Race Across the World (2019–…): Season 2, Episode 9 - Episode #2.9 - full transcript
Seven months ago,
the race of a lifetime began.
What have we
got ourselves into?
F ive
pairs of ordinary brits
embarked on a
25,000-kilometer journey...
Let's go.
...from Mexico
City to ushuaia, Argentina,
the most southerly
city in the world.
They battled extreme weather...
Oh my god.
...Trekked
high into the andes...
If I can do this I
can do a hell of a lot more.
Crossed
vast deserts...
I can't see
anything for miles.
...And navigated some
of the world's most volatile regions.
- He's coming over with a gun.
- We need to evacuate asap, before the border closes.
Oh my god.
What's next?
All with budgets
stretched to breaking point.
We do need to move fast,
but we need to move cheap.
- Hang on, where's my money belt?
- It's gone, babe.
- Our race is over.
- You're joking.
The rewards
have been great.
That is the best view
I've ever seen in my life.
I'd be absolutely gutted
if I knew I'd missed this.
The way they live
their life is just heaven.
- Oh, my god.
And the first
team to the finish line...
- Let's go!
- Claim the prize...
We're here.
- ...Of £20,000...
- Our bus stop.
...In a
race across the world.
Come on!
Excitement, adventure, trauma.
For the first time since
the race, all five teams are reuniting.
So excited
to see everybody.
Yes, it's a race and you want
to win, you want to beat them.
But they're the only
family you've got.
It's gonna be surreal
meeting everyone again.
Mother and
son, from Manchester,
Jo and Sam.
- Hey, we made it.
- Finally made it.
That's an experience
that'll stay in my head for life.
London couple
Michael and shuntelle.
- This is the adventure that we were looking for.
- Not me.
I weren't anywhere near ready.
Siblings from
Yorkshire, dom and Lizzie.
I just remember
sitting on the edge
and just thinking, "how
the hell did we get here?"
Race you to the top.
Race winners, uncle
emon and his nephew jamiul.
Made me think about my own life.
That's the way family should be.
We did start this as strangers.
You know what? I think we've
made up for ten years' time.
Check in! Check in!
And married couple
from reading, Jen and Rob.
There were three
people in that race.
Jen, Rob and checkpoint Jen.
I can't do it!
It's a chance to
share in some euphoric highs...
It's just like heaven
to me. It's just heaven.
And
heartbreaking lows.
I was gutted, I'm not
going to pretend I wasn't.
Revelations emerge...
I genuinely thought that
when the cameras went off
we'd get like a
sandwich and a wine.
...as they confess to what
they really thought when they first met...
Well, I thought it was a good
combination of muscle and brains.
...And relive what
else happened at checkpoints.
- You were voted chief.
- I was chieftain for the day.
Rivalries
are re-examined...
Your face was like,
"don't look at him."
- It was awful.
- She can do it, so can I.
There you go.
...As they
compare different strategies...
You kept bringing up that
you were low on your budget
and I had set in my mind
that you were just telling us that
so we'd spend more money.
...divulge the secrets
to winning race across the world.
Turned out, actually, money
wasn't the key to winning.
Hello!
And we find out how life
has changed since returning home.
- How you been?
- Flew in yesterday.
- Where are you then?
- Austria.
- Oh wow.
- I'm doing a ski season.
Throughout the trip it
just became one big family.
Oh, 'ey up!
We share such a
unique experience.
This is so nice to have
our family back together.
- I know!
- Is this a group hug moment?
Mexico City.
The team's assembled
at the start line.
Wow. OMG.
Just two days before, they departed
the UK with no idea of the starting point,
the route, or their
ultimate destination.
White trainers, dom.
- I'm not sure about that.
- We'll do a nice "before and after."
Oh! Oh!
We don't even
know where we're going.
We don't even know where we are.
So here it is.
In Mexico, that's when we
realized how hard it will be.
- The final destination is...
- Oh, my god.
- "Ushu..." what?
- "Ushu..."
- "Ushuaia?"
- who found ushuaia
- on the map?
- I think it was me.
Maybe flip the paper.
We were like, "oh
god, it can't be that far."
And I saw it at the very bottom.
From Mexico
City to ushuaia, Argentina.
Passing through 16 countries
and seven checkpoints.
To get there they had
just over £1400 each,
the price of the air fare.
I don't think it's a
lot, really. That's food,
travel and accommodation.
That's everything, innit?
How you feeling?
You feeling energized?
Just wanna get
out of the city now.
How we gonna get there?
You look at things on a map and
think, "oh, it's only two thumbs."
I just didn't realize the
scale. I've never traveled.
I definitely felt
under-prepared at the start line.
I had no idea what
was about to happen.
I was in competition
mode straight away.
I wasn't.
It was the first
chance to size up the competition.
Some
fellow competitors.
- Hi.
- I'm Lizzie.
I think everyone was putting on
like a fake, "oh, hi, how are you?"
But deep down, we were like
looking up and down like... "Hmm."
Now the race is over,
they can share what they really thought
when they first laid eyes on each other.
I actually thought dom and Lizzie
were going to be our biggest competitors.
I was like, "you know what?
They're gonna smash it out."
I was quite intimidated by everyone
because we were the youngest combined pair.
I mean, shuntelle kept
on referring to you as kids.
"Bless 'em, I hope
they've got good clothes,
hope they're gonna wrap up
properly, hope they're going to eat."
- How you guys doing?
- Nervous.
- A bit nervous. Excited.
- Yeah.
Mike, game face. Knew
he'd be a competitor.
He looked like a raging bull.
He was geeing himself up.
"We've got this. Come on."
You know, I just thought,
"I don't got anything."
- I thought Jen was there for a holiday.
- Ooh!
He's got a shirt on!
What's going on?
Seemed like he was coming
down for a job interview.
I did laugh. I'm sorry, Robert.
I did laugh. I was like,
"dom, he's wearing chinos."
"Have they just
accidentally joined the line?"
"It's not the queue
for the bus, guys."
I think people just
thought "idiots."
I don't know. People
underestimate us a lot, don't they?
- Ha! Well...
- Ha!
- Yeah.
- Little did they know.
Hello.
When I saw your wheelie
case, I thought, "brilliant.
She won't last. She'll be gone."
It just takes a rocky path and, boom,
case is off the end of a mountain.
Well, I thought it was a good
combination of muscle and brains.
Then Sam stands next
to me and lets one off.
I'm like, "nice to meet you."
And that's how you knew
you were gonna be friends.
This is it, eh? Let's
get going, guys.
And I was just like, "these
two have overdressed."
Seeing all the other
contestants there, it was daunting.
I didn't smile too much at the
start, just to try keep a game face
and make sure that
they were fearful of us.
I was just looking straight
ahead. I could sniff the winning line.
I was ready.
"Get to the end." That was
the goal. "Get to the end."
- Let's go.
- Let's go, let's go, let's go!
You two were just
tearing off everywhere,
and we just thought you'd wear
yourself out in about four days' time.
It was more like four minutes.
We sort of
like set the agenda.
We were gonna be quick.
Slow down.
We were completely
shattered after that.
Maybe we shouldn't
have started off like that.
Get out everything
that we don't need.
I think I speak for all of us. We
didn't expect the race to be what it was,
how hard it was,
how tough it was.
Don't think anyone
will have been prepared.
I genuinely thought that
when the cameras went off
we'd get like a
sandwich and a wine.
'Cause I just didn't think they'd
actually make us do those bad things.
Left, left!
Escaping Mexico City, the
largest Metropolis in North America,
would be tough and
burn precious time.
God. I probably should
have gone to the toilet before starting.
The first hurdle to
overcome became a constant one.
Excuse me, do you speak English?
The language.
Sorry. Do
you speak English?
No.
What's it called? Do
you know where that is?
- Bus e stación?
- No, we're going subway.
Been looking for
a bank for three hours.
Opened the bumbag and
realized we already had pesos.
I feel like an idiot.
I think we made an assumption
that everyone would have
at least a little
bit of English.
And, how wrong we were.
"How would I find..."
Speaking English
in a weird voice,
- hoping they'll understand.
- But it works, it works!
Six weeks in
and things got even trickier.
How do you say "how
long" in Portuguese?
Just about learning Spanish.
And now we're in
a different country.
I'm not happy
about the new language.
I'm going to get
ever so confused.
Portuguese. Is that...
I don't want to say it.
- Where do they speak Portuguese?
- Portugal.
I was gonna say that
but I felt too stupid.
But for Jen and
Rob, the struggle to communicate
was difficult from the start.
I got so frustrated by my
inability to communicate.
And actually what happened
is, I really kind of like
went insular, didn't I?
I completely retracted
and I dare not even
start conversations.
What time do we leave?
Oh, god, I don't
know what that is.
- Whereas for Robbie...
- i found it the other way around.
I wasn't concentrating
on the words.
- I looked at body language.
- That's the same in the UK for him, anyway.
I lost my hearing in
my left ear in childhood
and then recently I lost
hearing in my good ear.
In a weird way, having difficulties
hearing was a kind of advantage.
You show us how to...
What you want doing.
Boat for free, if we work?
We're getting free board
and a free canoe ride.
I think it was down to you that
we overcame the language thing
- with your charades.
- We were both involved.
You're really getting more
expressive. I love that.
The checkpoints
may have been fixed,
but each team embarked on
their own individual journey.
We're quite high up.
I'm already out of breath.
When we were younger
we were so close.
But we've grown apart.
I would say we're siblings,
not friends any more.
There's no better way to
save our relationship than this.
Right, dom, off you go. Run.
We didn't have a game
plan. Just said we're gonna wing it.
We're gonna use our natural
charm and just see what happens?
Hola. Does
anyone like free shots?
We were gonna sort of
blag our way into things
and that didn't really get used.
Free shots? No?
I really
don't wanna do this.
I'm quite shy around
people I don't know.
I think at the beginning of the
race, I lacked self confidence,
and I didn't have much faith in my
ability to, you know, go off on my own.
I think we should ask them.
Go on, then.
- Can you come with me?
- Yeah, I'll come with you.
But I'm not asking.
I feel like every younger
sibling could relate to how I felt.
But no matter how old you are,
you fall back into
that old routine of,
"they're the older brother.
Follow what they do."
But in Peru...
- Shall we book a ticket?
- We need to get money first.
...A terrifying health scare
almost ended dom and Lizzie's race.
He's having a seizure!
Someone call an ambulance.
And Lizzie had
no choice but to step up.
It's really scary. Usually he'd
be the one looking after me,
and now I feel like... I don't know
whether I can do the same for him.
It wasn't just you were
doing more than me.
You were having to do all of it.
Yeah. I think that
massively helped.
Definitely.
We wanna go to angra dos reis.
Oh, my god. That was...
Quick. Well done.
Towards the end of the race I
saw my own confidence growing.
Me being forced into that situation, I
realized how capable Lizzie actually is.
- And she was actually making better decisions than I was.
- That's true.
The intensity of
the race forced the siblings
to open up to each other for
the first time since childhood.
I've always known
that Lizzie does care,
but when the seizure
happened, it upset Lizzie so much,
it sort of really hit
home. I was like,
"she actually really
does care about me."
I shouldn't be such
an idiot sometimes.
I do feel that you don't want
me around. And that's how I felt.
Ok, well, I will
try to change that.
- Okay?
- Okay. Yes.
I do love you. Okay?
Now we understand each other.
I think we're more like friends...
- Yeah.
- Rather than just siblings.
I don't think
I've ever seen anything
as beautiful as
that in my entire life.
It's just a completely
different relationship to before
and we actually miss each other,
which is something that I never
really did before, no offense.
