IELTS Speaking Part 2 – Topic: Describe a short holiday that was special for you

I would like to talk about my recent holiday in Thailand with my best friend last summer, which was really memorable for us. Although this trip only lasted for 4 days, it involved a lot of planning ahead.

To be honest, travelling to Thailand can be quite costly and, due to financial constraints, we started saving up for our holiday. We booked the plane tickets a month ahead to get a couple of cheaper ones. Because we definitely did not want to use a travel agent or book a package tour, we had to search for a lot of information online to organize our own journey. Throughout the trip, there were a lot of interesting things that we had a chance to
experience together. We visited some well-known tourist attractions in Thailand, which allowed us to discover a new culture and traditional customs there. What we really enjoyed was Thai cuisine. Despite the fact that we did not like food that is too spicy, the variety of Thai street dishes tempted us to try them. We also stopped by open markets at night to buy clothing and souvenirs for our families back home.

I think travelling is really the best way to practice relaxation. It dawned on me that we had been very caught up in study during the year, and so this trip helped us to get away from it all, leave our worries behind and enjoy ourselves.

– memorable: [adjective] something special, good or unusual that we will remember for a long time.
Example: My first visit to New York was the most memorable trip of my life.

– costly: [adjective] expensive
Example: A new car would be too costly for me, so I decided to look for a used car.

– financial constraints: [noun] a lack of money that restricts your freedom to buy or do something.
Example: The economic crisis will impose serious financial constraints on the spending on schools this year.

– save up: [phrasal verb] to keep money, not spend it, to buy a particular thing.
Example: I’m saving up for a new TV.

– book: [verb] to buy or reserve something in advance.
Example: She has booked her IELTS exam in October.

– travel agent: [noun] a person or business that makes holiday or travel arrangements for people, like booking a flight or hotel room.
Example: A travel agent can often give good advice when you explain the type of holiday that you want.

– package tour: [noun] a holiday in which everything is organized by the travel company at a fixed price and includes flights, hotels and any extras, such as hiring a car.
Example: Package tours are popular with people who don’t have much time to organize their holiday themselves.

– cuisine: [noun] a style of cooking.
Example: Tourists who visit Italy usually enjoy the Italian cuisine.

– spicy: [adjective] having a hot, strong taste because spices have been used to make it.
Example: I like Indian cuisine, but I prefer the dishes that are not too spicy.

– tempt: [verb] attract somebody to have or to do something.
Example: The delicious smell of Thai meals tempted him to try some dishes.

– back home: [expression] in the town or country that you came from.
Example: She often thinks of her friends back home in Vietnam.

– dawn on: [phrasal verb] if something dawns on you, you realize it for the first time.
Example: It dawned on me that I had not replied to his e-mail.

– caught up: [phrasal verb] to become involved in something.
Example: We were very caught up in our studies last year, often studying until late at night.

– get away from it all: [expression] to have a holiday in a place where you can relax.
Example: I like to go camping in the countryside, to get away from it all and enjoy being alone.

– worries: [noun] things that cause you to worry or to be stressed.
Example: After he had passed the exam, all his worries disappeared.