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  • 2 days ago
Race Across the World 2025 S05 E02

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00:00Oh, wow.
00:09This is mega.
00:10This is incredible.
00:11Let's walk fast.
00:15Let's go.
00:16Come on.
00:20Come on, you're doing really well.
00:21Nearly there.
00:23You're so close.
00:25Top of top, need your hand.
00:26Let's do it together.
00:28Come on.
00:30Hi.
00:34Hello.
00:35You ready?
00:40It's all right.
00:41We're 26 hours after the first paper.
00:43It's okay.
00:44It's not a surprise.
00:45It's okay, we can catch up.
00:49Okay.
00:50Thank you very much.
00:5126 hours.
00:53It's fine.
00:54It's okay.
00:55It's okay.
00:56It's okay.
00:58It's understandable to get upset, but we knew this was going to happen.
01:01Okay?
01:04All right.
01:05Okay.
01:07Gutted.
01:10It makes me upset because it means a lot.
01:12Because it's a way of proving something to myself.
01:15And at the moment, all I'm proving is that I'm failing.
01:19I just love the rooftops.
01:33Oh, my gosh.
01:34Look at all the spices.
01:35It's amazing.
01:36It's amazing.
01:37It's amazing.
01:38This is what I think of when I think of China.
01:39I think of this.
01:40Yes.
01:41Perched on a 100-metre-tall mountain in East China's Jiangxi province, Huangling.
01:49Wow, this is crazy.
01:52I've never seen anything like it before.
01:54Although six centuries old, the town lay dilapidated until 16 years ago.
02:01Now restored, it has been transformed into a rural destination for tourists.
02:07We knew it was going to be you guys.
02:08Yeah.
02:09How are you feeling?
02:10Very, very tired.
02:11This is definitely starting to feel like race.
02:12It is.
02:13It is.
02:14I didn't think I was going to feel less competitive.
02:15After the first leg in the race to Kanyakumari on the southernmost tip of India, less than
02:32seven hours separate the top three teams.
02:35But trailing a whole day behind the pack, Ryan and Melvin and Carline and Tom.
02:41How have you two been working together?
02:43I lost my voice, so I didn't really speak that much.
02:47She's like the social, like, you know, person.
02:50Yeah, talker.
02:51Yeah, talker.
02:52The roles were reversed.
02:53Change.
02:54It was a bit overwhelming at first.
02:56We're from Wales, so it's really quiet.
02:58So it's a whole new speed for us.
03:00Yeah.
03:01So do you speak a little bit of Mandarin?
03:02None at all.
03:03Oh, none at all.
03:04So have you found the language very hard as well then?
03:06Yeah.
03:07Yeah, it's harder because, like, I look the part but don't sound it.
03:10So that's the struggle.
03:11So everyone comes up to me and just expects me to speak Mandarin.
03:14Because I know you did Mandarin.
03:16Is it one of you?
03:17Or a little bit.
03:18Yeah, a little bit.
03:19Emphasis on little.
03:20Please.
03:22Top three.
03:23Cheers!
03:24Cheers!
03:38On the road again.
03:40Good morning.
03:41This is for you.
03:42I'm nervous.
03:43Nervous.
03:44First to leave, current race leaders, sisters Elizabeth and Letitia.
03:49Oh.
03:50Your second checkpoint is Sanya.
03:53Sanya.
03:54What does it sound like?
03:55Sanya!
03:562,700 kilometres away, lying on the tip of Hainan Island, Sanya, one of China's most southerly cities.
04:09With palm-fringed beaches and lush rainforests, its tropical climate makes it a magnet for China's wealthy elite, but also for destructive monsoon storms.
04:22Oh, wait.
04:23I found it.
04:24That is far.
04:25Oh, we're going to the beach.
04:26I feel like that's what's missing.
04:28I'm like, I just need some sea.
04:30To get there, teams must traverse southeastern China, embracing new landscapes, languages, climate and cuisine.
04:42They have the option to city hop, taking advantage of high-speed trains that run alongside the East China Sea coastline.
04:50Or head inland, kinder on budgets and a chance to explore China's dramatic scenery.
05:00Look at this.