And by
the end of the race,
dom and Lizzie's charm
offensive started to pay dividends.
- Cheers.
- Salud.
- New friends, salud.
- New friends.
- Homemade food's always the best.
- It is. Chicken and potatoes.
A new-found
confidence helped them mix with
Argentinean locals,
Thomas and Mariana.
Are you guys
going to posadas?
- Sure.
- Perfect.
We actually have a party
tonight so if you want to join us.
Yeah, sure.
Helping other people,
you can gain a lot from it.
A lot of people
helped us all the time.
I came home and I've taken a job as a
teaching assistant at a secondary school.
Challenging sometimes, but
I've actually really enjoyed it.
And I found it rewarding.
Thank you for letting us come.
One regret, I might have had.
The birthday girl was showing some interest.
And I just remember
thinking, "I need to go to bed."
Now, I look back, I'm like, "dom, why
did you not just seize the moment?"
You could have had
an argentinian girlfriend.
Checkpoint,
here we come.
After racing
for days on end...
Nearly there, mum.
...the competition to
finish first at each checkpoint meant
the final sprint was frantic...
Dom, wait for me.
We're finishing this together.
...and often
adrenaline-fueled.
Check-in! Check-in! Check-in!
There were three
people in that race,
Jen, Rob and checkpoint Jen.
- Couldn't cope with checkpoint Jen.
- You couldn't.
She was way too stressed.
I'm going to ban you from
all decision-making at checkpoints.
You're just too stressed.
"Ban you." Ban you from my life.
Just chill.
Oh, my god, we're nearly there.
Little sprint. Last little push.
Seventh checkpoint.
But the brief comfort
and time-out from the race
meant it was always
worth the effort.
Made it.
Made it to Panama.
When we got through those doors
and we walked into
the most beautiful hotel.
Compared to where we'd
been for the last week,
it was just breathtaking.
The feeling when you got to a
checkpoint and saw a bed was just...
Like overwhelming, just want to
lie down and never move again.
- Cheers, winner.
- Cheers, winner.
Please, don't...
The times spent
together at checkpoints
soon took on added significance.
I love these checkpoints as I
get to hang out with you guys.
I genuinely enjoy your company.
The checkpoints just helped
galvanize you to keep going on,
and galvanize you
to kind of get to them.
- That was our bonding moments.
- Yeah, and share
all the memories
of the legs together.
- You know, it's kind of counseling.
- Yeah.
This is awesome.
I feel like a proper cowboy.
I'll just follow you guys.
Yes, it's a race. And you want
to win, you want to beat them,
but they're the only
family you've got.
Oh, my god.
Getting to
share your stories...
They're the only people
that truly understand...
What you're going
through, definitely.
The group
grabbed the opportunity
to immerse themselves
in local customs.
Lake titicaca, home
to the uros people,
many of whom live permanently on
the lake's 120 manmade floating islands,
each constructed
from living reeds.
We went on floating islands
and you were voted chief.
I was chieftain for
the day, wasn't I, yeah.
Who we nominating as president?
It needs to be someone
semi-sensible, so dom, you're out.
We'd have a lot of fun on the
island though, wouldn't we?
I think if you want a party
island, I should be president.
I don't think I'm worthy
of the title. Sorry, guys.
- Oh, I'll take it then.
- Okay, Rob.
- I'll look after you all.
- Oh, thank you.
- Should we hold him up?
- Yeah, let's go.
That was incredible.
It was just
such an alien lifestyle.
They literally were
living on floating reeds.
It was just a really eye
opening day for every team.
- And to share that experience was just even better.
- Yeah.
I'm loving it.
These fleeting checkpoint
moments created strong bonds.
Honestly, I did not expect
this going into the race,
but the bond we formed
with the other teams.
Oh god, like we talk every day.
So, you've been
busy recently, mate?
Yeah, it has been a bit busy to
be honest. Yourself? How's life?
That's one of the best
things to come out of this race.
- Definitely.
- It's that family of people we have now.
happy birthday, dear Jo ♪
♪ happy birthday to you ♪
You're not getting any.
This is getting us to ushuaia.
Para llevar. Take away.
Are you nervous?
I am, but don't
want to admit it.
We'll be fine.
For Jo and Sam,
the chance to complete the
challenge of a lifetime together.
It's the perfect time
to go traveling now
because my mum's getting
to the age where she's too old.
Thanks.
So glad I brought you.
Probably I don't have many
backpacking years left in me.
Thanks, love.
I know he's always
wanted to travel,
and I thought it would be really
good fun to watch Sam see the world
and hopefully give you the
confidence and enable you to...
Go on my own and do it myself.
- Well, hopefully that's what we get out of it.
- Yeah.
Okay, so, go and spread that
around and pick up the eggs.
For mother and son...
How do you understand all that?
I didn't, I'm guessing.
...a little
Spanish went a long way.
I'm glad I've got her here. If I didn't
have her here then I'd be screwed.
Think it's here, mum.
Chatting with
locals led to an early advantage.
- Name, date and signature, please.
- Oh, my god, we're first.
I think the key strength was my
mum speaking a little bit of Spanish.
This is the most
uncomfortable seat.
But the grueling
reality of back-to-back buses...
I've got a limit on
how much heat I can take.
Just too hot to compute in this.
saw Sam struggle.
Do you think it's got
anything to do with your adhd?
It probably does.
I don't know. I've never been
able to explain why I'm anything.
Just sat there,
driving for hours.
I wanted to stick toothpicks in my toenails
and kick a wall like, it's horrible.
During the long
drives and stuff,
I hated that, but I
knew it was all worth it.
'Cause at the end
of that bus journey,
there's going to be
something amazing.
Whee!
It's just like heaven
to me. It's just heaven.
The salt flats were
absolutely stunning.
That was a real moment when
we really felt the point of it all.
You just got such a
feeling of insignificance.
You did.
And in the
mountains of northern Argentina,
Sam found his spiritual home.
That is really cool.
Like I never thought
I'd ever be doing this.
- Hector on the farm...
- Yeah.
I didn't understand
anything he said,
but I still knew
everything he meant,
because of the way he works,
and that's what I sort of do,
so we got on really well.
Gracias!
This is beyond what my
expectations were, and...
At the end, I can absolutely say
you were communicating
with everybody.
You made real bonds
with people that we met.
- Muchas gracias.
- Muchas gracias.
You had a great
time there, didn't you?
It was a very sp...
Don't look at me
like I'm gonna cry again.
Oh!
I know, you're crying.
No.
As mother and son
enjoyed experience
after experience...
Ciao!
The race began to take on a
whole new dimension for Jo.
One of my main
motivations to go travelling,
particularly with Sam was,
I've got a few health issues,
and so I was
aware that I probably
didn't have that many
more opportunities
that I could do something
like this with Sam.
I think, I don't know,
some of you know
that if I've got lymphoma
and I had chemo
about four years ago,
and I knew it would come
back, but I didn't know when,
and then when I was on
the trip, I kind of thought,
"mmm, I think that
there's some signs,"
and it has come back,
so I'm actually now
on chemotherapy.
Well, you know what?
We know you, Jo,
you're a strong person.
- Yeah.
- And if anyone can fight it, you can.
- Yeah, thank you.
- So, do you know what I mean?
That wasn't easy, you know,
even doing the journey itself,
and then knowing what you knew.
Had all this going on,
yet you still was like...
You're here for all of us.
But despite the relapse,
what the trip has made
me think of, is to basically
take every opportunity I can.
As the realities
of their dwindling budget
began to hit home...
We need to get at
least one job on this leg.
We just don't have enough
money to complete the race.
Sam made sure his mum
got to fulfill a lifelong dream.
Whoo!
Definitely, it's gives me
the bug to do more travelling.
- Yeah.
- So I just have to get this chemo over with,
and go again before
it comes back again.
- I love your attitude, amazing.
- Yeah.
I wanted to be out there,
um, living life and
seeing the world,
whether it was us together,
or whether it was, you know...
- With your boy?
- I'd ditch you.
Balls hurt so much.
This is what we signed up for.
I'm so glad I'm doing
this with you, love.
Couldn't do it with
anyone better, to be honest.
- I'm so hungry.
- Mmm.
- I'm starving.
- Need some food.
Oh, that's what you call
a barbecue. Look at that.
Throughout the race,
heads were turned by
the smells and tastes
of Latin American cuisine.
It's spicy, that.
- Oh, that's good.
- Ha-ha!
Some good...
This is muy bien.
- The bribri tribe in Costa Rica.
- Oh.
Well, they
slow cook this chicken
on a wood fire.
This is indigenous food.
- Ah, okay.
- Yeah.
That's really tasty.
I swear to god, it was
the nicest bit of chicken
I've ever had in my life.
- Good god!
- And some,
a more acquired taste.
Spatchcock Guinea pig.
My favorite pet.
They just
present it so badly.
Ugh, it's face.
They fried its face. Ugh!
And its claws were still there.
Oh, god.
He ate the hottest
chili in all of the market.
I want one of these chilies.
Everyone's looking at me.
It is hot?
You need a fire extinguisher.
Go on, go for it.
- Is it really hot?
- Right, that's hot.
Oh, my god.
Whoo!
He was just running
around trying to find water.
Drink.
Hot.
Going for a slow releasing
porridge for breakfast.
But with
continued money worries...
Keep me going all day now.
Honestly, I think most of our
conversations were about food.
...Food fast
became an obsession.
I started seeing food where
there actually wasn't food.
I'd look at a rock
and be like, "mmm."
Who's a good boy?
You'd be tasty on a plate.
This is a romantic,
quiet picnic spot.
We'd have a bread
roll and we'd half it,
and we'd buy a tin of
fake tuna, and we'd half it,
- and we'd half a tuna sandwich.
- Fake tuna?
And that was a good...
That was a treat meal.
Can I get a
packet of cheetos?
Si, si.
Like, no-one can't
know about cheetos.
They're in every
country, everywhere.
But, Michael, you
ran off a moving bus
to run into a shop to buy
cheetos and come back.
I was starving, mate.
Fueling their journey
even more than food
was the one constant
all the teams soon discovered.
The
kindness of strangers.
- Cheers.
- Cheers. Thank you very much.
- Cheers.
- Thank you so much.
Thank you very
much for hosting us.
Thank you so much for this.
I'm happy to help you.
One of the most
fulfilling things in the race
was the people we met and
the generosity that came our way.
I like to invite to my
house, for dinner, tonight.
Sometimes just looking at our
faces, how desperate we were.
We didn't even need to say
anything. They were like, "come in."
- Yeah.
- "Feed them."
- Salud.
- To new friends.
Those moments are
the ones I'll never forget.
You can tell they didn't have
much, but they're still willing to give.
We found so many
people fed us for free.
This is so different to what
I'd imagined we'd be doing.
In the coastal
town of huanchako in Peru,
emon and jamiul found work with
local fishermen John and Santos.
Welcome to this
family in huanchako.
And later bonded
over a home-prepared meal.
- Beautiful.
- Now we go to prepare the ceviche.
Okay.
Experiencing family life with John and
Santos made me think about my own life.
- Bon appetit.
- That is good, man.
For me, this is one of the
best experiences I've had
because I got to meet you and
your dad. It's the way family should be.
When I have children, I'll tell them
John and Santos looked after me.
I want to start my own family
and, you know, moving forward.
I mean, he gave you
a few tips, didn't he?
Yeah.
The fresh fish have
a lot of phosphorus.
Okay.
And then you have a lot of
energy, you know, with a girl?
- Ceviche gives you, er...
- Gives you that...
- that oomph.
- That oomph!
