Race Across the World (2019–…): Season 3, Episode 1 - Episode #3.1 - full transcript
The desire to explore our planet has
never been stronger.
But in travelling over,
are we missing the joys
of journeying through?
Canada, the second largest
country in the world.
From Pacific to Atlantic Ocean -
flight time, seven hours.
But could you successfully navigate
this gruelling 16,000km
route at ground level,
all for the price of doing it by
air?
Five pairs of ordinary Brits are
about to undertake just that...
Go, go!
Go, go, go!
..in a demanding
and challenging race.
All I'm saying is I'm going to die.
We're all going to die.
They'll head deep into the wild...
Oh, my God, the sea is ice.
..across vast prairies...
This is awesome.
Road trip!
..soar high into the Rockies...
Just once in a lifetime, innit?
If we see a bear,
I'm going to kill you.
Ah!
..to the very edges of
civilisation...
We are going to go into the remote
wilderness here.
We can't get a bus out of here.
We can't get a train out of here.
..without smartphones or bank cards
and with a limited budget.
It's dark, it's raining.
We've got no money.
We are going to have to find
a car share.
I don't like this!
They'll need charm...
Parlez-vous Anglais?
Mission accomplished.
..hard work...
We're absolutely brassic.
We can claw the money back.
Yeah. We'll work.
..and ingenuity, to get them through.
So, I can give you a ride.
Are you going to kill us? No.
Have they got what it takes
both physically...
It's just the hardest
thing I think I've done.
..and emotionally?
It's hard, but you've just made us
feel like family.
I believe in you.
I know. I just don't believe in me.
I'm not giving up.
The rewards are great...
Mother Nature at her best.
Never seen anything like it.
..and for the first team to the
finish line,
a prize of £20,000...
Every second counts.
..in a race...
If they come behind us now,
I'm taking the bag, OK?
..across the world.
Breathe through it.
You can cry when you're sat down.
Mid-life crisis is going really
well.
Yeah. I'm quite enjoying my crisis.
Yeah!
Perched on the edge
of the Pacific Ocean...
..Vancouver.
150 years ago,
British Columbia's largest city
started life as a makeshift tavern.
But for thousands of years,
it's been home to the region's
indigenous peoples.
On the sacred peninsula that is now
called Stanley Park,
the race begins.
I can't believe we're all
the way out here.
On the edge of the Pacific Ocean.
I know!
Eager to get going,
friends Trisha and Cathie.
If it wasn't so cold, I think
I'd want to put my toes in there.
I... Yeah.
We met when we were 13.
Mmm-hmm.
I was quite worried about my first
day at school.
By the end of the first day,
we just became firm friends
and we've been getting into trouble
ever since together, really.
Yeah. So excited.
And to do it with you!
I know, I know!
She's like the sister I...
I was going to say I never had,
but I have got a sister.
Look how beautiful it is.
How well can you see?
Can you see the cruise ships?
Not really.
I can see the red crane.
We are inseparable
and a force to be reckoned with.
Does my bum look big in this
rucksack?
Next up...
I thought it'd be snowy.
I just, like, associate
Canada with snow.
Well... they do have seasons.
..Monique and her father, Ladi,
from Essex.
My dad is like my superhero.
If anything was to go wrong,
it'd be Dad that I call
because I know that he...
he'll be there.
He's like Liam Neeson from Taken.
My bag's heavy.
I think yours might be heavier,
though.
It's got your stuff in it!
THEY LAUGH
My daughter is accustomed to
a princess lifestyle.
Thank you.
Am I responsible for making
her like that?
Hell, yeah. Sure I am.
But she also needs to understand
the challenges
that she may face later on in life.
If I can help her with that through
this race, then great.
If you have any cellphones,
credit cards or cash on your person,
please hand them over now.
Stripped of all the trappings of
modern-day life...
Oh. So sad.
..the teams receive a map of Canada,
money belts, a travel guide...
Thank you.
..and GPS device to track
their progress to the finish line.
Game on.
Third to arrive in Stanley Park...
They're special, aren't they?
..another daughter with her dad,
Claudia and Kevin.
I had no idea that that was
linked to Canada.
I think we've got enough
talent between us to um...
To blag it. To... Yeah, absolutely.
I mean, you know, we're going to be
doing a bit of ducking and diving.
We're going to be jigging and
jiving.
I think we're
a bit of a dynamic duo.
I love to backpack
and to spend time with my dad,
and get back to doing crazy
adventures, like we used to do,
would be amazing.
Thank you.
We'll have some magical moments.
Where are we going?
Also joining the race...
It's getting a bit wet.
It's changed so much.
It's like being back in Manchester.
Yeah, I know!
Married for eight years,
Glaswegian Zainib
and Mancunian Mobeen.
Our relationship is...
I'd says it's good.
Yeah, I'm enjoying it.
It's good! What do you want me to
say? It's going well!
"I'm enjoying the marriage!"
Oh, look. There's the Canada goose.
They're not friendly, I've been
told.
No cuddles? No.
Try patting one on the head.
See what happens.
LAUGHS
Zainib's the most beautiful
person I've ever met.
She's Champions League
and I'm Championship.
He's lovely. I love him.
But I think we're going to get on
each other's nerves, I really do.
And we're going to bicker, cos
according to him
everyone's happy and everything's
lovely,
and there's rainbows and fairies.
I ain't about that.
Completing the line-up...
Where'd you think we're going?
I don't know.
..brothers Marc and Michael.
I want to go proper wilderness.
What?
Yeah.
Are you joking?
I think that would be awesome. No...
It's, like, bear season or
something, innit?
I think the way to describe
our relationship is confused.
Difficult, with hints of promise.
I'd like to get to know my little
brother cos I...
..I don't know who he is.
Can't believe I'm doing it with
you, to be honest.
When we was kids,
we used to fight all the time.
He had a better relationship
with his imaginary friend
than he did with me.
That everything?
Lastly, something you may need
while you're in Canada...
..bear spray.
Bear spray? Okey doke.
So I just kind of like...
..do you just spray it on you, like
aftershave?
That would be very painful.
It's only to be used in emergency
situations.
So if he's actually charging at you?
Exactly.
Well, good luck.
Bye. Bye. Bye.
We actually going to come across a
bear? Yeah, probably.
That would be horrible.
Armed with the essentials...
THEY EXHALE DEEPLY
..time to find out where the
race will take them.
The race begins at two o'clock
Your final destination is St John's.
Do you know where that is?
No idea.
St John's could be in Hackney
for all I know.
Oh, my God, this map goes on
forever. Wow.
Is this the whole world?
So where is St John's,
cos we're starting on the
Pacific Coast, aren't we?
I wonder if we'll finish on the
Atlantic.
Oh, there! Look.
Oh! No way!
Oh, my God!
It's there!
The finish line, St John's in
Newfoundland,
the most easterly city in
North America.
So, it's Canada.
Canada's massive.
Oh, my days...
The whole of Canada?
That is the whole breadth of Canada.
That's insane, isn't it?
The journey of over 16,000km
to the edge of the Arctic
and shores of the Great Lakes,
will see them pass through
seven checkpoints.
Only when they reach one, will
they learn the location of the next,
and they'll have to do it all
for just under £2,500 per person.
That's not a lot, Dad. Do you know
how expensive it is in Canada?
That's an outfit, that is.
In a country where a loaf of bread
can cost twice as much
as in the UK...
This is no luxury holiday.
This is about sweating it out,
this one.
..a budget per team member of less
than £50 a day
means they'll need to find ways to
supplement it.
So, we're going to have to work,
and I reckon doesn't necessarily
need to be monetary gain.
It could also mean accommodation, so
we don't need to pay for
accommodation, we don't need to pay
for food. Cool. That's good.
I like that.
So, game plan. Clock strikes two.
What are we doing?
all right, we've got to find...
We've got to find the first
checkpoint.
What was the first place called?
T... T... Tlell.
Where is Tlell?
No idea! Come on, Dad.
Get your, um, map reading skills.
I can't see it anywhere.
Got it the wrong way round, I think.
Here it is! We're going to
an island.
Go, girl!
The teams assemble at the start
line...
..a first chance to clock their
rivals for the £20,000.
Really lovely to meet you.
We're best friends from school.
We're dad and daughter. Are you?
We're dad and daughter!
Oh, my God! Cute!
Nice to meet you.
Do you know where the first
checkpoint is?
Maybe. Maybe not.
We have no idea.
It's nearly two.
It feels a bit real now, doesn't it?
It does.
The more I think about it,
the more I'm pooing my pants.
That's all right. Nerves is good.
But I'm definitely very competitive.
I'm in it to win it.
You see? That's my girl.
Have we ever worked
together as a team?
No. Is there ever a situation
where we've...?
No. ..worked together as a team?
No!
I was in the Cub Scouts.
I'm going to teach you how to
use a compass.
Have you really packed the compass?
I have packed the compass, yeah.
Zainib has definitely got
a hanger issue,
so I think you might struggle.
See, that makes me
want to prove him wrong.
Individually, we're very determined.
Trisha completed a 100km walk with a
chipped bone in her foot.
I did the same with a torn
muscle in my hip.
So, together we are...
Unstoppable.
Go, go!
God! We're actually doing
this!
Steady on, Michael!
Let them run, let them run,
let them run! We got this.
We might not have a bed tonight!
Do you know how far it is from here
to getting out of the park?
Another 3km.
3km?
OK.
This is too difficult.
It's going to be
dark before we get out of here.
First, teams need to break free
from the thousand-acre Stanley Park.
There was a map and it said
if we followed the cycle path,
there's a tea place and I'm hoping
that we'll be able to get
some more information about getting
back into the city.
Yeah.
Let's keep heading down here.
So this says Downtown Vancouver,
and from there we can ask where that
place is that we still don't know.
Find someone, ask someone
and then we'll go from there.
Having located
the checkpoint on their map,
Monique and Ladi hunt a way to get
there.
So we're trying to get to Tlell.
Oh, my God.
This one here.
That's um...
Quite a way. Yeah.
That's a couple of boat
rides, anyway.
The first checkpoint, Tlell,
over 1,200km north
on the ancient archipelago of
Haida Gwaii,
known as the Canadian Galapagos for
its lush rainforests
and diverse wildlife.
For the teams, it's only
accessible by ferry
just three times a week from the
port of Prince Rupert.
To get there,
they could head inland,
making the most of the main roads
linking tourist hot spots
such as Whistler or Merritt,
or take to the water sooner,
ferry hopping onto the wildlife
haven of Vancouver Island,
then back to the mainland.
Pretty sure the boat has to go
from the north of Vancouver Island.
OK.
Thank you very much.
Take care. Thank you so much.
OK. Bye.
Strategy is go through
Vancouver Island, trust the locals.
Let's just see what the options
are.
Planning their route,
Claudia and her dad, Kevin.
Right, so...
This is Vancouver Island.
The other option is to go up
through British Columbia.
What do you want to do?
To make it to St John's,
the teams will need to work to earn
extra cash or payment in kind...
I would love to do Vancouver Island.
Look at that! We could
go to the rainforest.
Oh, my God, we could see some bears!
..and have been provided with
a directory
of local job opportunities.
Then it says here you can grab
a job cleaning boats.
You get a tour
around the Great Bear Rainforest.
Mm. Right, OK.
I would love to see that rainforest
and see the bears.
