It is common knowledge that the English are very fond of tea. They like to have "a nice cup of tea" 6 or 8 times a day.

At the Hotel

Many hotels are advertised at the airports, railway and bus stations. Places to stay may be called hotels, motels inns. But if you want to have a good travel you must make reservations in advance at the hotel. You may do this by telephone, by fax, by using your personal computer of through your travel agent.

You can engage a single or a double room with a shower or a suite (with board or without board) overlooking the sea or the garden. A guest can pay by the day or a by the week; it depends on a hotel. When you arrive in you must provide basic information fill in an arrival card; write your name, address, nationality, place and date of arrival and departure, your signature. When all the formalities are over the— receptionist will give you a room key and let you know that you must vacate your room in a due time. A bell man will usually show you to your room and you are expected to tip for this service.

He will open your room and explain certain things such as your rooms individual heating and air conditioning unit, telephone and television service.

You may use the left luggage or leave your valuables in the safe. Desk clerks, receptionists, hotel clerks or attendants, porters, chambermaids, bell man, lift boys, doormen are at your disposal. Every hotel has its own service bureau. All information you need you can get there. Hotel facilities can be offered to you: a swimming pool, a tennis court, billiards a golf-course, car- hire service, parking space, restaurants, bars, post-office, news-stands, souvenirs shops. You may have any special requests such as: wake-up calls, laundry and dry-cleaning service, a beauty-parlour, hair dresser's etc.

For all these facilities you must pay service charge. In many hotels there will be a small refrigerator in your room and a key left there. It will be stocked with beverages and snacks. These are available for you at prices shown on a list. There is a trend in hotels offered to business travelers called "club floors". These are floors reserved for business travelers and there is lounge for the quests staying on that floor. Often in the evenings there is complimentary cocktail party held giving everyone a chance to get to know each other and chat.

Checking out can be very easy if you presented a credit card on checking in. Staying at the hotel is usually a most pleasant experience as this is a very competitive industry and personal service is more important than a price as many of the people staying are business travelers.

Travelling

There are various means of travel. We can travel by train, boat, air. car and finally we can travel ,on foot. There is nothing like travelling by air. It is more comfortable, more convenient and of course far quicker than any other method. There is none of the dust and dirt of a railway of car journey, none of the trouble of changing from train to steamer and then to another train. Besides, flying is a thrilling thing.

I should like to say a word or two for trains. With a train you have speed, comfort and pleasure combined. From the comfortable corner seat of a railway carriage you have a splendid view of the whole countryside. If you are hungry, you can have a meal in the dinning- car, and if the journey is a long one you can have a wonderful bed in a sleeper. Besides, do you know any place that's more interesting than a big railway station? There is the movement, the excitement, the gaiety of people going away or waiting to meet friends. There are the shouts of the porters as they pull luggage along the platforms to the waiting train, the crowds at the booking-office getting tickets, the hungry and thirsty, ones hurrying to the refreshments rooms before the train starts.

For me there is no travel so fine as by boat. I love to feel the deck of the boat under my feet, to see the rise and the fall of the waves, to feel the fresh sea wind blowing in my face and hear the cry of the sea-gulls. And what excitement there is in coming into the harbour and seeing round us all the ships, steamers, cargo-ships, sailing ships, rowing boats. But sometimes I am seasick, especially when the sea is a little bit rough.

But the travel by car - a pood, fast car I mean is so interesting.. When you are in an aeroplane, you have to be driven by someone else; travel by car is more personal experience, for there you can drive yourself. You can go as slowly or as fast as you wish, stop when and where you choose, you park the car on the side of the road, get out and go where you like. It is quite true that driving a car has some disadvantages. In town it is rather a nuisance with all these traffic "jams" or "holds ups", round-abouts, detours and so on. It is not altogether pleasant when you ride on a bumpy road or get a fat tyre, or still worse, then you get stuck in the mud. But what can be better than a spin in a car on a week-end with your friends'? As soon as you get out of the crowded town to see the longwide road opening up before you, to feel the wind in your face, to houses, trees and people flash past, to feel the real joy of speed.

You may say what you like about aeroplane flights, sea voyages, railway journeys or tours by car, but give me a walking tour any time. What does the motorist see of the country? But the walker leaves the dull broad way

And goes along little winding lanes where cars can't go: He takes mountain paths through the heather, he wanders by the side of quiet lakes and through the shade of woods. He sees the real country, the wild flowers, the young birds in their nests; he-feels the quietness and calm of nature.

And besides you arc saving your railway fare travelling on foot. No one can deny that walking is the cheapest method of travelling.

■Notes:

The act of travelling can be described by a number of synonyms which differ by various implications. They all describe the act of going from one place to another ( that is why they are synonyms),

But differ by length of time taken by that act. by its purpose, destination or by the method of traveling.

travel: the act of travelling, esp. a long one in distant or foreign places, either for the purpose of discovering something new or in search of pleasure and adventure.

journey: the act of going from one place to another, usually taking a rather long time.