9. Translate the Russian words into English and insert them. Speak on the advantages and disadvantages of travelling by long-distance buses in Spain.

HOLIDAYS BY BUS IN SPAIN

I can never understand why more visitors to Spain—especial­ly those who want more than just sun-bathing and wine — do not take advantage of the network of long-distance buses as a means of seeing the country. On my last three holidays in Spain I (проехать) many hundred miles by bus, from San Sebastian

to Zaragoza and over almost the whole of Old Castile. Yet only once did I meet other foreigners travelling in the same way. In the more mountainous regions the buses that (связывать) the provincial capitals are often more (удобный) and (быстрый) than trains. Let me give one example. It is possible (выехать) San Sebastian at about 9.30 in the morning and (попасть) Lo-grono in time to find a hotel and have a stroll before lunch. To travel to Logrono by train the traveller must (делать пересадку) at Miranda del Ebro and the whole (поездка) would take about nine hours.

In the mountainous parts, too, the journey by road is usual­ly far more interesting. (Дороги) twist and turn over the moun­tain ranges, providing one breath-taking view after another as the bus negotiates the hair-pin bends.

There is also the advantage of (доставлять) right to the cen­tre of the town, and not being left on the outskirts, as the trav­eller by train so often is. The visitor to Guadalajara, for exam­ple, finds that (вокзал) is so far from the city that he is forced to take either a taxi or (городской автобус) and there is sel­dom (место) for (багаж) on the latter.

(Маршрут, автобус) themselves vary greatly and so do the passengers. Some buses, on (отходить), are filled with passen­gers who (ехать) all the way, and one wonders how the people manage who live in intermediate towns and villages. Perhaps they only travel in winter. On other (линия, маршрут) the bus is constantly (пустеть) and (наполняться) again, taking a whole family of three generations to visit a relative in a sanato­rium or a group of young folk to the next village where there is a fiesta. The bus (останавливаться) in the village market square, gaily bedecked with flags, and with wooden barricades and stands that make it into a fair imitation of a bullring. When it (отправляться) again after ten minutes' halt the traveller sud­denly finds the bus almost empty, its former occupants having joined the crowds round the side-shows and stalls.

A Spanish (междугородный, дальнего следования) bus is always a single-decker, but much longer than a British motor-coach, and it can usually seat up to sixty-five passengers. There are nearly always two classes, the (передний) (20 or 25 seats) (предназначаться) for the first class passengers, while the oth­ers occupy the seats at (задняя часть) where they cannot fail

to notice all the bumps on the road. I would recommend the British to travel (первым классом).

There is no need to travel especially (налегке) when going by bus. (Чемоданы) are stowed either in (багажник) or on the roof rack, and small bags may be taken (вовнутрь).

All seats in the bus (нумеровать) and can (заказать зара­нее). Before (заказывать; покупать) a seat it is advisable to glance at a map, work out on which side of the bus the sun will be shining most of the time, and then ask for a seat on the op­posite side.

Once the traveller (достичь) (место назначения) it is usu­ally an easy matter to find (где можно остановиться).