Procedure of the check in the hotel

Procedure of the check in the hotel

When traveling, people almost always stay at hotels. The first thing to do is to book a room in advance either by letter, telephone or fax. Otherwise you may arrive at the hotel and be told that there are no rooms. When a receptionist takes a reservation, he or she must inquire about the following information: in - date, out – date, number of adults per room, type of a room, preferred bedding, food plan and some other personal requests.

On arrival at the hotel go to the reception desk in the lobby and confirm your reservation. The receptionist will then give you a registration form to fill in and sign (the form is filled in in block letters). In smaller hotels you simply sign the visitor’s book and give your permanent address.

In large hotels you may ask for any service by telephone. You tell the operator if you wish to be called at a certain time. You call room service when you want a meal or drinks sent up to your room, and you can have a lot of maid service if you need something (a suit or a dress) cleaned or pressed. The maid who does you room will also make your bed. Some hotels also provide computerized safes for their guests’ documents and valuables.

And, of course, it is advisable the hotel management know well in advance the day and time of your departure

Budapest

For nearly a thousand years Buda and Pest were two towns. Then in 1873 they joined and became one city, Budapest. Until 1939 Budapest was one of the most important cultural capitals of Europe. Then World War II started. In 1945 the city was in ruins and the Communists took control. In 1956 the people try to free themselves. They pulled down a statue of Stalin and fought the soldiers, but they were not successful. Communist rule did not end until 1989.

Budapest has a population of over two million people. One in every five Hungarians lives there. The river Danube divides the city into two parts. On the west bank of the river, there are the woods and hills of Buda and the old town. On the East bank, there is the bigger and more modern Pest, the business and shopping centre. From Buda there are wonderful views of Pest and the river. Six bridges join Buda and Pest.

Budapest is very unusual because it has two completely different parts. You can choose the peace and quiet of Buda’s woods or the excitement of Pest, where there are good theatres, restaurants, bars and shops.

The public transport system in Budapest is one of the best and cheapest in the world. You can travel easily by underground, bus, tram and taxi, but driving a car in Budapest is not a good idea! There are not many car parks. Most cars are old, so pollution is very bad.

The healthiest thing to do in the city is to visit one of the thirty spa baths and swimming pools. The mineral waters of Budapest are famous, and a very popular way to relax.

 

.

Tourist centers in the USA

Some days ago I returned from the United States of America. I went there by plane. It was a fascinating journey. I think travelling by plane is the most convenient way of going over long distances.

I had read much about the United States, but it is better to see once that to hear a hundred times.For those who loves to travel it is easy to travel within the United States because of the extensive highway system. First, it is recommended to visit Washington D. C., the capital of the United States. There are many important buildings such as the White House, the Capitol building, and the Pentagon there. There are also many historical monuments and museums.

As for the Western part of the United States. The Rocky Mountains are extremely beautiful. There are many places in the states of Colorado, Montana, and the Utah to hike, white water raft, or ski. Yellowstone National Park or Rocky Mountain National Park are two wonderful places to visit and camp.

San Francisco, California is a scenic city. It is on the Pacific Ocean, and home to the Golden Gate bridge. If in San Francisco, it is not too far to go to Los Angeles and Disneyland.

Orlando, Florida is a home to Disneyworld, and many other interesting places. Once in Florida, it is worth traveling to Cape Canaveral where the Space Shuttles are launched.

In the far north of Minnesota are the Boundary Waters and a great place to go canoeing and camping.

There are many other great places in the United States, but these places represent a wide variety of activities and are great for all interests and ages. I was glad to see the sights, communicate with my friend and to get to known many interesting things.

Pioneers in Tourism

People began traveling long ago. The first travelers were nomads and pilgrims, merchants and traders. They traveled along rivers, lakes and seas and used simple means of traveling: boats and ferries on water, horses on land and camels in deserts. The most famous travelers were explorers: Marco Polo from Venice in the 13^th century; Afanasiy Nikitin from Russia, Christopher Columbus and Vasco da Gama from Portugal in the 15^th century; Magellan from Spain; James Cook from England in the 18^th century and others from different countries of the world.

Travel grew and developed together with the development of transport. First trains and motor – cars appeared in the 19^th century. But at that time only rich people could afford themselves to travel, because they had enough money and free time for traveling. In the early 19^th century tourists traveled by trains and steamships mainly to the mountain resorts in Switzerland or to the seaside in France.

In 1841 Thomas Cook from England opened the age of organized tourism. He arranged the first trip for about 500 Englishmen by railway. The excursion was so successful that Cook organized other similar events. Cook organized his first major continental tour in 1855 but it lost money. However, after that he managed to negotiate cheaper rates for crossing the English Channel. The cheaper rates were in return for a guarantee that he would bring large numbers – the essence of mass tourism. Tours to France and Switzerland became regular. The Swiss quickly recognized the need to build the things that tourists wanted – hotels and other facilities – so a whole tourist industry began to develop. After the Suez Canal was opened in 1869, Egypt also became a popular destination for Cook’s tours.

So, in 30 years modern mass tourism was established.

Washington

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the capital of the USA, Washington. The city was founded in1791 by George Washington, the first president of the USA. It is situated on the Potomac river. Washington is a beautiful administrative city. The population of the capital is about 3 million people. Washington has many historical places. The largest and highest among the buildings is the Capitol with its great House of Representatives and the Senate Chamber. It is situated in the centre of the city, on the Capitol Hill. There are no sky – scrapers in Washington because no other building must be higher than the Capitol. The White House is the place where the president of the USA lives and works. The house was first occupied in 1800 by John Adams, who was the first president to live in that house. The white House has 132 rooms. The monument to George Washington is situated three blocks south of the White House. It is called “Pencil” and is 600 metres high. The Library of Congress contains millions of books and manuscripts. Another sight, the National Gallery of Arts contains art collections by the great masters of the 14^th to 18^th centuries. Outside the city, the Arlington National Cemetery is situated. John Kennedy was buried there. The famous Tomb of the UnknownSoldier is also situated there. The industry of the city is not well developed. But Washington is a large scientific and cultural centre. There are five universities in the city and National Academy of Sciences. It is also difficult to find a park or a square without a monument in Washington.