And the parents of
my father. Eighteen...
- Eighteen kids?
- Eighteen kids.
And he was quite direct,
shall we say? Quite animated.
Because it's too much
energy, you know, for your body.
"All right,
John. We get your drift."
Yes.
So, yeah, we found that a
bit amusing and a bit daunting.
I really struggled with people
helping in the first instance,
because I was thinking,
you know, what the hell
are they going to
want in return of me?
Or what have they just
taken? That hindered my ability
to involve myself with communities,
even with them kids on the island.
- Hiya.
- Hey, all right?
Oh my god.
Robbie, I'm so scared.
People aren't nice
like this in england.
You were always asking me,
"oh, how do you know they're
gonna take us to the right place?
How do you know
they're telling the truth?
How do you know we're going in
the right direction following them?"
You don't.
Do you know how
much a taxi would cost?
I was thinking to take
you in my car.
- Really?
- How much would you charge us?
Uh, no, just for fun.
- No. Really?
- Just for fun?
- Would you do that?
- Yes.
It restored my faith in humanity
and made me realize that
actually 99.99% of people
actually are friendly and
good people and want to help.
And that was like when I really started
to embrace it and really enjoy myself.
- Smash this here.
- Got to.
Michael and shuntelle
approach travel with
contrasting attitudes.
I work for a large
international accountancy firm,
but Michael is ex-army,
loves a challenge.
I think if he could sleep
outdoors, he would.
I hope that we're able
to work with each other
rather than against each other.
This
is just fantastic.
I don't need a luxury five
star hotel to enjoy something.
This is the experience, the
adventure that we were looking for.
Oh, my goodness,
the four seasons.
That's where I want to go.
When we started this race, we
did say this was a make or break.
I was a duck out of water.
I'm very tired. And now
we begin our epic journey.
Twenty odd hours on a coach.
He was lapping it up.
I'd rather do this than go to
Barbados or Jamaica right now.
Totally
out of my comfort zone.
The long bus journeys, the
horrible toilets, the horrible hostels.
It was just constant. It
was so much.
It was just trying to get
from one day to the next.
Trying to understand
the languages,
trying to understand each other.
Week one, that's
all I was doing.
I was just taking in all
the sights, all the views,
and the madness of it all.
I didn't feel in control, which I
struggle with, so I kind of froze.
It really was traumatic,
that first week, for me.
Do I look like someone
who slept outside in my life?
No, but this is... This is
about opening up your mind.
There was a definite
thought process from my side...
I was like, "yeah, maybe
we are too different."
It was a bit touch
and go at that point.
As the
first week wore on,
shuntelle rediscovered
her competitive streak.
We stayed in a
hostel last night.
Never stayed in a hostel before.
We shared with how many people?
- You did a dorm?
- Yeah.
Oh, you probably went... okay.
Once I realized Jen had done
so much out of her comfort zone,
then I was ready to
just put everything in.
If she can do it, so can I.
I can do it.
- I think checkpoint two, we were like, "ok, game on."
- Yeah.
- I have to woman up.
- Man up.
I'm a woman so I'm womaning up.
Keep breathing.
- Keep focusing.
- Focus on the second leg.
Don't focus on the second
leg and make me go...
And had some
r&R, good food...
I slept on a lovely bed.
I was ready.
We want to least beat
who we left with today.
That's our aim. They
were at the petrol station.
They are standing there
doing nothing. High five, babe.
I could see you get more
more competitive by the day.
But shuntelle's
renewed determination
faltered when disaster struck.
My money
belt's here, isn't it?
All I heard Michael say is,
"I can't find my money belt."
I just looked over. "What do you
mean you can't find your money belt?"
- Back pockets?
- It's not here. Definitely not here.
I was absolutely devastated
about the whole thing.
I still am now, you know.
We just wanted to complete
the journey with you guys there.
I feel like that experience,
journey's being robbed.
Well, we missed you.
Yes, we did.
It was like a piece of the
puzzle just gone, isn't it?
I've
messed it up. I'm sorry.
I just need you to know
that we started as a team.
So we, as a team,
have lost the money.
I learned at that stage,
that she was on my side
whatever the situation was.
I learned that you had
that humility about you,
and that made it easier
for me at that time.
We knew our
journey was coming to an end,
so we stopped the race
and went whale watching.
I have not seen any
whales in my lifetime.
Ah!
That is so cool.
Oh, wow.
I can't believe we're
so close to them as well.
Since the race, life has
changed for Michael and shuntelle.
Got back to
London, got back into normal life.
Came to a conclusion
that, our relationship,
we were gonna take a break.
We get along, we
speak all the time.
And I think our communications
have been a lot better too.
Well, if it just ends
up a good friendship,
you can't go through that experience
without having a really strong bond.
We're gonna be friends for life.
I wouldn't have done the
journey with anybody else.
He was definitely the only
person I would have done it with.
Likewise.
I'm sure you would've
found somebody.
- Let's keep it real.
- Okay.
Nice try, Michael.
145 for the hostel,
18 for the tube.
Food, taxis...
With only £26
each to spend per day,
it wasn't just Michael and
shuntelle who had money troubles.
So we started
the race in Mexico,
we had £1,453 each.
After 52 days of racing,
ended up with £3.38.
Slept in some stupid places in
my life, but this is a first for me.
There were some tricky
situations with the money.
Yeah.
There were days when we didn't have enough
money to get to the next destination.
You kept bringing up that
you were low on your budget
and I had set in my mind
that you were just telling us
that, so we'd spend more money.
But it was the truth though.
We were struggling for money.
I know.
We had
days without eating.
In the buses, when they
give you three biscuits,
I'd go to the back and stuff
my bag with all the biscuits.
We just had to hustle
our way to get through.
Work was crucial in
securing extra funds needed to finish.
We've got
a lot to cover, man.
We could do with
a jet wash here, lad.
We did a lot of work
like washing the buses.
Yeah, you left that to me.
Only the
top rim needs doing.
I did a lot of work.
You did a lot of like...
It's called business
development.
You gotta take, you know...
Take a leadership role.
There's all pubes on
the back of that, by the way.
I think I'll just do the walls.
Honestly, there's
pubes everywhere.
When I signed up for the race, I didn't
ever think I'd be cleaning toilets in a bus.
Some jobs
were better than others.
In Peru, Jen and Rob, spent a
day working at a bear sanctuary.
But it wasn't just bears
they were looking after.
So we have to clean
the herpetarium.
- What's that?
- It's a place where we have some snakes.
Just terrified of spiders, snakes,
mice, terrified of all of those things.
Who cleans the cage of a snake
whilst the snake's sitting there,
especially if it's a
dangerous snake?
Crazy.
Have you ever
done this before?
Never protected
my wife from a snake
because she's too
busy window cleaning.
We, as you know,
didn't do the final leg.
We ran out of money.
I struggled with it
because the competitive side
of me wasn't about winning,
it was about finishing it.
So I was really upset to
not see you guys at the end.
Hey, guys.
Come here.
Deciding to go home
was a real low point for me.
Um, weirdly, I'm
about to cry again.
Gordon Bennett.
- Lots going on.
- How are we, guys?
Uh...
We realized we
couldn't go on to the final leg.
Aw!
It's really sad not to
finish it, but it's brilliant
to see you guys.
I don't give up. I'm
not really a giver upper.
- She hates not finishing.
- Um, so, I struggled with that.
It was in the back
of everyone's heads
but you never really thought it
would have actually happened.
Yeah.
It hit home that it could
happen to anybody.
What's important is, we do need to
move fast, but we need to move cheap.
Oh my god. We've gotta
worry about our own pockets now.
We were like, "we
cannot hit zero."
So, basically
it's scooping up poo.
Who said it would be
fun working with horses?
You want
money? Stop complaining.
This was the
first instance in our life
where this money that
we're making is for us to eat.
And if we don't make that money,
we don't eat.
I think this is another
job ticked off the list
of jobs I'm not sure I
wanna do when I'm older.
It's definitely strengthened
us and hardened us.
Made me appreciate
things a lot more.
Oh! Cheers.
- We finished with £18.39 over the finish line.
- No way.
We're not going to eat now
for like, three days, you know.
- No.
- Not one thing.
We were just so happy
to finish at the end.
I was quite impressed at our
ability to blag and to hitchhike
because we only finished, you
know, a few hours behind you guys.
It's amazing what you can
achieve when you have to.
Yeah, our strategy was basically
keep a fund of money back...
To get you
over the finish line.
If we could hire a helicopter and
chopper in, we were gonna do it.
Just turned out that actually
money wasn't the key to winning.
And we ended with £45.83.
We were very mean with our
money from the off, weren't we?
We had a very strict budget.
- Very scary, isn't it?
- I feel so heavy.
- Now that it is real.
- I feel sick.
Jen and Rob, the
most unlikely pair of backpackers.
This journey is
going to be challenging.
It'll challenge our
communication, won't it?
Absolutely, yeah.
We do struggle with
that from time to time.
All the time.
How are we even gonna
get like out of the city?
I don't know.
We knew we were just
average, you know, average Joes.
Just Jen and Rob from reading.
Bloody hell.
I didn't even own a backpack.
Never even owned trainers.
This this like... Oh my god!
I had no clue.
Okay. Gracias.
Let me keep hold of
this. You asked a clown.
We found it tough, didn't
we? The first two legs.
I mean, i'm
absolutely exhausted.
I've not slept for three days.
I've not showered in three days.
I've had the same
pants on for four days.
I'd like to brush my teeth.
I'd like a glass of water.
I think one of the
reasons why we wanted to do
the race, communication
had definitely broken down.
We perhaps were kind of, you know,
not as close as we should have been
for a newly married couple, who
had just bought their first house.
The stresses and
strains of everyday life,
was just, like, almost a
barrier to remembering
why we're together
in the first place.
We started
realizing that actually
you've got to be in a
good place with each other.
Can't be stressed.
You're going through
these amazing places.
- Stunning, isn't it?
- Gorgeous.
You've got
to experience them.
You'll just regret it
for the rest of your life.
I like time
out from the race.
Stressed Jen isn't
the best form of Jen, is it?
No.
You're given this
amazing opportunity and...
You're throwing it away if
you don't look at the places
that you pass.
Watch your bum.
You sneaky little boy.
Definitely worth
the trip to get here.
Over time, we began
to really carefully
pick our journeys to go through
places that we were desperate to go to.
It was hard to find that
balance between race and experience.
It was. I
think we did nail it.
We'd say, "right, we got four
hours now, before the next bus,
let's go and have an
amazing experience
for four hours and then come
back and, boom, the race starts."
That was a good strategy.
I don't have any regrets.
That sums
it up, doesn't it?
No regrets. So we
did something right.
Can you see up there?
Oh, look at
that. Iguazu falls.
That is the best view
I've ever seen in my life.
And sharing
those kind of...
Moments.
Awesome experiences.
That's like a
therapy itself, isn't it?
That's healing.
It unites us, doesn't it?
- Yeah.
- We're stronger for it.
Exactly that.
From my point of view,
the outside looking in,
you just seem to be
such a brilliant team.
Have a laugh together,
communicate individually and together.
You seem to work brilliantly.
I definitely feel that we've
got stronger and stronger.
We had to get worse first.
- Ow! I said don't rip it.
- You want anything out of it?
Yes. I told you not to
rip my arms off!
But I think when
we just hit that wonderful,
harmonious team work,
it was the making of us.
Yes!
You can see
her confidence grow.
I think that's making
her a happier person,
which is nice and that, that
makes me happy.
I'm canoeing! I'm canoeing!
We've grown stronger
because we're being kinder.