05:02Look at that.
05:03Let's go inland.
05:04Let's go inland.
05:05Because you wanted to go here even before coming to China.
05:08When I was in China previously, I missed the opportunity to go to Rice Fields near Guilin.
05:13And it's such a, like, picturesque area.
05:16And I was like, maybe if I have another opportunity to go to China, as we do now, like, we can go there.
05:25One big passion of politicians is Asia.
05:30This is an opportunity there.
05:32We shouldn't pass, really.
05:33Exactly.
05:34Yeah, I just want to experience it.
05:35I am Asia obsessed.
05:37Especially China.
05:38It was a whole different culture, a whole different language.
05:42Just so unfamiliar to what I'm used to, being there.
05:46That's when I'm the most happiest.
05:49I think because we came first, we should try our best to keep the lead.
05:52Yeah.
05:53Because they're not that far behind.
05:54They're not that far behind.
05:55At all.
05:56So, we have a plan.
05:57I'm so excited for this leg.
05:59Yeah.
06:00I think it's going to be so good.
06:02The sisters' goal, the Longzhi rice terraces, via the well-connected transport hub, Guilin.
06:10Take a train to Shangri.
06:12Whoa, this is fast.
06:13Ah!
06:14It's like so fast.
06:15Oh, my gosh.
06:16It's like a roller coaster.
06:17It's like it goes...
06:18Ah!
06:19Whilst Elizabeth and Letitia descend...
06:27It's far.
06:28It's so far.
06:29That doesn't seem easy to get to.
06:31..next to depart...
06:33She just want to leave that place now.
06:35..teenage couple, Finn and Sean Ed.
06:38How did we get down?
06:43English!
06:44English!
06:45Please!
06:46Knowing we're second and we're quite close.
06:49This leg, we want to get there quickly.
06:52I enjoy more coastal scenery.
06:56We're going through cities, so there'd probably be more transport,
07:00more English speakers.
07:02We're kind of being safe with it all.
07:04It's a bit of a comfort blanket.
07:07Sticking to their tried and tested strategy,
07:10they are planning to city hop down the coast.
07:13First stop, Siamen.
07:17We don't know where we're going.
07:18I know, I know, I know.
07:19Do you want to go in the checkpoint hotel and ask the taxi?
07:22No, I'm not stopping literally where we started.
07:24Oh, at this point, we've just got to get down, Finn.
07:28Got far, didn't we?
07:29This is so embarrassing.
07:32I like these.
07:33I prefer a Yorkshire, but it'll do.
07:3421 hours behind the race leaders, brothers Brian and Melvin.
07:48We messed up terrible.
07:49So did we.
07:50And in last place, mother and son, Caroline and Tom.
07:54I just felt helpless and useless and I just felt like we couldn't do it.
07:58This is way, way out of my comfort zone.
08:00Comfort zone.
08:01Totally.
08:02Sleeping in places that I would never, ever, ever.
08:07Our strengths are...
08:10It hasn't come to the fruition yet.
08:11It hasn't come to the front of our thoughts.
08:15We have got experience of life behind us.
08:19But does it really help in this situation, life experience?
08:22Let's go ahead.
08:23We've got nothing else going for us, haven't we?
08:24No, we haven't, haven't we?
08:29I don't know how the youngsters have done it.
08:31I know.
08:33It was gutting.
08:34Absolutely.
08:35Emotional.
08:36Yeah, it was.
08:37It was.
08:38I didn't think we'd get emotional because it's just a race.
08:39I didn't think it would mean this much.
08:40We all know where the danger's really coming from, don't we?
08:43These youngsters.
08:44Who knows?
08:45Next checkpoint, it could be first and second.
08:47Oh, wouldn't that be nice?
08:48Good luck.
08:49We'll see.
08:52Sanyar.
08:53You heard of it?
08:54Never heard of it, yeah.
08:55No, me either.
08:56Leaving the checkpoint in third,
08:58Yin and ex-husband Gaz.
09:01That's where we're going.
09:02Actually, that's not too far.
09:03How exciting.
09:04It'd be quite good to kind of see the rural parts of China.
09:07Okay.
09:08Maybe do a homestay or something like that.