3 Pack your manner s

When preparing to go on vacation, remember to pack your manners. No matter where you end up traveling, the way the locals are going to perceive your culture depends greatly on your behavior.

Many who travel abroad forget to be polite to those who entertain them when they are away from home. Let’s have a quick overview of who is notorious for what when on vacation.

Brits have been labeled as noisy, rude, badly dressed, and terrible tippers. In addition, Britons are thought to be untidy. Maybe because of their haphazard approach to dressing people are able to recognize a Brit. Those who call Germany their native land are considered the absolute worst tippers, and one might think that they are stingy. Americans are notoriously the worst dressed tourists around. Many also find Americans to be lacking in manners and unpleasantly loud, although not as much as Brits, Russians and Danes. Those from the USA, though, often attempt to learn and speak the native language of the countries they are going to visit.

Remember, when on vacation, do as Romans do… or as the Japanese do. Be courteous and keep in mind that you are presenting your entire nation. Figure out local customs, and if you are brave, learn a little bit of the language before you go. You will be pleasantly surprised at how well your efforts are received.

Tourist Centers in Ukraine

1. There are 24 regions in Ukraine and each of them has its own famous sights. 2. Chernihiv, a city and regional centre on the right bank of the Desna river, is one of the oldest cities in Ukraine and has many places of interest. 3.Such as: Dytynets Fortress, Spaso – Preobrazhenskiy Cathedral, Troitsko – Illinskiy monastery, Pyatnytska Church. 4. Baturyn, the city of Chernihiv region, was a capital of the Ukranian Hetmans. 5. Kamyanets – Podilskiy, (Khmelnytskiy region) is situated on the Smotrych river, the left tributary of the Dniester river. 6. There are some historical and architectural monuments there: Kamyanets - Podilska Fortress, New East Tower built in 1544; Castle Bridge (Turkish); City Gate and Armenian Bastion. 7. Lviv is one of the richest cities for the number and value of historical and architectural monuments. 8. The city was founded in the 13^th century by the Prince Danylo Halytsky and named in honour of his son Lev. 9. Ploshcha Rynok (Market Square) is an architectural ensemble of 44 buildings constructed in different styles. 10. Sobor Sviatoho Yura (St. George Cathedral) is a classic example of Ukrainian Baroque architecture and the main church of Ukrainian Greek – Catholic Church. 11. There are also about 20 museums, 10 theatres and monuments in Lviv. 12. Lviv Region is also famous for its health resorts in Truskavets and Morshyn. 13. Odesa, the regional centre and seaport located on the southwestern shore of the Black Sea. 14. It is an important industrial, scientific, cultural and resort centre. 15. The symbol of the city is the famous Potyomkin Stairs. 16. There are a lot of significant monuments in Odesa known all over the world, such as Opera and Ballet House, the monument to Duke Richelieu and others. 17. Odesa is a popular resort with numerous sanatoriums and holiday camps. 18. Kaniv (Cherkasy region) is situated on the right bank of the Dnieper river is known for the Grave of Taras Shevchenko Museum and Reserve on the Tarasova Hora and the museum of Ukrainian Decorative and Applied Art. 19. Kolomyia (Ivano – Frankivsk region) is situated on the left bank of the Prut river and famous for its museum “Pysanka”. 20. It is the only museum in the world, which was specially constructed for keeping and exhibiting the works of pysanka painting. 21. Another sight in Kolomyia is a Museum of Hutsulshchyna Folk Art which represents wooden, metal and leather art works dated back since the 16^th century. 22. It is very difficult to name all the places of interest in Ukraine. 23. The best way to know Ukraine is to visit it. So, welcome to Ukraine.

Oxford

England is a famous for its educational institutes. The University of Oxford, located in the city of Oxfordis one of the oldest universities inEurope. It was the first university established in Britain. Oxford is situated about 90 km north-west of London in its own county of Oxfordshire. The city lies at the confluence of the rivers Cherwell and the Thames.

According to legend, Oxford University was founded by King Alfred the Great in 872 to encourage education and establish schools throughout his territory. Today Oxford University is comprised of thirty-nine colleges and six permanent private halls, founded between 1249 and 1996. More than 130 nationalities are represented among a student population of over 18,000. There have been many famous people, who have studied at Oxford University. They include Adam Smith, Lewis Carroll, Oscar Wilde, J.R. Tolkien, Indira Gandhi, Baroness Margaret Thatcher, Bill Clinton, Rupert Murdoch and Hugh Grant. All in all, Oxford has produced four British and at least eight foreign kings, 47 Nobel prize – winners, 25 British Prime Ministers, 28 foreign presidents and prime ministers seven saints, 86 archbishops, 18 cardinals and one Pope.

Kyiv

Buckingham Palace

There are two addresses in London that the whole world knows.One is 10 Downing S treet, where the Prime Minister lives. The other is Buckingham Palace. This famouspalace, first built in 1703, is in very centre of London.

It is two places, not one. It is a family house, where children play and grow up. It is also the place, where presidents, kings and politicians go to meet the Queen.

