Shadowing Practice: I Tried Car Camping in an Extreme Storm - Learn English Speaking with Video
Creating lesson...
1
I'm a little bit sick right now because I just spent the night in the rainiest town in America.
2
But I didn't sleep in a hotel.
3
I slept in a car.
4
Ladies and gentlemen, here's the story of when I car camped in the rainiest town in America.
5
Let's go.
6
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the big island of Hawaii.
7
We are in Hilo, one of the rainiest cities in the world and the rainiest city in America.
8
And I got one very simple mission, ladies and gentlemen.
9
Survive the night camping in that car right there.
10
There's currently a flood watch going on right now.
11
In fact, if you look at my weather app, it literally shows, uh, like, every day raining.
12
Which, I mean, makes sense.
13
You know, rainiest town in America.
14
I get it.
15
But still, worth noting.
16
As you can tell, I'm a little unprepared.
17
But I'm prepared to get prepared.
18
You know what I mean?
19
So, before I tell you the plan or do anything else, let's go find a base camp that we can call home for the night.
20
What a time to be alive.
21
We're on an island right now.
22
You kidding me?
23
You kidding me?
24
So off I went in search of the perfect car camping location.
25
There was actually a spot I found using the satellite part of Google Maps that I was trying to find.
26
The only problem is I had no idea what to expect once I got there in person, which made me a little nervous.
27
But sure enough, I found the campsite just as the rain was starting to let up.
28
Perfect!
29
Okay guys, well I think I just successfully found the most beautiful car camping spot in the history of the known universe.
30
Like look where we are right now, are you kidding me?
31
I bought a drone to make this video feel a bit more epic.
32
I'm not sure how I feel about it.
33
Okay, that's enough of that.
34
I literally feel like I'm in Moana right now or Tarzan or I don't even know.
35
I don't even have words to describe it.
36
I'm just using Disney movies at this point.
37
Point is, it doesn't feel real.
38
But you know what does feel real?
39
My car camping survival game plan.
40
Now, the rain has let up for just a minute here, which is great so I can talk to you.
41
But more is on its way.
42
You can literally see the clouds coming off in the distance.
43
It looks like the rain is already coming back.
44
So I gotta tell you the plan quickly.
45
Goal number one, explore and get acquainted with this town and part of the island.
46
People have told me that there's waterfalls and caves and...
47
I even heard there's a 7-Eleven around here somewhere.
48
I know.
49
It's crazy.
50
I wanna see what the rainiest town in America is like.
51
Goal number two, get supplies to survive the night.
52
I came incredibly unprepared, I realized that.
53
And I've car camped in the past and been super unprepared.
54
But today, we're gonna change that and make sure we have everything that we need for an awesome night.
55
I'm talking snacks, I'm talking lights, I'm talking vibes, I'm talking...
56
Oreos.
57
Number three, I'm gonna set up camp and survive the night.
58
And fourth, if I can make it through the night, I want to wake up and I want to take a shower in a real life waterfall.
59
I don't know if it's possible, but I'm gonna try to make it possible.
60
But before we get on with our plan, I gotta give you guys a tour of my whip.
61
I said I gotta give you guys a tour of my whip.
62
First stop, we gotta show you the driver side.
63
No smoking, no eating, minimize sand.
64
But I don't see anything about no sleeping.
65
I also might break the eating rule. And the sand rule.
66
You don't have to worry about smoking.
67
Look how massive this screen is.
68
That thing is like the size of my face.
69
Second up, we got the back seat.
70
The cool part about the back seat is that these little guys...
71
fold down.
72
This is going to be a ton of space.
73
This folds down as well.
74
It's going to create a whole little platform here that we can use as a bed.
75
I know.
76
And last but not least, the trunk.
77
Now, this does come off, but I'm not going to be taking it off because it's about to start raining.
78
Pretty standard trunk, if you know what I mean.
79
And last but not least, look at that view.
80
Now that's gonna be a nice view to wake up to and it's starting to rain Like clockwork.
