Air Travel & Island Trips – B2 English Listening Exercise

9 campsite 10 wetsuit 11 balance 12 shoulder

13 instructor 14 mask 15 coral reef

16 octopus 17 confident 18 photograph

Mark: Hi everyone, my name is Mark, and I’m here to tell you about an action-packed weekend I recently had on the coast. I’ve always been a fan of water sports, but I usually bring my own gear. This time, I decided to travel light and just rely on the equipment you can hire directly on the beach.

When I was planning the trip, I initially looked into booking a room in a seaside hotel, as I wanted a bit of luxury. However, everything was fully booked, so I ended up pitching my tent at a campsite right next to the beach. To be honest, waking up to the sound of the waves was much better than any hotel room!

My first goal for the weekend was windsurfing. I walked down to the rental hut on the sand to get sorted. I thought I’d just need to hire a lifejacket and a board, as it was a beautifully sunny day. However, the staff warned me the water was absolutely freezing, so I hired a wetsuit instead, which was definitely the right decision!

I dragged the board down to the water’s edge. My friends had always warned me about the tremendous upper body strength required to pull the heavy sail up. Actually, keeping your balance is the most crucial skill when you first get on the board, especially when the waves are a bit choppy. Once you have that sorted, the rest starts to fall into place.

I did manage to get moving across the water for a brief moment, but then a sudden, violent gust of wind knocked me right over. I landed quite awkwardly in the shallows. I immediately thought I’d sprained my wrist, but in fact, it was my shoulder that took the brunt of the fall. It ached for a bit, but thankfully it was nothing serious.

After a quick lunch, I decided to try something slightly less dependent on the wind, so I headed to the scuba diving kiosk. You can’t just rent the gear and jump straight into the sea, obviously. Some resorts make you sit inside and watch a lengthy video, but here an instructor took me through the basics right there on the sand, which felt much more practical.

The rental package they provided included absolutely everything I needed. I had assumed the heavy flippers would be the hardest thing to get used to wearing. But honestly, ensuring the mask had a tight seal around my face was the trickiest part for me. If it’s even slightly loose, saltwater constantly leaks in, which is really annoying.

Once we were kitted out, we took a small motorboat out into the bay. I was really hoping we’d get to explore an old shipwreck I’d read about in a guidebook. However, the guide explained the currents there were far too strong, and took us to a coral reef instead, which was much safer for beginners like me.

Once we descended underwater, the marine life was just stunning. I kept my eyes peeled for a sea turtle, as they are known to swim in those waters, though sadly none appeared. I did manage to spot a massive octopus hiding in the rocks, though! It was changing colours to blend in with its surroundings, which was truly mesmerising.

People often ask if I was terrified down there in the deep water. I fully expected to feel anxious before I jumped in, but surprisingly, I felt totally confident breathing underwater after just a few minutes. It’s a very peaceful environment once you get the hang of it.

When we finally got back to the beach and returned our hired gear, I really wanted something to remember the incredible day. I didn’t buy a t-shirt like I usually do on holiday; instead, I purchased a photograph that the dive company had taken of me underwater. It’s framed on my desk now, and I can’t wait to go back and do it all again!

9 ferry 10 balcony 11 dolphins 12 seafood

13 motorbikes 14 jewellery / jewelry 15 caves

16 surfing 17 guidebook 18 photographs / photos

Mark: Hi everyone! My name is Mark, and I’m here to tell you about an incredible trip I went on last month. A good friend of mine, Chloe, took on the massive task of organizing a group holiday for ten of us to a beautiful island just off the coast.

Getting there was an adventure in itself. Chloe originally looked into chartering a small plane, thinking it would save us a lot of travel time, but it turned out to be way over our budget. So, we ended up taking a ferry instead. It was actually a fantastic choice because the weather was absolutely perfect and we could sit outside on the deck enjoying the sea breeze.

When we arrived at our hotel, we were immediately thrilled. We had initially requested rooms with a view of the hotel garden, assuming they would be quieter. But to our surprise, the management had upgraded us. Walking into my room, the first thing I noticed was the fantastic balcony looking right out over the ocean. It was the perfect spot to relax and watch the sunset in the evenings.

On our first full day, we took a boat trip around the coast. The captain told us to keep an eye out for seals, which are apparently quite common in the area during the summer. We didn’t actually spot any of those, but we were lucky enough to see a pod of dolphins swimming alongside our boat. That was a truly magical experience that everyone loved.

Of course, being right by the sea, the local diet heavily features what they catch from the ocean. I usually eat a lot of pasta at home, but on this trip, I made a point to try the traditional dishes. The seafood was absolutely outstanding, especially at the little family-run restaurants along the harbor. I’ve never tasted anything quite so fresh.

To get around the island, there was a local bus service, but it didn’t run very frequently and didn’t go to the remote areas. We initially considered renting bicycles to stay active during the holiday. However, considering the steep hills, we opted to hire motorbikes for the week. It gave us so much freedom to explore hidden beaches at our own pace.

One morning, we visited the main town’s outdoor market. I was expecting to see the usual tourist souvenirs and cheap clothes that you find everywhere. While there was plenty of that, I was really impressed by the handmade jewellery crafted by local artisans. I ended up buying a delicate silver ring for my sister.

For nature lovers, the island has plenty to offer. We spent a whole afternoon trekking through a dense pine forest. Our main goal, though, was to reach the spectacular caves located on the northern shore. Walking inside them was incredibly cool and refreshing, especially after hiking in the hot sun for two hours.

Later in the week, we decided to try some water sports. Several people in our group went diving, but since I’d done that a few times before, I wanted a completely new challenge. I signed up for a morning of surfing instead. I fell off the board more times than I can count, but it was incredibly fun and a great workout.

As the holiday came to an end, I wanted to get something special for Chloe to thank her for being such a brilliant trip organizer. I thought about getting her a framed map of the island, but then I managed to find a beautifully illustrated guidebook in a local shop. It seemed like the perfect token of gratitude for all her hard work.

She absolutely loved it, not just for the historical descriptions, but because it was filled with stunning photographs of all the places we had visited together. It was a wonderful way for her to remember the trip!