Buckingham Palace is like a small town, with a police station, two post offices, a hospital, a bar, two sports clubs, a disco, a cinema and a swimming pool. There are 600 rooms and three miles of red carpet. Two men work full-time to look after the 300 clocks. About 700 people work in the Palace.

When the Queen gets up in the morning, seven people look after her. One starts her bath, one prepares her clothes, and one feeds the Royal dogs. She has eight or nine dogs and they sleep in their own bedroom near the Queen’s bedroom. Two people bring her breakfast. She has coffee from Harrods, toast and eggs. Every day for fifteen minutes, a piper plays the Scottish music outside her room and the Queen reads The Times.

Every Tuesday evening, she meets the Prime Minister. They talk about world news and have a drink, perhaps a gin and tonic or whisky.

When the Queen invites a lot of people for dinner, it takes three days to prepare the table and three days to do the washing-up. Everybody has five glasses: one for red wine, one for white wine, one for port and one for liqueur. During the first and second courses, the Queen speaks to the person on her left and then she speaks to the person on her right for the rest of the meal. When the Queen finishes her food, everybody finishes and it is time for the next course.

LONDON

The Dniester

The Dniester is the second biggest river in Ukraine and the biggest in the south – western part of Ukraine. It rises in Beskydy near the village Vovche in Lviv region. It flows into the Dniester lagoon of the Black Sea to the south – west to Odessa. The length of the Dniester is 1,362 km. either in Lviv, Ivano – Frankivsk, Ternopil, Chernivtsi or in Khmelnytsky, Vynnytsya, Odessa region you can come down to the bank of the Dniester and observe its endless waters. The Dniester has 386 tributaries. Most of them are on the left side. The river is winding. In the higher part it is typical mountain stream, flowing along the narrow valley with steep rocky banks. In the lower part it flows slower and slower through wide and at places marshy plain. The river is supplied mainly with rain and snow.

The word ‘Dniester’ means ‘Southern river’. The first written information about the Dniester fell on the end of the 13^th century – beginning of the 14^th century. It said that the Dniester connected the Carpathians region with the Black Sea and served as a convenient trade route for ships setting for Greece and other countries on the way.

Unfortunately, the Dniester is not rich in fish. Nevertheless, the bream, the carp and the others are to be found there. The river is navigable from its mouth to the town of Halych.

Nowadays the Dniester is one of the most interesting rivers in the way of peculiar routes. One can travel along the river by a motorboat, raft, catamaran or kayak. One can go under the sail as it is often windy on the Dniester.

Honeymoon in Bascome

“I never thought it was going to be like this,” John said. He was talking about his honeymoon and he looked very disappointed. He and Anna, his bride, were walking along the beach. It was drizzling and a strong wind was blowing. Although it was the middle of summer, it seemed like late autumn.

Everything was wrong. First of all, Bascome, the town they had come to, was not at all like the description they had read in the holiday brochure. It was an ugly seaside town on the East Coast. The beach was full of litter. The cafes and pubs in the town itself were all in the worst sort of ‘modern’ style, with loud juke boxes and plastic flowers. Secondly, the weather had been dreadful all the five days they had been there. Thirdly, they were staying at was awful and in addition, the food was disgusting. Their room was small, dark and cramped. The bed creaked loudly every time they moved. Breakfast was a greasy fried egg and one thin slice of toast. Dinner was even worse; they were overcooked and watery. Last but not least, the hotel was managed by a stout and terrifying lady with the voice and appearance of an army sergeant. Nobody ever dared complain to her. John and Anna had booked for two weeks.

On the sixth day they went for a long walk along the coast. At first, the sky was overcast as usual. But after a while it began to brighten up. The clouds cleared and suddenly the sun came out. About lunch time they got to a small, very pleasant fishing village. There was a good old –fashioned pub on the quayside. It had a fine view of the harbor. They had some good beer and sandwiches there for lunch. They began to cheer up and started talking to the friendly landlord. Then they sat for a time outside the pub in the warm sunlight and watched the fishing boats sail past them. Suddenly Anna noticed a sign in the pub window. “Bed and Breakfast. Reasonable Prices”. Then she said, “Why don’t we spend the second week here instead of that ghastly hotel in Bascome?”

John began to think of excuses he could use with terrifying woman back at the hotel. What, he wondered, would she do if he told her they were leaving early?

Types of Tourism

1. People travel for many different reasons. 2. In the tourism industry we divide the reasons for travel into three main categories: leisure tourism, business tourism and visiting friends and relatives (VFR).

3. Leisure tourism can mean anything from excursions, day trips and weekend breaks to package holidays, pleasure cruises. 4The purpose of travel in this case is recreation. 5. So leisure travellers go to sea resorts or holiday camps and stay at resort hotels. 6. There are always swimming pools, fitness centres, tennis courts, discos at a resort hotel.7. It also offers its customers contests, concerts, shows, animation programmes for children.8. It usually offers tours and visits to different tourist attractions: local sights or amusement or theme parks.9. Leisure tourism also includes cultural trips (for example, to music festivals), educational trips (for ex. study tours) and religious trips (for ex. pilgrims on a walking tour for a holy place) and sport tourism a type of active holiday (for ex. hiking, cycling, boating, rafting, skiing)

10. Business tourism is a travel for business purposes, for such events as meetings, conferences, seminars and trade fairs.11. There are tourist companies that provide business services, such as fax, telex and telephone communications, secretarial services, answering services, business meeting arrangements. 12. There are business facilities for travellers at hotels, airports, on airplanes. 13. Business travel will develop faster than other types of tourism in future. 14. It also includes special trips when workers are given a reward or a ‘thank you’ for good work (this is known as an incentive tourism). 15. This type of tourism is still a very small part of international tourism, because only large progressive companies can afford incentive tours for their employees.

