Page 88 - Grasp English B1+ (Student Book)

7 Experiences

C. Read the text and answer the questions.

Are you thinking of taking a trip with your friends? While you might be the best of buddies, travelling can
be a stressful experience and put your friendship to the test. Here are some tips for group travel without
the headache.

1. There’s nothing worse than getting caught up in the excitement of planning a trip and realising too late
that it’s way more expensive than you imagined. When you first decide to travel with your friends, talk
about how much you want to spend on transport and accommodation – especially if you have a friend
who would prefer a luxury hotel over a cheap hostel. Then decide a budget for food and day trips.

2. There are quite a few things to think about: are you an early riser, or will you want to laze in bed until after
midday? You don’t want to share with someone who’ll be making a noise while you’re trying to catch
up on your beauty sleep. Or, if you’re tidy and organised, you’ll probably be better off sharing with
someone who has similar housekeeping ideals to you, rather than spending ten days in a pigsty. These
are things you can easily decide before you check-in. You don’t want to be standing at the front desk
trying to work out which of your friends will be the easiest to survive with in a small hotel room for a week.
3. Although most accommodation will provide linen, cheaper options might require you to bring your own
towels. Make sure everyone in the group knows that, so you don’t have to spend the first day buying
things people forgot. Similarly, find out what type of things you’ll be doing on the trip – if you’re going
to eat at the hotel’s buffet every day, you won’t need any fancy going-out clothes. But check what
day trips you’ve got lined up, so everyone remembers to bring appropriate shoes if you’re going to be
walking a lot, or full-length clothes if you decide to visit a religious monument.

4. Just because you’re travelling together, it doesn’t mean you have to spend every waking moment in
each other’s company. If you turn up to a hotel with a “No vacancies” sign, it’s likely to be busy, and
you might need some time on your own in the room when all the other guests, and your friends, are
enjoying the hotel’s amenities. Talk to each other about how you’re feeling, especially if you just want
some peace and quiet.

86