Oh, Robbie, I can't do it.
- You can, you're almost there.
- I'm gonna cry.
What's the matter?
What's the matter?
Almost there. Almost there.
You're stronger than
you can ever imagine.
We're so close now.
And we're being kinder
because we've
grown as individuals.
You're nice.
Coming out the
other end of the race,
I feel like I've become
more comfortable
with my hearing loss.
It doesn't stop me
from doing anything.
And that's allowed
me to go to loud bars.
Yeah, I'm not going
to hear people,
I'm not really going to
understand what they say
but you can still have a laugh, can't you?
It doesn't stop me
from succeeding.
And I think this race
has kind of proved that.
I can't do this, Robbie.
You can. We're a team.
I love how this
journey has made you
a lot more adventurous.
And our holidays from now on,
are not going to be
all-inclusive style hotels.
We want to engage
with local culture.
We want to go somewhere new.
Definitely be less
like planny, planny,
'cause I plan down
to every single second.
I'd be happy just
to get off a plane
and be like, "I wonder where
we'll be sleeping tonight?"
Like, I genuinely would
be quite happy to do that,
after I've had my
first luxury holiday.
All aboard!
The need to
follow the cheapest routes
led teams to sometimes
bump into each other
when they least expected it.
- Dom and Lizzie.
- Jamiul and emon.
- Hey, guys.
- Hi!
How are you doing?
- It was like a little treat every time, wasn't it?
- Yeah.
- Exactly.
- It was like, "ooh."
Wazzup!
It's like sort of seeing family
along the way, wasn't it?
- Oh, hello, darling.
- Good to see you.
- Familiar faces.
- Yeah.
It was just lovely. It
was lovely seeing them.
But they weren't
always thrilled to see each other.
They're on our bus.
And the only seats
are next to me.
- Now, Lizzie.
- Yeah.
- Don't tell them everything we've done.
- No, I won't. Don't worry.
- And don't tell them where we're going.
- Don't...
Have you chosen the route yet?
We have no idea where we're going.
Your face was, "don't
look at him. Don't even..."
"be quiet, Rob.
Don't say anything."
I think as soon as you
bumped into someone,
something snapped in you, like,
"oh, my god." You
make rash decisions.
You start worrying too much
about what they're doing...
- Yes.
- And it changes your plan,
and then you get in
each other's heads
and gets very competitive.
- Whoo!
- Yes!
Jen and Rob are here.
I feel really sneaky.
But then I feel, like,
really, like, happy
that I've been sneaky.
How were we sneaky?
Rob, I hid in bushes
so people didn't see me.
Robbie, Robbie,
Robbie, Robbie, Robbie.
What's this? What?
I think emon was
really competitive.
At checkpoints,
it was nice emon,
and then as soon
as the race started,
it was blinkers on, go.
It was puno for me.
We were literally like this.
I feel terrible.
They are your friends and
you really want them to do well.
But at the same time,
you want to do better.
I looked behind and you
were having an asthma attack
and I was like, "yes!"
"He's on oxygen,
Robbie. Leg it!"
I mean, how awful is that!
We have so
much love for Jen and Rob.
I don't think they have
so much love for me.
She's already wished death
on me a couple of times so...
Jen will be Jen!
México.
Uncle and
nephew, emon and jamiul,
were looking to reconnect
after a family estrangement.
In the past 10 years,
I don't think we've
spent a full day together.
Let's do this.
Come on!
Initially, we said
we were gonna be quick.
And we sort of the team to beat.
I think we're way
ahead of everybody else.
As soon as we get
to palenque, that's it.
Give the others a
chance to catch up to us.
Yeah, okay.
It definitely backfired on us.
Guys, I'm sorry, we don't
have any more tickets.
Twenty-four hours behind
now because we've missed the boat.
It's a big, big problem for us.
I came into the
race quite confident.
I've done a lot of expeditions.
I thought my experience
would benefit us.
But I really underestimated it.
It was nothing like what
I've done before in my life.
Damn!
We ended up coming
last in the first leg.
I think it comes down to,
us not really connecting well at
the beginning of the race, isn't it?
And obviously, we
didn't know each other.
We didn't know what our strengths
were, what our weaknesses were.
Their strategy to
- Splash the cash.
To the border?
160. Yeah.
- All right.
- Okay.
The money that we spent on
the first two legs crippled us.
And we felt it for
the rest of the race.
We're $400 over our budget.
It was a
show, wasn't it?
It was a show.
To get back in
the game, they had to hustle.
$10.
You can do cheaper than that.
You're kidding me? Murder.
No?
This is hard, man.
We'll clean yours after if you like us
to, but you have to pay us top dollar.
A jungle trek!
This is cool.
And as they
got a foothold in the race...
Phew!
Give me some, man.
Their understanding
of each other grew.
I thought, yes, it's
gonna be an amazing race.
We'll see some amazing
places, amazing countries.
Let's do it.
Ah, that
feels good, isn't it?
We did it, eh?
I just did not expect the
connection that we had.
I'm proud of you.
I feel more close to him
than I ever have been.
I was always thinking
of the wider picture.
In valle
De la Luna, Bolivia,
jamiul built up the courage
to seek some answers.
Why is it exactly that
you left the family?
My dad was set that I should
settle down and get married.
About 15 years ago, you'd get married
to the person your mum and dad said.
That was the bengali culture.
I didn't see that as my future.
I had so many
questions over the past decade.
I had asked so many family
members what's going on?
Um, never got the right answer,
so it was just really nice to be able
to get those answers from you direct.
Give me a bro hug.
I missed you, man.
I'm spending more
time with my family now,
and that's what the
trip's made me realize.
I mean, time is
always against us.
Mission accomplished.
You could say that.
I'd lost connection with
my father for 10 years.
I've started to make
my time up with my dad.
Pick any card. This one, eh?
So I'm spending as much
time as I can with him.
I finished the
adventurous side of my life,
and I'm kind of ready to settle
down and start my own family now.
Do the normal things.
I knew that if we went
on this journey together,
it would bring our
families together.
It was the mission. It
was... It was the aim,
and I'm happy
that it's happened.
I'm really glad that
the family embraced it.
It is really nice.
My auntie told me that he said my name
in his dream a couple of times as well.
- Really?
- Wow!
Fifty-two days together,
like, in each other's pockets.
And as soon as I got back...
I think the first night, I woke
up and went, "where's jam?"
Can't get him away from me
nowadays. Always at my house.
What you lying for?
I'm actually...
I came back from work and
laz goes, "jam's in the garage."
I said, "you what? What's
he doing?" "I don't know."
You were just sat
there, watching TV.
It's finally here.
Boom. It's ushuaia time.
The last leg saw teams
jostle back and forth throughout patagonia.
Stuff the money.
We're not settling
for less than first.
God, this is risky.
With just one
bus a day from rio gallegos...
Oh, my god.
600 kilometers from ushuaia,
the remaining three teams
came face to face
with each other.
Oh, my goodness.
After 50 odd days of racing,
when we all arrived at that bus stop,
it was just remarkable.
- All three of us here.
- Oh, don't. This is nerve-wracking.
The race
was well and truly on.
The moment we realized
we weren't going to win...
Ushuaia?
Hola. ushuaia? Sí.
We saw Jen and Rob, and
jamiul and emon jump into taxis,
and we were like... Rats!
A cash-strapped dom
and Lizzie were forced to hitchhike.
Huh? No! No!
It came down
to emon and jamiul...
Rápido, yeah?
Versus Jen and Rob.
- Oh, we're here.
- Oh my god!
And one team turned to the skills
they'd applied throughout the race.
We're gonna have
to dump these bags.
Just when
it mattered most.
Oh my days!
To get the last taxi, we
didn't have enough money.
- Yeah.
- What did we have to give away?
My mp3s, which you
told him were iPods.
These iPods. $100 each.
- Okay.
- Gracias, yeah?
Gracias.
But you showed a
lot of wit and a lot of hustle
which put you in
the position you're in.
And even on the
final bit of the race,
you didn't have enough
money to get to the end.
But you managed to find a
way to get to that finish line.
Can we leave our bags here?
Oh god!
Going around that corner and
seeing them, I could even cry now.
- Ah.
- They're here.
How the hell are you here first?
The final bus stop,
final journey to
the final checkpoint.
Where's your bags?
- No way.
- Don't even.
Without their bags on,
you know, ready to race.
I'm so disappointed.
Heartbroken, because, yeah,
it just dawned on me then,
like we've lost,
we've got no hope.
We outran the boys last time.
Believe in yourself. We can do it.
- All right. Go!
- Quick! Quick! Quick!
Oh god, no!
We were closest to Jen and Rob
because we spent the most amount
of time with them at checkpoints.
When we heard Jen scream
that was heartbreaking.
We can cut ahead to the road.
- Can't see them.
- Run strong, hon.
They're behind us.
Keep moving. Keep
those legs moving.
We put so much
into that last leg.
Go.
This is not it.
This is it. This is it.
- Come on!
- Where's the blue line?
Come on!
Oh, my god.
We did it.
Are you ready?
Just reaching the top
of that peak in ushuaia.
That was... Monumental for us.
Relax. Relax. Get
my name in there.
We did it. And I loved
every second of it.
Literally just got there.
Well done, boys.
Look around you.
Look at this. This is
what it's all been for.
You know what? I think we
made up for ten years' time, eh?
It was close. It was so close.
That's what makes
it so much worse.
You just had to have one more asthma
attack and it would've been me, mate.
They're definitely deserving.
Not only did they beat us at
the final stretch, fair and square...
One of the hardest
things I've done in my life.
But the money is going to
a good place, which is nice.
Yeah.
The children we've
seen throughout the trip,
always had, you know,
a place in my heart.
I want to give what
I can to them kids.
My father has an
orphanage in Bangladesh.
To give back the
children of saão Paulo,
the children of Bangladesh
will be a great honor.
So we'll donate
£10,000 to charities
to help kids on the street.
It should not be like this.
I've got to say, you
know, the whole race,
I think you were probably the
most altruistic out of all of us.
You're both amazing guys.
You two are definitely
worthy winners. Deserved it.
- You're definitely deserving.
- I'm furious.
Actually, I forgot how mad I am.
- So close!
- I'm not over it.
After 54 days, these ten
brits took on the challenge of a lifetime.
The race has
definitely changed me.
Drinking tea in a cloud forest.
This is, like, the best day of my life.
Cheers.
Definitely
more adventurous.
Definitely.
That's the real win.
I loved being part
of the adventure.
- Today is holiday day.
- Hear the music.
- Party vibe. Let's go!
- Let's go and party.
Would I do it again?
Hundred percent.
It's just such a
different experience.
- Hey, we made it.
- Finally made it.
Oh, wow.
And this is just the start.
Day two.
You know, we've got
memories to last us forever.
An experience that
will stay in my head for life.
This is just what
dreams are made of.
Run, dom.
The race was crazy.
Absolutely mental.
- There's a dolphin.
- Oh, there!
Oh my god!
It's like two months
of intense therapy.
You're my sister
and I do love you.
Okay?
We've really got to look at ourselves
and be really proud of what we did.
Dom. There you go.
We'll look back at that for
the rest of our lives, I think.
This trip has been
remarkable in so many ways.
I wanna feel it all,
feel it in my fingertips.
And we'll forever be grateful.
Rocky couldn't do this.
Met some incredible,
remarkable people.
Oh, my god. Wow.
I've never seen that
many fish in my life.
It's helped reconnect ourselves.
- I've got a lot of love for you, man.
- Thanks, brother.
We're very lucky to
have been part of it.
Yes! Come on!