So you just want to see the bears?
I have to say, I'm not willing
to...
We're going to lose a day maybe,
if we're not careful.
I don't know. I think we just need
to make a decision.
OK, this one's yours. Your shout.
I would love to see the bears.
All right. Just need to note we've
still got a race to run.
As both father-daughter teams head
to Vancouver Island...
This is a tea house.
Somebody in there will know.
Oh, no, the tea room's closed.
Oh, you're having a giraffe.
I wonder if the other guys
are having as much trouble
as us finding a way out the park.
Hi. Sorry to bother you.
Are you able to give us a ride?
To where? Just outside the park.
Is that OK?
Yeah, yeah.
Oh, thank you so much.
Oh, what a legend.
So, Haida Gwaii...
How do we get there?
Yeah, you have to drive up north to
a place called Prince Rupert.
Whistler is going straight north,
so that would be more...
..the more direct route.
I've actually never been to
ski resort.
Setting their sights inland....
Could we please have two
tickets to Whistler?
..husband and wife Zainib
and Mobeen
are aiming for the
exclusive ski resort, Whistler.
It's a race but it's also an
experience
and I could do with some
skiing lessons.
I'll give it a go. I'm not an
adrenaline junkie like you.
From there, over 1,500km
will still stand
between them
and the checkpoint.
Do you have any recommendations
on how we get to Prince Rupert
via Whistler?
Well, there is no bus service
now from that direction and uh,
you can't ride the train
up there no more.
There's no concrete
way of getting past Whistler?
Uh, not on any kind of transit.
OK.
I think we're committed
now, which is a bit worrying.
We've just been up here.
Two hours in...
We need to get to the road.
I don't even know where the...
I don't know which way we are now.
..while Trisha and Cathie go round in
circles...
That seems to be the biggest
challenge at the minute
is getting out of the park.
Yeah.
We're doing all right. We're out of
the park.
Brothers Marc and Michael have
reached Downtown Vancouver,
yet to locate the checkpoint.
Let's ask this bloke, he might know.
What guy, this guy?
Yeah.
No, he's walking away.
No. He don't want to be asked.
No, they don't want to be asked.
Who should we ask, then?
I don't know.
What about the dude in glasses?
Dude in glasses.
Ask dude in glasses.
No. Nope, she's drunk. Don't ask
her. Ask...
Well, we need to ask someone, Marc.
I know, but I don't know who to ask,
Michael.
Just ask anyone.
Excuse me.
We're looking for somewhere
called... that.
Wow. I think that might be
Haida Gwaii.
Yeah. Haida Gwaii.
Oh, you legend.
It's right there.
So you want to go to Horseshoe Bay.
A short bus ride away...
..Horseshoe Bay ferry terminal,
the gateway to Vancouver Island.
Could we have two tickets to
Nanaimo?
About to set sail...
Come on, Marc, power walk.
..the 5:40 ferry.
Ha-ha!
How you doing?
Guys, you and I are not the only
people here.
Oh, what a view to come
out of the harbour.
We're going to get the ferry
ride of a lifetime, aren't we?
Three teams cross the Salish Sea
to Vancouver Island...
It's just phenomenal.
..created when an ancient tectonic
plate
descended to its destruction beneath
North America,
pushing up the seafloor.
FOGHORN BLOWS
There's a whale right over there.
One of the reasons why I'm
scared of the ocean.
You're scared of the ocean?
Well, that thing's in it.
This... today is my idea of hell.
Left behind...
OK. That looks promising.
Civilisation.
Oh, thank goodness.
We've made it.
Vancouver!
..Trisha and Cathie call it a day.
Wow.
That's the longest day
I've ever had.
Can I cry now? Oh, my God.
6:30am.
Yesterday, it was just like walking
around in a circle.
It was so frustrating.
It was really frustrating.
But today I'm like, come on!
We can actually get somewhere today.
Yeah.
We need, um,
tickets, please, to Merritt.
Brilliant. Lovely.
Now we're going to see Canada.
Yeah, exactly.
Sticking to dry land...
Oh, my word.
Oh, God, it's a long way down.
Ooh.
..Tricia and Cathie are travelling
270km to the city of Merritt.
Perhaps we're not as far behind as
we think we are. Behind as we think.
Those of them that are on Vancouver
Island,
if they are having problems with the
ferries,
they might actually be stuck.
Oh!
We are definitely back in the race,
aren't we? Yeah.
Across the water,
one of the three teams on a wet
and windy Vancouver Island...
Oh! Oh!
..Monique and Ladi are looking
for a way off it.
Wait, what?
What?
The only ferry is two days.
Oh, my God.
Then the next one again, is when?
Will be next week.
So we have to get on that ferry.
To reach Prince Rupert, the
jumping-off point for Haida Gwaii,
the teams on Vancouver Island must
catch a ferry from the north.
Running just once a week,
the next departs in two days' time,
almost 400km away.
If we knew this beforehand,
I wouldn't have come this route.
We would've gone a different route.
But then we don't know what problems
would be the different route.
It's all... Do you know what I mean?
It's not like we can go and Google.
But you know what?
It's not that deep.
We're here now, so I reckon we
need to find a bus
that can take us north.
Where are you guys from?
London.
London, OK.
I'll give you the front seats
and I'll point out the sights.
Oh, brilliant.
Thank you so much.
This is going to be an absolutely
amazing journey.
The area between Vancouver Island
and Haida Gwaii -
and it's just absolutely amazing.
Wow.
I came on this journey
with my daughter
to make lasting memories,
and Davey is the man.
You know, you want to know
something, Dave knows.
So, Dave has filled us
in with lots of things
to do on Vancouver Island and we're
going to try and make the best of
it.
While Monique
and Ladi pushed northwards...
Ferry tickets
and the motel was quite expensive.
..Marc and Michael are heading
in the opposite direction...
There's a job in Victoria,
so our plan is to go south,
try and recoup back some funds
and then we're going to need to go
back on ourselves and go north.
Unaware of the ferry deadline,
they're aiming for the southern
tip of the island
to boost their budget by working
at a family-run smallholding.
How far is it to Victoria from here?
Uh, it's an hour-and-a-half drive.
Is it? Yeah.
I was under the impression we were
going to just be able to switch
and get on another bus
and go to Victoria.
That's probably why I'm a bit
frustrated at the minute.
It's two o'clock, so we're getting
late into the afternoon.
So, desperate times.
Shall we try and car share?
I'm not comfortable getting in a car
with someone I don't know,
at the moment. It's not really
public transport.
It's someone's car.
I don't know what I'm going to do
when it gets tough in the race.
I don't know.
Two years ago, 36-year-old Marc...
Do you want tea?
I'd love a cup of tea, please.
..moved back in with Mum.
If I've had a bad day, I kind
of just game online on my Xbox.
No!
I like disappearing off in it.
Some people use the gym and this is
what I do,
but I just feel stuck at the minute,
and I'm hoping doing this is going
to give me that kick up the
backside,
just make me want to try new things
and do new things,
and go out, experience it, enjoy it,
come back with all that confidence
on my back and just go out and try
and live my life.
What do you want to do? I don't
know, Michael. I'm panicking now,
for some reason. Why are you
panicking? I don't know.
We're all right. We know how...
We know that we're going to
get there today.
I think Marc's struggling when
things change
or don't go according to plan.
The important thing is
we're sorting it out.
We're not standing
around floundering.
I'm the same, but I think
if we both get despondent about it,
it's not going to...
it's not going to help.
You all right? Do you know of any
buses that are going to Victoria?
This one is.
Oh... Ah, really?
Back on the mainland,
nestled among the snow-covered
peaks
are the Fitzsimmons mountains.
Whistler,
where a weekend skiing could
wipe out an entire race budget.
To me, to you.
It's like Tetris.
To me, to you.
Canada seems really pricey.
It makes sense for us to stop quite
early on for a retail job,
to do something that we've
wanted to do, like, ski.
This is male.
You're going to confuse me.
Say it in your head.
Male, USA, 12.
I think we make a good team,
but it can be a little bit
frustrating at times.
You're on another pile.
Right, can you just slow down, then?
Mobeen and I are both very
different people.
He's a bit nerdy.
Look, I smashed half
a pallet in less than half an hour.
Aren't you the retail king?
You know, tries to be cool,
but isn't cool.
Walk on your heels.
Listen, you're behind me.
I'm not taking advice from you.
I've had people in the past say,
"What's up with Zainib?
"Why is she
so pissed-off all the time?"
She has a very stern look,
but in the inside, she's not like
that at all.
Let's go. Ah!
Honestly.
I'm winning at this speed.
I'll get there, no problem.
Oh! Ah, I'm going the wrong way!
And snowplough!
Hey, you're a natural!
Oh gosh, I'm tired.
It's amazing.
So cool.
All right, Mobeen, you can do it.
He's doing well for himself.
It is totally worthwhile
coming here.
I'm... I'm skiing to the finish
line.
Can't help thinking about the race
and I have a sinking feeling that
we're not doing very well.
I'm just worried we're taking
a route that is risky,
where there's no definite transport
going up north.
How was it?
So good.
The snow was so soft.
Can we do it again?
Have we got time?
You can experience the real ski run.
I'm down for that. Let's do it.
Bet the other teams aren't
having as much fun as we are.
Back across the water...
Right, go.
That was pretty good.
..Claudia and Kevin have
arrived in Campbell River,
beloved by fishers of salmon,
and the last major outpost of
civilisation on the journey north.
The only transportation
we have was today at 1pm
and the next one is not
until Saturday.
So we missed it by 45 minutes?
If there's anything that goes
anywhere near,
like somewhere that there might be
more bus connections to get there?
There's no bus connections.
Right. Right.
Yeah.
We've got a ferry crossing to do as
well to get back onto the mainland.
OK. Taxi companies, then.
I mean, it's frightening me
thinking about getting a taxi.
No. Wow.
Yeah, I know.
Yeah. I'm...
Oh, my God. That's so gutting.
Right - better make a move.
Thank you very much indeed.
They can't even put on a bus service
that will take you from one
end of the island to the other.
Come on. There's got to be another
option.
Now we are going to have to resort
to staying out in the wet,
just to try and find a car share.
I don't hold out too much
hope on this idea,
but I think we've got to
give it a go.
With public transport so limited,
Canadians have learnt to
embrace car-sharing...
Are you heading up north at all?
No, no.
OK, no worries. Sorry.
..but hitching from the roadside
is illegal...
I don't suppose you're heading up
north at all, are you?
No, no. No, OK.
..so teams must approach people
away from highways.
You're not even, like, bothering
to hold it up.
No, what I'm doing is I'm just,
I'm trying to be
low-key about the situation.
I don't want to be throwing
it in people's faces...
You shouldn't be low-key about it.
We've got to go.
Why am I running laps around this
place?
Claudia wanted to do the rainforest
and see the bears
and, you know...
But to actually try and get there
has just been a bloody nightmare.
On the other side of town...
Wait, what? Am I missing something?
Why are we washing a bus?
Why... why are we doing that?
It seems logical that we do
that in exchange for a lift,
but instead, Dad's just
working for the shits and gigs.
There's no incentive
because there's no reward.
We're helping a man, yeah,
that's helped us.
Washing a bus is not the biggest
thing in the world, yeah?
But in my head you've just decided
to wash a bus for no reason.