09:09That'd be nice.
09:10We spent far too much in the first day.
09:12We need to save money.
09:13The cost of living is a lot cheaper in the countryside.
09:15Yeah.
09:16That's going to save us loads of money.
09:17Tip.
09:18Also, we can see if we can pick up some work.
09:20Okay.
09:21With almost one-fifth of their total budget gone,
09:24and seven legs remaining,
09:26the pair are keen to rein in their spending.
09:29Come on, friend.
09:30Bring it in.
09:31We've got to stop doing this.
09:33Don't overuse our hand thing.
09:35Their plan?
09:36To journey through rural China, working and staying with local families.
09:42What I'm discovering about this race is that I'm questioning my own Chinese identity and what it means to me.
09:49Going rural, there's an opportunity to see things that I've never seen before.
09:54It's going to be a complete contrast to my experience of growing up in a Chinese family in the UK.
10:01Let's go.
10:03As the day draws to a close,
10:07two teams are heading into rural China on overnight trains,
10:12in the cheapest seats available.
10:14They are smoking on the train.
10:16Great.
10:17Elizabeth and Letitia.
10:19Come on!
10:20LED lights.
10:21Look at this.
10:22I don't know what Shangro is all about.
10:24Like a cartoon.
10:26I think I found myself at 71, but the man's lying all over it.
10:31And Yin and Gaz.
10:33It's quite rough and ready.
10:35If people bought in their, like, little gaggle of chickens and things like that,
10:38it would not be out of place on this trade.
10:41It's not as bad as British Rail.
10:48Yeah.
10:49308 kilometres is the fastest I've been on a train, I think.
10:52Like, I feel like we're going city to city to city.
10:54Yeah, it looks so cool.
10:56After a slow start, Finn and Sean Ed are prioritising speed.
11:03Spending big on a bullet train to reach Siamen City before morning.
11:09First day on the second leg, and we've spent about £70 so far.
11:14That's not good.
11:15Right, it was a lot of money.
11:16I can't do numbers at all.
11:18Sean Ed's probably better with money.
11:21Fifty-six, seven, eight.
11:24Yeah, I don't think I'd be able to do that day to day.
11:27It's too much, isn't it?
11:28It's too much going on.
11:29I've got an A-star in maths GCSE.
11:32Me often don't pay bills because we still live with our parents.
11:37So, budgeting for us doesn't really exist.
11:41But I'm hoping to kind of have a plan and map out what we can spend.
11:49Approximately £160 per leg for eight legs.
11:54160 times eight, what's that?
11:562,280.
11:58Is it?
11:59No, it's not.
12:01It is.
12:02No, it's really not.
12:06My brain is really bad with maths.
12:09But I know for a fact that you'd not get an A-star if you think that.
12:12Where have I got that number from?
12:13Where have I got that number from before?
12:162...
12:18Shall we just chill and see what happens?
12:21We've got a good head start.
12:23This leg is going to be smooth sailing for us.
12:25I feel like we are coming first.
12:27You're going to follow me?
12:40I'm following you, mate.
12:416.45am.
12:43I'm following you, you carry on.
12:45Almost a day after the race leaders departed,
12:48a fourth team leave the checkpoint.
12:50Brothers Brian and Melvin.
12:53What we've learnt from this first leg,
12:56we've been rushing in, haven't we?
12:57Yeah.
12:58Fools rush in, Mel. There you go.
13:00We're a pair of fools then, aren't we, mate?
13:02So we have got more in common than we think.
13:06Our strategy for this leg is start catching people up
13:09to travel quickly without spending the money.
13:11We have got to work.
13:13We're hoping to get a job
13:14where maybe we can get free accommodation.
13:17We've got to plan our routes better.
13:19It says public transportation parking area here.
13:22Well, we found it.
13:24That was easy, wasn't it?
13:25Yeah.
13:26Bright door's here.
13:27I knew it was.
13:29I'd love to move up a place to third.
13:31We're going to have to take a gamble
13:33to go as far south as we can and go for it.
13:37I disagree.
13:38I think doing the home stay is far more logical.
13:41Food and board we're getting, isn't it?