Smile.
- Best view of the trip?
- By far.
the race of a lifetime began.
What have we
got ourselves into?
F ive
pairs of ordinary brits
embarked on a
25,000-kilometer journey...
Let's go.
...from Mexico
City to ushuaia, Argentina,
the most southerly
city in the world.
They battled extreme weather...
Oh my god.
...Trekked
high into the andes...
If I can do this I
can do a hell of a lot more.
Crossed
vast deserts...
I can't see
anything for miles.
...And navigated some
of the world's most volatile regions.
- He's coming over with a gun.
- We need to evacuate asap, before the border closes.
Oh my god.
What's next?
All with budgets
stretched to breaking point.
We do need to move fast,
but we need to move cheap.
- Hang on, where's my money belt?
- It's gone, babe.
- Our race is over.
- You're joking.
The rewards
have been great.
That is the best view
I've ever seen in my life.
I'd be absolutely gutted
if I knew I'd missed this.
The way they live
their life is just heaven.
- Oh, my god.
And the first
team to the finish line...
- Let's go!
- Claim the prize...
We're here.
- ...Of £20,000...
- Our bus stop.
...In a
race across the world.
Come on!
Excitement, adventure, trauma.
For the first time since
the race, all five teams are reuniting.
So excited
to see everybody.
Yes, it's a race and you want
to win, you want to beat them.
But they're the only
family you've got.
It's gonna be surreal
meeting everyone again.
Mother and
son, from Manchester,
Jo and Sam.
- Hey, we made it.
- Finally made it.
That's an experience
that'll stay in my head for life.
London couple
Michael and shuntelle.
- This is the adventure that we were looking for.
- Not me.
I weren't anywhere near ready.
Siblings from
Yorkshire, dom and Lizzie.
I just remember
sitting on the edge
and just thinking, "how
the hell did we get here?"
Race you to the top.
Race winners, uncle
emon and his nephew jamiul.
Made me think about my own life.
That's the way family should be.
We did start this as strangers.
You know what? I think we've
made up for ten years' time.
Check in! Check in!
And married couple
from reading, Jen and Rob.
There were three
people in that race.
Jen, Rob and checkpoint Jen.
I can't do it!
It's a chance to
share in some euphoric highs...
It's just like heaven
to me. It's just heaven.
And
heartbreaking lows.
I was gutted, I'm not
going to pretend I wasn't.
Revelations emerge...
I genuinely thought that
when the cameras went off
we'd get like a
sandwich and a wine.
...as they confess to what
they really thought when they first met...
Well, I thought it was a good
combination of muscle and brains.
...And relive what
else happened at checkpoints.
- You were voted chief.
- I was chieftain for the day.
Rivalries
are re-examined...
Your face was like,
"don't look at him."
- It was awful.
- She can do it, so can I.
There you go.
...As they
compare different strategies...
You kept bringing up that
you were low on your budget
and I had set in my mind
that you were just telling us that
so we'd spend more money.
...divulge the secrets
to winning race across the world.
Turned out, actually, money
wasn't the key to winning.
Hello!
And we find out how life
has changed since returning home.
- How you been?
- Flew in yesterday.
- Where are you then?
- Austria.
- Oh wow.
- I'm doing a ski season.
Throughout the trip it
just became one big family.
Oh, 'ey up!
We share such a
unique experience.
This is so nice to have
our family back together.
- I know!
- Is this a group hug moment?
Mexico City.
The team's assembled
at the start line.
Wow. OMG.
Just two days before, they departed
the UK with no idea of the starting point,
the route, or their
ultimate destination.
White trainers, dom.
- I'm not sure about that.
- We'll do a nice "before and after."
Oh! Oh!
We don't even
know where we're going.
We don't even know where we are.
So here it is.
In Mexico, that's when we
realized how hard it will be.
- The final destination is...
- Oh, my god.
- "Ushu..." what?
- "Ushu..."
- "Ushuaia?"
- who found ushuaia
- on the map?
- I think it was me.
Maybe flip the paper.
We were like, "oh
god, it can't be that far."
And I saw it at the very bottom.
From Mexico
City to ushuaia, Argentina.
Passing through 16 countries
and seven checkpoints.
To get there they had
just over £1400 each,
the price of the air fare.
I don't think it's a
lot, really. That's food,
travel and accommodation.
That's everything, innit?
How you feeling?
You feeling energized?
Just wanna get
out of the city now.
How we gonna get there?
You look at things on a map and
think, "oh, it's only two thumbs."
I just didn't realize the
scale. I've never traveled.
I definitely felt
under-prepared at the start line.
I had no idea what
was about to happen.
I was in competition
mode straight away.
I wasn't.
It was the first
chance to size up the competition.
Some
fellow competitors.
- Hi.
- I'm Lizzie.
I think everyone was putting on
like a fake, "oh, hi, how are you?"
But deep down, we were like
looking up and down like... "Hmm."
Now the race is over,
they can share what they really thought
when they first laid eyes on each other.
I actually thought dom and Lizzie
were going to be our biggest competitors.
I was like, "you know what?
They're gonna smash it out."
I was quite intimidated by everyone
because we were the youngest combined pair.
I mean, shuntelle kept
on referring to you as kids.
"Bless 'em, I hope
they've got good clothes,
hope they're gonna wrap up
properly, hope they're going to eat."
- How you guys doing?
- Nervous.
- A bit nervous. Excited.
- Yeah.
Mike, game face. Knew
he'd be a competitor.
He looked like a raging bull.
He was geeing himself up.
"We've got this. Come on."
You know, I just thought,
"I don't got anything."
- I thought Jen was there for a holiday.
- Ooh!
He's got a shirt on!
What's going on?
Seemed like he was coming
down for a job interview.
I did laugh. I'm sorry, Robert.
I did laugh. I was like,
"dom, he's wearing chinos."
"Have they just
accidentally joined the line?"
"It's not the queue
for the bus, guys."
I think people just
thought "idiots."
I don't know. People
underestimate us a lot, don't they?
- Ha! Well...
- Ha!
- Yeah.
- Little did they know.
Hello.
When I saw your wheelie
case, I thought, "brilliant.
She won't last. She'll be gone."
It just takes a rocky path and, boom,
case is off the end of a mountain.
Well, I thought it was a good
combination of muscle and brains.
Then Sam stands next
to me and lets one off.
I'm like, "nice to meet you."
And that's how you knew
you were gonna be friends.
This is it, eh? Let's
get going, guys.
And I was just like, "these
two have overdressed."
Seeing all the other
contestants there, it was daunting.
I didn't smile too much at the
start, just to try keep a game face
and make sure that
they were fearful of us.
I was just looking straight
ahead. I could sniff the winning line.
I was ready.
"Get to the end." That was
the goal. "Get to the end."
- Let's go.
- Let's go, let's go, let's go!
You two were just
tearing off everywhere,
and we just thought you'd wear
yourself out in about four days' time.
It was more like four minutes.
We sort of
like set the agenda.
We were gonna be quick.
Slow down.
We were completely
shattered after that.
Maybe we shouldn't
have started off like that.
Get out everything
that we don't need.
I think I speak for all of us. We
didn't expect the race to be what it was,
how hard it was,
how tough it was.
Don't think anyone
will have been prepared.
I genuinely thought that
when the cameras went off
we'd get like a
sandwich and a wine.
'Cause I just didn't think they'd
actually make us do those bad things.
Left, left!
Escaping Mexico City, the
largest Metropolis in North America,
would be tough and
burn precious time.
God. I probably should
have gone to the toilet before starting.
The first hurdle to
overcome became a constant one.
Excuse me, do you speak English?
The language.
Sorry. Do
you speak English?
No.
What's it called? Do
you know where that is?
- Bus e stación?
- No, we're going subway.
Been looking for
a bank for three hours.
Opened the bumbag and
realized we already had pesos.
I feel like an idiot.
I think we made an assumption
that everyone would have
at least a little
bit of English.
And, how wrong we were.
"How would I find..."
Speaking English
in a weird voice,
- hoping they'll understand.
- But it works, it works!
Six weeks in
and things got even trickier.
How do you say "how
long" in Portuguese?
Just about learning Spanish.
And now we're in
a different country.
I'm not happy
about the new language.
I'm going to get
ever so confused.
Portuguese. Is that...
I don't want to say it.
- Where do they speak Portuguese?
- Portugal.
I was gonna say that
but I felt too stupid.
But for Jen and
Rob, the struggle to communicate
was difficult from the start.
I got so frustrated by my
inability to communicate.
And actually what happened
is, I really kind of like
went insular, didn't I?
I completely retracted
and I dare not even
start conversations.
What time do we leave?
Oh, god, I don't
know what that is.
- Whereas for Robbie...
- i found it the other way around.
I wasn't concentrating
on the words.
- I looked at body language.
- That's the same in the UK for him, anyway.
I lost my hearing in
my left ear in childhood
and then recently I lost
hearing in my good ear.
In a weird way, having difficulties
hearing was a kind of advantage.
You show us how to...
What you want doing.
Boat for free, if we work?
We're getting free board
and a free canoe ride.
I think it was down to you that
we overcame the language thing
- with your charades.
- We were both involved.
You're really getting more
expressive. I love that.
The checkpoints
may have been fixed,
but each team embarked on
their own individual journey.
We're quite high up.
I'm already out of breath.
When we were younger
we were so close.
But we've grown apart.
I would say we're siblings,
not friends any more.
There's no better way to
save our relationship than this.
Right, dom, off you go. Run.
We didn't have a game
plan. Just said we're gonna wing it.
We're gonna use our natural
charm and just see what happens?
Hola. Does
anyone like free shots?
We were gonna sort of
blag our way into things
and that didn't really get used.
Free shots? No?
I really
don't wanna do this.
I'm quite shy around
people I don't know.
I think at the beginning of the
race, I lacked self confidence,
and I didn't have much faith in my
ability to, you know, go off on my own.
I think we should ask them.
Go on, then.
- Can you come with me?
- Yeah, I'll come with you.
But I'm not asking.
I feel like every younger
sibling could relate to how I felt.
But no matter how old you are,
you fall back into
that old routine of,
"they're the older brother.
Follow what they do."
But in Peru...
- Shall we book a ticket?
- We need to get money first.
...A terrifying health scare
almost ended dom and Lizzie's race.
He's having a seizure!
Someone call an ambulance.
And Lizzie had
no choice but to step up.
It's really scary. Usually he'd
be the one looking after me,
and now I feel like... I don't know
whether I can do the same for him.
It wasn't just you were
doing more than me.
You were having to do all of it.
Yeah. I think that
massively helped.
Definitely.
We wanna go to angra dos reis.
Oh, my god. That was...
Quick. Well done.
Towards the end of the race I
saw my own confidence growing.
Me being forced into that situation, I
realized how capable Lizzie actually is.
- And she was actually making better decisions than I was.
- That's true.
The intensity of
the race forced the siblings
to open up to each other for
the first time since childhood.
I've always known
that Lizzie does care,
but when the seizure
happened, it upset Lizzie so much,
it sort of really hit
home. I was like,
"she actually really
does care about me."
I shouldn't be such
an idiot sometimes.
I do feel that you don't want
me around. And that's how I felt.
Ok, well, I will
try to change that.
- Okay?
- Okay. Yes.
I do love you. Okay?
Now we understand each other.
I think we're more like friends...
- Yeah.
- Rather than just siblings.
I don't think
I've ever seen anything
as beautiful as
that in my entire life.
It's just a completely
different relationship to before
and we actually miss each other,
which is something that I never
really did before, no offense.
