Word on the street: Snowdon
Transcript
"Stephen and Ashlie arrive at the hotel in Snowdonia, but they don't have the same idea about how to relax!"
Stephen: Right, I think we’ve got everything.
Ashlie: Here, let me help you with that.
Stephen: No, it’s OK, I’ve got it.
Ashlie: We’re here in the beautiful mountains of Snowdonia in North Wales. We’re here for a short relaxing break. We’re going to put our feet up and have a complete rest for a couple of days. That’s right, isn’t it Stephen?
Stephen: Speak for yourself, Ash. Snowdonia is a great place for outdoor activities. You can go climbing, cycling, walking... I can’t wait to get out onto the mountains and get some fresh air. Come on Ash. Let’s check in.
Receptionist: Hi - Can I help you?
Ashlie: Hi, yes. We have a reservation for two nights.
Receptionist: OK, what’s the name, please?
Ashlie: Walker.
Receptionist: Walker. Is that Stephen and Ashlie?
Ashlie: Yes.
Receptionist: Two rooms for two nights?
Ashlie: Yes.
Receptionist: Can I just get you to fill this in, please?
Ashlie: Sure.
Stephen: Hey Ash, have you seen all these leaflets? There’s loads of stuff to do here. I’m going to hire a bike and ride to the top of the mountain. Do you want to come?
Ashlie: What, now? You’re joking, aren’t you?
Stephen: Yeah – take these, can I have my room key, please? Thank you. I’m going to go get changed. I’ll meet you back here in twenty minutes.
Ashlie: OK.
.....
Ashlie: OK, so I think I'll have the manicure, the pedicure...
Assistant: OK.
Ashlie: Oh, and I’ll have that Indian head massage, too. And can you just tell me, what’s the hot stones massage?
Assistant: Well, we use volcanic rock. You know, stones from a volcano; we heat them up and then we massage them over your body. It’s really relaxing.
Ashlie: Yeah, that sounds nice. Maybe I’ll have that, too. Oh, and I see you do treatments for men?
Assistant: Yeah, we do a lot of treatments for men.
Ashlie: Stephen doesn't know what he's missing.
.....
Ashlie: Look at you!
Stephen: It’s great, isn’t it? I’m all set to go. What are you going to do while I’m racing to the top of the mountain?
Ashlie: Well, I thought I might try this… It looks really relaxing and much better than cycling to the top of some old mountain.
Stephen: Yeah, it looks like hard work.
Ashlie: Go on you, get going. Have a good time – and call me later.
Stephen: Bye.
Ashlie: Bye.
.....
Ashlie: This is just so relaxing.
.....
Ashlie: Hello.
Stephen: Hi, Ashlie.
Ashlie: Hi, Stephen. How are you doing?
Stephen: I’m... exhausted. I can hardly speak.
Ashlie: Me too. This is lovely. I’m so relaxed.
Stephen: Ah, this is really tough. I’ve got a long way to go but I'm going to make it to the top.
Ashlie: OK, then – well you just take it easy.
Stephen: Yeah, alright.
Ashlie: OK, see you later.
Stephen: OK, bye!
Ashlie: Snowden Mountain Railway. I think he’ll see me sooner than he thinks!
"Ashlie surprises Stephen by beating him to the top of the mountain."
Ashlie: Hi. Can I have a return ticket, please?
Ticket Seller: Yes, of course you can.
Ashlie: Brilliant. How much is that?
Ticket Seller: Twenty-five pounds, please.
Ashlie: Great. Thank you. Twenty-five. And when is the next train?
Ticket Seller: Four o’clock.
Ashlie: Four p.m. Thank you very much.
Ticket Seller: Thank you.
Ashlie: This is the Snowdon Mountain Railway. Now, this train goes all the way from here, up to the top of the mountain. It’s a steam train so it is quite slow but I’m sure I’ll get to the top before Stephen. Now, I must take some photos.
Train Driver: Yeah – that looks good – nice one! OK then?
Ashlie: Thank you. That’s lovely. Are you the train driver?
Train Driver: Yes, I drive these locomotives and I’ve done so for about 29 years now.
Ashlie: So how long does it take to get to the top?
Train Driver: Just under an hour.
Ashlie: Under an hour? It must be pretty high then. How high is it?
Train Driver: It's about 1000 metres and it is the highest mountain in England and Wales. And it gets very cold there as well, so if I were you, I’d wear something a little warmer!
Ashlie: Don’t worry, I've got a big coat.
Train Man: That’s good.
Ashlie: Thank you.
Train Man: You’re welcome, bye.
Ashlie: What an amazing train!
