s good, because you pay nothing for accommodation but sometimes it is also dangerous, because you maybe know where are you going but you don´t know what can you expect from this place.

QUESTIONS

1. Which means of transport do you prefer using to get to your holiday destination and why?
   I have spended all my holidays with my parents. We allways travel with travel agency. So we prefer the services that they can offer to us. We have travelled by bus. It wasn´t very comfortable to spend 15 hours in bus, but it was quite funny. I have never travelled by plane, so I don´t know how it is and I can´t compare this types of travelling.
   
   2. Many cities protect their historical buildings by setting up pedestrian zones where cars are not allowed. What do you think about this idea?
   I think it´s a good idea. It protects not only the historical buildings but the people too. People can´t be crashed or injured by car accident. And it protects the environment too.
   
   3. What do you think about cycling trips?
   I think it´s a good idea. Especially for people who like spending their time by sport. By this trips they can recognize the land and the history of land from their bicycles. 
   
   4. Many people consider riding a motorbike to be very dangerous. What do you think?
   I think riding a motorbike is dangerous, but it´s because the people who rides are not enough responsible. They are ridding very fast and they ignore the safety.
   
   5. Many people think that travelling to exotic countries might be very dangerous to their health.
   It could be dangerous. Because there are lot of unknown illnesses. Before you will travel to exotic country you should be vaccinate.
   
   6. Describe how you protect yourself when you go on holiday?
   I allways pack to my suitcase some medicine. Some headache pills or nose drops. I allways use a suntan lotion by sunbathing. 
   
   7. Describe how you prepare for your holiday?
   I buy the things I will need. New soap or shampoo. One day before departure I allways pack my suitcase. 
   
   8. What would you do if you missed your flight abroad?
   I would book a next plane ticket. Then I would call my family and tell that I arrive later.
   
   9. What do you think about safety precautions before flying?
   I think they are very necessary. They can protect people from terrorists.
   
   10. Are you satisfied with the services provided by tourist agencies in Slovakia?
   I have been allways satisfied with their services. If I would not ,I will complain of them and they should offer me a compensation.
   
   11. Do you prefer travelling with a travel agency or do you organize holidays yourself?
   I prefer travelling with travel agency because they can offer a large scale of services like travel insurance to me. If I would not be satisfied with their services they will return money to me. 
   
   12. Compare staying in a tent with staying in a cottage.
   I think staying in a cottage is more comfortable. You can sleep in a bed, there isn´t so many insects. You can prepare your food in the kitchen. Staying in a tent isn´t comfortable. You have to sleep in sleeping- bag direct on the ground. There is lot of insects. Your clothes are damp.