81
It was time to complete the first of our four goals So I set off to explore the island.
82
Now look I already know what you're thinking, Antonio Why are you doing this?
83
I have this super fond memory of my grandpa who was like my hero in life and myself
84
Sitting out on his front porch
85
while the rain was just coming down outside early in the morning
86
and funny enough that moment for me is like Peak safety, peak coziness and where I live it feels like it doesn't rain that much
87
So why not come here to the rainiest town in America
88
spend a little time camping in my car seems like a
89
logical next step I kept on hearing about this beautiful massive waterfall
90
So I decided
91
that is the first place I wanted to go check out the only sad part about this is
92
that I have to do it by myself because Hey, it's Chris.
93
I did not want you to come along From the middle of the road.
94
I hope you're okay with this.
95
I brought snacks.
96
Hey, I guess you're car camping with me everybody Welcome Chris.
97
I love that your name is on your shirt by the way Just in case you get confused.
98
The Weather Channel, Hawaii faces flood threat again as powerful bands of rain move in this week.
99
Wee!
100
I'm playing intense music now because this is how I was feeling headed to the waterfall.
101
It's crazy because it's literally just starting and stopping raining, starting and stopping raining just over and over and over again.
102
okay it's really starting to come down now oh dang the camera lens
103
but there's a waterfall down here somewhere that we were headed to hike
104
and find we are in straight rainforest right now It's just my favorite biome.
105
This place was absolutely beautiful
106
and I kind of felt like I was in a real-life video game heading to my checkpoint Oh my goodness, this is insane!
107
We're not even at the waterfall yet and this tree, I feel like it's about to start speaking to me.
108
God's creation 10 out of 10 God, 10 out of 10
109
I almost feel bad ruining this shot with my big head, but that is one of the most beautiful sights I've ever seen.
110
Our first stop in exploring this island was a success, but we weren't done yet.
111
Next stop, the caves.
112
all right guys down this way are some caves
113
so I hear they're pretty cool let's go explore
114
and see what they got we got to see why did I completely butcher the delivery of
115
that line does anybody know
116
what this animal is listen what is that Sounds like a Super Mario game.
117
Meanwhile, we have to go in here.
118
This is what?
119
40 year old dude.
120
Bro.
121
After a while, I realized how deep this cave was going to go and decided to make the executive decision to stop.
122
That's the entrance.
123
Look at that.
124
Yeah, we'd better get back.
125
I don't have any business in this cave.
126
I don't know what lies in this cave.
127
I also realized we were walking on hardened lava from a lava river that used to be used to flow through here.
128
All right, it's been real.
129
It's been a fun cave.
130
Guys, there's chickens under here.
131
You guys got to go.
132
You got to go.
133
We're moving the car.
134
I don't want any scrambled eggs, you know?
135
As we headed to explore our last stop, Chris uttered a profound statement.
136
It feels very rainy in here.
137
All right, so some of that exploring It may have had me a little bit uncomfortable, sure, but if there's one place that I'm in my element, it's a gas station.
138
And why not try the gas station in the rainiest city in America?
139
I'm gonna try to find some snacks for our car camping situation tonight just to make it a little bit more fun.
140
Stop judging- I can feel you judging me through the screen- Stop ju-
141
Now I can say I've been to the world's snowiest 7-Eleven, 7-Eleven and the world's rainiest one.
142
Maybe I should try and find the world's hottest
143
One of the rainiest towns on the planet has a Walmart
144
a couple of months ago I car camped in the world's snowiest town
145
and I literally did not get anything I needed
146
so I've learned from my mistake
147
and I'm coming to this Walmart with a long list of
148
things to make this car camping Experience way better than the last one.
149
Let's just do this to be safe Yes.
150
Things were going great until we ran into some bad news about our stove and food situation.
151
No more propane in the whole store.
152
It's all sold out.
153
Other places can we buy this?
154
It's because we had the storms.
155
Everybody's selling out all this stuff.
156
Oh really?
157
Looks like we might be having some cold food tonight.
158
Oh my goodness.
