English Conversation: Travel experience

When you are talking to people, it is really important to start a conversation as well as keep it going. Here's a very good example how you can have an informative and engaging conversation with someone. 

This is a real conversation between a European person (Jane) and a Chinese person (Kaylin). 

Jane: Where did you go on your last holiday? 
Kaylin: I went to Hokkaido. It is in the north part of Japan. 
Jane: Wow, that's great. I've never been to Japan. Who did you go with? 
Kaylin: I went there with my husband last month. We wanted to relax, and also go shopping. 
Jane: Sounds good! How long did you stay? 
Kaylin: We stayed there for almost six days. We booked a hotel online in advance. 
Jane: Isn't it expensive there? I've heard it's really expensive in Japan. 
Kaylin: It depends on which city you go to. In the north part of Japan, it's not that expensive compared to Tokyo, for example. Tokyo is an expensive city. But I think that if you choose Airbnb, it's not that pricey. It's around 200 or 300 RMB per night. Airbnb is way cheaper than a hotel. 
Jane: Who makes travel decisions in your family? 
Kaylin: Sometimes it's me, sometimes it's my husband who makes travel decisions. Actually, my friends suggested to go to Japan and we decided to join them. 
Jane: Was that your first time in Japan? 
Kaylin: Well, we go to Japan twice a year. 
Jane: Twice a year? Wow, that's quite often, actually. And why do you prefer going to Japan that often? 
Kaylin: I like going to Japan because of the culture and the distance. It only takes us two hours to get there by plane. 
Jane: I see. Do you prefer visiting other countries or travelling in China? 
Kaylin: I prefer both. I think there are really beautiful places in China. For instance, Xinjiang and Xizang provinces are more beautiful than foreign countries. 
Jane: Are these places far from Shanghai? 
Kaylin: If you want to go to Xinjiang, it's a 5-hour flight, and to Xizang, it's a 3-hour flight. Yes, it's far from Shanghai. 
Jane: Actually, Japan is closer to Shanghai. 
Kaylin: Yeah, Japan and South Korea are closer to Shanghai. 
Jane: Have you been to South Korea? 
Kaylin: Yes, I went there in October last year. We have a long holiday in China at that time of the year because it's a national holiday. 
Jane: Which city did you visit? 
Kaylin: We went to Seoul, but I think it's not very tourist-friendly. Personally, I prefer going to Japan. 
Jane: If you compare Japanese and Korean cuisine, which one do you like more? 
Kaylin: Of course, Japanese food. 
Jane: Really? I've actually heard that a lot of people prefer Korean food more. 
Kaylin: Korean food is spicy to me. I think Japanese food is more delicious. 
Jane: What countries would you like to visit in the future? 
Kaylin: I want to go to Italy next year. I'm not planning to go anywhere this year. I would also like to visit Spain and the UK. In 2015, I went to Germany, the Netherlands and France. 

... 

Jane: What do you need before you travel to another country? What do you need to prepare? 
Kaylin: It depends where I'm going to. If I choose Europe or the USA, I usually take some Chinese food with me. I don't like Western food. I'm Chinese, and I like rice and noodles. I went to the USA in 2016 and I didn't like their food. Even though there are Chinese restaurants in Europe and the USA, the food there is very expensive. 
Jane: So you went to the US last year? Which cities did you go to? 
Kaylin: I went to San Francisco, Las Vegas and Los Angeles. To be honest, I like Europe more. 
Jane: What's the best way to find travel deals? How do you usually organise your trips? 
Kaylin: We always travel with my friends. One of us books the tickets, someone else books hotels, and another person finds information about food and local dishes. 
​Jane: That's a great idea. I think I should do the same next time I decide to travel. Do you prefer going on a package tour or a tour you organise and book yourself? 
Kaylin: I prefer to organise everything myself. If you choose a travel agency, it is more expensive than doing it yourself, and it is not that flexible. 
Jane: Yes, you're right. Do you usually travel with a lot of luggage or do you like to travel light? 
Kaylin: It depends on which country I'm going to. When I went to Japan, I bought some Japanese cosmetics. 
Jane: Great. So was it expensive? 
Kaylin: It depends on the brand. Local brands are not very expensive. 

... 

Jane: What kind of holidays do you like? Do you like warm or cold weather? 
Kaylin: I like summer holidays. Holidays for me are just for relaxing, spending time with my family, and shopping as well. 
Jane: Have you had any bad experience when travelling? 
Kaylin: Well, I think Korean people are not very nice and friendly, and I find their food a bit expensive. In Thailand, for instance, people are friendly, but I don't like their tipping culture. You always need to leave a tip. It's the same in the USA. 
Jane: In China, you don't leave a tip, right? 
Kaylin: Yes, there are no tips. 


TASK:
Leave a comment below and tell us about your recent travel experience or anything you like to share about travelling in your country or abroad. 


Other lessons:
City Life – Going out 
Cities – Talk about your area 
Story Time: Travelling in Spain 
Story Time: Travelling in France 
Confusing words in English: Famous vs. Popular 
Confusing words in English: Crowded vs. Congested 

English conversation lessons: 
English Conversation: Travel opinions 
English Conversation: Travelling in Europe and Asia 
English Conversation: Buying sunscreen products at a store 
English Conversation: Socialising with people and working in coffee shops 


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