And by
the end of the race,
dom and Lizzie's charm
offensive started to pay dividends.
- Cheers.
- Salud.
- New friends, salud.
- New friends.
- Homemade food's always the best.
- It is. Chicken and potatoes.
A new-found
confidence helped them mix with
Argentinean locals,
Thomas and Mariana.
Are you guys
going to posadas?
- Sure.
- Perfect.
We actually have a party
tonight so if you want to join us.
Yeah, sure.
Helping other people,
you can gain a lot from it.
A lot of people
helped us all the time.
I came home and I've taken a job as a
teaching assistant at a secondary school.
Challenging sometimes, but
I've actually really enjoyed it.
And I found it rewarding.
Thank you for letting us come.
One regret, I might have had.
The birthday girl was showing some interest.
And I just remember
thinking, "I need to go to bed."
Now, I look back, I'm like, "dom, why
did you not just seize the moment?"
You could have had
an argentinian girlfriend.
Checkpoint,
here we come.
After racing
for days on end...
Nearly there, mum.
...the competition to
finish first at each checkpoint meant
the final sprint was frantic...
Dom, wait for me.
We're finishing this together.
...and often
adrenaline-fueled.
Check-in! Check-in! Check-in!
There were three
people in that race,
Jen, Rob and checkpoint Jen.
- Couldn't cope with checkpoint Jen.
- You couldn't.
She was way too stressed.
I'm going to ban you from
all decision-making at checkpoints.
You're just too stressed.
"Ban you." Ban you from my life.
Just chill.
Oh, my god, we're nearly there.
Little sprint. Last little push.
Seventh checkpoint.
But the brief comfort
and time-out from the race
meant it was always
worth the effort.
Made it.
Made it to Panama.
When we got through those doors
and we walked into
the most beautiful hotel.
Compared to where we'd
been for the last week,
it was just breathtaking.
The feeling when you got to a
checkpoint and saw a bed was just...
Like overwhelming, just want to
lie down and never move again.
- Cheers, winner.
- Cheers, winner.
Please, don't...
The times spent
together at checkpoints
soon took on added significance.
I love these checkpoints as I
get to hang out with you guys.
I genuinely enjoy your company.
The checkpoints just helped
galvanize you to keep going on,
and galvanize you
to kind of get to them.
- That was our bonding moments.
- Yeah, and share
all the memories
of the legs together.
- You know, it's kind of counseling.
- Yeah.
This is awesome.
I feel like a proper cowboy.
I'll just follow you guys.
Yes, it's a race. And you want
to win, you want to beat them,
but they're the only
family you've got.
Oh, my god.
Getting to
share your stories...
They're the only people
that truly understand...
What you're going
through, definitely.
The group
grabbed the opportunity
to immerse themselves
in local customs.
Lake titicaca, home
to the uros people,
many of whom live permanently on
the lake's 120 manmade floating islands,
each constructed
from living reeds.
We went on floating islands
and you were voted chief.
I was chieftain for
the day, wasn't I, yeah.
Who we nominating as president?
It needs to be someone
semi-sensible, so dom, you're out.
We'd have a lot of fun on the
island though, wouldn't we?
I think if you want a party
island, I should be president.
I don't think I'm worthy
of the title. Sorry, guys.
- Oh, I'll take it then.
- Okay, Rob.
- I'll look after you all.
- Oh, thank you.
- Should we hold him up?
- Yeah, let's go.
That was incredible.
It was just
such an alien lifestyle.
They literally were
living on floating reeds.
It was just a really eye
opening day for every team.
- And to share that experience was just even better.
- Yeah.
I'm loving it.
These fleeting checkpoint
moments created strong bonds.
Honestly, I did not expect
this going into the race,
but the bond we formed
with the other teams.
Oh god, like we talk every day.
So, you've been
busy recently, mate?
Yeah, it has been a bit busy to
be honest. Yourself? How's life?
That's one of the best
things to come out of this race.
- Definitely.
- It's that family of people we have now.
happy birthday, dear Jo ♪
♪ happy birthday to you ♪
You're not getting any.
This is getting us to ushuaia.
Para llevar. Take away.
Are you nervous?
I am, but don't
want to admit it.
We'll be fine.
For Jo and Sam,
the chance to complete the
challenge of a lifetime together.
It's the perfect time
to go traveling now
because my mum's getting
to the age where she's too old.
Thanks.
So glad I brought you.
Probably I don't have many
backpacking years left in me.
Thanks, love.
I know he's always
wanted to travel,
and I thought it would be really
good fun to watch Sam see the world
and hopefully give you the
confidence and enable you to...
Go on my own and do it myself.
- Well, hopefully that's what we get out of it.
- Yeah.
Okay, so, go and spread that
around and pick up the eggs.
For mother and son...
How do you understand all that?
I didn't, I'm guessing.
...a little
Spanish went a long way.
I'm glad I've got her here. If I didn't
have her here then I'd be screwed.
Think it's here, mum.
Chatting with
locals led to an early advantage.
- Name, date and signature, please.
- Oh, my god, we're first.
I think the key strength was my
mum speaking a little bit of Spanish.
This is the most
uncomfortable seat.
But the grueling
reality of back-to-back buses...
I've got a limit on
how much heat I can take.
Just too hot to compute in this.
saw Sam struggle.
Do you think it's got
anything to do with your adhd?
It probably does.
I don't know. I've never been
able to explain why I'm anything.
Just sat there,
driving for hours.
I wanted to stick toothpicks in my toenails
and kick a wall like, it's horrible.
During the long
drives and stuff,
I hated that, but I
knew it was all worth it.
'Cause at the end
of that bus journey,
there's going to be
something amazing.
Whee!
It's just like heaven
to me. It's just heaven.
The salt flats were
absolutely stunning.
That was a real moment when
we really felt the point of it all.
You just got such a
feeling of insignificance.
You did.
And in the
mountains of northern Argentina,
Sam found his spiritual home.
That is really cool.
Like I never thought
I'd ever be doing this.
- Hector on the farm...
- Yeah.
I didn't understand
anything he said,
but I still knew
everything he meant,
because of the way he works,
and that's what I sort of do,
so we got on really well.
Gracias!
This is beyond what my
expectations were, and...
At the end, I can absolutely say
you were communicating
with everybody.
You made real bonds
with people that we met.
- Muchas gracias.
- Muchas gracias.
You had a great
time there, didn't you?
It was a very sp...
Don't look at me
like I'm gonna cry again.
Oh!
I know, you're crying.
No.
As mother and son
enjoyed experience
after experience...
Ciao!
The race began to take on a
whole new dimension for Jo.
One of my main
motivations to go travelling,
particularly with Sam was,
I've got a few health issues,
and so I was
aware that I probably
didn't have that many
more opportunities
that I could do something
like this with Sam.
I think, I don't know,
some of you know
that if I've got lymphoma
and I had chemo
about four years ago,
and I knew it would come
back, but I didn't know when,
and then when I was on
the trip, I kind of thought,
"mmm, I think that
there's some signs,"
and it has come back,
so I'm actually now
on chemotherapy.
Well, you know what?
We know you, Jo,
you're a strong person.
- Yeah.
- And if anyone can fight it, you can.
- Yeah, thank you.
- So, do you know what I mean?
That wasn't easy, you know,
even doing the journey itself,
and then knowing what you knew.
Had all this going on,
yet you still was like...
You're here for all of us.
But despite the relapse,
what the trip has made
me think of, is to basically
take every opportunity I can.
As the realities
of their dwindling budget
began to hit home...
We need to get at
least one job on this leg.
We just don't have enough
money to complete the race.
Sam made sure his mum
got to fulfill a lifelong dream.
Whoo!
Definitely, it's gives me
the bug to do more travelling.
- Yeah.
- So I just have to get this chemo over with,
and go again before
it comes back again.
- I love your attitude, amazing.
- Yeah.
I wanted to be out there,
um, living life and
seeing the world,
whether it was us together,
or whether it was, you know...
- With your boy?
- I'd ditch you.
Balls hurt so much.
This is what we signed up for.
I'm so glad I'm doing
this with you, love.
Couldn't do it with
anyone better, to be honest.
- I'm so hungry.
- Mmm.
- I'm starving.
- Need some food.
Oh, that's what you call
a barbecue. Look at that.
Throughout the race,
heads were turned by
the smells and tastes
of Latin American cuisine.
It's spicy, that.
- Oh, that's good.
- Ha-ha!
Some good...
This is muy bien.
- The bribri tribe in Costa Rica.
- Oh.
Well, they
slow cook this chicken
on a wood fire.
This is indigenous food.
- Ah, okay.
- Yeah.
That's really tasty.
I swear to god, it was
the nicest bit of chicken
I've ever had in my life.
- Good god!
- And some,
a more acquired taste.
Spatchcock Guinea pig.
My favorite pet.
They just
present it so badly.
Ugh, it's face.
They fried its face. Ugh!
And its claws were still there.
Oh, god.
He ate the hottest
chili in all of the market.
I want one of these chilies.
Everyone's looking at me.
It is hot?
You need a fire extinguisher.
Go on, go for it.
- Is it really hot?
- Right, that's hot.
Oh, my god.
Whoo!
He was just running
around trying to find water.
Drink.
Hot.
Going for a slow releasing
porridge for breakfast.
But with
continued money worries...
Keep me going all day now.
Honestly, I think most of our
conversations were about food.
...Food fast
became an obsession.
I started seeing food where
there actually wasn't food.
I'd look at a rock
and be like, "mmm."
Who's a good boy?
You'd be tasty on a plate.
This is a romantic,
quiet picnic spot.
We'd have a bread
roll and we'd half it,
and we'd buy a tin of
fake tuna, and we'd half it,
- and we'd half a tuna sandwich.
- Fake tuna?
And that was a good...
That was a treat meal.
Can I get a
packet of cheetos?
Si, si.
Like, no-one can't
know about cheetos.
They're in every
country, everywhere.
But, Michael, you
ran off a moving bus
to run into a shop to buy
cheetos and come back.
I was starving, mate.
Fueling their journey
even more than food
was the one constant
all the teams soon discovered.
The
kindness of strangers.
- Cheers.
- Cheers. Thank you very much.
- Cheers.
- Thank you so much.
Thank you very
much for hosting us.
Thank you so much for this.
I'm happy to help you.
One of the most
fulfilling things in the race
was the people we met and
the generosity that came our way.
I like to invite to my
house, for dinner, tonight.
Sometimes just looking at our
faces, how desperate we were.
We didn't even need to say
anything. They were like, "come in."
- Yeah.
- "Feed them."
- Salud.
- To new friends.
Those moments are
the ones I'll never forget.
You can tell they didn't have
much, but they're still willing to give.
We found so many
people fed us for free.
This is so different to what
I'd imagined we'd be doing.
In the coastal
town of huanchako in Peru,
emon and jamiul found work with
local fishermen John and Santos.
Welcome to this
family in huanchako.
And later bonded
over a home-prepared meal.
- Beautiful.
- Now we go to prepare the ceviche.
Okay.
Experiencing family life with John and
Santos made me think about my own life.
- Bon appetit.
- That is good, man.
For me, this is one of the
best experiences I've had
because I got to meet you and
your dad. It's the way family should be.
When I have children, I'll tell them
John and Santos looked after me.
I want to start my own family
and, you know, moving forward.
I mean, he gave you
a few tips, didn't he?
Yeah.
The fresh fish have
a lot of phosphorus.
Okay.
And then you have a lot of
energy, you know, with a girl?
- Ceviche gives you, er...
- Gives you that...
- that oomph.
- That oomph!
And the parents of
my father. Eighteen...
