Episode 28: The Seven-Hour Road Trip Drive — 5,000 Core English Words

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Chapter twenty-eight. How do we get there?

The mountain town is seven hours away by road. Ryan and Emma could fly to the nearest city and rent a car, or they could simply drive their own. Tonight they sit down with a piece of paper and do the calculation.

Listen to how they compare two plans, how to ask about renting a car, and how to talk to a mechanic before a long trip.

Emma: Let's be rational about this. Seven hours is a considerable distance. Should we fly instead?

Ryan: I looked. There's a flight every morning, with a departure at seven. It takes an hour and ten minutes. But the airport isn't in the mountains. It's two hours away. We'd have to rent a car anyway.

Emma: How much are the tickets?

Ryan: Two hundred and forty each, plus baggage. So about five hundred and fifty for both of us.

Emma: And the rental?

Ryan: I'll call them and confirm. But the figure online was sixty dollars a day. For ten days, that's six hundred.

Emma: So eleven hundred and fifty to fly, before we pack a bag. And to drive?

Ryan: Gas is about a hundred and twenty for the round trip, and maybe twenty in tolls on the highway.

Emma: That's exactly a thousand dollars less.

Ryan: Roughly ninety percent less. It isn't even close.

Emma: Then why are we still talking?

Ryan: Because seven hours is a long time in a car, and I'm the guy who has to drive it.

Emma: We'll switch every two hours. I'll take the straight parts, and you take the narrow mountain roads.

Ryan: You take the mountain roads. You're the brave one.

Agent: Good afternoon, City Car Rental. How may I help you?

Ryan: Hi. I'd like to ask about renting a car for ten days, next month, from the regional airport.

Agent: Certainly. What size of vehicle are you looking for? We have compact, mid-size, SUV, and a van.

Ryan: A compact is fine. It's just two of us.

Agent: For ten days, a compact is fifty-eight dollars a day. That's the basic rate.

Ryan: What does that include?

Agent: It includes unlimited mileage and basic insurance coverage. You can extend the coverage for fifteen dollars a day. That covers any damage, with no excess.

Ryan: And are there any other fees?

Agent: There's an airport service fee of forty dollars, and tax. If you return the car to a different location, there's a transfer charge.

Ryan: What do I need to bring?

Agent: A valid driver's license, a credit card in your name, and one other form of identification.

Ryan: Thank you. That's very clear. I'll think about it and call you back.

Agent: No problem at all. Have a good day.

Emma: Well?

Ryan: With the insurance and the fees, it's nearly eight hundred. We drive.

The next morning, Ryan takes the car to a garage near his office. He wants an honest opinion before a long trip.

Mechanic: Morning. What can I do for you?

Ryan: Hi. I'm driving about seven hours next week, into the mountains. Could you take a look at my car and make sure it's ready?

Mechanic: Sure. When was your last service?

Ryan: About a year ago. Maybe more.

Mechanic: Then you're due for an oil change. Is it making any noise? Any warning lights?

Ryan: There's a noise when I brake. A kind of high sound. And it pulls a little to the left.

Mechanic: That could be the brake pads. I'll check them, and the tires. On mountain roads, that's critical. If the brake fluid is old, I'll need to bleed the system and put in new fluid.

Ryan: How long will it take?

Mechanic: Leave it with me today. I'll call you with a price before I do anything. It should be ready by five.

Ryan: Do you have a rough idea of the cost?

Mechanic: Oil, pads, and a check of everything, somewhere around three hundred. If I find anything else, I'll tell you. I won't modify or replace a thing without asking.

Ryan: I appreciate the honesty. Can I get a ride to my office?

Mechanic: It's a ten-minute walk. Or I can lend you a bicycle.

At four thirty, the phone rings.

Mechanic: Mr. Johnson? Your car's ready. It was the pads, like I thought. The tires are fine, but one was low on air. I also changed a light at the back. Your total is two hundred and eighty-five dollars.

Ryan: That's great. Thank you. I'll be there in twenty minutes.

Emma: So the car is healthy.

Ryan: The car is in better shape than I am. He's a good mechanic. Seriously honest. There's no advertising on his wall, just a picture of his dog.

Emma: And how do we fill seven hours?

Ryan: I've made a plan. An introduction, a middle, and an end.

Emma: Naturally.

Ryan: Hours one and two: the highway. Flat, fast, boring. We listen to that comedian you like, the one with the accent.

Emma: She's not a comedian. She's a distinguished actress and director who tells stories. Her fame is quite serious.

Ryan: She makes me laugh. Then, hour three: we stop somewhere for lunch. There's a rural town with a castle and a stone tower. Well, a small one.

Emma: A castle! On this continent?

Ryan: A rich man built it a century ago. He wanted to feel abroad without going overseas, across the ocean. It's a public park now.

Emma: That fascinates me. And then?

Ryan: Hours four and five: the road follows a river, and crosses a long bridge. After that it gets dramatic. Hours six and seven are the mountain. Shallow curves at first, then real ones. We go at our own pace.

Emma: It sounds beautifully planned. Rather too planned.

Ryan: I can't help it. My objective is zero surprises.

Emma: The majority of good things are surprises, Ryan.

Ryan: I know. I married one. But the depth of my love for a plan is technological. I'm a product of my job.

Emma: Could we have taken a train? I like rail travel.

Ryan: There's no express, only a slow service with two changes. Nine hours in transit.

Emma: And no cruise ship up a mountain.

Ryan: No cruise, no cruiser, no deck, no port. No helicopter either, though a company does charter one for people with a lot of money. We'd have to declare ourselves rich.

Emma: When I have a pension and a fleet of grandchildren, I'll take the helicopter.

Ryan: Until then, we embark in a ten-year-old car with new brakes.

Emma: I'll pack the food. You're not allowed to buy gas station sandwiches.

Ryan: It's my cultural duty. Every road trip needs one bad sandwich.

Emma: That's avoidable. Wherever we stop, I'll have something better. Trust my leadership.

Ryan: I do. I'll contribute the music, and the money for gas. You finance the snacks. It's a united effort.

Emma: A modern marriage. Domestic goods on one side, cargo on the other, and nothing on the back burner.

That is the end of chapter twenty-eight. They did the math, asked about a rental, and chose their own car, with new brakes.

Keep these with you: "What does that include?" "Are there any other fees?" "Could you take a look at my car?" "How long will it take?" "Do you have a rough idea of the cost?"

In the next chapter, there is a suitcase on the bed and a long list on the fridge. It is time to pack.

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