16. Travel in order to visitfriends or family relatives is also regarded as part of the tourism industry. 17. This could be for a special family party, such as reunion or a wedding.

My Future profession

Ukrainian Health Resorts

Ukraine has many tourist attractions for travelers eager to learn more about it, its people, history and folkways. Boundless steppes, thick forests, high mountains, warm seas, wide rivers cannot but attract tourists. Add to this numerous nature reserves, parks, rich museum collections and the picture becomes truly unforgettable.

A modern tourist industry has a wide network of hotels and resorts. Ukraine can accommodate 10 million visitors. Ukrainians are a hospitable nation, they meet guests with bread and salt, saying “Welcome!”

Ukraine is famous for its resorts. Truskavets in the Lviv region is a balneological resort with best known spring of “Naftusia”. Svaliava in Trancarpathia is known for its mineral springs. Mirgorod in the Poltava region is a famous balneological resort Known for mineral water and peat treatment. Slovianohirsk is a resort on the Severskiy – Donets river. Sloviansk is a famous for mud cure. In 1977, the National Nature Park “Holy Mountains” was established.

Special attention is given to children’s health resorts. A harmonious health care system for children has been created. In the sanatoriums they are provided with diverse medical services, massage, electrotherapy, water procedures. Yevpatoria will continue to develop as a children’s resort, one of the best climatic and balneological centers of Ukraine. There are about 100 sanatoriums and holiday homes in Yevpatoria, 70 of them are for children.

 

Trends in Tourism

A “tourist” is generally described as a person who goes to see other countries for pleasure. If travel for other reasons, we do not call them tourists.

At present, most of tourists go to countries in Europe. Italy usually attracts most tourists and has two million beds for them. Mountain lovers go to Switzerland in large numbers in winter and in summer, and sun – lovers from the northern lands crowd to the shores of the Mediterranean Sea.

Even Britain has the value of attracting tourists, and has understood the importance of better roads, more and better hotels, help for visitors who do not speak English, and advertising. Most tourists want to spend some time in London and see the Tower of London, the changing of the guard, the Houses of the Parliament, and so on. They also visit Shakespeare’s birthplace at Stratford – on – Avon, the colleges at Oxford and Cambridge, and cities full of history like Edinburgh and Bath. Other places attract them according to their special interests such as, famous racecourses, Wimbledon, Henley, great country houses, castles, old towns with narrow streets, new towns, quiet villages, or places with family connections.

In the world outside Europe it is particularly interesting to see the effect of easier and faster air travel. People with fairly short holidays can go half – way round the world to visit other lands and see archeological treasures, natural beauty lakes of southern Chile, wild life in one of central Africa’s national parks, interesting people in islands like Jamaica ….The list is endless. Most countries have their special attractions, and the world traffic of tourists has only just begun.

Classification of Hotels

There are about 30 systems of hotels classifications, which are used in different countries. The most known systems are: system of stars (France, Austria, Hungary, Russia and other): system of letters – A –D (Greece); system of crowns or keys (England). Ukrainian hotels classification is different from universally accepted classification and standards.

One – star hotels offer practical accommodation and are probably small with a family atmosphere. Facilities and meals are simple. Some bedrooms do not have an en suite bath or shower room, although cleanliness and comfort need to be of an acceptable standard.

Two - stars hotels are typically small to medium sized and offer more extensive facilities than the one – star level. Guests can find more comfortable and well – equipped accommodation, usually with en suite bath / shower room and colour TV.

Three – stars hotels are usually larger and provide a greater quality and range of facilities than at the lower levels. All bedrooms have a complete en suite bath or shower room and offer a better standard of comfort and equipment, such as a direct – dial telephone, a hairdryer and toiletries in the bathroom. Room service is also provided and staff respond well to quests’ needs.

Four – star hotels provide luxury and exceptional comfort. The restaurant has a high level of technical skill, producing dishes to the highest international standards. Staff are well trained in customer care and are especially attentive, efficient and courteous.

Five – star hotels - a degree of luxury is included at this level. Public areas and bedrooms are more spacious with quality furnishings and décor and satellite TV. The en suite bathrooms are fully equipped. A variety of services are provided, such as porter service, 24 – hour room service, laundry and dry – cleaning. Staff will have very good technical and social skills, anticipating and responding to guests’ needs.

 

Great Britain

How Our Forefathers Lived

People’s beliefs are always reflected on their character and their family and social life. We don’t have much information about pre – historic social life of our ancestors. But it’s known that they lived a patriarchal family life. The family being strong was headed by a father as its ruler. Several families were united into a larger community ruled by the oldest member or the one appointed by choice. In the course of time the power of the seniors in creased and sometimes was focused on one family from which our ruling dynasty came later.

Rural life prevailed though towns came to life early as well. They were constructed mainly on the steep slopes and hills by the rivers and were known as fortresses.

The main occupations of our ancestors were corn – growing, cattle –breeding, hunting, bee – keeping, fishing and others. Nothing was sold, sometimes exchanged, so money was of no importance.

In their everyday life our forefathers were simple, tough, humane, sincere and open. According to Slavic beliefs everyone who enters a house is protected by a family God. So it was forbidden to offend visitors no matter who they were. Slavic hospitality became proverbial in years past. To receive a guest, wash his feet, lay the table for dinner and let him rest was the duty of each decent person. It was not allowed to ask a guest who he was or where he was from until he had had a rest.

The Ukrainians often say: “A guest in the house – God in the house.”

