It’s holiday time! One of the best times to practice your English speaking skills is while talking to a travel agent. Whether you are going somewhere exotic, Europe or an English speaking country, chances are, your travel agent will be able to speak English. Here are a couple of questions that you can ask your travel agent while planning your holiday trip.
• What visa and documentation will I need to travel to the destination?
Some countries require a visa application a couple of weeks in advance. Besides that, you will need a passport and other forms of identification.
• What is the best time of the year to travel to the destination?
Depending on the destination, it might be cheaper to travel during a certain time of the year or during off-peak season. It might even be dangerous to travel to countries during a certain time of the year.
• What will the weather be like?
This question will guide you in the attire that you’ll need to pack – it might be hot enough to take your swimsuit or it is so cold that you’ll need to pack winter clothes.
• Do I need to pack specific medications?
You might need to make provisions for illnesses (like malaria) or other conditions such as altitude or motion sickness. Vaccines and medication is available for these situations. Some countries require a medical certificate explaining that you are healthy enough or that you’ve been vaccinated against certain diseases.
• Can I rent a car or is there public transport?
No one wants to be stuck in a hotel their whole holiday long. A travel agent might have some contacts with car rental companies or the travel agent can give you good advice on which reliable public transports to use.
• How long will I spend in transit?
If you are travelling with children, you might want to take something to keep them busy with during the flight or a long drive. If you have a limited amount of time, you do not want to be stuck in a bus for hours on end.
• Should I take out travel insurance?
Being in a new country can sometimes be challenging. It is important to make sure your belongings are safe and that you have a back-up plan in case something goes wrong. Rather be safe than sorry and pay extra to insure your belongings.
• What language is predominant in the country I am travelling to?
Different languages might make it difficult to communicate in the destination country. If you know what language they speak, you could buy a tourist phrase book to help you ask simple questions. Luckily, English is a widely spoken language in most countries.
Vocabulary:
Visa: אַשְׁרי, וִיזָה
Passport: דַּרְכּוֹן
Forms of identification: טפסים להזדהות
Best time of the year: הזמן הטוב ביותר בשנה
Off-peak season: לא העונה
Weather: מזג אויר
Swimsuit: בגד ים
Winter clothes: בגדי חורף
Medications: תרופה או טיפול בתרופות
Illness: מחלה
Malaria: מלריה או קדחת
Altitude sickness: מחלת גבהים
Motion sickness: מחלת נסיעה
Vaccines: חיסונים
Medical certificate: תעודה רפואית
Rent a car: לשכור רכב
Public transport: תחבורה ציבורית
Transit: דרך או בדרכיםְ
Travel insurance: ביטוח נסיעות לחו”ל
Back-up plan: תוכנית גיבוי
Phrase book: ספר שיחון