Amanda: Hi, Jack. Long time no see.
Jack: Oh, hi, Amanda. It's good to see you. You look great.
Amanda: Thank you very much. How are you getting on?
Jack: Not bad, thanks. I've just come back from my backpacking trip around Asia.
Amanda: Really? It sounds exciting. How long were you there?
Jack: I was there for two months only. I wish I had spent more time there, really. Two months isn't enough to see everything there. You need at least five months, I think. But I didn't have so much time and so much money, sorry to say.
Amanda: Well, two months is better than nothing, right? Which places did you visit? I bet you've been everywhere.
Jack: Well, I started with Bangkok, and then I went to Vietnam and Hong Kong. I also visited royal palaces and national parks in South Korea, and climbed to the summit of Mount Fuji in Japan.
Amanda: You're so lucky. Where did you stay on your tour?
Jack: I couldn't afford any expensive accommodation — after all, I'm only a student, remember? So I stayed mainly in cheap hostels, along with a lot of other young people.
Amanda: You must have made many friends then.
Jack: Kind of. We may never meet ever again, but we had a very good time together there and then.
Amanda: How did you travel?
Jack: When I arrived in a city, I mainly used public transport. It's quite good in most Asian countries. At least it was in my experience. Of course, I took planes to go from one country to another.
Amanda: Did you have any problems while travelling? There are lots of frightening stories in travel blogs, you know.
Jack: Well, I was afraid about the language barrier, but it wasn't a problem at all. Most people seem to understand English and can speak it at least a little. That was enough for me. Maybe my only big problem was the insects.
Amanda: So, how do you feel on coming back to London?
Jack: You know, Amanda, once you've got the travel bug, it becomes very hard to stay in one place for too long. I've got itchy feet now. I wish I could go travelling again.
Amanda: Well, Jack, maybe next summer. The new academic year starts in two weeks.
Jack: Yeah, I know. Look, Amanda, I've got to go now. But if you wish to learn more about my adventures, we can have dinner together. How about tomorrow evening?
Amanda: Sounds good to me. I'd love to learn more about your adventures. Give me a ring so that we can agree about the restaurant and the exact time.
Jack: I will. Bye for now.
Amanda: Bye.