So, it never went through your head
that it would be a good thing
to do to help him do that?
And therein where the problem lies.
Dave has helped us.
It's just showing appreciation,
yeah? Yeah.
And sometimes in life, that's
what you need to do.
Got it.
OK, cool.
It's a learning process.
Lesson number one.
Repay kindness with kindness,
cos it will come back on you.
And that's what it was
meant to be about,
throughout this whole journey,
giving her some life lessons.
Hiya! Sorry to interrupt.
I don't suppose you're heading
up north, are you?
No. No.
This isn't working.
Do you think I'm cut out for
hitchhiking? I don't think so.
I've toyed with the idea of a taxi.
I think we're just running
out of time now..
Sorry to trouble you. Are you
interested in taking a run up north?
Look at the clouds coming down over
the mountainside.
It's just unbelievable.
Worth the $500, Dad?
Is that a $500 view?
320km away, in the heart
of British Columbia,
the country music
capital of Canada...
..Merritt.
Just outside the city...
Oh!
Oh! Oh, hello!
Oh, look at the babies!
..a 100-acre bison ranch...
That's Rocky coming up right
now in front of the fence here.
Oh!
..home to over 30 head of a
species once hunted
almost to the point of extinction
for their hides...
OK. You're going to be splitting
firewood.
..and offering bed and board
in exchange for some hard graft.
Don't put your hands here,
because this pushes,
you'll squish your hand -
always on top.
That way you have control
when it falls and splits.
OK? OK, yeah.
You good to go?
Right. So I have sight loss.
OK. I can see what you're doing
but I can't see the little buttons.
OK, not a problem.
So...
..yeah.
That's OK.
You have a partner.
Yeah. Partner in crime.
Exactly. Partner in crime.
Good. Yeah?
If I put the logs on,
you split the logs,
then I can move the logs into the
barrel and put the barrel up there.
Yeah, OK. Yeah.
Yeah? Yeah.
Me and Cathie work well together.
She finds it hard to lift stuff,
whereas I've got my mum's hands,
they're like shovels.
Hearing that I can't do things,
it is a bit of a confidence knock,
but you get over it.
You kind of have to.
I used to have 20-20 vision.
It was absolutely fine.
Never had a problem.
In the last seven, eight years I've
started losing it
due to a disease called
chorioretinopathy uveitis.
It's like looking through
a spotty dark cloud
and the dots are blind spots.
Yesterday was really hard
emotionally because of my eyes.
I did feel like a burden,
especially to Cathie,
cos I couldn't see the map,
I couldn't read what was going on.
Whereas today, it's completely
different.
I can do stuff.
Ah! The bison are here to see us.
Oh, wow!
We need to be working!
Before I do lose my sight
completely,
I want to see these amazing things.
I want to feel these amazing
feelings.
They are very nosy, aren't they?
They're curious.
They're a very smart animal.
They look like they're not,
though, don't they?
Right, shall we crack on?
Right. Yeah, let's crack on.
On Vancouver Island...
Right, so we're going to get
you on the tractor.
My son's going to show you how to
use the tiller.
Right, sounds great. Let's go see if
we have a pair of farm boots
for you. OK.
With the day nearly over,
Marc and Michael have made it to
Fiona's organic seed farm.
This right here is our tiller.
Keep away from it.
Don't want to get sucked in.
Because of the unseasonable cold
and wet weather,
planting is weeks behind,
so Fiona's sons, Hayden and Ben,
set them to earning their keep.
How you feeling?
Think you got it covered?
Shitting myself.
Ho-ho-ho!
How's that?
Brilliant.
Listen, I wouldn't trust me
doing that.
This is more my speed.
He's doing all right.
LAUGHS
Oh, my God! Cathie!
Come and have a look!
This is proper Canada.
Hello. Hello.
Oh, my God! How close did you get?
Yeah, stick it in first.
Lower it down just a tad.
Brilliant.
I don't know why I'm so nervous.
It wasn't as complicated
as I thought it was going to be.
It was just... after I got used to
it, it was pretty good.
I enjoyed it. It's also given me
a little bit of a bounce.
I'm a bit more optimistic.
There's probably going to be bears
and shit.
Well, the noise can take over
the noise of your snoring, so...
After a fitful sleep...
I struggled last night, big time.
It was really cold.
Breakfast. We've got oatmeal with
some loganberries from the garden.
Oh, thank you.
..Marc and Michael remain 500km
from where they need to be.
I don't think that boat
goes very often.
OK. Your next one is tomorrow
and it's another week...
..until the boat goes again.
OK!
We're stranded.
The south to the north is like the
same as driving from London
to Edinburgh, so that's the journey
that we're going to need to do
in the space of 24 hours, really.
I did actually put a post this
morning on a ride-share board
and see if anyone else is driving
up, so...
That's great. Thank you. Yeah, I
said two nice guys from London.
We appreciate that. If we don't make
the ferry, our race will be over.
265km closer to the ferry...
Fiona, we are
going to ask you for some help.
..Monique and Ladi are looking to
make the journey
that cost rival father and daughter
Kevin and Claudia $500 yesterday.
Do you know anybody who I could car
share with north of Campbell River?
Maybe like pitching in with gas
and stuff?
Yeah, that's not a problem.
We will pitch in with gas.
Definitely. That's good.
If I was car-sharing in the UK,
I don't know what I'd do.
I'd probably call you.
I guess I'd call friends I know.
Exactly.
But we don't have any friends.
Exactly.
Well, Fiona's our friend.
Fiona's our friend.
I got you a ride.
Whoa! My mom's going to take you.
Oh! Oh, my God! Stop!
Fiona's mum, thank you so much.
How would you like to be
referred to?
Sorry, I've been using
Fiona's mum, so...
I'm Caz.
Hi, Caz. Hi.
Nice to meet you.
Nice to meet you.
On the mainland...
We need to scout the area now.
It's a bit empty!
..still in Whistler,
Zainib and Mobeen
can no longer avoid the
inevitable...
Can I ask this guy?
Excuse me.
..how to head north without
public transport.
Hi, there, sir.
I believe people are very willing to
car share around here.
We're heading north towards
Prince Rupert.
No, you're not going north.
Yeah.
All right, cool. Thank you.
Thank you.
Can I be honest?
I don't want to go north now.
Why? I think that's way too
risky an option.
We're talking about
22 hours-plus of car-sharing.
So today, can we try and please get
a ferry to Vancouver Island?
We're not going to see
if anyone's going north?
Zainib proposes ditching
their original plan,
to head back the way they came,
and then onto Vancouver Island.
That bus is going to Horseshoe Bay.
I don't think
we need to get on that bus.
There's literally no rush.
We've actually only asked people
in car parks in Whistler,
which is a tourist route.
What do you propose we do?
Surely people at the gas
station are making their way north..
Do you want to do that?
That's what I'm thinking, yeah.
OK. That's fine.
This is your decision.
Yeah?
It's kind of on you
if it goes wrong.
Are you going north? No.
No. Thank you.
I've made myself quite clear about
what option I think is the best.
Excuse me, sorry to bother you.
Are you going north, by any chance?
No. Are you heading that way?
No. No, no.
Ah, man. Failing massively right
now, ha-ha!
As is marriage, a compromise.
So, where do you want to go?
Well, we need to go up here.
Yeah. We can drop you off...
At Cache Creek? Yeah, yeah, sure.
Awesome. This is cool.
This is cosy, man.
Success for Mobeen -
a lift of over 200km north.
Kind of committed to going up
north now, haven't we?
Yeah.
In the second leg,
we do things my way.
Oh, God! I don't like this.
Also seeking to overcome the dearth
of public transport
heading north -
Tricia and Cathie.
I'll ask anybody for anything.
Um, and I'll just do it.
Um, but Cathie's not...
This is... this is way out of my
comfort zone. Yeah.
I'm really,
really uncomfortable at the minute.
I don't like this at all.
I'm a total rules
and procedures girl.
I don't like it. I guess that's why
I ended up
being a compliance officer.
Not going anywhere
near Prince George, are you?
No.
But Tricia is just not afraid of
anything.
Would you be able to give us
a lift up north, at all?
Squeeze in, I guess.
Oh, amazing.
He's going to Prince George?
Oh, my God.
OK, let's do this.
She's only got little legs, anyway.
I'm only little. You've made our
day.
Absolutely made our day.
Woohoo!
As the girls begin a
438km leap closer to Prince Rupert,
on Vancouver Island, their sights
set on the same place,
Claudia and Kevin are a stone's
throw
from tomorrow's ferry that will take
them there.
You want to see some bears? Yeah.
Nice, OK.
I've got a boat that has sea
growth underneath it.
After yesterday's $500 splurge,
it's all hands
on deck to earn a trip to
Claudia's must-see,
the Great Bear Rainforest.
These bears better be worth it.
Just 26km away,
Monique and Ladi's ride drops them
in Telegraph Cove...
What can we do to repay you?
Don't worry. You can pay it forward
to other people.
Oh, thank you so much.
..free of charge.
I'm telling you, that's serious.
Got to pay these things forward.
A tiny community of just 20 people,
Telegraph Cove is the launch point
to explore Vancouver Island's
abundant marine life.
I am really looking forward to this.
With time to kill before the ferry
departs the island,
an opportunity to catch sight
of the killer whales
that follow schools of Pacific
salmon as they migrate north.
I'm hoping to see a dolphin.
Oh, my God, it's a sea lion.
Sounds like your snoring, Dad.
It sounds like me snoring? Yeah.
This feels like why
we came on this adventure,
cos this is just, like...
..priceless.
Oh! I don't know what I'm
looking at.
That blow, see...
It's there somewhere.
I just saw the blow come up.
Where's it going?
I'm craving just to, like, chill-out
in some heat
and have, like, an Aperol Spritz.
That's... that's fun to me.
Right there.
What?
Not to say that this isn't fun...
There, there! See the...
Oh, I blinked.
..but I could be having more fun.
At the opposite end of the island...
Eagles come down from the sky,
pick a chicken up
and you'll never see it again.
..Marc and Michael are still
enjoying the good life.
I think you guys are in luck.
Really? So, we have Janine and she
says,
"What's the earliest I could hook-up
with them, and where?"
Are you joking?
Happy to go any time
after 7am tomorrow morning.
Angel saves the day.
People here are so friendly
and accommodating
and willing to help, and I think
that's definitely going to be the
way forward for us.
I think Marc needs to kind of move
out of his comfort zone,
so that we can
benefit from people's generosity.
Thank you.
Ah, lovely.
Thank you very much. Thank you.
Here's to a good day tomorrow.
Cheers.
I think we need to savour this last
pint
because I'm not sure when we're
going to get our next one.
Mm. We've gone over the budget.
We've done what
we shouldn't have done,
and that is to maybe panic a little
in trying to get up here.
I don't really want to
change our strategy.
It always has been
around experiences.
That's what this race is about
and that's what we have to remember.
The strategy for me just went out
the window after yesterday.
We should have done our research
while we were at the garage.
I was running around that gas
station and you just stood there!
No, but... Yeah! You
probably could've asked questions!
Rubbish! Rubbish!
No, you probably could've!
I was asking people for information,
I wasn't sat on my arse.
You only asked after I'd spoken to
them!
Get off your high horse.
Oh, wow...
So, stop bigging it up.
