English Travel Vocabulary: Planning a Trip

Hi. Welcome again to www.engvid.com. My name is Adam. Today, I'm talking about a very interesting

topic because, for example, in Toronto right now, it's very, very cold. I'm thinking about

travelling; I would love to go somewhere hot to get away from this winter. So, when I travel,

I have, of course, to make travel arrangements. So here, we have a list of words, a list of

things that you must think about before you go on a trip to a different country. We're

going to go over each of these.

We're going to start with "booking" and "reservation". Now, many people think that this is more or

less the same, which it is. To book something or to reserve something means to keep a place,

to keep your place. You book a flight, you book a hotel room. Generally speaking, you

make a reservation at a restaurant; you make a booking with a travel agency or with a hotel,

with accommodations, any type of accommodation. Speaking of, accommodations are hotel, motel,

hostel, B&B, bed and breakfast; all kinds of accommodations. Make sure you have a booking

before you go, so your place is safe, it's kept for you. When you arrive, it's all good.

Next, when you're at your destination, the place you're going to, you might want to "rent"

a car. Okay? Sorry, this is accommodation. One thing I wanted to also make sure - "accommodations",

without the "s", "accommodation" means something different. Okay? "Accommodations" is where

you're going to sleep.

And you might want to "rent" a car. You can also "hire" a car. Means the same thing. British

people generally use "hire" more, North Americans use "rent" more often.

Next, you have to think about your "baggage". Suitcase, luggage, bags, anything you're carrying

with you. You might have "check-in baggage". Sorry, I don't know if you can see this guy.

"Check-in baggage" and "carry-on baggage". "Check-in baggage" means you give it to the

airline, they put it under the plane, you pick it up at your destination. "Carry-on"

means you carry on, so you carry it on your shoulder on to the plane. Okay? In your carry-on,

you have to be careful, it has to be small. You can't have liquids because of security

and all that stuff. So things that you can't put in your carry-on, you must put in your

check-in baggage and give to the airline.

Next, when you get to the airport, assuming you're flying, you will have to do a few things

that concern the word "boarding". Before you board your plane, get on your plane - you

will get a boarding pass that lets you pass through security and into the airport. On

the boarding pass, you will see your "boarding time", this is when you get on the plane and

your "boarding gate", the place in the airport where you're going to get on your plane before

takeoff. Okay? We can also use this for a train. You board a train, you get a boarding

pass with a boarding time, and generally a boarding platform. Okay? So "boarding", getting

on your vehicle, whatever vehicle that might be.

You will also generally need to get a "visa" to many countries. Now, a "visa" is something

that you use to get into a country, it gives you permission to stay in that country. But

be aware: many places, if you're going through another country... So, for example: I'm going

to country "C" via country "B". "Via" means by way of or through. So I might need a "transit

visa", means I can go there, switch planes and keep going on my journey. But I'm still

in another country, I need a transit visa. Excuse me. Also, make sure you're prepared

to spend money as soon as you get to your destination.

If you're going to a different country, that country will but using a different "currency",

type of money. In Canada, we have Canadian dollar. America has American dollar. Okay?

For things like that. In Europe, you need the euro. So make sure you have some of the

currency before you go, or purchase it at the airport or at the destination you're going

to.

Some countries, especially hot countries, are not very... You don't have very clean

water or there may be lots of diseases or other things you need to worry about; mosquitoes,

malaria, etcetera. You might need to get "vaccination". You might need to get a shot or you might

need to get pills or anything like that to protect you from whatever troubles there are.

"Vaccinations" are sometimes called "inoculation", same thing. It's a pill or it's a shot, a

needle.

When you purchase your ticket, the travel agent will probably send you an "itinerary."

"Itinerary" is a plan; you're leaving this day, this time, this airport, arriving this

airport, this day, this time. Itinerary is also a plan if you're doing like a package

tour with excursions. "Excursion" means an outing. You have planned outings; you're going

different places, you're going to do different things. If you're going to Africa, you're

probably going to go on safari, that is a type of excursion. You're going to go somewhere

and do this, this, and that on this, this, and that day. Okay? So your itinerary is a

plan, a written plan of what you're going to do.

Then, if you buy anything overseas, when you come home, you might have to "declare" to

the "customs" officer what you bought, how much you spent. What are you bringing back

home with you? Right? So you have to make a declaration. Be prepared to declare anything

that you bought because if you get caught, not going to be very good; you might get into

a bit of trouble with the customs officer.

And then, once you do all of these things, pack your bag - don't forget your bathing

suit, sunscreen. I need sunscreen every time I travel because I'm kind of pale. And all...

Then you're ready to go. Right?

Anyway, if you need to work on these words a little bit more, go to www.engvid.com. I'll

be putting up a quiz there for you to work on these words. And come visit us again. Bye.