159
Get the wood ready.
160
Our plan for cooking dinner is going to have to change.
161
While we worked on a backup plan that might involve McDonald's, we kept on purchasing supplies.
162
So I made some friends here in Gilo.
163
What are your names?
164
Solana.
165
And you like that. And?
166
Kupa'a.
167
Kupa'a.
168
I then asked them what it's like living here in the rainiest town.
169
Instead of it raining for one day, it wants to rain for a month.
170
Oh, yeah.
171
And then we get sun for a month.
172
So the rain is good and sustainable for us.
173
We have no water, we have no showers, we have no toilets, we have no water.
174
So you guys own a business here?
175
Yes, I do.
176
Nice, what is it called?
177
It's called Imaimeo's Hawaiian Grand.
178
The Hawaiians can be naked actually from generations.
179
I just love sharing the aloha and the Hawaiians through money.
180
These guys were awesome.
181
Here's the restaurant so you can support their local business if you're ever in Hawaii.
182
Or show them love on instagram tell them tonio sent you all right guys we got all our items
183
now it's time to pick up dinner
184
thank you back secured let's go car camp baby and just like
185
that two out of our four goals were complete
186
but unfortunately the rain was coming but before that let me just say
187
when you're out here in the middle of nowhere living out
188
of your car last thing you want to worry about is your money situation
189
that my friends is where the sponsor of this video comes in revolute and
190
if you sign up using my link you get a 40
191
bonus i'm at the airport right now actually see revolute is
192
a financial app used by over 70 million people worldwide
193
and they help you manage your money literally wherever you are
194
even right here at the airport see you can hold
195
and spend in 25 plus currencies right inside the app
196
which is perfect if you're traveling
197
and dealing with all sorts of different currencies there's no need to stress about fx rates
198
or surprise fees they have competitive rates
199
and you can see it in real time on the app you can also send
200
and receive money in 140 countries isn't that crazy
201
and something i love especially on trips like this you can
202
track everything in real time every charge every expense it just
203
helps keep everything super clear you can sign up for their standard plan no monthly fee
204
if you don't have an ssn you can still sign up with with a government-issued ID and valid US visa.
205
It only takes a few minutes to sign up and you can spend on your prepaid debit card right away.
206
So go ahead, my friends, hit the link in my description, sign up for Revolut and get that $40 bonus and find Money Freedom.
207
Thanks again to Revolut for making this whole video possible and let's get back out there, shall we?
208
Good news, ladies and gentlemen, we have gotten all of our supplies.
209
Bad, maybe not bad news, but just reality.
210
It's getting dark and we're gonna be setting up a little bit in the dark, but that's okay.
211
Next stop, our camp spot.
212
And like clockwork, the darker it got, the rainier it got.
213
You know, you're doing great, bro.
214
I'm like, trucks like that.
215
All right guys, we just made it back to the camp spot.
216
I'm not going to lie, driving here was a little bit terrifying because there was like a torrential downpour, two lane roads right on the coast.
217
One wrong move, your boy is cooked.
218
It's dark, the rain is coming down out there.
219
We found like a covering right here that we pulled the car up to.
220
We're going to use this to help us get the car all set up, cozy.
221
We got the snacks.
222
We got the bedding, we got everything.
223
So, let's get our car nice and cozy.
224
We may have got too big of a air mattress, but we're gonna make it work.
225
Here we go, ready?
226
One, two, three.
227
Oh my god.
228
Oh, are you okay?
229
It's time.
230
One, two, three.
231
One, two, three.
232
One, two, three.
233
One, two, three.
234
One, two, three.
235
One, two, three.
236
One, two, three.
237
Yeah.
238
Look at that.
239
So listen, part of life here is expectations management.
240
Okay?
241
What you want to do is, you want to learn to manage your expectations.
242
Because sometimes things don't work out like you planned.
243
Now the only thing I'm slightly concerned about here is it's already getting very hot in this beautiful.
244
So cross that bridge when we come through.
245
We got a lot before then.
