Useful Vocabulary
A holiday organised at short notice.
“It was a fairly last-minute trip as I wasn’t sure whether I could take the time off work.”
Ask for leave from work in order to do something like take a holiday.
“It was a fairly last-minute trip as I wasn’t sure whether I could take the time off work.”
An informal expression meaning to go somewhere.
“The plan was to visit my friend and his girlfriend, who had headed over as part of a promotional tour for a protein supplement company called Muscle Tech.”
A bizarre and strange experience.
“It was a pretty surreal experience: during the whole holiday, I was surrounded by these massive dudes who did nothing but eat, sleep, work out, and then model for various photoshoots.”
To follow someone (especially someone who is leading you)
“Anyway, Monica invited her boyfriend and me to tag along.”
An informal phrasal verb meaning to arrive (usually by plane).
“The first thing I did as soon as I touched down in Bali was to rent a small scooter for travelling around the island.”
Say rude words to yourself in anger.
“I cursed myself for not having checked.”
A phrasal verb meaning to rent (usually used for short term flat rentals).
“I felt totally relieved when I finally reached the Airbnb that my friends and I had rented out.”
Very beautiful.
“It was a stunning little apartment that was super close to the sea.”
Around two and a half years ago, I went to Bali for the first time. It was a fairly last-minute trip as I wasn’t sure whether I could take the time off work. The plan was to visit my friend and his girlfriend, who had headed over as part of a promotional tour for a protein supplement company called Muscle Tech.
It was a pretty surreal experience: during the whole holiday, I was surrounded by these massive dudes who did nothing but eat, sleep, work out, and then model for various photoshoots. I should probably explain that my friends aren’t like that. My friend’s girlfriend – Monica- is sponsored by the supplement company for surfing, so she was asked to attend the tour. Anyway, Monica invited her boyfriend and me to tag along.
I was able to get a week off work so I flew from Shanghai, where I was living at the time, to Sanya- then from Sanya to Bali. The first thing I did as soon as I touched down in Bali was to rent a small scooter for travelling around the island. I remember the guy telling me that the lights and indicators worked perfectly, which I was surprised about because I thought that it would be crazy if they didn’t. Once I had my scooter, I set off for the other side of the island- where my friends were staying. It took quite a long time to get there; it wasn’t geographically far, but there was a lot of traffic congestion, and the roads in Bali are pretty narrow. Anyway, after an hour or so of travelling, it got dark- and guess what- the scooter lights didn’t work! I cursed myself for not having checked. I just did my best to drive slowly and carefully.
I felt totally relieved when I finally reached the Airbnb that my friends and I had rented out. It was a stunning little apartment that was super close to the sea. We had a great time waking up early in the morning and heading out to go surfing before the beach got too busy. In the afternoon, Monica usually had to meet up with the Muscle Tech team to take photos while my friend and I explored Bali on our scooters.
I guess what makes the holiday particularly special was that it was so last minute, and I’m so glad that I was able to take the time off.
