travel/journey

[Lenka]

Last year my uncly went on a very interesting travel in South America.

It is said that "travel" should be replaced with "journey" because travel never takes "a". I just don't understand why!
The indefinite article is connected with the adjective (as in "a merry Christmas"), isn't it?

My second question is associated with the preposition used in front of "South America". Why isn't "to" or "into" used instead?

[rewboss]

As a noun, you cannot use "travel" to mean the same as "journey". Sometimes you will see "travels" (in the plural) to mean generally travelling around, but not for a specific journey, as here.

"In" implies that your uncle didn't just travel to South America, he actually went on a long journey and saw quite a lot of South America.

[Lenka]

Thanks.

[Humble]

Hi, Lenka,
Travel is uncountable, that's why no article. Besides, it's a matter of collocations: go on a journey, tour, trip, voyage, cruise.

Cheers

[Lenka]

Originally Posted by Humble

Hi, Lenka,
Travel is uncountable, that's why no article. Besides, it's a matter of collocations: go on a journey, tour, trip, voyage, cruise.

Cheers

Well, but "Christmas" is also uncountable and you say "a merry Christmas".

[riverkid]

Originally Posted by Lenka

Well, but "Christmas" is also uncountable and you say "a merry Christmas".

Is 'Christmas' really uncountable?

In 1999, we had a great/lousy Christmas.

That was a dynamite Christmas we just had.

Maybe 'a Merry Christmas' and my use of Christmas is a shortened "Christmas season".

[Lenka]

Originally Posted by riverkid

Is 'Christmas' really uncountable?

In 1999, we had a great/lousy Christmas.

That was a dynamite Christmas we just had.

Maybe 'a Merry Christmas' and my use of Christmas is a shortened "Christmas season".

You are right... I was mistaken. I thought it was uncountable as I have never heard the (or an? which article should I use here?) expression "Christmases".
Anyway, according to this Cambridge Dictionaries Online - Cambridge University Press it is countable or uncountable. I just don't understand when (under which terms and circumstances) it is considered countable... How can I recognize it?