Here’s a model answer to the topic card.

I love travelling by train, anywhere and any length of journey really, but the most memorable train journey I have ever taken was when I was on holiday in South East Asia. I took the overnight train from Bangkok to a small town on the border of Laos – you know, the neighbouring country to Thailand.

It was amazing for a number of reasons. First of all, it was the first overnight train journey I had ever been on, so for that reason I was very excited. Secondly, I had travelled to a number of parts of Thailand by local bus; however, sometimes the buses were really crowded and the journeys were not really all that comfortable. The train was really great, especially in comparison to the buses! I had my own sleeper compartment which was separated from the other passengers by a curtain, the bed and everything were really clean and the movement and sounds of the train were really comforting as I was falling to sleep.

I can’t really remember how long the journey was but I remember feeling really relaxed and well rested when we got to our destination the next morning. Some other passengers weren’t so lucky! Two guys, from Germany I think, had nowhere to sleep as their travel agent had double-booked their sleeping compartments, I think they had to stay awake all night as all the beds were fully booked!

I don’t travel by train that often in my daily life – I tend to drive everywhere as the public transport in my town is not really very convenient. I suppose I take the train only about 3 or 4 times in an average year! I really enjoy it when I do though, I think because it reminds me of when I was a child and I used to go to the seaside with my grandparents during the summer; we’d always take the train as they didn’t have a car.