We're working as a team
and not as individuals.
Take the smirk off your face,
please.
I'm not smirking.
You are.
I do find it hard when my dad wants
to play the father role.
Our relationship is
more of a friendship.
When my parents went through their
divorce, I was about 12 years old.
My dad wasn't there very much.
Right. I'm going back to the room.
Obviously, we need to work
on our communication.
I just hope that over the coming
weeks
we get the time, and I guess maybe
he has that realisation
and wants to talk about things,
and wants to fix things,
and - rather than just walk away,
cos that's what hurts and...
..that's what he's always done!
Hopefully, she turns up. I mean, if
she doesn't, it'll be a disaster.
For the three teams
on Vancouver Island,
it's D-Day.
Is that her?
Morning! Hello.
Hello.
Hop in, get comfortable.
The ferry towards the checkpoint
leaves at six o'clock tonight.
With seven days until the next one,
if they miss it,
they'll be as good as out
of the race.
Oh! Sorry.
Goddamn it!
Having joined up with their ride,
Janine...
Thanks so much for taking us
to Port Hardy.
I'm just a bored wacko with
nothing better to do.
..Marc and Michael have
furthest to travel,
from toe to top of the island
in seven hours.
Further up the coast here, you'll be
going into grizzly country.
Oh, no.
Despite the looming deadline,
in search of bears...
..and some spiritual healing,
Claudia and Kevin.
It... it... it's just unreal.
Haven't even seen the bears yet
and I'm... I'm completely in awe.
This is such a pinch-me moment.
A vast, sodden landscape,
the Great Bear Rainforest is home
to 1,000-year-old cedars,
grey wolves, cougars,
and its most celebrated resident,
the rare, cream-coloured spirit
bear,
sacred to the
indigenous Tsimshian people.
Typically, this time of year
we would find bears along the edges
and, yes, bears do
walk across this log.
Don't try and go under it when
there's one on the top of it, then.
Yeah, I don't know how
that would play.
ROARING
That is a black bear.
That is a bear in the wild...
..in its natural habitat.
It's special.
Ah!
It's so beautiful.
First time I saw a bear,
it was good to see them up close.
It's just, like, untouched beauty
and there's not
much of that around anymore.
It's hard to find.
That $500 taxi is in the past now.
I'm not worried about that anymore.
I am just in awe of what
I am seeing.
It's just phenomenal.
Why are we going this way?
Because there was a detour
around construction.
Oh, you bugger!
And we can't even get out that way.
You can drive a tractor.
Two hours till departure.
The tickets were seriously
expensive, $366.
So that's a significant amount of
our budget
that has now disappeared,
but at least we are here.
How's everyone feeling?
Absolutely fine.
This is essentially a perfect storm.
Wind and tide are against one
another.
You can't have it easy all the way,
can you?
Come back to Vancouver Island,
someday. Of course we will.
Safe travels. Take care.
All right, cool. Thank you very
much. Have a great day.
Thank you. Safe travel, guys.
Cheers. Have a good one.
We've seen one other team.
But we haven't seen Kevin and
Claudia.
Hold on, is that...
Stop!
Oh, my God! I need to tell Dad!
Three teams settle in for an
overnight voyage to Prince Rupert.
Stop having treats. Like, we need
to stop.
You're the one that said to me
did I want a coffee?
You said you needed a coffee!
Once there, they'll be able to catch
another ferry,
to the first checkpoint
tomorrow evening.
Seeking to reach Prince Rupert
via the mainland...
We really need to get a ride
in the next couple of hours,
to be able to make that ferry
tonight.
..with 700km to cover,
Zainib and Mobeen's car-share
odyssey continues.
You don't want to go towards
Prince Rupert for some money?
Are you going to Prince Rupert, by
any chance? Sorry.
I'm just relying on this sign
cos I haven't got the energy right
now to talk to people.
Do you want to be a Good Samaritan?
I'll pay you for it.
Well, if it means drive all the way
to Prince Rupert...
How much would you do it for?
That's, like, a whole day.
Thank you for your time.
$500! Cheers.
$500? Yeah. I'd give you, like, 250.
So I checked... What are you
supposed to be doing today, anyway?
You know what? What was your plan?
It was going to be a nature day.
It was going to be go out,
find a good place. Nature?
It's not quite warm enough,
but I was going to jump in a lake.
So on the way, I probably am going
to find one.
Would you take us - you, honestly
take us for 250?
250, let's do it!
What's your name? I'm Corey.
Corey. Nice to meet you, Corey.
Nice to meet you, man. What's your
name? Mobeen. Mobeen!
Thank you. Can we make it?
Thanks very much.
Can we make it? Yeah.
Let's do it!
Ten hours to catch
the Prince Rupert ferry.
We agreed 250.
I'm just going to, bit at a time,
depending on how far you get us.
But - a potential detour.
For years, I used to have my best
friend, my dog.
We would go, May 1st, to the lake,
and I would jump in, every year.
Is your best friend not around any
more? She died.
She died in 2019.
And so it came to today
and I'm saying...
Maybe it was fate.
"I've got to do it today. I've got
to go out to the lake."
It'd be amazing to share
that with you.
If you want to. Only if you want to.
Oh, I'd love - I definitely...
I need to.
I mean, until we met you, I thought
"We're never going to get
"to Prince Rupert by tonight."
Oh, wow! Listen to this guy!
Honestly, honestly. Where's the
hope, huh?
Where's the optimism, huh?
On that note, here's your next
payment!
Arriving in Prince Rupert...
..the teams from Vancouver Island.
Hi.
We're looking for two tickets,
please. OK.
$84.40.
This is just unbelievable.
Look at them.
Also in town...
Bloody hell.
I can't believe how big it is!
They're all around us, look.
All up there, all over everywhere.
..leaving just one team missing.
I got a new friend who's going to
jump in the lake with me.
Argh! Oh, my God!
Stop it! Look who's here!
God, that's bonkers.
Hi! And Mike and Marc!
That's completely thrown me now,
because I didn't,
I thought they'd have been here
days ago.
Yeah, they've come a different way
and still got here at the same time.
We've only got one couple left.
Yeah.
Corey, here's your last payment.
Oh, coffee!
Ow!
Oh, my God, the other couple
are here!
Really? The other couple are here!
Hey, man, so good!
So good man, so good. Keep in touch,
won't you? Yeah, 100%.
I love you, man. You're a brother
now. No, you're a brother, man.
And we've just got in by the skin of
our teeth.
I'm pretty happy. I'm happy as well.
We saw some amazing things.
Made some new friends.
Made some amazing friends.
I thought you weren't going to cry!
I'm just really happy. You should
be. You should be. So am I.
I'm feeling a bit more
optimistic now.
Yeah, I am as well.
Sorry for doubting you.
Still a lot of time to do that!
It's all square, then, innit?
The race is on tomorrow.
It really is.
We're all in the same boat.
We might have been last on
the ferry,
but we're going to be first
to checkpoint.
We just don't want to be behind
anybody.
This is my competitiveness. I know.
But the race is on.
All five teams aboard...
..awaiting them, Haida Gwaii...
..an archipelago of over 200
islands.
In the north of the largest,
the first checkpoint.
5:40am.
Ten minutes till the ferry docks.
Head to Misty Meadows Gazebo...
..at Naikoon Provincial Park.
Their GPS tracker tells them
the checkpoint's exact location.
A 44km dash from the ferry terminal.
Look out for an orange buoy
and turn right.
Right. Let's go.
Is there buses, or...
There's no buses.
There's going to be, like, eight
other people,
like, doing the exact same thing
as I am.
Don't give them any information.
Are you going towards Tlell,
by any chance?
No. No? Thank you.
I would love to finish first.
It would be nice to get a taxi
there, wouldn't it?
Well, it would be, but the budget
doesn't really allow that.
Right, there are lots of people
here,
lots of teams that are here...
..all searching for the same
information,
all asking the same people
the same thing.
We're trying to get to Tlell.
OK. So I should say Steve sent us?
Yes. Yes.
And what's his name?
His name is Kyle.
My bike's got a popped tyre. Yeah.
I've got a friend meeting me
to load-up the bike,
if you don't mind waiting
a little bit. Yeah.
Yeah, we will, mate.
We'll wait for you, mate.
Is this the right way out?
This is the vehicle deck.
We can't go out this way.
We don't have a vehicle.
Sorry, excuse me.
You don't happen to be
going north at all?
Whereabouts are you going? Tlell.
Yeah, I could give you guys a ride.
Thank you. Amazing, amazing,
amazing, amazing!
Oh, my God, how lucky is that?
Oh, you are so kind.
You're an absolute legend.
I take it that they've managed
to get a lift.
We're the first off the ferry!
We're right at the front. Thank you!
Yes!
They're on their way and we're
now stuck here.
Is that the octopus?
Oh, my God, it's him!
Is your name Kyle, by any chance?
Yes, my name's Kyle. Hi.
You're amazing. Thank you.
We are looking to get
a taxi to Tlell. Yep.
And how much would it cost for us
to...? $150.
Is that your best price?
It's the only price.
Let's just take the hit,
and then we re-plan
the whole of next week's trip. OK.
Yeah, it's your choice.
Oh, my God, I saw Kevin
and Claudia getting a taxi.
No!
Tlell. Population, 183.
Head to the beach and proceed 2km.
OK, where is the beach?
Expected - ten more.
Come on, Marc!
Michael, I'm too tired!
Go! Go, go, go! There's going to be
minutes between us.
I'm not going to run and break
my ankle.
Argh! All right, all right.
Take the sandy path to the river
and follow the sign to the
Haida House.
Come on, Mon. We can do this.
I'm sorry. Don't be sorry.
I don't want to hear that word.
Keep going, keep going!
Come on, Marc!
Haida House. Down here.
We're here!
Oh! Come on, Dad!
Good morning, welcome to
Haida Gwaii. Please sign the book.
Brilliant. Yes!
Well done, Dad! Well done!
Thank God.
I wasn't prepared to not win after
we spent the money,
knowing that everyone else has
hitchhiked.
Right!
I think that kind of wipes the
negativity that we've had this week.
For the next two weeks, we've really
got to scrimp and save.
Strong and steady.
That's going to be our mantra,
I think.
I think we've got more money
than them, as well.
Yeah. I definitely think we've got
more money than them.
Get a jog on.
We've only got here relying
on the kindness of other people.
We've smashed it. Our strategy is...
..we're just warming up, you know?
Let them come first by four minutes.
That's fine with me.
I'm having a blast doing this with
my daughter, so...
..yeah, it's great.
You all right, how you doing?
All right.
Are you going to cry?
Aww, don't cry.
After six days and over
1,200km,
just 17 minutes separate
the five teams.
I think we've worked quite well
together. Yeah, I think we have.
I don't know why I'm shocked.
This leg actually is more telling
about budget, not about time.
And we didn't pay for a cab.
So who's the real winners in this
leg? Yeah, I know. That's us!
Next time...
We are going to go into remote
wilderness here.
Oh, no!
..all ties with civilisation
severed...
It's grizzlies and black bears.
Yeah.
Oh, my God! Wow!
..the teams journey into the wild.
Are you going to kill us? No.
This is just terrible, Dad.
It's soul-destroying. We're in this
together. You're not on your own.
I've told you I don't want to do it,
and I'm scared of it,
and you still want to do it?