Ancient customs concerning guests and hospitality have been preserved till nowadays and are mostly solemnly kept. If a guest pays you a short visit, you should ask him to drop in at least for a minute. He is usually asked to take the best seat available. Sincere attitude to a newcomer, neighbor or a friend is shown not only through amiable speech but through the dishes offered. It is impolite to help yourself to any of them without being asked to. They say: “First treat a man then identify his personality.”

Ukrainian Cuisine

Ukrainian cuisine has a large variety of dishes. These dishes have been devised not only from a wide choice of products, but by combining different recipes and by preparing them in varied ways. For example, the popular Ukrainian borsch has many as 20 ingredients; in preparing it the ingredients are boiled as well as stewed.

Many meat and fish dishes are fried, stewed and so on, to give them an original taste, flavor and succulence. Many dishes in Ukrainian cuisine are stuffed and larded. Especially tasty are dishes with meat and vegetables; cabbage rolls, beef and mushrooms stewed in casseroles, home – made Ukrainian sausage with onions, potato rolls stuffed with mushrooms, beets with rice and others.

Ukrainian dishes made from poultry are very popular, for instance, Cutlets a la Kyiv.

Ukrainian national cuisine is rich in dishes and variety of delicatessen made from flour. The most popular are varenyky, mlyntsi, buckwheat bread and so on.

Ukrainian cuisine is also rich in fruit and berry desserts and drinks. For centuries Ukrainians have prepared their own drinks: home – made nalivkas, brandy, kvass and uzvar.

As a result of close economic, cultural and trade ties, a number of dishes of different nations from all over the world have been introduced into Ukrainian cuisine. And many dishes – borsch, varenyky, larded meat, home – made sausage, stuffed fish and others are specially popular abroad.

At the seaside hotels

When you come to another country or city you can stay at your friend’s house or flat. But if you haven’t got any relatives or friends you may stay at a hotel. There are two sorts of hotels: at the seaside and in the city. The hotels at the seaside usually have a big territory. You can get more things free. Also at the seaside hotels food is served usually 2 or 3 times a day and in city hotels you can get only breakfast.

Before you arrive somewhere, you can call at the hotel or send them a fax or telegram which numbers you can find in the advertisement. If you haven’t done it, when you arrive at the hotel it is necessary to come up to the reception desk. There a person can order a room. First of all, you must fill in an arrival card. In this card you must give information about yourself: your name and surname, telephone number and address. Usually on the territory of seaside hotels, there are 4-5 storied building with single rooms, double rooms, suites and family cottages. The area of such hotels is usually very big, about 50 hectares. Club system allows taking free drinks, food 24 hours a day, because everything is included into the price of the tour. In the rooms there is a refrigerator, a bathroom, a satellite TV and direct dial phone. You can spend time riding horses, playing tennis, golf, polo, visiting shops, which are usually situated in the territory of the hotels. In the evenings you can go to the disco or to the restaurant. The menu in the restaurants includes different food such as, French, Spanish, Chinese, Turkish, Russian, and so on. After visiting such hotels you return home happy.

 

Planning a Holiday

More and more people book a package holiday. The obvious advantage of a package holiday is that it’s simple to organize. You book the holiday through a travel agent and transport, insurance and accommodation are all arranged for you. All you have to do is pay the bill. If you take an independent holiday, on the other hand, you can spend a lot of time and a small fortune checking complicated timetables, chasing cheap flights, and trying to make hotel bookings in a language you can’t speak. What is more, package holidays are often incredibly cheap. For the price of a suite, you can have a fortnight in a foreign resort, including accommodation, meals, and air travel. A similar independent holiday, however, can work out much more expensive.

Yet the advantages of planning your holiday yourself are considerable. You are free to choose exactly where and when you want to go, how you want to travel, and how long you want to stay. You can avoid the large resorts, whereas holiday - makers on package tours are often trapped among crowds of other tourists. You can eat the food of the region at reasonable prices in local restaurants. Besides, although package holidays are usually extremely good value for money. They are not always cheaper. If you are willing to take a little trouble, you may be able to save money by fixing up a foreign holiday yourself.

Going through the customs

Nowadays traveling abroad is very popular.

While traveling abroad you have to go through the customs, sometimes several times.

As a rule, the customs officers check your passports and visas if they are required. When coming to some countries you may need a health certificate or a certificate of vaccination. If you have anything to declare, then you are to fill in the declaration form.

The customs officers may ask you to show your luggage to them. Usually articles for personal use and wear and also items and gifts are not liable to duty anywhere. If you are carrying much currency, you should also to declare it. If you are carrying weapons, you need a permit. Although some items are liable to duty, if you carry only a small amount of them, they are duty free.

Occasionally the customs officers may take some of your things for a more detailed inspection but usually they return them soon.

Do not try to break the customs rules and regulations because you may have a lot of troubles.

English Character

Foreigners have many ideas about what the English like. For example, some people say the English are always cold and reserved, this means that they don’t talk too much to strangers, and don’t show much emotion. A reserved person never tells you anything about himself. But the people of the North and West of Britain are much less reserved than those of the South and East. Some believe that English eat porridge for breakfast and read the Times every day. And, of course, the English themselves have plenty of ideas about what they are, such as being proud of having one of the oldest parliament in the world.

English people are famous for their habit of politeness. It is considered polite to give up one’s seat to a woman who is standing, to open a door for her, carry things for her, and so on. Most British people queue when they are waiting for a bus or train arrives, people often push forward to make sure they get on. This is called jumping in a queue. British people keep their old traditions and are very proud of them. They are famous for their sense of humour. English people show great love for animals. And, of course, English people are fond of sports. Many continentals think life is a game; the English think cricket is a game. To many Englishmen cricket is both a game and a standard of behavior. When they consider something unfair, they say, “That isn’t cricket”.