246
It's really starting to come down now.
247
This brings back memories of my childhood.
248
Next up is central in any car camping build.
249
Say it with me.
250
Lighting.
251
Let's go.
252
After we got the bed set up, we decided to try and set up an outdoor tent that we could dry off in before getting straight into the car.
253
The plan was to set it up under the covering and walk it over to our car campsite.
254
This didn't work.
255
The issue is stakes aren't going into the ground.
256
Also no light.
257
Also raining really hard.
258
Also exhausted.
259
I think we throw in the towel on the tent and focus on the car.
260
Okay.
261
It's car camping.
262
It's not tent camping.
263
Time to drive over to our spot.
264
I'm feeling good.
265
We have no idea how to get back there now.
266
When we pulled up to the site and started to get in, we realized the air mattress would force us to lay down and we wouldn't be able to eat or do anything.
267
Bro, that's too thick.
268
We gotta go take the air mattress out.
269
Sad day, but I'm making the executive decision to get rid of the air mattress.
270
It's just simply too fluffy.
271
Hello, my friends.
272
The rain is pitter pattering.
273
We have successfully situated ourselves.
274
As you You can see we got some string lights.
275
If you're wondering where Chris is, he's in the front seat.
276
The ocean is right there, as you guys saw earlier.
277
So between the waves and the rain noises, we're going to be sleeping pretty good.
278
But are you hungry?
279
Yeah.
280
I'm so hungry right now.
281
Walmart was literally completely sold out of propane because I guess there's a flood coming.
282
We opted for the next best thing.
283
McDonald's.
284
This car's finished.
285
Steak.
286
It's in a steak.
287
This car is about to smell like beef and cheese.
288
Here we go, we got the cooler.
289
A bit unfortunate, but the bags of McDonald's got rained on a little bit.
290
You can see they're not in the best condition.
291
Everything in this video has gotten rained.
292
Everything.
293
Anything that can absorb.
294
Oh my gosh.
295
Guys, we're the worst car campers.
296
McDonald's in Hawaii, I think is nicer than the other McDonald's.
297
So if this can happen to them.
298
Maybe it's not, because they've got to get it to an island.
299
What do we think?
300
Thank you lord for this food. For friendship.
301
Hi.
302
Hi.
303
Hi.
304
Yeeeeee!
305
Thanks.
306
Alright.
307
That's good. That hits.
308
If prepared was the person...
309
We wouldn't know.
310
Snack going in there.
311
I think we had milk.
312
Here you go.
313
That's good oil.
314
This, plus not brushing my teeth tonight.
315
Chris and I enjoyed the rest of our healthy, nutritious meal.
316
And if I'm being completely honest, for a while I forgot that I was even car camping.
317
And before long it was time for bed.
318
Chris went to throw stuff away.
319
I'm so excited and also very nervous to try and shower in a waterfall tomorrow.
320
We still gotta survive the night in here.
321
See you guys in the morning for hopefully sunrise unless it's cloudy, cloudrise.
322
I don't know.
323
I don't know where you're watching right now.
324
Probably on your couch.
325
Maybe with your family.
326
In which case, hi everybody.
327
Thanks for watching.
328
Maybe subscribe, maybe like the video.
329
But I am saying goodnight from the rainiest town in America.
330
God bless you.
331
Good morning.
332
I made it through the night.
333
It's early.
334
I'll tell you what friends, this right here is a great way to wake up.
335
And guys, we survived the night.
336
What else is cool is that it seems like the weather breaks, like the rain breaks in the morning.
337
It's like if you could just make it through the night into the morning, it chills out a little bit.
338
It probably will get bad again later, but right now you can start to see the sun peeking through the clouds, which is awesome.
339
But this video is not over.
340
I need a Hawaiian cup of coffee and I need to go take a shower.
341
And there's only one place that's appropriate for me to take a shower.
342
Can you guess it?
343
A waterfall!
344
Look at our beauty.
345
On my way to the waterfall, I stopped by a local coffee shop and made a friend.
346
My name's Larry.