I've almost forgotten
what my life used to be like.
never been stronger.
But in travelling over,
are we missing the joys
of journeying through?
Canada, the second largest
country in the world.
From Pacific to Atlantic Ocean -
flight time, seven hours.
But could you successfully navigate
this gruelling 16,000km
route at ground level,
all for the price of doing it by
air?
Five pairs of ordinary Brits are
about to undertake just that...
Go, go!
Go, go, go!
..in a demanding
and challenging race.
All I'm saying is I'm going to die.
We're all going to die.
They'll head deep into the wild...
Oh, my God, the sea is ice.
..across vast prairies...
This is awesome.
Road trip!
..soar high into the Rockies...
Just once in a lifetime, innit?
If we see a bear,
I'm going to kill you.
Ah!
..to the very edges of
civilisation...
We are going to go into the remote
wilderness here.
We can't get a bus out of here.
We can't get a train out of here.
..without smartphones or bank cards
and with a limited budget.
It's dark, it's raining.
We've got no money.
We are going to have to find
a car share.
I don't like this!
They'll need charm...
Parlez-vous Anglais?
Mission accomplished.
..hard work...
We're absolutely brassic.
We can claw the money back.
Yeah. We'll work.
..and ingenuity, to get them through.
So, I can give you a ride.
Are you going to kill us? No.
Have they got what it takes
both physically...
It's just the hardest
thing I think I've done.
..and emotionally?
It's hard, but you've just made us
feel like family.
I believe in you.
I know. I just don't believe in me.
I'm not giving up.
The rewards are great...
Mother Nature at her best.
Never seen anything like it.
..and for the first team to the
finish line,
a prize of £20,000...
Every second counts.
..in a race...
If they come behind us now,
I'm taking the bag, OK?
..across the world.
Breathe through it.
You can cry when you're sat down.
Mid-life crisis is going really
well.
Yeah. I'm quite enjoying my crisis.
Yeah!
Perched on the edge
of the Pacific Ocean...
..Vancouver.
150 years ago,
British Columbia's largest city
started life as a makeshift tavern.
But for thousands of years,
it's been home to the region's
indigenous peoples.
On the sacred peninsula that is now
called Stanley Park,
the race begins.
I can't believe we're all
the way out here.
On the edge of the Pacific Ocean.
I know!
Eager to get going,
friends Trisha and Cathie.
If it wasn't so cold, I think
I'd want to put my toes in there.
I... Yeah.
We met when we were 13.
Mmm-hmm.
I was quite worried about my first
day at school.
By the end of the first day,
we just became firm friends
and we've been getting into trouble
ever since together, really.
Yeah. So excited.
And to do it with you!
I know, I know!
She's like the sister I...
I was going to say I never had,
but I have got a sister.
Look how beautiful it is.
How well can you see?
Can you see the cruise ships?
Not really.
I can see the red crane.
We are inseparable
and a force to be reckoned with.
Does my bum look big in this
rucksack?
Next up...
I thought it'd be snowy.
I just, like, associate
Canada with snow.
Well... they do have seasons.
..Monique and her father, Ladi,
from Essex.
My dad is like my superhero.
If anything was to go wrong,
it'd be Dad that I call
because I know that he...
he'll be there.
He's like Liam Neeson from Taken.
My bag's heavy.
I think yours might be heavier,
though.
It's got your stuff in it!
THEY LAUGH
My daughter is accustomed to
a princess lifestyle.
Thank you.
Am I responsible for making
her like that?
Hell, yeah. Sure I am.
But she also needs to understand
the challenges
that she may face later on in life.
If I can help her with that through
this race, then great.
If you have any cellphones,
credit cards or cash on your person,
please hand them over now.
Stripped of all the trappings of
modern-day life...
Oh. So sad.
..the teams receive a map of Canada,
money belts, a travel guide...
Thank you.
..and GPS device to track
their progress to the finish line.
Game on.
Third to arrive in Stanley Park...
They're special, aren't they?
..another daughter with her dad,
Claudia and Kevin.
I had no idea that that was
linked to Canada.
I think we've got enough
talent between us to um...
To blag it. To... Yeah, absolutely.
I mean, you know, we're going to be
doing a bit of ducking and diving.
We're going to be jigging and
jiving.
I think we're
a bit of a dynamic duo.
I love to backpack
and to spend time with my dad,
and get back to doing crazy
adventures, like we used to do,
would be amazing.
Thank you.
We'll have some magical moments.
Where are we going?
Also joining the race...
It's getting a bit wet.
It's changed so much.
It's like being back in Manchester.
Yeah, I know!
Married for eight years,
Glaswegian Zainib
and Mancunian Mobeen.
Our relationship is...
I'd says it's good.
Yeah, I'm enjoying it.
It's good! What do you want me to
say? It's going well!
"I'm enjoying the marriage!"
Oh, look. There's the Canada goose.
They're not friendly, I've been
told.
No cuddles? No.
Try patting one on the head.
See what happens.
LAUGHS
Zainib's the most beautiful
person I've ever met.
She's Champions League
and I'm Championship.
He's lovely. I love him.
But I think we're going to get on
each other's nerves, I really do.
And we're going to bicker, cos
according to him
everyone's happy and everything's
lovely,
and there's rainbows and fairies.
I ain't about that.
Completing the line-up...
Where'd you think we're going?
I don't know.
..brothers Marc and Michael.
I want to go proper wilderness.
What?
Yeah.
Are you joking?
I think that would be awesome. No...
It's, like, bear season or
something, innit?
I think the way to describe
our relationship is confused.
Difficult, with hints of promise.
I'd like to get to know my little
brother cos I...
..I don't know who he is.
Can't believe I'm doing it with
you, to be honest.
When we was kids,
we used to fight all the time.
He had a better relationship
with his imaginary friend
than he did with me.
That everything?
Lastly, something you may need
while you're in Canada...
..bear spray.
Bear spray? Okey doke.
So I just kind of like...
..do you just spray it on you, like
aftershave?
That would be very painful.
It's only to be used in emergency
situations.
So if he's actually charging at you?
Exactly.
Well, good luck.
Bye. Bye. Bye.
We actually going to come across a
bear? Yeah, probably.
That would be horrible.
Armed with the essentials...
THEY EXHALE DEEPLY
..time to find out where the
race will take them.
The race begins at two o'clock
Your final destination is St John's.
Do you know where that is?
No idea.
St John's could be in Hackney
for all I know.
Oh, my God, this map goes on
forever. Wow.
Is this the whole world?
So where is St John's,
cos we're starting on the
Pacific Coast, aren't we?
I wonder if we'll finish on the
Atlantic.
Oh, there! Look.
Oh! No way!
Oh, my God!
It's there!
The finish line, St John's in
Newfoundland,
the most easterly city in
North America.
So, it's Canada.
Canada's massive.
Oh, my days...
The whole of Canada?
That is the whole breadth of Canada.
That's insane, isn't it?
The journey of over 16,000km
to the edge of the Arctic
and shores of the Great Lakes,
will see them pass through
seven checkpoints.
Only when they reach one, will
they learn the location of the next,
and they'll have to do it all
for just under £2,500 per person.
That's not a lot, Dad. Do you know
how expensive it is in Canada?
That's an outfit, that is.
In a country where a loaf of bread
can cost twice as much
as in the UK...
This is no luxury holiday.
This is about sweating it out,
this one.
..a budget per team member of less
than £50 a day
means they'll need to find ways to
supplement it.
So, we're going to have to work,
and I reckon doesn't necessarily
need to be monetary gain.
It could also mean accommodation, so
we don't need to pay for
accommodation, we don't need to pay
for food. Cool. That's good.
I like that.
So, game plan. Clock strikes two.
What are we doing?
all right, we've got to find...
We've got to find the first
checkpoint.
What was the first place called?
T... T... Tlell.
Where is Tlell?
No idea! Come on, Dad.
Get your, um, map reading skills.
I can't see it anywhere.
Got it the wrong way round, I think.
Here it is! We're going to
an island.
Go, girl!
The teams assemble at the start
line...
..a first chance to clock their
rivals for the £20,000.
Really lovely to meet you.
We're best friends from school.
We're dad and daughter. Are you?
We're dad and daughter!
Oh, my God! Cute!
Nice to meet you.
Do you know where the first
checkpoint is?
Maybe. Maybe not.
We have no idea.
It's nearly two.
It feels a bit real now, doesn't it?
It does.
The more I think about it,
the more I'm pooing my pants.
That's all right. Nerves is good.
But I'm definitely very competitive.
I'm in it to win it.
You see? That's my girl.
Have we ever worked
together as a team?
No. Is there ever a situation
where we've...?
No. ..worked together as a team?
No!
I was in the Cub Scouts.
I'm going to teach you how to
use a compass.
Have you really packed the compass?
I have packed the compass, yeah.
Zainib has definitely got
a hanger issue,
so I think you might struggle.
See, that makes me
want to prove him wrong.
Individually, we're very determined.
Trisha completed a 100km walk with a
chipped bone in her foot.
I did the same with a torn
muscle in my hip.
So, together we are...
Unstoppable.
Go, go!
God! We're actually doing
this!
Steady on, Michael!
Let them run, let them run,
let them run! We got this.
We might not have a bed tonight!
Do you know how far it is from here
to getting out of the park?
Another 3km.
3km?
OK.
This is too difficult.
It's going to be
dark before we get out of here.
First, teams need to break free
from the thousand-acre Stanley Park.
There was a map and it said
if we followed the cycle path,
there's a tea place and I'm hoping
that we'll be able to get
some more information about getting
back into the city.
Yeah.
Let's keep heading down here.
So this says Downtown Vancouver,
and from there we can ask where that
place is that we still don't know.
Find someone, ask someone
and then we'll go from there.
Having located
the checkpoint on their map,
Monique and Ladi hunt a way to get
there.
So we're trying to get to Tlell.
Oh, my God.
This one here.
That's um...
Quite a way. Yeah.
That's a couple of boat
rides, anyway.
The first checkpoint, Tlell,
over 1,200km north
on the ancient archipelago of
Haida Gwaii,
known as the Canadian Galapagos for
its lush rainforests
and diverse wildlife.
For the teams, it's only
accessible by ferry
just three times a week from the
port of Prince Rupert.
To get there,
they could head inland,
making the most of the main roads
linking tourist hot spots
such as Whistler or Merritt,
or take to the water sooner,
ferry hopping onto the wildlife
haven of Vancouver Island,
then back to the mainland.
Pretty sure the boat has to go
from the north of Vancouver Island.
OK.
Thank you very much.
Take care. Thank you so much.
OK. Bye.
Strategy is go through
Vancouver Island, trust the locals.
Let's just see what the options
are.
Planning their route,
Claudia and her dad, Kevin.
Right, so...
This is Vancouver Island.
The other option is to go up
through British Columbia.
What do you want to do?
To make it to St John's,
the teams will need to work to earn
extra cash or payment in kind...
I would love to do Vancouver Island.
Look at that! We could
go to the rainforest.
Oh, my God, we could see some bears!
..and have been provided with
a directory
of local job opportunities.
Then it says here you can grab
a job cleaning boats.
You get a tour
around the Great Bear Rainforest.
Mm. Right, OK.
I would love to see that rainforest
and see the bears.
So you just want to see the bears?