13:44We are actually saving money by doing that.
13:47OK, Mel.
13:48I'm with you on that level.
13:51I don't know why I'm looking out in front of road signs
13:53because I can't understand them anyway.
13:57As the brothers motor towards the coast,
14:011,000 kilometres inland,
14:03the ancient town of Funghuang.
14:06Named after a mythical bird,
14:13this frontier town connects the Hunan and Guizhou provinces.
14:21Hidden in the mountains,
14:23it was once a useful rallying point for politicians,
14:26warlords and bandits.
14:29And today, it offers Yen and Guizhou a chance
14:32to earn back some budget.
14:36Are you hungry? Would you like noodles?
14:38No, no, no, no, no, no.
14:41OK.
14:42Sure, sure, sure.
14:43By helping at Ms Zhao's noodle bar.
14:46This sink is very low.
14:48It's breaking my back.
14:50It's not really made for my height, this sink.
14:53Come on in, come on, come on in.
14:55This leg, it is all about clawing back a bit
14:58and trying to get the shift done,
15:00maybe have a little wander around the village,
15:02and then it'll be back on the road again.
15:06You want noodles?
15:07Any noodles? You want food?
15:08Food? What?
15:09Noodles?
15:10Noodles? Yes.
15:11Yes, would you like to come in for noodles?
15:14I'm not cooking.
15:15I'm just trying to usher you in.
15:17No-one's going to know what he's saying.
15:20When we had the takeaway, Guiz was in front of house
15:22because he was just so confident.
15:24People loved him, he's a people person.
15:26Hello.
15:27Would you like any noodles?
15:28Are you hungry?
15:29No.
15:30No? OK.
15:31All right.
15:32OK.
15:33And I like the fact that he had a real front about him.
15:36You want some food?
15:37You come back?
15:38Yes.
15:39Thank you, sir.
15:40OK, thank you, sir.
15:41Here you go.
15:42Madam?
15:43There you go.
15:46I've got a customer.
15:48That's one of the things that I miss about Guiz.
15:51That was the charm that it hooked me in.
15:54Yeah, it probably was, actually.
15:56That's what we made.
15:58Do you want to take that?
15:59Perfect.
16:00Got free dinner, got some money.
16:02That wasn't that bad after, was it?
16:04I think I did more work than you did.
16:06I don't think you did.
16:07I brought the punters in.
16:11Being married to Ian was amazing.
16:14I did feel there's security being married,
16:16because you're a unit, you are together.
16:20But the breakdown in the relationship was because I became lazy,
16:24I took Ian for granted.
16:26Even to this day, I blame myself.
16:28Oh, that was spicy.
16:32Well, that's nice, isn't it, that view?
16:34With a co-writer up the top.
16:37I didn't cope with the breakdown of the relationship at all well.
16:40I became insular.
16:41It was hard and I didn't like it at all.
16:43What do you do?
16:44Oh, let's go down the pub and have six parts of Guinness
16:47and forget about it.
16:49Oh, that's nice.
16:54I would drink myself into a stupor,
16:56because I didn't talk to anyone about it.
16:58One of the big key things with Ian is she identified that.
17:03And whilst I was going through my demons
17:05and people had given up on me, she never did.
17:11She could see, you know, what I was doing was not right.
17:14We're going on the stepping stones.
17:15Yeah, we do not want to be falling in.
17:17No, we do not.
17:19I'm at that point now where I'm in a good place.
17:24And by doing the race, I want to repay her,
17:26because she was there for me through the dark times.
17:31And I don't want to let her down.
17:34I've let her down too many times in the past.
17:35I don't want to do it again.
17:38Hello, pussycat.
17:39Hello.
17:40Would you take some pictures of the cats?
17:42I did take a little picture of the kitten.
17:43What a surprise.
17:49Panning City, high speed train station.
17:51Panning is high speed.
17:53Last to leave the checkpoint,
17:54almost 26 hours after the race leaders.
17:57Two people to...
17:58Two people to...
18:03Mother and son, Carline and Tom.
18:08Oh, yeah.
18:09Oh, yeah.
18:14Oh, yeah.
18:15Oh, yeah.
