MAN: 'Holidays for You'. Sean Speaking. Can I help you?

WOMAN: Oh hi. I've been looking at your website. Um, I'm interested in a cycling holiday in Austria in April.

MAN: Ah! We have two trips in April - one lasts fourteen days and the other ten days.

WOMAN: Mm ... I think the 10-day trip is better. So let's see. I've got a calendar here. What are the dates?

MAN: {[Well, that trip is in the middle of the month. It starts on the 17th of April and it finishes on the 27th.][1]}

WOMAN: That suits me. I can't leave work before the 10th of April.

MAN: Let me see if there are any spaces. Is it just for yourself?

WOMAN: Myself and my sister - so two of us.

MAN: Um, yes. We have spaces.

WOMAN: Is it a big group?

MAN: At the moment there are 12 people booked on this trip and with you two that will be 14. {[The maximum number is 16 so it's almost fully booked.][2]} We can't go over that because it's hard to keep a larger group together.

WOMAN: I need to check that I'm fit enough for this but the distances look OK. {[The website says we'll ride approximately 45km a day. Is that right?][3]}

MAN: That's correct and I've got the exact distances here. It really depends on which part of the trip. Some days are only 35km and some are more. But you'll never have to cycle more than 50km in one day.

WOMAN: Oh, OK. I can manage that. And we stay in hotels?

MAN: Yes. They all have restaurants and the rooms have en-suite facilities.

WOMAN: And do they have pools? It's how I relax after a long day.

MAN: {[There is a swimming pool in a few of the hotels but none of them has a gym.][4]}

WOMAN: I don't think we'll need a gym after all that cycling! I'd better find out how much the holiday costs before I get too excited.

MAN: Including flights it's £1,177 for one person.

WOMAN: Oh, we'll book our own flights on the Internet.

MAN: {[Ah, that's just £1,013 then.][5]} And we can book insurance for you if you want.

WOMAN: Mm ... and which meals are included in that price?

MAN: Well, er, breakfast of course. And the hotels will provide you with a packed lunch each day.

MAN: {[We do stop during the afternoon in a village somewhere for a rest, so any snacks you buy then are extra.][6]} Then dinner will be in the hotel every evening and that's included in the price of the holiday.

WOMAN: And you provide the bicycles of course. What else?

MAN: A lock and a bell come with the bike as well as lights, although you shouldn't need to cycle in the dark. There's a small bag, or pannier, on the front of the bike, where you can put the things you want to take with you during the day like water or fruit.

MAN: {[But we won't allow you to cycle unless you bring a helmet. We don't provide these locally because, like walking boots on a walking holiday, it's really important it fits properly.][7]}

WOMAN: OK.

MAN: If there's any special gear you need for your holiday, we recommend a particular website and you can get a discount by quoting your booking reference.

WOMAN: Great. What is it?

MAN: It's www.ballantyne.com. {[That's all one word, and I'll spell it for you: www dot B-A double L-A-N-T-Y-N-E dot com.][8]}

WOMAN: Good. I've got that down. I've been looking at your website while we've been talking. I see we cycle along the river Danube?

MAN: Yes, it's one of Europe's most well-known areas for cycling.

WOMAN: It looks fascinating - lots of beautiful countryside and things to see.

MAN: {[I should warn you that we do reserve the right to make some alterations to the route if the weather is bad.][9]} Some of the tracks sometimes get very muddy.

WOMAN: OK. Well, hopefully it won't rain too much! I know we stop in towns and villages but do we get a chance to look around? Because I'm really interested in history.

MAN: Oh yes, you get opportunities to explore. Is there something in particular you want to see?

WOMAN: {[There's a theatre in a town called Grein.][10]} A friend of mine went there last year and said it was amazing.

MAN: Let's see. Um, ah yes, there's a guide who'll take you round the building. We don't have any other tours arranged but you can visit several castles and museums on the holiday.

WOMAN: Well, thank you for all that information. I'd like to book that then.

MAN: Right. Well, I'll just ...

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