Hiking
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Steven
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Todd
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Todd: So, Steven, what do you like to do in your free time?
Steven: Um, free time. Well, I would just love to have some free time, occasionally I have some free time and well, I love to go hiking. Ah, I live in Japan in Kyuushuu and there are some beautiful mountains quite nearby to where I live so sometimes I go, I go hiking in the mountains.
Todd: Well, actually, I love hiking and I am new to Kyuushuu (Right) I just moved here, so can you tell me where I should go hiking. What are the best spots?
Steven: Right, well, there's one range of mountains in Kuju. One of the mountains is called Nakadake, which means central peak, I believe, and that is actually the highest, the highest peak, the highest mountain on mainland Kyuushuu. There is one higher mountain on an island near Kagoshima but on mainland Kyuushuu that's the highest peak and it's quite a challenge and there are some beautiful views from that mountain.
Todd: Wow! Is it a day hike? Can I hike it in one day?
Steven: Oh, sure. It takes about three hours to go up and the descent takes about two hours.
It takes about two hours to come back down.
Todd: Oh, that's great well, we live on Beppu and Beppu is on the coast. It's on the ocean, so how can
I get to the mountain. Unfortunately, I don't have a car, so can I take the train or a bus?
Steven: Um, I'm not absolutely sure. I've only ever been by car myself. Um, I don't believe there's a train that
stops by the mountain but you can certainly get closer than you are now by train, and then you can perhaps
take a bus or even a taxi from a town closer by. I don't know. I'm sorry.
Todd: Oh, that's OK. Well, you know, I've never done it before, but I hear that it's safe
to hitchhike in Japan. Is that true?
Steven: Oh, absolutely. Yep. Yep. The crime rate in Japan is so low. You'd have to be incredibly
unlucky to have any problems hitchhiking
Todd: And will people stop and pick me up?
Steven: Ah, that I don't know.
Todd: Maybe I'll have to give it a try. OK, thanks a lot.
Steven: You're welcome.
free time
Occasionally, I have some free time, so I go hiking.
Your 'free time' is time that you don't have anything you have to do. You can use this time for things you enjoy doing. Notice the following:
- His favorite thing to do in his free time is read.
- She works three jobs, so she doesn't have a lot of free time.
nearby
There are some beautiful mountains quite nearby to where I live.
'Nearby' is another way of saying 'close.' Notice the following:
- Are there any public pools nearby where we could go for a swim?
- There are many great restaurants nearby.
a day hike
Is it a day hike? Can I hike it in one day?
A 'day hike' is a walk in nature that is a distance that can be completed in a day. Notice the following:
- Cusco is a great place to take day hikes.
- Is everything ready for our day hike tomorrow?
hitchhike
I've never done it before, but I hear that it's safe to hitchhike in Japan.
When you 'hitchhike,' you travel by catching a ride with random people on the highway. Usually, you show these people that you are looking for a ride by putting out your thumb. Notice the following:
- In the 1960s, hitchhiking was a popular method of travel.
- Now, hitchhiking isn't very popular, because it is dangerous.
incredibly unlucky
You'd have to be incredibly unlucky to have any problems hitchhiking.
If you are 'incredibly unlucky,' it means that something happens to you that would happen to almost nobody. The chances of it happening are very, very low. Notice the following:
- I can't believe that happened to you. That's incredibly unlucky.
- It is incredibly unlucky that you got a flat tire on this road. It was just resurfaced a week ago.
Vocabulary Quiz
hitchhike • unlucky
