📙 Part 2: Describe an adventure you would like to go on

This episode's vocabulary

Notion (noun) - a belief or idea.

Terrain (noun) - an area of land, when considering its natural features.

To dot (verb) - to be spread across an area, or to spread many similar things across an area.

To bring something about (phrasal verb) - to cause something to happen.

To sidestep (verb) - to avoid something.

Modification (noun) - a change to something, usually to improve it.

Flight of fancy (idiom) - an idea that shows a lot of imagination but is not practical.

Questions and Answers

M: Rory, hello, are you here?

R: I'm here. I'm ready. Are you ready?

M: Yes, tell us about an adventure you want to go on.

R: Oh, it's a bit of a wild notion. But I'd quite like to recreate the trip that Che Guevara took around South and Latin America. I think he did it in the 50s or the 60s, and covered most of the western half of South America. From, well, from south to north. All on a motorbike. How cool is that? My knowledge of geography is rubbish. But I'm sure the route includes Chile, Peru, Colombia, and Venezuela. They're on the same continent. But I'm pretty sure the terrain is rather diverse since there are mountain ranges, rain forests, and I'm pretty sure there's a desert in Chile as well, now I think about it. When it comes to who I would go with, I doubt anyone would be mad enough to try it with me. But luckily, I have a few friends dotted around that part of the world. So I suppose I could stop off to visit them. As for when I'd do this, I've absolutely no idea, if it'll ever happen. For one thing, I'd have to learn to ride a motorbike again. And for another, I don't know when I'd have the time. If I ever become a millionaire, maybe I could try it out then. As for the why behind it all, I wouldn't say I was a huge fan of Che Guevara or anything but he definitely had a fascinating life. And I think going off on a trip like that would bring about a closer understanding of his life and times. And if not, the very least, it's a great chance to see and experience all the unique cultures from that part of the continent. He did sidestep Brazil, though, which is probably a modification I would make as all the people I've met from there are, well, they always highly recommend to visit. However, it's a fun flight of fancy in my more boring moments. Hopefully one day I'll get, well, get to try at least part of it out in person. But if I don't, I don't I'll be terribly upset about the whole thing. I've already been on quite a few adventures.

M: And what could your friends say about this?

R: I imagined they'd be quite surprised because I have never mentioned this before in my entire life.

M: Thank you, Rory, for your story!

Discussion

M: What a topic, dear listener! So describe an adventure. An adventure you'd like to go on. So we go on an adventure. And this is about the future. So something you'd like to do in the future. An adventure could be a holiday, a trip you'd like to take. I think the easiest option would be to go for a trip. Like I'd like to go to Zimbabwe, to go on a safari, to go diving. You know, something maybe like extreme. Even if you don't want to do this, just talk about this. Rory chose an interesting topic. He said, I'd quite like to recreate the trip that Che Guevara took around South and Latin America. Che Guevara, you know, Che Guevara, Cuba. Well, maybe you know that Che Guevara, before his political career, he just took a bike and he travelled around South and Latin America.

R: He was a doctor, wasn't he?

M: Yeah, kind of a male nurse, I think. And I was actually in his house in Argentina, when Che Guevara was a kid, he lived in Argentina in a small town, which is called Alta Gracia in Argentina. And now there's a museum there with a collection of his personal things. And this motorbike he used to travel around South and Latin America is also there, in this house. And I saw it.

R: That's amazing.

M: Amazing. Yeah. A lovely house that is. So he took this trip. Che Guevara. On his motorbike, by bike. And Rory wants to recreate this trip. So you can talk about a trip you'd like to go on. So go on a trip or take this trip. Or you like to travel around, I don't know, the Fiji Islands. Rory tells us that my knowledge of geography is rubbish. So I don't know geography. My knowledge of history is rubbish. Rubbish is like very poor.

R: I recovered though, I said but I'm sure. Well, I should have said I think I'm sure.

M: You mentioned the route, the path, the trip includes Chile, Peru, Colombia, Venezuela. And you talked about the terrain. So the land, which is diverse, different, because or since there are mountain ranges. So mountains, rain forests, so there are like different kinds of landscape, yeah? Maybe even a desert in Chile?

R: There is a desert in Chile, I'm pretty sure. But I think it's in the South. I don't think he actually went there.

M: Well, you know, who knows? Che Guevara. He was a tough cookie.

R: That's like really underselling it.

M: Why?

R: I don't know. It's just like he was a tough cookie like, well, yes, also, he was like a revolutionary that liberated millions of people from oppression and blew up trains and things.

M: Well, yeah. No, but he was tough. Like there are stories about him eating other people.

R: Oh, wow. Okay. I didn't know about that.

M: Well, yeah, there's all like this dark stuff around him.

R: When he was in Bolivia, he was there with a Russian person as well. She was a KGB agent, and she was dying of cancer while they were surrounded by the Bolivian army, it was mental. Just all the things that happened back then.

M: Yeah, guys, if you are ever in South America or even Cuba, yeah, when I went to Cuba, we also went to the museum. And I read a lot of Che Guevara, like interesting stuff. Really interesting stuff. When it comes to who I'd go with. A nice transition to the moment when you start speaking about another topic. So when it comes to. When it comes to when I'd like to go, I want to travel in January. When it comes to who I'd like to go with, I'd love to go with my husband or wife or alone. So we go there with somebody. And Rory told us that I doubt anyone would be mad to try it with me. And we are using would. I'd love to go, I would love to go or it would be great if I could go with my family. Or no one would ever want to do this with me. Yeah? But luckily, like I have some luck, luckily, I have a few friends dotted around South America. What did you mean by this?