The traditional love of English people for tea is well known. They like to drink tea with milk. They have their five – o’clock tea not only at home or in offices, but also in tea –rooms and tea – shops, which can be found in every town.

A nation is born from its land, its history, its art, its traditions and its institutions. These things work together to make people what they are. But above all, a nation is made up of people, and although there are things they all share, all of those people are different. We can say there is still a “British nation”, and one of the most characteristic features of Englishmen is their traditions, which they respect, and which they have kept for centuries. The traditions don’t only accumulate the experience and wisdom of many generations, but they bring some stability into the rapidly changing world.

Transport in tourism

As for a tourist the fastest way and perhaps the most comfortable to travel long distances is by air. You can sit back and relax, read or even watch a video. Of course, you have to pay more money and run risk of being delayed. Some people hate to fly for fear of accidents. However, according to statistics it’s a safe way to travel.

Travelling by ship is often the cheapest means of travel. Unlike other means of transport, you have the chance to move around on or below deck. Large liners often have shops, TV lounges and restaurants so there is plenty to do. However, a sea voyage is the slowest way to get to your destination and should be avoided, if you suffer from sea - sickness.

Perhaps the most convenient way to travel is by car, simply because you decide when and where to stop. You have the freedom to organize your own timetable so there’s no danger of missing appointments. However, you may need somebody else to help share the driving, map reading and petrol money. There is also the possibility that the car will break down or you will feel travel sick.

A train journey is often the best way to see a country. You can sit back and enjoy the view or have a meal in the restaurant car. For long journeys, you can reserve a bed in a sleeping compartment. However, you may delayed, or miss your connection. It’s also not the fastest or cheapest way to travel.

Hawaii

Hawaii is a group of islands located in the centre of the Pacific Ocean. The 130 islands are of volcanic origin. Volcanoes on the floor of the Pacific grew as a result of eruptions and finally appeared as islands above the ocean surface.

The largest of the islands, Hawaii, lies at the south – eastern end of the chain and is almost twice as large as all other islands combined. One of the two active volcanoes, Mauna Loa is the world’s largest. Yet, the Hawaiian capital city, Honolulu, is situated not on the Hawaii but on Oahu Island. This island is home for 80% of the population and the most popular island with tourists. The second biggest city (it is on Hawaii)) is hilo.

Hawaii’s first contact with the West was not until 1778, when it was discovered by English explorer James Cook.

In 1959, Hawaii was made the 50^th state which was followed by the tourist industry boom.

Today about 900,000people inhabit seven out of eight biggest islands. By origin they are related to the countries of Asia, and the Pacific. Hawaiian culture reflects this ethnic mix and Hawaii has been described as a place where East meets West.

Everybody’s everyday speech on Hawaii contains some words from different languages spoken. Hawaiian “hello” is “aloha” while “mahalo” stands for “thank you”. Hawaiian words have many vowels and repeated syllables. They can be quite long, for the example there is a small fish called a humuhumunukunukuapuaa.

Hawaii together with Indonesia and other islands in the Pacific is the Placewhere one of the dialects.of English is spoken. It is Pidgin. It began in the 19^th century, as a kind of combinations of languages introduced first by the English sailors who needed to communicate with aborigines. They used simple words and repeated them several times. Thus, still “fellar – fellar” (from the English “fellow”) is used as “hello”. Teenagers now like to speak Pidgin as a slang.

 

Tourism in Ukraine

Ukraine is open to foreign investors, businessmen and tourists. It is one of the most active tourist regions. The country is situated between the tourist centres of Europe and the Middle East. Ukraine has good transport communications with them.

It is not secret for many developed countries of the world tourism is one of the main sources of national wealth. Ukraine is rich in historical and architectural monuments and there’s a lot to be seen here. According to UNESCO tourists are interested mostly in museum complexes in Kyiv, such as St. Sophia’s Cathedral, Kyiv – Pecherska Lavra, St. Andrew’s Church, The Golden Gates and others.

There are a lot of tourist firms and companies in Ukraine now. They offer numerous tourist group and individual routes practically to every corner of the country. They invite tourists to enjoy the sights of the Carpathian mountains and valleys, sunny beaches of the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, Tavria steppes and Polissya woods. Ukrainian companies cooperate with tourist firms all over the world.

Ukraine can offer different sanatoria for special treatment for those who suffer from digestive, kidney and nervous problems. Famous resorts such as Morshyn, Truskavets, Svaliava are well – known to many people.

Cruises along the Dnipro river to the Black Sea have become very popular recently. Cruise companies provide active holidays with professional meetings and also a good chance to see Ukrainian’s world famous sights.

Ethnic tourism has become especially important in Ukraine. Tourists of Ukrainian, German and Jewish origin regularly visit their ancestors, relatives motherland.

My Vacations

As for me, I don’t like crowds when I’m on holiday. I remember that when I was a small boy, we – my brothers and sisters and I – Always tried to get from other people. We always had our holidays on the coast. Sea and sunshine, that’s what we looked forward to every summer. We always went to a small fishing village on the coast. And if, when we got to the place where we usually bathed, there were other people there, we stopped and said, “Oh, we can’t bathe here today: somebody’s got here before us!”

Today people seem to like crowds. If you wish to meet and make friends with as many people as possible, so go to the seaside hotels.