.....
Stephen: Ashlie! What are you doing here? How did you get here?
Ashlie: Oh, hiya Stephen. What an amazing place. You know, it’s a shame about the view though.
Stephen: What an amazing place? How did you get here?
Ashlie: Well, I got the train, of course. You know, it’s much easier than cycling.
Stephen: You got the train!? You mean to say while I’ve been riding up the mountain all afternoon, you….
Ashlie: Oh, and I also got a spa treatment. Look, aren’t they lovely?
Stephen: You’re unbelievable!
Ashlie: You look exhausted, Stephen. Come on, shall we go and get a coffee or a sandwich or something?
Stephen: A sandwich? You’re on the top of a mountain! It isn’t some kind of High Street, you know.
Ashlie: Follow me.
.....
Stephen: Just what we needed; a café at the top of the mountain.
Ashlie: OK, what are you having, Stephen?
Stephen: Hmm. I’ll have a coffee and one of these, a cheese sandwich.
Ashlie: I think I’ll have the soup and I’ll have a hot chocolate.
Waiter: Hi there. Can I take your order, please?
Ashlie: Yes please, I’ll have a soup and a hot chocolate and he’ll have a cheese sandwich and a coffee, please.
Waiter: Can I get you anything else?
Stephen: Yes, I was just wondering – it must be fun working here on the mountain. But how do you get to work everyday – you don’t cycle, do you?
Waiter: No, we don’t. There’s an early train, a special train for all the staff who need to come up every morning.
Stephen: And what happens when the weather gets really bad? Do you ever get stuck up here?
Waiter: We do, we do get stuck sometimes. If the weather turns really bad, there’s accommodation for the staff to stay overnight.
Stephen: Sounds cosy!
Waiter: Very cosy indeed. I’ll just get your order for you now.
Ashlie: Great, thank you very much. See, you should have got the train.
.....
Stephen: Right. Time to make a move. It should be easier going downhill.
Ashlie: It’s easy for me. I’m going to catch the last train home. In fact, I wonder what time the last train is…
Stephen: Ashlie, is it a small red and green train? Like that one?
Ashlie: Oh, no! Wait! Ah, Stephen I’ve missed the last train!
Stephen: Come on Ash, jump on. I'll give you a lift! You on?
Ashlie: Not too fast!
"Carmen talks to a white-water rafting expert and a parkour enthusiast."
Extreme sports are popular all over the UK. Not just in the mountains of Snowdonia or Scotland. But what attracts people to these sports? Is it adventure or danger?
People who enjoy fast and dangerous sports, like white-water rafting, are called thrill seekers or adrenalin junkies.
I’m at the National Water Sports Centre in Nottingham in the centre of England and this is the white-water course. Seven hundred metres of foaming water with drops or rapids. And the skill is to stay afloat in the rough water.
I’m here to meet Pas Blackwell, a white-water rafting expert, and to find out why so many people enjoy the thrills and spills of this extreme sport.
Carmen: Hi, Pas.
Pas: Hi, Carmen.
Carmen: So this is a specially built course, but you raft on rapids all around the world. What do you most enjoy about white-water rafting?
Pas: I really enjoy being outdoors and on the water. I really enjoy the freedom of just you and nature and I really enjoy the challenge.
Carmen: So why do people like dangerous sports?
Pas: I think people like to push themselves - to see how far they can go – to really test themselves, against the elements, water and air.
Carmen: So, are you an adrenalin junkie?
Pas: I don’t think of myself as an adrenalin junkie, but I do really enjoy the rush of trying to get from the top to the bottom and get through situations that occur out on the river.
.....
In the countryside there are lots of wide open spaces and lots of extreme sports to choose from. But what do adrenalin junkies do in the city? Well, parkour, sometimes called free running, is becoming popular in London.
Parkour started in France. And the idea is to get from one place to the other as fast as possible; jumping and climbing over whatever is in the way. So I’ve come to a parkour class in West London to find out what it’s all about. Rebecca Ahmed has been doing parkour for more than a year.
Carmen: So Rebecca, why do you like parkour?
Rebecca: It’s really fun, it’s original and it keeps me fit. That’s why I come.
Carmen: Do you need any special equipment?
Rebecca: Not really, we just use what’s around us like steps, railings and trees, but as long as you’ve got a good pair of trainers, you’re fine
Carmen: Is it difficult?
Rebecca: I wouldn’t say it’s difficult – it’s more about the fear. If you’re not scared you can do it.
I’m not sure I’ve got the balance for parkour. Extreme sports can be dangerous, but they’re also lots of fun.