Speed and comfort

People travelling long distances frequently have to decide whether they would prefer to go (1) b________ land, sea, or air. Hardly anyone can positively enjoy sitting in a train for more than a few hours. Train compartments soon get cramped and stuffy. It is almost impossible to take your mind off the journey. Reading is only a partial (2)s________, for the monotonous rhythm of the wheels clicking on the rails soon lulls you (3) t________ sleep. During the day, sleep comes (4) i________ snatches. At night, when you really wish to go to sleep, you rarely manage to do so. If you are (5) l________ enough to get a sleeper, you spend half the night staring at the small blue light in the ceiling, or fumbling to find your passport when you (6) c________ a frontier. Inevitably you arrive (7) a________ your destination almost exhausted. Long car journeys are even less pleasant, for it is quite impossible even to read. On motorways you can, at least, travel fairly safely at (8) h________ speeds, but more often than (9) n________, the greater part of the journey is spent (10) o________ narrow, bumpy roads which are crowded (11) w________ traffic. By comparison, ferry trips or cruises offer a great variety of civilized comforts. You can stretch your legs (12) o________ the spacious decks, play (13) g________, meet interesting people and enjoy good food—always assuming, of course, (14) t________ the sea is calm. If it is not, and you are likely to get seasick, no form of (15) t________could be worse. Even if you travel in ideal weather, sea journeys take a long time. Relatively few people are prepared to sacrifice up to a third of their (16) h________ for the pleasure of travelling by sea.

Aeroplanes have the reputation of being (17) d________ and even hardened travellers are intimidated by them. They also have the disadvantage of being the most (18) e________ form of transport. But nothing can match them for (19) s________ and comfort. Travelling at a height of 30,000 feet, far above the clouds, and at over 500 miles an hour is an exhilarating experience. You do not have to devise ways of taking your mind (20) o________ the journey, for an aeroplane gets you (21) t________ your destination rapidly. For a few hours, you settle back in a deep armchair to enjoy the (22) f________. The real escapist can (23) w________ a film and sip champagne on some services. But even when such refinements are not (24) a________, there is plenty to keep you occupied. An aeroplane offers you an unusual and breathtaking view of the world. You soar effortlessly over high mountains and (25) d________ valleys. You really see the shape of the (26) l________. If the landscape is hidden from view, you can enjoy the extraordinary sight of unbroken cloud plains that stretch out for miles before you, while the sun shines brilliantly in a clear sky. The journey is so smooth that there is nothing to (27) p________you from reading or sleeping. However you decide to spend your (28) t________, one thing is certain: you will arrive at your (29) d________ fresh and uncrumpled. You will (30) n________ have to spend the next few days recovering from a long and arduous journey.