R: Just they're living in different places randomly around that part of the world.

M: Yeah. So when Rory finds himself in South America, he can meet up with some friends. And they can rent some motorbikes and go Che Guevara style. So I suppose I could stop off to visit them. So I suppose, I think, I could stop off. Just like, stop for a while to visit some of my friends in South America. Another transition, as for when I'd love to do this... So previously, we used like, when it comes to who I'd like to go with, I want to go with my boyfriend or girlfriend. As for when I'd love to do this, I have absolutely no idea.

R: Well, when am I going to find the time to do that? I'm busy.

M: Yeah, Rory's busy. He's podcasting. He's doing his Delta.

R: I'm busy. Like I'm, I'm, I'm in Turkey now and recording the podcast and doing an insanely difficult English language teaching course. When am I going to have the time to go to South America?

M: So you can say that I have absolutely no idea. So I don't really know. So I don't know, like if it'll ever happen, so maybe it won't happen. I don't know when I would have the time. So when I'd have the time, I'd, I would. I don't know when I'd have the time. Because I'm busy now. And if I ever have money, or if I ever become a millionaire, I could try it out. Yeah? So I could buy a motorbike and try it out. So actually do it. So a very nice conditional sentence, a real conditional. So Rory thinks like he can become a millionaire, right? So if I ever become a millionaire, if I ever become a millionaire, I could try it out.

R: Should I change it to if I ever became a millionaire?

M: No, no, it's real. Come on. And then a nice transition to the reasons. So why you'd like to go on this adventure. To go on this adventure. As for the why behind it all, as for the reasons behind why I want to do this, I wouldn't say I was a huge fan of Che Guevara. So Rory isn't a huge fan of Che Guevara. He doesn't like him much or he doesn't dislike him much. But Che Guevara had a fascinating life and really he did. Che Guevara made this trip when he was very young. How old was he?

R: I think he was like in his 30s or 20s or something.

M: No I think he's twenty like... Epic motorcycle trip. And actually this trip turned Che Guevara into this revolutionary.

R: Yeah. Well, I think he saw like higher countries there were being exploited and decided that he would try to overthrow the regime, which is what you do when you go on holiday, really. You come to that conclusion.

M: There we go, he was 23 years old. A medical student. Ernesto Rafael Che Guevara...

R: Oh, wow.

M: Started his motorcycle trip. Yeah, amazing.

R: But we're never coming to the end of our trip through the language.

M: So to go off on a trip like that. Or go on a holiday like this. To make this trip. And it's a great chance to see and experience all the unique cultures. Like it's a great chance to see other people experience all the unique cultures. To kind to feel them, to see them.

R: There's loads. It's not just like the mainstream cultures and the countries though. If you go to Peru, then I think you could meet... Oh, I'm gonna screw this up. Is it Mayan people in Peru?

M: Incas.

R: Incas. I'm sorry. I don't know much about... Like, I know, there's indigenous cultures, but I'm rubbish with the names.

M: Yeah. Inca. Inca culture. Yeah. And one modification that Rory would make. Modification means change. So I would make one change to the trip. And Rory would like to include Brazil. Because Che Guevara, I think, he didn't go to Brazil, but we're not sure.

R: Well, I don't think he could. He didn't speak Portuguese. And also, I think Brazil was under a military dictatorship at that time. So I don't think they would've like to have Che Guevara running around.

M: Brazil. Carnaval, he-hey! What did you mean, when you said it's a fun flight of fancy?

R: It just means that it's something that you daydream about when you're bored. A flight of fancy.

M: It's a flight of fancy. So I'm kind of dreaming, I'm making things up. Oh, where I'd like to go on, let's kind of daydream. So it's a fun flight of fancy. But hopefully, one day, I'll get to try it. So I could try it out. Or I'll get to try it one day. And then we finish off with a conditional. If I don't do it. I won't be terribly upset. Or Rory told us if I don't, I doubt I'll be terribly upset.

R: Yeah. I've done lots of things in my life. It's time to calm down. I say this while I'm sitting in Turkey doing this insane course.

M: And you can say that I've already been on a lot of adventures. So that's enough for me. Present Perfect. I've already been on a lot of adventures. You can say like I am an adventurous person, I am not an adventurous person. What other synonyms we can use like for to go on an adventure? Or to have this adventure?

R: Oh, I have no idea. People who are wild at heart. To crave adventure.

M: Yeah, I crave adventure. I want adventure. I'm a daredevil. I kind of do all these crazy things. Jump from a helicopter or snowboards in different red zones. On Elbrus or the Everest.

R: But let's save some vocabulary for when we talk about adventures in part three. There's some good stuff out there too.

M: Thank you so much for listening! Choose your adventure. And we'll get back to you in speaking part three. Bye!

R: Bye!

Make sure to subscribe to our social media to see some of the “behind the scenes” stuff:

Our Instagram: bit.ly/instagramswi

Our Telegram: bit.ly/telegramswi