I have to say, I'm not willing
to...
We're going to lose a day maybe,
if we're not careful.
I don't know. I think we just need
to make a decision.
OK, this one's yours. Your shout.
I would love to see the bears.
All right. Just need to note we've
still got a race to run.
As both father-daughter teams head
to Vancouver Island...
This is a tea house.
Somebody in there will know.
Oh, no, the tea room's closed.
Oh, you're having a giraffe.
I wonder if the other guys
are having as much trouble
as us finding a way out the park.
Hi. Sorry to bother you.
Are you able to give us a ride?
To where? Just outside the park.
Is that OK?
Yeah, yeah.
Oh, thank you so much.
Oh, what a legend.
So, Haida Gwaii...
How do we get there?
Yeah, you have to drive up north to
a place called Prince Rupert.
Whistler is going straight north,
so that would be more...
..the more direct route.
I've actually never been to
ski resort.
Setting their sights inland....
Could we please have two
tickets to Whistler?
..husband and wife Zainib
and Mobeen
are aiming for the
exclusive ski resort, Whistler.
It's a race but it's also an
experience
and I could do with some
skiing lessons.
I'll give it a go. I'm not an
adrenaline junkie like you.
From there, over 1,500km
will still stand
between them
and the checkpoint.
Do you have any recommendations
on how we get to Prince Rupert
via Whistler?
Well, there is no bus service
now from that direction and uh,
you can't ride the train
up there no more.
There's no concrete
way of getting past Whistler?
Uh, not on any kind of transit.
OK.
I think we're committed
now, which is a bit worrying.
We've just been up here.
Two hours in...
We need to get to the road.
I don't even know where the...
I don't know which way we are now.
..while Trisha and Cathie go round in
circles...
That seems to be the biggest
challenge at the minute
is getting out of the park.
Yeah.
We're doing all right. We're out of
the park.
Brothers Marc and Michael have
reached Downtown Vancouver,
yet to locate the checkpoint.
Let's ask this bloke, he might know.
What guy, this guy?
Yeah.
No, he's walking away.
No. He don't want to be asked.
No, they don't want to be asked.
Who should we ask, then?
I don't know.
What about the dude in glasses?
Dude in glasses.
Ask dude in glasses.
No. Nope, she's drunk. Don't ask
her. Ask...
Well, we need to ask someone, Marc.
I know, but I don't know who to ask,
Michael.
Just ask anyone.
Excuse me.
We're looking for somewhere
called... that.
Wow. I think that might be
Haida Gwaii.
Yeah. Haida Gwaii.
Oh, you legend.
It's right there.
So you want to go to Horseshoe Bay.
A short bus ride away...
..Horseshoe Bay ferry terminal,
the gateway to Vancouver Island.
Could we have two tickets to
Nanaimo?
About to set sail...
Come on, Marc, power walk.
..the 5:40 ferry.
Ha-ha!
How you doing?
Guys, you and I are not the only
people here.
Oh, what a view to come
out of the harbour.
We're going to get the ferry
ride of a lifetime, aren't we?
Three teams cross the Salish Sea
to Vancouver Island...
It's just phenomenal.
..created when an ancient tectonic
plate
descended to its destruction beneath
North America,
pushing up the seafloor.
FOGHORN BLOWS
There's a whale right over there.
One of the reasons why I'm
scared of the ocean.
You're scared of the ocean?
Well, that thing's in it.
This... today is my idea of hell.
Left behind...
OK. That looks promising.
Civilisation.
Oh, thank goodness.
We've made it.
Vancouver!
..Trisha and Cathie call it a day.
Wow.
That's the longest day
I've ever had.
Can I cry now? Oh, my God.
6:30am.
Yesterday, it was just like walking
around in a circle.
It was so frustrating.
It was really frustrating.
But today I'm like, come on!
We can actually get somewhere today.
Yeah.
We need, um,
tickets, please, to Merritt.
Brilliant. Lovely.
Now we're going to see Canada.
Yeah, exactly.
Sticking to dry land...
Oh, my word.
Oh, God, it's a long way down.
Ooh.
..Tricia and Cathie are travelling
270km to the city of Merritt.
Perhaps we're not as far behind as
we think we are. Behind as we think.
Those of them that are on Vancouver
Island,
if they are having problems with the
ferries,
they might actually be stuck.
Oh!
We are definitely back in the race,
aren't we? Yeah.
Across the water,
one of the three teams on a wet
and windy Vancouver Island...
Oh! Oh!
..Monique and Ladi are looking
for a way off it.
Wait, what?
What?
The only ferry is two days.
Oh, my God.
Then the next one again, is when?
Will be next week.
So we have to get on that ferry.
To reach Prince Rupert, the
jumping-off point for Haida Gwaii,
the teams on Vancouver Island must
catch a ferry from the north.
Running just once a week,
the next departs in two days' time,
almost 400km away.
If we knew this beforehand,
I wouldn't have come this route.
We would've gone a different route.
But then we don't know what problems
would be the different route.
It's all... Do you know what I mean?
It's not like we can go and Google.
But you know what?
It's not that deep.
We're here now, so I reckon we
need to find a bus
that can take us north.
Where are you guys from?
London.
London, OK.
I'll give you the front seats
and I'll point out the sights.
Oh, brilliant.
Thank you so much.
This is going to be an absolutely
amazing journey.
The area between Vancouver Island
and Haida Gwaii -
and it's just absolutely amazing.
Wow.
I came on this journey
with my daughter
to make lasting memories,
and Davey is the man.
You know, you want to know
something, Dave knows.
So, Dave has filled us
in with lots of things
to do on Vancouver Island and we're
going to try and make the best of
it.
While Monique
and Ladi pushed northwards...
Ferry tickets
and the motel was quite expensive.
..Marc and Michael are heading
in the opposite direction...
There's a job in Victoria,
so our plan is to go south,
try and recoup back some funds
and then we're going to need to go
back on ourselves and go north.
Unaware of the ferry deadline,
they're aiming for the southern
tip of the island
to boost their budget by working
at a family-run smallholding.
How far is it to Victoria from here?
Uh, it's an hour-and-a-half drive.
Is it? Yeah.
I was under the impression we were
going to just be able to switch
and get on another bus
and go to Victoria.
That's probably why I'm a bit
frustrated at the minute.
It's two o'clock, so we're getting
late into the afternoon.
So, desperate times.
Shall we try and car share?
I'm not comfortable getting in a car
with someone I don't know,
at the moment. It's not really
public transport.
It's someone's car.
I don't know what I'm going to do
when it gets tough in the race.
I don't know.
Two years ago, 36-year-old Marc...
Do you want tea?
I'd love a cup of tea, please.
..moved back in with Mum.
If I've had a bad day, I kind
of just game online on my Xbox.
No!
I like disappearing off in it.
Some people use the gym and this is
what I do,
but I just feel stuck at the minute,
and I'm hoping doing this is going
to give me that kick up the
backside,
just make me want to try new things
and do new things,
and go out, experience it, enjoy it,
come back with all that confidence
on my back and just go out and try
and live my life.
What do you want to do? I don't
know, Michael. I'm panicking now,
for some reason. Why are you
panicking? I don't know.
We're all right. We know how...
We know that we're going to
get there today.
I think Marc's struggling when
things change
or don't go according to plan.
The important thing is
we're sorting it out.
We're not standing
around floundering.
I'm the same, but I think
if we both get despondent about it,
it's not going to...
it's not going to help.
You all right? Do you know of any
buses that are going to Victoria?
This one is.
Oh... Ah, really?
Back on the mainland,
nestled among the snow-covered
peaks
are the Fitzsimmons mountains.
Whistler,
where a weekend skiing could
wipe out an entire race budget.
To me, to you.
It's like Tetris.
To me, to you.
Canada seems really pricey.
It makes sense for us to stop quite
early on for a retail job,
to do something that we've
wanted to do, like, ski.
This is male.
You're going to confuse me.
Say it in your head.
Male, USA, 12.
I think we make a good team,
but it can be a little bit
frustrating at times.
You're on another pile.
Right, can you just slow down, then?
Mobeen and I are both very
different people.
He's a bit nerdy.
Look, I smashed half
a pallet in less than half an hour.
Aren't you the retail king?
You know, tries to be cool,
but isn't cool.
Walk on your heels.
Listen, you're behind me.
I'm not taking advice from you.
I've had people in the past say,
"What's up with Zainib?
"Why is she
so pissed-off all the time?"
She has a very stern look,
but in the inside, she's not like
that at all.
Let's go. Ah!
Honestly.
I'm winning at this speed.
I'll get there, no problem.
Oh! Ah, I'm going the wrong way!
And snowplough!
Hey, you're a natural!
Oh gosh, I'm tired.
It's amazing.
So cool.
All right, Mobeen, you can do it.
He's doing well for himself.
It is totally worthwhile
coming here.
I'm... I'm skiing to the finish
line.
Can't help thinking about the race
and I have a sinking feeling that
we're not doing very well.
I'm just worried we're taking
a route that is risky,
where there's no definite transport
going up north.
How was it?
So good.
The snow was so soft.
Can we do it again?
Have we got time?
You can experience the real ski run.
I'm down for that. Let's do it.
Bet the other teams aren't
having as much fun as we are.
Back across the water...
Right, go.
That was pretty good.
..Claudia and Kevin have
arrived in Campbell River,
beloved by fishers of salmon,
and the last major outpost of
civilisation on the journey north.
The only transportation
we have was today at 1pm
and the next one is not
until Saturday.
So we missed it by 45 minutes?
If there's anything that goes
anywhere near,
like somewhere that there might be
more bus connections to get there?
There's no bus connections.
Right. Right.
Yeah.
We've got a ferry crossing to do as
well to get back onto the mainland.
OK. Taxi companies, then.
I mean, it's frightening me
thinking about getting a taxi.
No. Wow.
Yeah, I know.
Yeah. I'm...
Oh, my God. That's so gutting.
Right - better make a move.
Thank you very much indeed.
They can't even put on a bus service
that will take you from one
end of the island to the other.
Come on. There's got to be another
option.
Now we are going to have to resort
to staying out in the wet,
just to try and find a car share.
I don't hold out too much
hope on this idea,
but I think we've got to
give it a go.
With public transport so limited,
Canadians have learnt to
embrace car-sharing...
Are you heading up north at all?
No, no.
OK, no worries. Sorry.
..but hitching from the roadside
is illegal...
I don't suppose you're heading up
north at all, are you?
No, no. No, OK.
..so teams must approach people
away from highways.
You're not even, like, bothering
to hold it up.
No, what I'm doing is I'm just,
I'm trying to be
low-key about the situation.
I don't want to be throwing
it in people's faces...
You shouldn't be low-key about it.
We've got to go.
Why am I running laps around this
place?
Claudia wanted to do the rainforest
and see the bears
and, you know...
But to actually try and get there
has just been a bloody nightmare.
On the other side of town...
Wait, what? Am I missing something?
Why are we washing a bus?
Why... why are we doing that?
It seems logical that we do
that in exchange for a lift,
but instead, Dad's just
working for the shits and gigs.
There's no incentive
because there's no reward.
We're helping a man, yeah,
that's helped us.
Washing a bus is not the biggest
thing in the world, yeah?
But in my head you've just decided
to wash a bus for no reason.
So, it never went through your head
that it would be a good thing
to do to help him do that?
