1 . A few weeks ago I paid a visit to the UK. The moment I reached Heathrow airport, I was attracted by all the language differences between American and British English. Instead of reading “exit”, the signs read “way out”. The announcer said “alight” instead of “get off” the plane.

My first stop in the UK was the British museum and I was particularly interested in Room 41. In that room, I saw the oldest sentence ever found written in Old English. Archeologists (考古学家) believe it is from between 450 and 480 AD.

The next stop was Westminster Abbey. At the Poets’ Corner I saw graves of famous writers, such as Shakespeare, Charles Dickens and Samuel Johnson. The list can go on and on. Another thing on the Abbey grounds that you should not miss is a colorful glass window in St. Margaret’s Church, as you walk up to the Abbey. The window, about halfway up the left side of the church, honors William Caxton. He was the first person to bring the printing press to England and set up his printing business near the Abbey, probably because he was likely to get work from the government offices in the area. Caxton may not be as well-known as the writers in Poets’ Corner, but he played a very important part in standardizing English.

My final stop was the Tower of London, which was the symbol of power of the people who changed English. This castle was built by William the Conqueror after he defeated King Harold II in the Battle of Hastings during the Norman Invasion in 1066. After the Normans took over England, the official language became French for hundreds of years, and this was the time when many French words entered the English language especially words related to upper-class life such as words about government and cooking.

So that was my trip.

2 . Banff National Park is the top tourist destination in Canada and parts of the park can get extremely crowded in the summer months , especially when the tour buses roll through. Beautiful mountain scenes are dotted with glacial lakes and blanketed with evergreens as far as the eye can see. With such beautiful views , it's no surprise that so many people are traveling to Banff.

When to Visit Banff

Late June through early September is the high season for Banff. Sunny days and mild temperatures draw crowds looking to experience Banffs beautiful glacial lakes and adventurers seeking to hike the back country of the Canadian Rockies.

Spring and autumn are Banff's shoulder seasons , and the crowds often thin out（散去）. It's common to snow in May and September.

Entrance Fees

Adults and seniors can buy a day pass to Banff（ $9.8 for each person or $ 8.3 for groups up to 7 people） that will give them entrance to Banff.Kids who are 17 or younger can visit it for free!

Where to Stay

Whether you want a cozy cabin or a comfortable hotel , there's a place for you.Accommodations can be expensive in the high summer season.Most of the lodging choices in the national park are centered around Banff and lake Louise , but the town of Canmore just outside Banff has a lot of choices and is much cheaper.

The main structure of Notre-Dame cathedral (巴黎圣母院) — including the two bell towers — has been saved after firefighters worked through the night to put out the big fire.

Now that it has been put out, experts have been able to explain the difficulties fire crews faced as they fought to save such a large, historic building.

It’s not yet known exactly how the Notre-Dame fire began, but it appears to have started near the top, eventually spreading across the rest of the wooden roof.

Gregg Favre, former commander at St Louis Fire Department in the US, pointed out how flammable the building is. He explained on Twitter: “Let’s pause to remember how fires actually burn. It involves key elements like fuel, oxygen, heat and a chemical chain reaction.” Unfortunately, none of these elements are easy to remove in this case.

“To start with, removing the fuel is a no go. Churches have no shortage of things to burn. Although a huge oak beam(梁) is generally difficult to get burning, as smaller timbers (木材) fuel the fire and the temperature rises, the timbers will eventually ignite (点燃) in a phenomenon known as a flashover.”

“The heat that a fire this size is putting off is terrific. Little options for interrupting that. The chemical chain is off to the races.”

“That leaves the oxygen. Unsurprisingly, even if the roof had not burnt off, churches are nearly impossible to control ventilation (通风) in. Their design is to be open and airy. Great for Sunday worship, terrible for managing fire spread.”

As the fire burned, US President Donald Trump suggested that flying water tankers (罐车) could be brought in to fight the flames from above.

Professor Rein, the head of Imperial College London’s fire-studying Hazelab said“ Trump wasn’t the first person to come up with the suggestion, however, it was not a good idea because it would have damaged the structure of the cathedral, collapsing the walls”.

The force of water coming from an air tanker is strong and no-one has been trained to use one in a city. He added that Monday’s fire was “not the time to test this”.

Professor Rein says that “fire engineering” will need to be considered when reconstructing the cathedral. Fire engineering is now in place in modern landmarks such as the Shard in London.

“We keep seeing these buildings go up in flames like this. However, it’s relatively easy to prevent. Notre-Dame should install sprinklers (消防喷淋).” he said.

Much as the Notre-Dame fire is a tragedy, information from studying it will be priceless in protecting other buildings.

5 . Below are some tips for women traveling alone.

