I went to Beijing this National holiday, and it was an interesting experience of my life. My friends told us that taking the “hard 1” to Beijing would be really terrible. So we didn’t know what to 2. But we were pleasantly surprised when we finally boarded the3, which was relatively modern and4. During the 14-hour ride we ate peanuts and talked. It was not5at all. It was morning when we arrived. We stepped out of the railway station, having sat in hard seats and not getting much6. However, we had energy. First, we tried to get return tickets to Shanghai, but the tickets seller7us that tickets would not be on8for another two days. We were a little worried about getting9, but we made up our minds to10for the hotel to put our bags down. After fighting our way11the “gypsy” taxi driver who tried to12one hundred yuan for the ride, we found another taxi and it13cost us thirty yuan to get14we had planned to go. When we reached the hotel, there was a window for airplane and train tickets.15, the man behind the counter could get tickets that day, which we16. The most important lesson about China I ever17is to get someone to do your work for you, and it seems to work out much18. We were not able to get tickets, but the19agents could. While in Beijing we saw a lot of places of interest, most of which were very20. It was fun to be with thousands of people in one place. There aren’t any words to describe it.
I have spent years of my life traveling all over the world. When I arrive in a new country or city, usually I am very1and go to bed early. For this2my first day or night in any new place is always quiet and very 3happens.4my first night in Algeciras was very different. This night was very5and unusual. At that time6in Southern Spain was a dirty and7looked-after city. I arrived late in the evening by8. As soon as I got off the boat, I went to look for a 9 . I found a small hotel not far from the boat. This hotel looked 10and untidy from the outside. But I was very tired and did not know my11around the city of Algeciras. And so I decided to stay in this12 hotel on the quay(碼頭). I also decided to stay in this hotel for another13. The moon was full and it was a clear,14night. From the hotel I could15the sea. I could see the huge rock of Gibraltar in the bright moonlight. The hotel had a narrow16and no name. When I went through this doorway, I had to climb up narrow and dark stairs to the first floor. I17a small cupboard with a desk in front of it. This was the hotel office. An untidy and tired woman was sitting beside the18. When I said I wanted a room for the night, she took me 19some more stairs to a room on the second floor. Inside this room the landlord was sitting playing cards with some friends. He was20 his game of cards and I was simply a nuisance(討厭的人). He looked at me when the woman told him that I wanted a room. Then he said, Room Five, and turned back to his game of cards.
