B2 First (FCE) Reading Part 7 exercise 1

UNFORGETTABLE JOURNEYS

A) Mark’s Trip to Japan
I had always dreamed of visiting Japan in spring, but unfortunately, it rained almost every single day of my trip. It meant I couldn’t take the photos I wanted. However, what completely caught me off guard was the overwhelming hospitality of the people. Strangers literally walked me to my destination when I asked for directions. I was also lucky enough to be invited to a local neighborhood harvest festival, which wasn’t in any guidebook. Dancing with the locals in the rain turned out to be the highlight of my holiday.

B) Sarah’s Adventure in Peru
Hiking the Inca Trail was on my bucket list. The views were breathtaking, but I deeply underestimated the financial side of things. I ended up spending almost double what I had budgeted, mainly because the local tours and handcrafted souvenirs were irresistible but pricey. The culinary aspect was also a wild ride; I was offered roasted insects at a street market and, to my own surprise, actually ate them! They were surprisingly crunchy and spicy.

C) David’s Safari in Kenya
I spent two weeks in a national reserve and it was life-changing. The physical demand of the trip was intense; we had to hike up a incredibly steep, rocky escarpment in the blistering heat to reach our camp. It was exhausting, but the reward was a troop of wild monkeys swinging right through our campsite the next morning. Getting that close to nature was thrilling. It was such a profound experience that I’ve already started saving up to bring my wife and kids here next summer.

D) Emma’s Weekend in Rome
Rome is historically fascinating, but I must admit that the sheer volume of tourists at the Colosseum and the Vatican was exhausting. You couldn’t move without bumping into someone with a selfie stick. On a positive note, getting around the city was an absolute breeze. The metro and bus network was incredibly efficient, punctual, and easy to navigate, which saved me a lot of time and stress. I managed to see all the major sights in just three days without needing a taxi once.