347
Larry, great to meet you brother.
348
Antonio.
349
Antonio.
350
I told him about my waterfall mission and with his encouragement, I had to make it happen.
351
Now I don't know how clean that shower is going to be.
352
But we're going for it.
353
I needed this!
354
Now or never baby!
355
Alright guys, we're headed towards the falls!
356
I guess car camping in the rainiest town really does have its perks.
357
And look at that.
358
Good sun's coming out.
359
I'm sorry.
📺 Same Channel
✨ Recommend Video
B12
291 sentences
Camping in an Alaskan Survival Cabin
Travel EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B21
553 sentences
I'm in my 30s, child-free, not married...trust me, you're not behind | solo truck camping
Travel EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B21
29 sentences
What I've been working on all year
Travel EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B11
650 sentences
Abandoned My Van Home in the Middle Of the Night!
Travel EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B11
598 sentences
Surviving 5 Days DEEP in the Amazon Jungle...
Travel EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B1233 sentences
Learn English While You Sleep ||| Daily English Conversation Phrases You Need to Know ||| English
Travel EnglishDaily ConversationHigh School Students
B11
133 sentences
solo hiking in a rainstorm (with waterfalls)
Travel EnglishTeensDaily Conversation
B11
682 sentences
I Bought A 40 Year Old Firetruck
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B11
147 sentences
It's Happening Right Outside My NYC Window
Daily ConversationUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B21
135 sentences
Bolivia's Death Road | Top Gear | BBC
British AccentTravel EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B11
259 sentences
ROADTRIP durch die USA Südstaaten Teil 1 - San Antonio, TEXAS
Travel EnglishTeensDaily Conversation
B22
205 sentences
Solo Car Camping in -18 Degrees
American AccentTravel EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
Car Camping in a Storm: A Fun Context for English Practice
Imagine spending a night in a car during a downpour in America’s rainiest town—Hilo, Hawaii! The video follows a lively adventurer as they hunt for the perfect campsite, react to epic scenery, and prep for a storm. This relatable, energetic dialogue is packed with everyday phrases and natural speech patterns, making it ideal for english speaking practice. Whether you’re a beginner or looking to refine your skills, the conversational tone and vivid storytelling will keep you engaged while you learn.
Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication
- “I’m a little unprepared, but I’m prepared to get prepared.” A playful way to admit you need to adjust plans—great for casual chats!
- “What a time to be alive.” Express excitement about a moment—use it when something feels surreal or amazing.
- “I don’t even have words to describe it.” Perfect for when you’re overwhelmed by a sight or feeling.
- “The rain has let up for just a minute.” Describe a break in bad weather—useful for daily updates.
- “I gotta tell you the plan quickly.” A casual way to say you need to hurry—great for friendly conversations.
Step-by-Step Shadowing Guide to Master This Video
Ready to try the shadowing technique (or “shadowspeak”)? Here’s how to use this video to improve english pronunciation and fluency: 1. Listen first: Watch the video once to get the story. Notice the speaker’s energy—they pause, laugh, and emphasize words like “crazy” or “epic.” 2. Repeat immediately: Play a 5-second clip, pause, and shadow speech—copy their tone, speed, and pauses. Focus on phrases like “You kidding me?” to match the casual rhythm. 3. Slow it down: If a line is too fast, use video settings to slow it. Practice “I literally feel like I’m in Moana right now” until you mimic the rising intonation. 4. Record yourself: Compare your version to the video. Did you stress “most beautiful” like the speaker? Adjust until it sounds natural. 5. Connect with the story: Imagine you’re the adventurer! Speaking with emotion helps you remember phrases and sound more natural. You’ve got this! Every repeat brings you closer to sounding confident in real conversations. Happy shadowing!
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | has let · have told · I've ever seen |
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | were headed · weren't done · can be naked |
| Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thing | here, which is · clouds, which is |
| Superlatives the -est / the most … — the top or bottom of a group | the rainiest · the most beautiful · the best |
What is the Shadowing Technique?
Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.