Passage: When Tom planned a holiday to England, he wrote to a friend in London, asking him to meet him at the airport. The friend replied that he would be there. However, when Tom arrived, his friend was nowhere to be seen. Surprised, Tom wandered around for a while and, feeling a slight headache, went into the restaurant for a cup of strong black coffee. Feeling better, he bought some magazines and sat in the lounge, though he began to get a little worried about his friend’s absence. Just as he started reading, his friend finally arrived with a young lady and apologised for being late. He explained that he had first arranged to meet the young lady at six o’clock outside the underground station near his home. Since she was unfamiliar with the underground, she accidentally boarded a train going in the wrong direction. The train was crowded, and she could not see the station names, so she traveled several stops before realising her mistake. By the time she corrected it and reached the correct station, she was about forty-five minutes late. This delay caused Tom’s friend to be late to the airport as well. Question: What is the central theme of the passage?

1. The challenges of traveling in a foreign country
2. The insignificance of punctuality and planning
3. Misunderstandings and small mistakes cause delays
4. The excitement of meeting friends after the journey