- Eighteen kids?
- Eighteen kids.
And he was quite direct,
shall we say? Quite animated.
Because it's too much
energy, you know, for your body.
"All right,
John. We get your drift."
Yes.
So, yeah, we found that a
bit amusing and a bit daunting.
I really struggled with people
helping in the first instance,
because I was thinking,
you know, what the hell
are they going to
want in return of me?
Or what have they just
taken? That hindered my ability
to involve myself with communities,
even with them kids on the island.
- Hiya.
- Hey, all right?
Oh my god.
Robbie, I'm so scared.
People aren't nice
like this in england.
You were always asking me,
"oh, how do you know they're
gonna take us to the right place?
How do you know
they're telling the truth?
How do you know we're going in
the right direction following them?"
You don't.
Do you know how
much a taxi would cost?
I was thinking to take
you in my car.
- Really?
- How much would you charge us?
Uh, no, just for fun.
- No. Really?
- Just for fun?
- Would you do that?
- Yes.
It restored my faith in humanity
and made me realize that
actually 99.99% of people
actually are friendly and
good people and want to help.
And that was like when I really started
to embrace it and really enjoy myself.
- Smash this here.
- Got to.
Michael and shuntelle
approach travel with
contrasting attitudes.
I work for a large
international accountancy firm,
but Michael is ex-army,
loves a challenge.
I think if he could sleep
outdoors, he would.
I hope that we're able
to work with each other
rather than against each other.
This
is just fantastic.
I don't need a luxury five
star hotel to enjoy something.
This is the experience, the
adventure that we were looking for.
Oh, my goodness,
the four seasons.
That's where I want to go.
When we started this race, we
did say this was a make or break.
I was a duck out of water.
I'm very tired. And now
we begin our epic journey.
Twenty odd hours on a coach.
He was lapping it up.
I'd rather do this than go to
Barbados or Jamaica right now.
Totally
out of my comfort zone.
The long bus journeys, the
horrible toilets, the horrible hostels.
It was just constant. It
was so much.
It was just trying to get
from one day to the next.
Trying to understand
the languages,
trying to understand each other.
Week one, that's
all I was doing.
I was just taking in all
the sights, all the views,
and the madness of it all.
I didn't feel in control, which I
struggle with, so I kind of froze.
It really was traumatic,
that first week, for me.
Do I look like someone
who slept outside in my life?
No, but this is... This is
about opening up your mind.
There was a definite
thought process from my side...
I was like, "yeah, maybe
we are too different."
It was a bit touch
and go at that point.
As the
first week wore on,
shuntelle rediscovered
her competitive streak.
We stayed in a
hostel last night.
Never stayed in a hostel before.
We shared with how many people?
- You did a dorm?
- Yeah.
Oh, you probably went... okay.
Once I realized Jen had done
so much out of her comfort zone,
then I was ready to
just put everything in.
If she can do it, so can I.
I can do it.
- I think checkpoint two, we were like, "ok, game on."
- Yeah.
- I have to woman up.
- Man up.
I'm a woman so I'm womaning up.
Keep breathing.
- Keep focusing.
- Focus on the second leg.
Don't focus on the second
leg and make me go...
And had some
r&R, good food...
I slept on a lovely bed.
I was ready.
We want to least beat
who we left with today.
That's our aim. They
were at the petrol station.
They are standing there
doing nothing. High five, babe.
I could see you get more
more competitive by the day.
But shuntelle's
renewed determination
faltered when disaster struck.
My money
belt's here, isn't it?
All I heard Michael say is,
"I can't find my money belt."
I just looked over. "What do you
mean you can't find your money belt?"
- Back pockets?
- It's not here. Definitely not here.
I was absolutely devastated
about the whole thing.
I still am now, you know.
We just wanted to complete
the journey with you guys there.
I feel like that experience,
journey's being robbed.
Well, we missed you.
Yes, we did.
It was like a piece of the
puzzle just gone, isn't it?
I've
messed it up. I'm sorry.
I just need you to know
that we started as a team.
So we, as a team,
have lost the money.
I learned at that stage,
that she was on my side
whatever the situation was.
I learned that you had
that humility about you,
and that made it easier
for me at that time.
We knew our
journey was coming to an end,
so we stopped the race
and went whale watching.
I have not seen any
whales in my lifetime.
Ah!
That is so cool.
Oh, wow.
I can't believe we're
so close to them as well.
Since the race, life has
changed for Michael and shuntelle.
Got back to
London, got back into normal life.
Came to a conclusion
that, our relationship,
we were gonna take a break.
We get along, we
speak all the time.
And I think our communications
have been a lot better too.
Well, if it just ends
up a good friendship,
you can't go through that experience
without having a really strong bond.
We're gonna be friends for life.
I wouldn't have done the
journey with anybody else.
He was definitely the only
person I would have done it with.
Likewise.
I'm sure you would've
found somebody.
- Let's keep it real.
- Okay.
Nice try, Michael.
145 for the hostel,
18 for the tube.
Food, taxis...
With only £26
each to spend per day,
it wasn't just Michael and
shuntelle who had money troubles.
So we started
the race in Mexico,
we had £1,453 each.
After 52 days of racing,
ended up with £3.38.
Slept in some stupid places in
my life, but this is a first for me.
There were some tricky
situations with the money.
Yeah.
There were days when we didn't have enough
money to get to the next destination.
You kept bringing up that
you were low on your budget
and I had set in my mind
that you were just telling us
that, so we'd spend more money.
But it was the truth though.
We were struggling for money.
I know.
We had
days without eating.
In the buses, when they
give you three biscuits,
I'd go to the back and stuff
my bag with all the biscuits.
We just had to hustle
our way to get through.
Work was crucial in
securing extra funds needed to finish.
We've got
a lot to cover, man.
We could do with
a jet wash here, lad.
We did a lot of work
like washing the buses.
Yeah, you left that to me.
Only the
top rim needs doing.
I did a lot of work.
You did a lot of like...
It's called business
development.
You gotta take, you know...
Take a leadership role.
There's all pubes on
the back of that, by the way.
I think I'll just do the walls.
Honestly, there's
pubes everywhere.
When I signed up for the race, I didn't
ever think I'd be cleaning toilets in a bus.
Some jobs
were better than others.
In Peru, Jen and Rob, spent a
day working at a bear sanctuary.
But it wasn't just bears
they were looking after.
So we have to clean
the herpetarium.
- What's that?
- It's a place where we have some snakes.
Just terrified of spiders, snakes,
mice, terrified of all of those things.
Who cleans the cage of a snake
whilst the snake's sitting there,
especially if it's a
dangerous snake?
Crazy.
Have you ever
done this before?
Never protected
my wife from a snake
because she's too
busy window cleaning.
We, as you know,
didn't do the final leg.
We ran out of money.
I struggled with it
because the competitive side
of me wasn't about winning,
it was about finishing it.
So I was really upset to
not see you guys at the end.
Hey, guys.
Come here.
Deciding to go home
was a real low point for me.
Um, weirdly, I'm
about to cry again.
Gordon Bennett.
- Lots going on.
- How are we, guys?
Uh...
We realized we
couldn't go on to the final leg.
Aw!
It's really sad not to
finish it, but it's brilliant
to see you guys.
I don't give up. I'm
not really a giver upper.
- She hates not finishing.
- Um, so, I struggled with that.
It was in the back
of everyone's heads
but you never really thought it
would have actually happened.
Yeah.
It hit home that it could
happen to anybody.
What's important is, we do need to
move fast, but we need to move cheap.
Oh my god. We've gotta
worry about our own pockets now.
We were like, "we
cannot hit zero."
So, basically
it's scooping up poo.
Who said it would be
fun working with horses?
You want
money? Stop complaining.
This was the
first instance in our life
where this money that
we're making is for us to eat.
And if we don't make that money,
we don't eat.
I think this is another
job ticked off the list
of jobs I'm not sure I
wanna do when I'm older.
It's definitely strengthened
us and hardened us.
Made me appreciate
things a lot more.
Oh! Cheers.
- We finished with £18.39 over the finish line.
- No way.
We're not going to eat now
for like, three days, you know.
- No.
- Not one thing.
We were just so happy
to finish at the end.
I was quite impressed at our
ability to blag and to hitchhike
because we only finished, you
know, a few hours behind you guys.
It's amazing what you can
achieve when you have to.
Yeah, our strategy was basically
keep a fund of money back...
To get you
over the finish line.
If we could hire a helicopter and
chopper in, we were gonna do it.
Just turned out that actually
money wasn't the key to winning.
And we ended with £45.83.
We were very mean with our
money from the off, weren't we?
We had a very strict budget.
- Very scary, isn't it?
- I feel so heavy.
- Now that it is real.
- I feel sick.
Jen and Rob, the
most unlikely pair of backpackers.
This journey is
going to be challenging.
It'll challenge our
communication, won't it?
Absolutely, yeah.
We do struggle with
that from time to time.
All the time.
How are we even gonna
get like out of the city?
I don't know.
We knew we were just
average, you know, average Joes.
Just Jen and Rob from reading.
Bloody hell.
I didn't even own a backpack.
Never even owned trainers.
This this like... Oh my god!
I had no clue.
Okay. Gracias.
Let me keep hold of
this. You asked a clown.
We found it tough, didn't
we? The first two legs.
I mean, i'm
absolutely exhausted.
I've not slept for three days.
I've not showered in three days.
I've had the same
pants on for four days.
I'd like to brush my teeth.
I'd like a glass of water.
I think one of the
reasons why we wanted to do
the race, communication
had definitely broken down.
We perhaps were kind of, you know,
not as close as we should have been
for a newly married couple, who
had just bought their first house.
The stresses and
strains of everyday life,
was just, like, almost a
barrier to remembering
why we're together
in the first place.
We started
realizing that actually
you've got to be in a
good place with each other.
Can't be stressed.
You're going through
these amazing places.
- Stunning, isn't it?
- Gorgeous.
You've got
to experience them.
You'll just regret it
for the rest of your life.
I like time
out from the race.
Stressed Jen isn't
the best form of Jen, is it?
No.
You're given this
amazing opportunity and...
You're throwing it away if
you don't look at the places
that you pass.
Watch your bum.
You sneaky little boy.
Definitely worth
the trip to get here.
Over time, we began
to really carefully
pick our journeys to go through
places that we were desperate to go to.
It was hard to find that
balance between race and experience.
It was. I
think we did nail it.
We'd say, "right, we got four
hours now, before the next bus,
let's go and have an
amazing experience
for four hours and then come
back and, boom, the race starts."
That was a good strategy.
I don't have any regrets.
That sums
it up, doesn't it?
No regrets. So we
did something right.
Can you see up there?
Oh, look at
that. Iguazu falls.
That is the best view
I've ever seen in my life.
And sharing
those kind of...
Moments.
Awesome experiences.
That's like a
therapy itself, isn't it?
That's healing.
It unites us, doesn't it?
- Yeah.
- We're stronger for it.
Exactly that.
From my point of view,
the outside looking in,
you just seem to be
such a brilliant team.
Have a laugh together,
communicate individually and together.
You seem to work brilliantly.
I definitely feel that we've
got stronger and stronger.
We had to get worse first.
- Ow! I said don't rip it.
- You want anything out of it?
Yes. I told you not to
rip my arms off!
But I think when
we just hit that wonderful,
harmonious team work,
it was the making of us.
Yes!
You can see
her confidence grow.
I think that's making
her a happier person,
which is nice and that, that
makes me happy.
I'm canoeing! I'm canoeing!
We've grown stronger
because we're being kinder.
Oh, Robbie, I can't do it.