Hotels at the seaside towns on the south coast, such as Hastings, Brighton, are expensive. It would cost you, probably, for the two of you, at least fifty dollars a week. July and August are the two months when hotel rates are highest. But if you want to meet lots of English people, you might like to go to a holiday camp. That doesn’t mean sleeping and eating in tents. The kind of a holiday camp I mean is nothing like an army camp, or the kind of the camp that Everest climbers live in. Holidays in England are permanent buildings, with every modern convenience and comfort. There are wooden cabins with good beds, electric light, running hot and cold water. There are two large buildings – a dining hall, a large hall for dancing, a cinema, a theatre, a bar, a café, rooms for games such as billiards. In fact, there is, in the camp, everything you want. The camp usually has its own swimming – pool and tens – courts. Some camps are large enough for a thousand people; others take a much smaller number. A camp of medium size takes about five hundred guests

The USA

UKRAINE

22 To Study in Great Britain? No Problem!

Studying abroad is a really good experience. However, sometimes it is very difficult to get necessary funds to pay for tuition; living accommodations, etc. One way to get money while studying is to apply for a job. If you would like to study and work at the same time in Great Britain, you should be aware of some pertinent rules and regulations.
A lot of Ukrainian students dream of obtaining a degree from an overseas university and, in particular, of one from Great Britain. This country famous for its traditions and unique education system, seems an optional location. Moreover, it is possible to study there for free! In this article you will find out how to obtain financial assistance such as grants and scholarships to pay for tuition and living expenses in Great Britain.
Getting financial assistance necessarily involves an assessment of your academic progress, educational background and work experience. However, it is also a matter of time. As a rule, students must start preparing the necessary documents at least a year before their intended study. This time is spent filling out the applications, sending them to the appropriate bodies, having them assessed and, finally, receiving the results. Most financial assistance programmes have deadlines, so the earlier you start the better.
Applying for several assistance programmes is a wise move as there are no restrictions on how many grants you can apply for and you simply increase your chances of obtaining funding. Financial assistance programmes come in two broad categories. The first covers full funding for tuition fees, accommodation, and maintenance; while the second covers only partial expenses associate with education and living. The latter category mostly consists of individual universities' grants and scholarships, so it is best to consult each university regarding their own financial assistance programmes. First, in order to cross the border of Ukraine you'd need a foreign passport, which may be acquired upon making a personal petition (or through legal representatives) to the passport service of the internal security bodies, in residence. (A person receiving a passport is not to be younger than eighteen or sixteen if the person lives abroad permanently.) The process of getting funds for education takes time, so you will need to be patient. Good luck!

The travel agent

The easiest way book a holiday is through a travel agency. The procedure usually involves looking through a number of glossy leaflets to find a suitable holiday destination. The travel agent is able to offer valuable information and advice. Once you’ve chosen the ideal holiday spot you can enquire about the tickets, length of stay and the type of accommodation available. If you find what you are looking for, you can pay a deposit to secure your reservation.

The travel agent like a shop - assistant sells goods to customers. The goods he/she offers are tour operator’s packages. The travel agent works direct with the clients, advising on resorts, accommodation, sightseeing tours, car rentals, travel insurances and so on. That’s why he/she must know the product well and be able to sell it. Sometimes travel agents are invited to familiarization trips to become acquainted with the destination they are selling. A travel agent should be a skilled psychologist as he should be able to discover what a client is looking for. It’s a taskof a travel agent to recommend a client the right product at the right price.

 

Public transport in London

Like every big city London has its traffic problems, and getting around can be difficult. Although London’s public transport system is one of the oldest in the world, it is one of the best. London is famous for its red double – decker buses, black cabs and the London Underground. The London Underground train service – or the “Tube”, as Londoners call it – is the oldest and largest in the world. The first underground railway line was opened in January, 1863. The line was only 6 km long, but others were soon started, and in 1890 a line was opened which ran under the River Thames. Today the Tube has over 406 km of lines and 275 stations. Passengers make a total of 3 million journeys a year.

Public cabs have existed in London since 1643. They were horse – drawn then. In fact, there were still some horse – drawn cabs in London as late as 1947. There are about 19,000 cabs in London and 22,000 drivers. As well as a special driving test, cab drivers have to pass a very difficult test called the Knowledge of London. To pass it, a driver must know all about London and its hotels, theatres, stations, hospitals, public buildings, restaurants, parks and so on, as well as the shortest way to get to any of them. As if that was not enough, the driver has to know all of the 25,000 streets within 10 km of the centre of the city!

Procedure of the check in the hotel

When traveling, people almost always stay at hotels. The first thing to do is to book a room in advance either by letter, telephone or fax. Otherwise you may arrive at the hotel and be told that there are no rooms. When a receptionist takes a reservation, he or she must inquire about the following information: in - date, out – date, number of adults per room, type of a room, preferred bedding, food plan and some other personal requests.

On arrival at the hotel go to the reception desk in the lobby and confirm your reservation. The receptionist will then give you a registration form to fill in and sign (the form is filled in in block letters). In smaller hotels you simply sign the visitor’s book and give your permanent address.

In large hotels you may ask for any service by telephone. You tell the operator if you wish to be called at a certain time. You call room service when you want a meal or drinks sent up to your room, and you can have a lot of maid service if you need something (a suit or a dress) cleaned or pressed. The maid who does you room will also make your bed. Some hotels also provide computerized safes for their guests’ documents and valuables.

And, of course, it is advisable the hotel management know well in advance the day and time of your departure

Budapest

For nearly a thousand years Buda and Pest were two towns. Then in 1873 they joined and became one city, Budapest. Until 1939 Budapest was one of the most important cultural capitals of Europe. Then World War II started. In 1945 the city was in ruins and the Communists took control. In 1956 the people try to free themselves. They pulled down a statue of Stalin and fought the soldiers, but they were not successful. Communist rule did not end until 1989.

Budapest has a population of over two million people. One in every five Hungarians lives there. The river Danube divides the city into two parts. On the west bank of the river, there are the woods and hills of Buda and the old town. On the East bank, there is the bigger and more modern Pest, the business and shopping centre. From Buda there are wonderful views of Pest and the river. Six bridges join Buda and Pest.