There are many ways you can make a solo stay at a hotel safer. When filling out guest registration forms, consider using your first initial instead of your name, and skip the “Mrs. /Miss /Mr.” check box. Additionally, make sure the clerk writes down your room number instead of saying it out loud. This will prevent anyone nearby from knowing where to find you later.

If you choose to wear a money belt, use it for storage and not as a purse. Constantly reaching under your shirt for money draws attention to it. Instead, keep your passport, extra stores of money, and other important documents well hidden, and use a bag or purse for carrying daily spending money.

To avoid attracting unwanted attention, dress as conservatively as the women you see around you. Bare arms, shoulders, and legs are considered risked in some countries, so do the research before you go and once you’re there. Note which body parts the local women cover and do the same.

Traveling alone doesn’t always mean being alone. There are plenty of situations in which seeking out company can make for a safer and more enjoyable experience. Smaller hotels and hostels are great places to find like- minded travelers to explore new places with. Sticking close to families on public transportation is another technique some women use.

Whether you’re on a street at home or 7,000 miles away, walking confidently, since appearing lost or confused can make you weak and easily damaged. If you are lost, walk into a shop or restaurant and ask for directions there. Try to avoid obviously looking at maps in the street.

7 . These are the top experiences, tours, and activities, according to a new travel report. Add them to your list.

A half-day boat tour offers guests the chance to visit three of the most famous destinations in the Venetian Lagoon, from the master glassblowers of Murano to the beautiful Byzantine churches of Torcello to the splashy-hued houses along the rivers of Burano.

Beautiful hills, vineyards, unusual towns, and delicious food — it’s hard not to fall in love with Tuscany. Leave from Florence for a full-day guided sightseeing tour of the countryside. Enjoy lunch at a farm and excellent wine. Get an eyeful of ancient architecture in San Gimignano. Learn about the history of horse racing in Siena. 

Rome has so many important places that it’s near impossible to pack them all into a single stay. The solution? A bus tour fits all the top attractions into a scenic and convenient two-hour ride, complete with on-board narration. Want to save even more valuable vacation time? Upgrade (升级) to VIP entrance tickets. You’ll also want to add these lesser-know secret treasures (宝藏) of Rome to your journey.

There’s no shortage of activities in the Big Apple, but the Empire State Building remains at the top of the list. From the Art Deco-inspired hall to the 86th-floor observatory, which shows off breathtaking 360-degree landscape of the city, this landmark continues to thrill visitors and New Yorkers alike. So it should come as no surprise that express passes are such a hot thing.

8 . It’s annoying to meet someone who likes to boast about how many places he has been to. But it’s true that to some people, traveling is all about the number of places one has been to.     1     Thoughtful tourists can get even more out of their traveling experience.

Transformative travel

Transformative travel is much like “experiential travel”. But takes it a step further.     2     You go to a place that has a very different background, you learn wisdom from the new culture and the people you meet, and finally you return home and apply the knowledge to your own life and the lives of those around you. This last phase is what separates transformative travel from experiential travel.

    3    

According to Lonely Planet, eco-friendly and sustainable travel will be one of the top trends. One way to plan a green trip is to travel a shorter distance, which can reduce your carbon footprint.     4     Another way to involve sustainability in your travel plans is to choose a destination that will benefit from your trip. For example, places like Nepal will enjoy a boost to its local economy from the money it will make through tourism.

Disappearing destinations

Destinations at risk of disappearing are also welcoming an increasing number of tourists. The Arctic and Antarctic have both become popular destinations since they are under threat of climate change. Another top destination is the Great Barrier Reef. Due to pollution and global warming, it’s believed that it will be seriously damaged in just a few decades.     5    

9 . Since vacation season is over, it’s time to start thinking about ways to improve your travel literacy — your ability to get around without looking like a foolish tourist — before your next trip.

Read a book.

The right travel book can educate and inspire. “Good writing helps me to look at my surroundings with new eyes,” says Martha Merritt, dean of international education at the University of Richmond. A book about travel is not necessarily a travel guidebook. It can simply be a book — fiction or nonfiction — about a place.

Find your attractive group on social media.

That’s what Tiffany Burnette, who runs a design company in Philadelphia, does between trips. She spends time on Facebook’s travel groups connecting with new friends and learning new travel skills.

Learn a language.

“I spend 15 to 20 minutes each day working on my basic language skills so that I can at least show respect,” says Jeff Wilson, the host of “Real Rail Adventures” on PBS, “Phrases like ‘please,’ ‘thank you,’ counting and asking basic travel questions.” Michelle Williams, who has traveled to more than 50 countries, says, “An app like Duolingo is a great way to improve your language skills before you travel.”

While these tools could make you a smarter traveler, only one thing is guaranteed to improve your travel literacy. You have to get out of your seat. You can start your journey by visiting your travel agent from the United States Tour Operators.