And therein where the problem lies.
Dave has helped us.
It's just showing appreciation,
yeah? Yeah.
And sometimes in life, that's
what you need to do.
Got it.
OK, cool.
It's a learning process.
Lesson number one.
Repay kindness with kindness,
cos it will come back on you.
And that's what it was
meant to be about,
throughout this whole journey,
giving her some life lessons.
Hiya! Sorry to interrupt.
I don't suppose you're heading
up north, are you?
No. No.
This isn't working.
Do you think I'm cut out for
hitchhiking? I don't think so.
I've toyed with the idea of a taxi.
I think we're just running
out of time now..
Sorry to trouble you. Are you
interested in taking a run up north?
Look at the clouds coming down over
the mountainside.
It's just unbelievable.
Worth the $500, Dad?
Is that a $500 view?
320km away, in the heart
of British Columbia,
the country music
capital of Canada...
..Merritt.
Just outside the city...
Oh!
Oh! Oh, hello!
Oh, look at the babies!
..a 100-acre bison ranch...
That's Rocky coming up right
now in front of the fence here.
Oh!
..home to over 30 head of a
species once hunted
almost to the point of extinction
for their hides...
OK. You're going to be splitting
firewood.
..and offering bed and board
in exchange for some hard graft.
Don't put your hands here,
because this pushes,
you'll squish your hand -
always on top.
That way you have control
when it falls and splits.
OK? OK, yeah.
You good to go?
Right. So I have sight loss.
OK. I can see what you're doing
but I can't see the little buttons.
OK, not a problem.
So...
..yeah.
That's OK.
You have a partner.
Yeah. Partner in crime.
Exactly. Partner in crime.
Good. Yeah?
If I put the logs on,
you split the logs,
then I can move the logs into the
barrel and put the barrel up there.
Yeah, OK. Yeah.
Yeah? Yeah.
Me and Cathie work well together.
She finds it hard to lift stuff,
whereas I've got my mum's hands,
they're like shovels.
Hearing that I can't do things,
it is a bit of a confidence knock,
but you get over it.
You kind of have to.
I used to have 20-20 vision.
It was absolutely fine.
Never had a problem.
In the last seven, eight years I've
started losing it
due to a disease called
chorioretinopathy uveitis.
It's like looking through
a spotty dark cloud
and the dots are blind spots.
Yesterday was really hard
emotionally because of my eyes.
I did feel like a burden,
especially to Cathie,
cos I couldn't see the map,
I couldn't read what was going on.
Whereas today, it's completely
different.
I can do stuff.
Ah! The bison are here to see us.
Oh, wow!
We need to be working!
Before I do lose my sight
completely,
I want to see these amazing things.
I want to feel these amazing
feelings.
They are very nosy, aren't they?
They're curious.
They're a very smart animal.
They look like they're not,
though, don't they?
Right, shall we crack on?
Right. Yeah, let's crack on.
On Vancouver Island...
Right, so we're going to get
you on the tractor.
My son's going to show you how to
use the tiller.
Right, sounds great. Let's go see if
we have a pair of farm boots
for you. OK.
With the day nearly over,
Marc and Michael have made it to
Fiona's organic seed farm.
This right here is our tiller.
Keep away from it.
Don't want to get sucked in.
Because of the unseasonable cold
and wet weather,
planting is weeks behind,
so Fiona's sons, Hayden and Ben,
set them to earning their keep.
How you feeling?
Think you got it covered?
Shitting myself.
Ho-ho-ho!
How's that?
Brilliant.
Listen, I wouldn't trust me
doing that.
This is more my speed.
He's doing all right.
LAUGHS
Oh, my God! Cathie!
Come and have a look!
This is proper Canada.
Hello. Hello.
Oh, my God! How close did you get?
Yeah, stick it in first.
Lower it down just a tad.
Brilliant.
I don't know why I'm so nervous.
It wasn't as complicated
as I thought it was going to be.
It was just... after I got used to
it, it was pretty good.
I enjoyed it. It's also given me
a little bit of a bounce.
I'm a bit more optimistic.
There's probably going to be bears
and shit.
Well, the noise can take over
the noise of your snoring, so...
After a fitful sleep...
I struggled last night, big time.
It was really cold.
Breakfast. We've got oatmeal with
some loganberries from the garden.
Oh, thank you.
..Marc and Michael remain 500km
from where they need to be.
I don't think that boat
goes very often.
OK. Your next one is tomorrow
and it's another week...
..until the boat goes again.
OK!
We're stranded.
The south to the north is like the
same as driving from London
to Edinburgh, so that's the journey
that we're going to need to do
in the space of 24 hours, really.
I did actually put a post this
morning on a ride-share board
and see if anyone else is driving
up, so...
That's great. Thank you. Yeah, I
said two nice guys from London.
We appreciate that. If we don't make
the ferry, our race will be over.
265km closer to the ferry...
Fiona, we are
going to ask you for some help.
..Monique and Ladi are looking to
make the journey
that cost rival father and daughter
Kevin and Claudia $500 yesterday.
Do you know anybody who I could car
share with north of Campbell River?
Maybe like pitching in with gas
and stuff?
Yeah, that's not a problem.
We will pitch in with gas.
Definitely. That's good.
If I was car-sharing in the UK,
I don't know what I'd do.
I'd probably call you.
I guess I'd call friends I know.
Exactly.
But we don't have any friends.
Exactly.
Well, Fiona's our friend.
Fiona's our friend.
I got you a ride.
Whoa! My mom's going to take you.
Oh! Oh, my God! Stop!
Fiona's mum, thank you so much.
How would you like to be
referred to?
Sorry, I've been using
Fiona's mum, so...
I'm Caz.
Hi, Caz. Hi.
Nice to meet you.
Nice to meet you.
On the mainland...
We need to scout the area now.
It's a bit empty!
..still in Whistler,
Zainib and Mobeen
can no longer avoid the
inevitable...
Can I ask this guy?
Excuse me.
..how to head north without
public transport.
Hi, there, sir.
I believe people are very willing to
car share around here.
We're heading north towards
Prince Rupert.
No, you're not going north.
Yeah.
All right, cool. Thank you.
Thank you.
Can I be honest?
I don't want to go north now.
Why? I think that's way too
risky an option.
We're talking about
22 hours-plus of car-sharing.
So today, can we try and please get
a ferry to Vancouver Island?
We're not going to see
if anyone's going north?
Zainib proposes ditching
their original plan,
to head back the way they came,
and then onto Vancouver Island.
That bus is going to Horseshoe Bay.
I don't think
we need to get on that bus.
There's literally no rush.
We've actually only asked people
in car parks in Whistler,
which is a tourist route.
What do you propose we do?
Surely people at the gas
station are making their way north..
Do you want to do that?
That's what I'm thinking, yeah.
OK. That's fine.
This is your decision.
Yeah?
It's kind of on you
if it goes wrong.
Are you going north? No.
No. Thank you.
I've made myself quite clear about
what option I think is the best.
Excuse me, sorry to bother you.
Are you going north, by any chance?
No. Are you heading that way?
No. No, no.
Ah, man. Failing massively right
now, ha-ha!
As is marriage, a compromise.
So, where do you want to go?
Well, we need to go up here.
Yeah. We can drop you off...
At Cache Creek? Yeah, yeah, sure.
Awesome. This is cool.
This is cosy, man.
Success for Mobeen -
a lift of over 200km north.
Kind of committed to going up
north now, haven't we?
Yeah.
In the second leg,
we do things my way.
Oh, God! I don't like this.
Also seeking to overcome the dearth
of public transport
heading north -
Tricia and Cathie.
I'll ask anybody for anything.
Um, and I'll just do it.
Um, but Cathie's not...
This is... this is way out of my
comfort zone. Yeah.
I'm really,
really uncomfortable at the minute.
I don't like this at all.
I'm a total rules
and procedures girl.
I don't like it. I guess that's why
I ended up
being a compliance officer.
Not going anywhere
near Prince George, are you?
No.
But Tricia is just not afraid of
anything.
Would you be able to give us
a lift up north, at all?
Squeeze in, I guess.
Oh, amazing.
He's going to Prince George?
Oh, my God.
OK, let's do this.
She's only got little legs, anyway.
I'm only little. You've made our
day.
Absolutely made our day.
Woohoo!
As the girls begin a
438km leap closer to Prince Rupert,
on Vancouver Island, their sights
set on the same place,
Claudia and Kevin are a stone's
throw
from tomorrow's ferry that will take
them there.
You want to see some bears? Yeah.
Nice, OK.
I've got a boat that has sea
growth underneath it.
After yesterday's $500 splurge,
it's all hands
on deck to earn a trip to
Claudia's must-see,
the Great Bear Rainforest.
These bears better be worth it.
Just 26km away,
Monique and Ladi's ride drops them
in Telegraph Cove...
What can we do to repay you?
Don't worry. You can pay it forward
to other people.
Oh, thank you so much.
..free of charge.
I'm telling you, that's serious.
Got to pay these things forward.
A tiny community of just 20 people,
Telegraph Cove is the launch point
to explore Vancouver Island's
abundant marine life.
I am really looking forward to this.
With time to kill before the ferry
departs the island,
an opportunity to catch sight
of the killer whales
that follow schools of Pacific
salmon as they migrate north.
I'm hoping to see a dolphin.
Oh, my God, it's a sea lion.
Sounds like your snoring, Dad.
It sounds like me snoring? Yeah.
This feels like why
we came on this adventure,
cos this is just, like...
..priceless.
Oh! I don't know what I'm
looking at.
That blow, see...
It's there somewhere.
I just saw the blow come up.
Where's it going?
I'm craving just to, like, chill-out
in some heat
and have, like, an Aperol Spritz.
That's... that's fun to me.
Right there.
What?
Not to say that this isn't fun...
There, there! See the...
Oh, I blinked.
..but I could be having more fun.
At the opposite end of the island...
Eagles come down from the sky,
pick a chicken up
and you'll never see it again.
..Marc and Michael are still
enjoying the good life.
I think you guys are in luck.
Really? So, we have Janine and she
says,
"What's the earliest I could hook-up
with them, and where?"
Are you joking?
Happy to go any time
after 7am tomorrow morning.
Angel saves the day.
People here are so friendly
and accommodating
and willing to help, and I think
that's definitely going to be the
way forward for us.
I think Marc needs to kind of move
out of his comfort zone,
so that we can
benefit from people's generosity.
Thank you.
Ah, lovely.
Thank you very much. Thank you.
Here's to a good day tomorrow.
Cheers.
I think we need to savour this last
pint
because I'm not sure when we're
going to get our next one.
Mm. We've gone over the budget.
We've done what
we shouldn't have done,
and that is to maybe panic a little
in trying to get up here.
I don't really want to
change our strategy.
It always has been
around experiences.
That's what this race is about
and that's what we have to remember.
The strategy for me just went out
the window after yesterday.
We should have done our research
while we were at the garage.
I was running around that gas
station and you just stood there!
No, but... Yeah! You
probably could've asked questions!
Rubbish! Rubbish!
No, you probably could've!
I was asking people for information,
I wasn't sat on my arse.
You only asked after I'd spoken to
them!
Get off your high horse.
Oh, wow...
So, stop bigging it up.
We're working as a team
and not as individuals.
Take the smirk off your face,
please.