Budapest is very unusual because it has two completely different parts. You can choose the peace and quiet of Buda’s woods or the excitement of Pest, where there are good theatres, restaurants, bars and shops.

The public transport system in Budapest is one of the best and cheapest in the world. You can travel easily by underground, bus, tram and taxi, but driving a car in Budapest is not a good idea! There are not many car parks. Most cars are old, so pollution is very bad.

The healthiest thing to do in the city is to visit one of the thirty spa baths and swimming pools. The mineral waters of Budapest are famous, and a very popular way to relax.

 

.

Tourist centers in the USA

Some days ago I returned from the United States of America. I went there by plane. It was a fascinating journey. I think travelling by plane is the most convenient way of going over long distances.

I had read much about the United States, but it is better to see once that to hear a hundred times.For those who loves to travel it is easy to travel within the United States because of the extensive highway system. First, it is recommended to visit Washington D. C., the capital of the United States. There are many important buildings such as the White House, the Capitol building, and the Pentagon there. There are also many historical monuments and museums.

As for the Western part of the United States. The Rocky Mountains are extremely beautiful. There are many places in the states of Colorado, Montana, and the Utah to hike, white water raft, or ski. Yellowstone National Park or Rocky Mountain National Park are two wonderful places to visit and camp.

San Francisco, California is a scenic city. It is on the Pacific Ocean, and home to the Golden Gate bridge. If in San Francisco, it is not too far to go to Los Angeles and Disneyland.

Orlando, Florida is a home to Disneyworld, and many other interesting places. Once in Florida, it is worth traveling to Cape Canaveral where the Space Shuttles are launched.

In the far north of Minnesota are the Boundary Waters and a great place to go canoeing and camping.

There are many other great places in the United States, but these places represent a wide variety of activities and are great for all interests and ages. I was glad to see the sights, communicate with my friend and to get to known many interesting things.

Pioneers in Tourism

People began traveling long ago. The first travelers were nomads and pilgrims, merchants and traders. They traveled along rivers, lakes and seas and used simple means of traveling: boats and ferries on water, horses on land and camels in deserts. The most famous travelers were explorers: Marco Polo from Venice in the 13^th century; Afanasiy Nikitin from Russia, Christopher Columbus and Vasco da Gama from Portugal in the 15^th century; Magellan from Spain; James Cook from England in the 18^th century and others from different countries of the world.

Travel grew and developed together with the development of transport. First trains and motor – cars appeared in the 19^th century. But at that time only rich people could afford themselves to travel, because they had enough money and free time for traveling. In the early 19^th century tourists traveled by trains and steamships mainly to the mountain resorts in Switzerland or to the seaside in France.

In 1841 Thomas Cook from England opened the age of organized tourism. He arranged the first trip for about 500 Englishmen by railway. The excursion was so successful that Cook organized other similar events. Cook organized his first major continental tour in 1855 but it lost money. However, after that he managed to negotiate cheaper rates for crossing the English Channel. The cheaper rates were in return for a guarantee that he would bring large numbers – the essence of mass tourism. Tours to France and Switzerland became regular. The Swiss quickly recognized the need to build the things that tourists wanted – hotels and other facilities – so a whole tourist industry began to develop. After the Suez Canal was opened in 1869, Egypt also became a popular destination for Cook’s tours.

So, in 30 years modern mass tourism was established.

Washington

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the capital of the USA, Washington. The city was founded in1791 by George Washington, the first president of the USA. It is situated on the Potomac river. Washington is a beautiful administrative city. The population of the capital is about 3 million people. Washington has many historical places. The largest and highest among the buildings is the Capitol with its great House of Representatives and the Senate Chamber. It is situated in the centre of the city, on the Capitol Hill. There are no sky – scrapers in Washington because no other building must be higher than the Capitol. The White House is the place where the president of the USA lives and works. The house was first occupied in 1800 by John Adams, who was the first president to live in that house. The white House has 132 rooms. The monument to George Washington is situated three blocks south of the White House. It is called “Pencil” and is 600 metres high. The Library of Congress contains millions of books and manuscripts. Another sight, the National Gallery of Arts contains art collections by the great masters of the 14^th to 18^th centuries. Outside the city, the Arlington National Cemetery is situated. John Kennedy was buried there. The famous Tomb of the UnknownSoldier is also situated there. The industry of the city is not well developed. But Washington is a large scientific and cultural centre. There are five universities in the city and National Academy of Sciences. It is also difficult to find a park or a square without a monument in Washington.

3 Pack your manner s

When preparing to go on vacation, remember to pack your manners. No matter where you end up traveling, the way the locals are going to perceive your culture depends greatly on your behavior.

Many who travel abroad forget to be polite to those who entertain them when they are away from home. Let’s have a quick overview of who is notorious for what when on vacation.

Brits have been labeled as noisy, rude, badly dressed, and terrible tippers. In addition, Britons are thought to be untidy. Maybe because of their haphazard approach to dressing people are able to recognize a Brit. Those who call Germany their native land are considered the absolute worst tippers, and one might think that they are stingy. Americans are notoriously the worst dressed tourists around. Many also find Americans to be lacking in manners and unpleasantly loud, although not as much as Brits, Russians and Danes. Those from the USA, though, often attempt to learn and speak the native language of the countries they are going to visit.

Remember, when on vacation, do as Romans do… or as the Japanese do. Be courteous and keep in mind that you are presenting your entire nation. Figure out local customs, and if you are brave, learn a little bit of the language before you go. You will be pleasantly surprised at how well your efforts are received.