Planning a Day Trip with a Local Guide
A traveler discusses their interests and available time with a local guide to plan a customized day trip, including choosing destinations, activities, and estimating costs.
Dialogue
Listen and follow along with the conversation
Vocabulary
Essential words and phrases from the dialogue
itinerary
A plan or schedule of a trip, listing places to visit and activities in order. Use it when discussing travel plans, like 'Let's make an itinerary for the day.'
historical site
A place important in history, like an old building or ruins. Common in tourism; say 'I want to visit a historical site' to express interest in history.
authentic
Real and genuine, not fake. In travel, it means true local experiences, like 'authentic local food' for real traditional dishes.
bustling
Full of activity and noise, describing a busy place like a market. Use it to describe lively areas: 'The market is bustling with people.'
artisan workshop
A place where skilled craftspeople make handmade items. Useful for cultural trips: 'I'd like to see an artisan workshop.'
entrance fees
Money paid to enter a place like a museum or park. In travel planning, ask about 'entrance fees' to know costs.
estimated cost
An approximate amount of money expected. Say 'What's the estimated cost?' when planning budgets for trips.
Key Sentences
Important phrases to remember and practice
I'm looking to plan a day trip tomorrow and was hoping you could help me put together an itinerary.
This polite request uses 'looking to' for expressing intentions and 'put together' for creating something. Useful for starting travel planning conversations; it shows politeness with 'was hoping.'
What kind of things are you interested in seeing or doing?
An open-ended question to gather preferences, using 'what kind of' for types and 'interested in' for likes. Great for guides or friends planning activities; practice gerunds like 'seeing or doing.'
I'd really like to experience some local culture, maybe visit a historical site, and definitely try some authentic local food.
Expresses preferences with 'I'd like to' (would like to) and adverbs like 'really' and 'definitely' for emphasis. Use this structure to list interests in travel; 'maybe' adds flexibility.
How about we visit the Old Town in the morning? It's rich in history and you can really get a feel for the local life.
A suggestion using 'How about' for proposals, followed by reasons. 'Get a feel for' means to understand or experience something. Ideal for suggesting plans and explaining benefits.
What would be the estimated cost for transport and entrance fees for this kind of itinerary?
Asks about costs with 'what would be' for hypothetical estimates. Useful in budgeting; includes specific terms like 'transport' and 'entrance fees' for practical travel inquiries.
That sounds very reasonable. So, just to confirm, we're looking at Old Town, the local market for lunch, and then an artisan workshop in the afternoon.
Agrees politely with 'sounds reasonable' and confirms details using 'just to confirm' and 'looking at' for reviewing plans. Helps in summarizing to avoid misunderstandings in conversations.
We'll start around 9:30 AM to make the most of the day. Does that work for you?
Sets a time with 'around' for approximation and 'make the most of' meaning to use fully. Ends with a yes/no question 'Does that work?' to check agreement; common in scheduling.
I'm really looking forward to it. Thanks so much for your help in planning this.
Expresses excitement with 'looking forward to' (gerund form) and gratitude with 'thanks so much.' Perfect for ending positive interactions; shows appreciation in service situations.