I'm not smirking.
You are.
I do find it hard when my dad wants
to play the father role.
Our relationship is
more of a friendship.
When my parents went through their
divorce, I was about 12 years old.
My dad wasn't there very much.
Right. I'm going back to the room.
Obviously, we need to work
on our communication.
I just hope that over the coming
weeks
we get the time, and I guess maybe
he has that realisation
and wants to talk about things,
and wants to fix things,
and - rather than just walk away,
cos that's what hurts and...
..that's what he's always done!
Hopefully, she turns up. I mean, if
she doesn't, it'll be a disaster.
For the three teams
on Vancouver Island,
it's D-Day.
Is that her?
Morning! Hello.
Hello.
Hop in, get comfortable.
The ferry towards the checkpoint
leaves at six o'clock tonight.
With seven days until the next one,
if they miss it,
they'll be as good as out
of the race.
Oh! Sorry.
Goddamn it!
Having joined up with their ride,
Janine...
Thanks so much for taking us
to Port Hardy.
I'm just a bored wacko with
nothing better to do.
..Marc and Michael have
furthest to travel,
from toe to top of the island
in seven hours.
Further up the coast here, you'll be
going into grizzly country.
Oh, no.
Despite the looming deadline,
in search of bears...
..and some spiritual healing,
Claudia and Kevin.
It... it... it's just unreal.
Haven't even seen the bears yet
and I'm... I'm completely in awe.
This is such a pinch-me moment.
A vast, sodden landscape,
the Great Bear Rainforest is home
to 1,000-year-old cedars,
grey wolves, cougars,
and its most celebrated resident,
the rare, cream-coloured spirit
bear,
sacred to the
indigenous Tsimshian people.
Typically, this time of year
we would find bears along the edges
and, yes, bears do
walk across this log.
Don't try and go under it when
there's one on the top of it, then.
Yeah, I don't know how
that would play.
ROARING
That is a black bear.
That is a bear in the wild...
..in its natural habitat.
It's special.
Ah!
It's so beautiful.
First time I saw a bear,
it was good to see them up close.
It's just, like, untouched beauty
and there's not
much of that around anymore.
It's hard to find.
That $500 taxi is in the past now.
I'm not worried about that anymore.
I am just in awe of what
I am seeing.
It's just phenomenal.
Why are we going this way?
Because there was a detour
around construction.
Oh, you bugger!
And we can't even get out that way.
You can drive a tractor.
Two hours till departure.
The tickets were seriously
expensive, $366.
So that's a significant amount of
our budget
that has now disappeared,
but at least we are here.
How's everyone feeling?
Absolutely fine.
This is essentially a perfect storm.
Wind and tide are against one
another.
You can't have it easy all the way,
can you?
Come back to Vancouver Island,
someday. Of course we will.
Safe travels. Take care.
All right, cool. Thank you very
much. Have a great day.
Thank you. Safe travel, guys.
Cheers. Have a good one.
We've seen one other team.
But we haven't seen Kevin and
Claudia.
Hold on, is that...
Stop!
Oh, my God! I need to tell Dad!
Three teams settle in for an
overnight voyage to Prince Rupert.
Stop having treats. Like, we need
to stop.
You're the one that said to me
did I want a coffee?
You said you needed a coffee!
Once there, they'll be able to catch
another ferry,
to the first checkpoint
tomorrow evening.
Seeking to reach Prince Rupert
via the mainland...
We really need to get a ride
in the next couple of hours,
to be able to make that ferry
tonight.
..with 700km to cover,
Zainib and Mobeen's car-share
odyssey continues.
You don't want to go towards
Prince Rupert for some money?
Are you going to Prince Rupert, by
any chance? Sorry.
I'm just relying on this sign
cos I haven't got the energy right
now to talk to people.
Do you want to be a Good Samaritan?
I'll pay you for it.
Well, if it means drive all the way
to Prince Rupert...
How much would you do it for?
That's, like, a whole day.
Thank you for your time.
$500! Cheers.
$500? Yeah. I'd give you, like, 250.
So I checked... What are you
supposed to be doing today, anyway?
You know what? What was your plan?
It was going to be a nature day.
It was going to be go out,
find a good place. Nature?
It's not quite warm enough,
but I was going to jump in a lake.
So on the way, I probably am going
to find one.
Would you take us - you, honestly
take us for 250?
250, let's do it!
What's your name? I'm Corey.
Corey. Nice to meet you, Corey.
Nice to meet you, man. What's your
name? Mobeen. Mobeen!
Thank you. Can we make it?
Thanks very much.
Can we make it? Yeah.
Let's do it!
Ten hours to catch
the Prince Rupert ferry.
We agreed 250.
I'm just going to, bit at a time,
depending on how far you get us.
But - a potential detour.
For years, I used to have my best
friend, my dog.
We would go, May 1st, to the lake,
and I would jump in, every year.
Is your best friend not around any
more? She died.
She died in 2019.
And so it came to today
and I'm saying...
Maybe it was fate.
"I've got to do it today. I've got
to go out to the lake."
It'd be amazing to share
that with you.
If you want to. Only if you want to.
Oh, I'd love - I definitely...
I need to.
I mean, until we met you, I thought
"We're never going to get
"to Prince Rupert by tonight."
Oh, wow! Listen to this guy!
Honestly, honestly. Where's the
hope, huh?
Where's the optimism, huh?
On that note, here's your next
payment!
Arriving in Prince Rupert...
..the teams from Vancouver Island.
Hi.
We're looking for two tickets,
please. OK.
$84.40.
This is just unbelievable.
Look at them.
Also in town...
Bloody hell.
I can't believe how big it is!
They're all around us, look.
All up there, all over everywhere.
..leaving just one team missing.
I got a new friend who's going to
jump in the lake with me.
Argh! Oh, my God!
Stop it! Look who's here!
God, that's bonkers.
Hi! And Mike and Marc!
That's completely thrown me now,
because I didn't,
I thought they'd have been here
days ago.
Yeah, they've come a different way
and still got here at the same time.
We've only got one couple left.
Yeah.
Corey, here's your last payment.
Oh, coffee!
Ow!
Oh, my God, the other couple
are here!
Really? The other couple are here!
Hey, man, so good!
So good man, so good. Keep in touch,
won't you? Yeah, 100%.
I love you, man. You're a brother
now. No, you're a brother, man.
And we've just got in by the skin of
our teeth.
I'm pretty happy. I'm happy as well.
We saw some amazing things.
Made some new friends.
Made some amazing friends.
I thought you weren't going to cry!
I'm just really happy. You should
be. You should be. So am I.
I'm feeling a bit more
optimistic now.
Yeah, I am as well.
Sorry for doubting you.
Still a lot of time to do that!
It's all square, then, innit?
The race is on tomorrow.
It really is.
We're all in the same boat.
We might have been last on
the ferry,
but we're going to be first
to checkpoint.
We just don't want to be behind
anybody.
This is my competitiveness. I know.
But the race is on.
All five teams aboard...
..awaiting them, Haida Gwaii...
..an archipelago of over 200
islands.
In the north of the largest,
the first checkpoint.
5:40am.
Ten minutes till the ferry docks.
Head to Misty Meadows Gazebo...
..at Naikoon Provincial Park.
Their GPS tracker tells them
the checkpoint's exact location.
A 44km dash from the ferry terminal.
Look out for an orange buoy
and turn right.
Right. Let's go.
Is there buses, or...
There's no buses.
There's going to be, like, eight
other people,
like, doing the exact same thing
as I am.
Don't give them any information.
Are you going towards Tlell,
by any chance?
No. No? Thank you.
I would love to finish first.
It would be nice to get a taxi
there, wouldn't it?
Well, it would be, but the budget
doesn't really allow that.
Right, there are lots of people
here,
lots of teams that are here...
..all searching for the same
information,
all asking the same people
the same thing.
We're trying to get to Tlell.
OK. So I should say Steve sent us?
Yes. Yes.
And what's his name?
His name is Kyle.
My bike's got a popped tyre. Yeah.
I've got a friend meeting me
to load-up the bike,
if you don't mind waiting
a little bit. Yeah.
Yeah, we will, mate.
We'll wait for you, mate.
Is this the right way out?
This is the vehicle deck.
We can't go out this way.
We don't have a vehicle.
Sorry, excuse me.
You don't happen to be
going north at all?
Whereabouts are you going? Tlell.
Yeah, I could give you guys a ride.
Thank you. Amazing, amazing,
amazing, amazing!
Oh, my God, how lucky is that?
Oh, you are so kind.
You're an absolute legend.
I take it that they've managed
to get a lift.
We're the first off the ferry!
We're right at the front. Thank you!
Yes!
They're on their way and we're
now stuck here.
Is that the octopus?
Oh, my God, it's him!
Is your name Kyle, by any chance?
Yes, my name's Kyle. Hi.
You're amazing. Thank you.
We are looking to get
a taxi to Tlell. Yep.
And how much would it cost for us
to...? $150.
Is that your best price?
It's the only price.
Let's just take the hit,
and then we re-plan
the whole of next week's trip. OK.
Yeah, it's your choice.
Oh, my God, I saw Kevin
and Claudia getting a taxi.
No!
Tlell. Population, 183.
Head to the beach and proceed 2km.
OK, where is the beach?
Expected - ten more.
Come on, Marc!
Michael, I'm too tired!
Go! Go, go, go! There's going to be
minutes between us.
I'm not going to run and break
my ankle.
Argh! All right, all right.
Take the sandy path to the river
and follow the sign to the
Haida House.
Come on, Mon. We can do this.
I'm sorry. Don't be sorry.
I don't want to hear that word.
Keep going, keep going!
Come on, Marc!
Haida House. Down here.
We're here!
Oh! Come on, Dad!
Good morning, welcome to
Haida Gwaii. Please sign the book.
Brilliant. Yes!
Well done, Dad! Well done!
Thank God.
I wasn't prepared to not win after
we spent the money,
knowing that everyone else has
hitchhiked.
Right!
I think that kind of wipes the
negativity that we've had this week.
For the next two weeks, we've really
got to scrimp and save.
Strong and steady.
That's going to be our mantra,
I think.
I think we've got more money
than them, as well.
Yeah. I definitely think we've got
more money than them.
Get a jog on.
We've only got here relying
on the kindness of other people.
We've smashed it. Our strategy is...
..we're just warming up, you know?
Let them come first by four minutes.
That's fine with me.
I'm having a blast doing this with
my daughter, so...
..yeah, it's great.
You all right, how you doing?
All right.
Are you going to cry?
Aww, don't cry.
After six days and over
1,200km,
just 17 minutes separate
the five teams.
I think we've worked quite well
together. Yeah, I think we have.
I don't know why I'm shocked.
This leg actually is more telling
about budget, not about time.
And we didn't pay for a cab.
So who's the real winners in this
leg? Yeah, I know. That's us!
Next time...
We are going to go into remote
wilderness here.
Oh, no!
..all ties with civilisation
severed...
It's grizzlies and black bears.
Yeah.
Oh, my God! Wow!
..the teams journey into the wild.
Are you going to kill us? No.
This is just terrible, Dad.
It's soul-destroying. We're in this
together. You're not on your own.
I've told you I don't want to do it,
and I'm scared of it,
and you still want to do it?
I've almost forgotten
what my life used to be like.