An Ideal Holiday

Date: 2015-10-07; view: 531.

If we are fond of travelling we see and learn all sorts of things that we can never see or learn at home, though we may read about them in books and newspapers, and see pictures of them at the cin­ema. The best way to study geography is to travel, and the best way to get to know and understand thepeople is to meet them in their own homes.

Most people who spend a holiday travelling take a camera with them and photograph anything that interests or pleases them - the sights of a city, views of mountains, lakes, valleys, plains, water­falls, forests, etc; famous men and women; the ruins of ancient buildings; and even animals and birds. Later, perhaps years later, they will be reminded by the photographs of the happy time they had had.

When I was a boy every holiday that I had seemed ideal. All day I played on the sands with my friends. We made sandcastles with huge yellow walls, and watched the incoming tide destroy them; we played football, we splashed each other in the water and shrieked with excitement. When the tide went out, we climbed over the slippery rocks and stared down at the fish and the seaweed in the rock-pools.

In those far-off days the sun seemed to shine constantly and the water was always warm.

Sometimes we left the beach and walked in the country, exploring ruined houses and dark woods and climbing trees that overhung streams.

Although I am now an adult, my idea of a good holiday is much the same as it was. I still like the sun and the warm sand and the sound of waves breaking on the beach. I no longer wish to build sandcastles, but I love sunbathing and the feel of sand running through my fingers, and I look for­ward to sitting down to a good meal in the evening. I think too, that I prefer travelling. I want to smell different smells; I want to see different kinds of trees, flowers and plants; and I also want to see people wearing different kinds of clothes.

Unit 10