conversation between two friends - taliking about vacation

A. DESCRIBING TRAVEL

Come vacations, and we have an urge to wander off the beaten
track, sling a knapsack on our shoulders and trek out into the woods;
or better still, waddle upstream tripping over mossy pebbles and racing
with fish as we go. This is often wishful thinking for most of us, as
such places are now few and far apart.

So we tend to settle for a sight-seeing holiday instead where there
would be five-star hotels, tourist guides, shopping arcades and many
museums, art galleries and historical monuments. We may travel by
road, rail, air or sea. The larger the family the more are the arguments
and contradictions while planning the trips!
Where do you prefer to spend your vacation?
Would you prefer to stay in one place on vacation or would
you rather travel to many places?
What mode of transport do you like to use?
Where would you like to take accommodation? Why?

AFTER A VACATION

Prabha : Hi Sudha! How was your vacation?

Sudha : Great!We had lots of adventure and excitement!

Prabha : Adventure?! How come? You were going to Pune for a
quiet holiday at your grandfather’s farm, weren’t you?

Sudha : Yes. You see, we had to go to Pune en route Bombay to
pick up my aunts and via Hyderabad for a stop-over as Dad
had some business deals to complete. Dad came up with a
suggestion that we try different modes of transport. So we
booked air and train tickets at the booking counters, boarded
the train to Hyderabad, took a flight to Bombay and from
there we completed our journey to Pune by road.
Prabha : So that was the adventure!

Sudha : It was just one of the many. The adventure started from
home when we couldn’t get the car started so we had to
phone for a call taxi.We were delayed on our way due to
traffic snarls, and we managed to reach the railway station
at the nick of time. Surprisingly, the train was starting out
as scheduled so we scrambled into the coach with the porter
pushing us in along with our luggage. With the train
departing on time we arrived at Hyderabad, without much
ado but it was difficult to find the three star hotel in which
we had booked rooms well in advance. By the time we
checked in we were exhausted!

As we had to catch a 7 a.m flight with the reporting time at
6 am we asked the reception to give us an early morning
call at 4 a.m. He woke us only at 5.30 a.m. So we had to dash
to the airport, run up to the check-in desk, weigh our luggage
- fortunately we had no excess baggage - collect our boarding
passes and rush to the departure lounge. It was only then
that we noticed the weather conditions! Yes, you guessed
right! There was heavy fog! So you can imagine what
followed: the flight was delayed by fog! We finally boarded
the plane at 8 am found our seats with the help of the airsteward
and relaxed only after we had fastened our seat
belts, and watched through the porthole the plane taxiing
along the runway before it took off. The flight was not bumpy
in spite of the weather and the pilot being a veteran, the
plane cruised at a comfortable altitude. The touchdown was
so smooth that I didn’t realise we had landed. When we
alighted from the plane and walked to the terminal building
we found our aunties waiting to receive us. They had rented
cars for our drive down to Pune. So we piled in into two
Ambassadors and from here the excitement began.

Prabha : I don’t see what is so exciting about riding in a car.We are
doing it everyday, aren’t we?

Sudha : It’s not the car ride I’m talking about! It’s the road! The
beautiful scenery on either side; the cool freshness of the
air! There’s nothing like travelling by road if you want to
know your country!

Prabha : So, how did the rest of your vacation go?

Sudha : I’ll tell you later, it’s time for the Morning Assembly.