- You can, you're almost there.
- I'm gonna cry.
What's the matter?
What's the matter?
Almost there. Almost there.
You're stronger than
you can ever imagine.
We're so close now.
And we're being kinder
because we've
grown as individuals.
You're nice.
Coming out the
other end of the race,
I feel like I've become
more comfortable
with my hearing loss.
It doesn't stop me
from doing anything.
And that's allowed
me to go to loud bars.
Yeah, I'm not going
to hear people,
I'm not really going to
understand what they say
but you can still have a laugh, can't you?
It doesn't stop me
from succeeding.
And I think this race
has kind of proved that.
I can't do this, Robbie.
You can. We're a team.
I love how this
journey has made you
a lot more adventurous.
And our holidays from now on,
are not going to be
all-inclusive style hotels.
We want to engage
with local culture.
We want to go somewhere new.
Definitely be less
like planny, planny,
'cause I plan down
to every single second.
I'd be happy just
to get off a plane
and be like, "I wonder where
we'll be sleeping tonight?"
Like, I genuinely would
be quite happy to do that,
after I've had my
first luxury holiday.
All aboard!
The need to
follow the cheapest routes
led teams to sometimes
bump into each other
when they least expected it.
- Dom and Lizzie.
- Jamiul and emon.
- Hey, guys.
- Hi!
How are you doing?
- It was like a little treat every time, wasn't it?
- Yeah.
- Exactly.
- It was like, "ooh."
Wazzup!
It's like sort of seeing family
along the way, wasn't it?
- Oh, hello, darling.
- Good to see you.
- Familiar faces.
- Yeah.
It was just lovely. It
was lovely seeing them.
But they weren't
always thrilled to see each other.
They're on our bus.
And the only seats
are next to me.
- Now, Lizzie.
- Yeah.
- Don't tell them everything we've done.
- No, I won't. Don't worry.
- And don't tell them where we're going.
- Don't...
Have you chosen the route yet?
We have no idea where we're going.
Your face was, "don't
look at him. Don't even..."
"be quiet, Rob.
Don't say anything."
I think as soon as you
bumped into someone,
something snapped in you, like,
"oh, my god." You
make rash decisions.
You start worrying too much
about what they're doing...
- Yes.
- And it changes your plan,
and then you get in
each other's heads
and gets very competitive.
- Whoo!
- Yes!
Jen and Rob are here.
I feel really sneaky.
But then I feel, like,
really, like, happy
that I've been sneaky.
How were we sneaky?
Rob, I hid in bushes
so people didn't see me.
Robbie, Robbie,
Robbie, Robbie, Robbie.
What's this? What?
I think emon was
really competitive.
At checkpoints,
it was nice emon,
and then as soon
as the race started,
it was blinkers on, go.
It was puno for me.
We were literally like this.
I feel terrible.
They are your friends and
you really want them to do well.
But at the same time,
you want to do better.
I looked behind and you
were having an asthma attack
and I was like, "yes!"
"He's on oxygen,
Robbie. Leg it!"
I mean, how awful is that!
We have so
much love for Jen and Rob.
I don't think they have
so much love for me.
She's already wished death
on me a couple of times so...
Jen will be Jen!
México.
Uncle and
nephew, emon and jamiul,
were looking to reconnect
after a family estrangement.
In the past 10 years,
I don't think we've
spent a full day together.
Let's do this.
Come on!
Initially, we said
we were gonna be quick.
And we sort of the team to beat.
I think we're way
ahead of everybody else.
As soon as we get
to palenque, that's it.
Give the others a
chance to catch up to us.
Yeah, okay.
It definitely backfired on us.
Guys, I'm sorry, we don't
have any more tickets.
Twenty-four hours behind
now because we've missed the boat.
It's a big, big problem for us.
I came into the
race quite confident.
I've done a lot of expeditions.
I thought my experience
would benefit us.
But I really underestimated it.
It was nothing like what
I've done before in my life.
Damn!
We ended up coming
last in the first leg.
I think it comes down to,
us not really connecting well at
the beginning of the race, isn't it?
And obviously, we
didn't know each other.
We didn't know what our strengths
were, what our weaknesses were.
Their strategy to
- Splash the cash.
To the border?
160. Yeah.
- All right.
- Okay.
The money that we spent on
the first two legs crippled us.
And we felt it for
the rest of the race.
We're $400 over our budget.
It was a
show, wasn't it?
It was a show.
To get back in
the game, they had to hustle.
$10.
You can do cheaper than that.
You're kidding me? Murder.
No?
This is hard, man.
We'll clean yours after if you like us
to, but you have to pay us top dollar.
A jungle trek!
This is cool.
And as they
got a foothold in the race...
Phew!
Give me some, man.
Their understanding
of each other grew.
I thought, yes, it's
gonna be an amazing race.
We'll see some amazing
places, amazing countries.
Let's do it.
Ah, that
feels good, isn't it?
We did it, eh?
I just did not expect the
connection that we had.
I'm proud of you.
I feel more close to him
than I ever have been.
I was always thinking
of the wider picture.
In valle
De la Luna, Bolivia,
jamiul built up the courage
to seek some answers.
Why is it exactly that
you left the family?
My dad was set that I should
settle down and get married.
About 15 years ago, you'd get married
to the person your mum and dad said.
That was the bengali culture.
I didn't see that as my future.
I had so many
questions over the past decade.
I had asked so many family
members what's going on?
Um, never got the right answer,
so it was just really nice to be able
to get those answers from you direct.
Give me a bro hug.
I missed you, man.
I'm spending more
time with my family now,
and that's what the
trip's made me realize.
I mean, time is
always against us.
Mission accomplished.
You could say that.
I'd lost connection with
my father for 10 years.
I've started to make
my time up with my dad.
Pick any card. This one, eh?
So I'm spending as much
time as I can with him.
I finished the
adventurous side of my life,
and I'm kind of ready to settle
down and start my own family now.
Do the normal things.
I knew that if we went
on this journey together,
it would bring our
families together.
It was the mission. It
was... It was the aim,
and I'm happy
that it's happened.
I'm really glad that
the family embraced it.
It is really nice.
My auntie told me that he said my name
in his dream a couple of times as well.
- Really?
- Wow!
Fifty-two days together,
like, in each other's pockets.
And as soon as I got back...
I think the first night, I woke
up and went, "where's jam?"
Can't get him away from me
nowadays. Always at my house.
What you lying for?
I'm actually...
I came back from work and
laz goes, "jam's in the garage."
I said, "you what? What's
he doing?" "I don't know."
You were just sat
there, watching TV.
It's finally here.
Boom. It's ushuaia time.
The last leg saw teams
jostle back and forth throughout patagonia.
Stuff the money.
We're not settling
for less than first.
God, this is risky.
With just one
bus a day from rio gallegos...
Oh, my god.
600 kilometers from ushuaia,
the remaining three teams
came face to face
with each other.
Oh, my goodness.
After 50 odd days of racing,
when we all arrived at that bus stop,
it was just remarkable.
- All three of us here.
- Oh, don't. This is nerve-wracking.
The race
was well and truly on.
The moment we realized
we weren't going to win...
Ushuaia?
Hola. ushuaia? Sí.
We saw Jen and Rob, and
jamiul and emon jump into taxis,
and we were like... Rats!
A cash-strapped dom
and Lizzie were forced to hitchhike.
Huh? No! No!
It came down
to emon and jamiul...
Rápido, yeah?
Versus Jen and Rob.
- Oh, we're here.
- Oh my god!
And one team turned to the skills
they'd applied throughout the race.
We're gonna have
to dump these bags.
Just when
it mattered most.
Oh my days!
To get the last taxi, we
didn't have enough money.
- Yeah.
- What did we have to give away?
My mp3s, which you
told him were iPods.
These iPods. $100 each.
- Okay.
- Gracias, yeah?
Gracias.
But you showed a
lot of wit and a lot of hustle
which put you in
the position you're in.
And even on the
final bit of the race,
you didn't have enough
money to get to the end.
But you managed to find a
way to get to that finish line.
Can we leave our bags here?
Oh god!
Going around that corner and
seeing them, I could even cry now.
- Ah.
- They're here.
How the hell are you here first?
The final bus stop,
final journey to
the final checkpoint.
Where's your bags?
- No way.
- Don't even.
Without their bags on,
you know, ready to race.
I'm so disappointed.
Heartbroken, because, yeah,
it just dawned on me then,
like we've lost,
we've got no hope.
We outran the boys last time.
Believe in yourself. We can do it.
- All right. Go!
- Quick! Quick! Quick!
Oh god, no!
We were closest to Jen and Rob
because we spent the most amount
of time with them at checkpoints.
When we heard Jen scream
that was heartbreaking.
We can cut ahead to the road.
- Can't see them.
- Run strong, hon.
They're behind us.
Keep moving. Keep
those legs moving.
We put so much
into that last leg.
Go.
This is not it.
This is it. This is it.
- Come on!
- Where's the blue line?
Come on!
Oh, my god.
We did it.
Are you ready?
Just reaching the top
of that peak in ushuaia.
That was... Monumental for us.
Relax. Relax. Get
my name in there.
We did it. And I loved
every second of it.
Literally just got there.
Well done, boys.
Look around you.
Look at this. This is
what it's all been for.
You know what? I think we
made up for ten years' time, eh?
It was close. It was so close.
That's what makes
it so much worse.
You just had to have one more asthma
attack and it would've been me, mate.
They're definitely deserving.
Not only did they beat us at
the final stretch, fair and square...
One of the hardest
things I've done in my life.
But the money is going to
a good place, which is nice.
Yeah.
The children we've
seen throughout the trip,
always had, you know,
a place in my heart.
I want to give what
I can to them kids.
My father has an
orphanage in Bangladesh.
To give back the
children of saão Paulo,
the children of Bangladesh
will be a great honor.
So we'll donate
£10,000 to charities
to help kids on the street.
It should not be like this.
I've got to say, you
know, the whole race,
I think you were probably the
most altruistic out of all of us.
You're both amazing guys.
You two are definitely
worthy winners. Deserved it.
- You're definitely deserving.
- I'm furious.
Actually, I forgot how mad I am.
- So close!
- I'm not over it.
After 54 days, these ten
brits took on the challenge of a lifetime.
The race has
definitely changed me.
Drinking tea in a cloud forest.
This is, like, the best day of my life.
Cheers.
Definitely
more adventurous.
Definitely.
That's the real win.
I loved being part
of the adventure.
- Today is holiday day.
- Hear the music.
- Party vibe. Let's go!
- Let's go and party.
Would I do it again?
Hundred percent.
It's just such a
different experience.
- Hey, we made it.
- Finally made it.
Oh, wow.
And this is just the start.
Day two.
You know, we've got
memories to last us forever.
An experience that
will stay in my head for life.
This is just what
dreams are made of.
Run, dom.
The race was crazy.
Absolutely mental.
- There's a dolphin.
- Oh, there!
Oh my god!
It's like two months
of intense therapy.
You're my sister
and I do love you.
Okay?
We've really got to look at ourselves
and be really proud of what we did.
Dom. There you go.
We'll look back at that for
the rest of our lives, I think.
This trip has been
remarkable in so many ways.
I wanna feel it all,
feel it in my fingertips.
And we'll forever be grateful.
Rocky couldn't do this.
Met some incredible,
remarkable people.
Oh, my god. Wow.
I've never seen that
many fish in my life.
It's helped reconnect ourselves.
- I've got a lot of love for you, man.
- Thanks, brother.
We're very lucky to
have been part of it.
Yes! Come on!
Smile.
- Best view of the trip?
- By far.