18:16Oh, yeah.
18:17Oh, yeah is where we got the train into.
18:19And it says we can get trains direct.
18:21Okay.
18:22Oh, yeah.
18:23Oh, yeah.
18:24Oh, yeah.
18:25Oh, yeah.
18:26Oh, yeah.
18:27Oh, yeah.
18:28This leg is focused more on the racing element,
18:31because we're fifth.
18:32We need to try to catch up as much as we can.
18:34Oh, yeah.
18:35Let's do it.
18:36We're making steps in the right direction.
18:39Oh, yeah.
18:41We can't lag behind.
18:42If we want to catch up, we have to sacrifice experiences.
18:48God, Thomas, it feels so nice to be moving.
18:50Russian book.
18:51Russian book.
18:53I have a point to prove.
18:55I'd like Thomas to realise he has a mother who can achieve things
19:00and do things rather than just be a mother.
19:03We are heading to...
19:07German.
19:08As Caroline and Tom begin their dash for the coast...
19:14Wow, this is a different feel to it, isn't it?
19:16That's beautiful, though.
19:18750 kilometres south, one team are already there.
19:24So, we're going to go straight to the train station
19:26and book our travel for tonight,
19:29and then we're going to the beach!
19:35Once known as the gateway to China,
19:38the ancient tea-trading port of Siamen
19:42is now a vibrant cosmopolitan city,
19:45renowned for its long, sandy beaches
19:47and blend of European and Chinese architectural styles.
19:52It's like a holiday day.
19:54We've both got a spring in our step.
19:57Before a chance to enjoy the beach,
19:59a plan to action.
20:01Secure overnight transport along the coast towards Hainan.
20:05Don't let me do it by myself.
20:07Shren, only one of us can go.
20:09Why is that always on me?
20:11Communication is your part.
20:13My part's planning.
20:15Why is always my part?
20:17Because mine's planning and I've planned everything.
20:20Yeah.
20:21We're bigger.
20:22Yeah, we're young.
20:23Somehow I'm in charge again.
20:25As planned it.
20:28So you're sorting it?
20:30To where?
20:32No, it's Zhuhai.
20:34Finn never listens.
20:36Welcome to my life.
20:38It's not an argument, it's more the...
20:40Yeah, it's just chops in.
20:42Chops in each other, yeah.
20:44Tonight, Zhuhai?
20:45Zhuhai.
20:46Zhuhai.
20:47No digging.
20:48No digging.
20:49No digging.
20:50No.
20:51Come along.
20:54That's so annoying.
20:56Cushion.
20:58Brilliant, all right, Sand.
20:59We need to figure this out quickly and then just crack on with sightseeing.
21:04It's getting on my nerves.
21:05I just want to chill.
21:07We need to try and find a best friend, I'm not gonna lie.
21:09Not very confident anymore that we're getting out of here today.
21:13Now we're getting in China, it's definitely overwhelming.
21:17On the race, everything's so foreign and so new.
21:22I feel a bit daunted.
21:24Right, is he helping or is he like...
21:26Well, I'm not sure, Finn. I have never been here before.
21:29It probably is the most we've been tested.
21:32Just because we can't escape each other and I don't catch a break.
21:37The bus station has been suspended.
21:40Oh, please not again.
21:42We're running out of options.
21:44Finn, what's the plan? I have no plan, to be honest.
21:47Neither do I.
21:48I don't want to decide.
21:49Well, neither do I, then.
21:51Oh, please don't start this.
21:53I'm so stressed anyway, so...
21:55..bickering on top of that.
21:58I find myself just thinking, like, I'd just rather be home.
22:02Nothing makes sense in this place.
22:05I just want to see the beaches.
22:14Hello!
22:16Is it Mr Zoo?
22:18Yeah.
22:20Tucked in the rolling mountains of Fujian,
22:21Brian and Melvin have made it to Chusi Village.
22:26Just picked it and stuck it off us.
22:28It wouldn't let us carry it.
22:29He could have had mine, couldn't he?
22:30To work for Mr Hsu in exchange for bed and board.
22:34Look at this.
22:36This is it. Look at this place.
22:38I've never seen anything like this.
22:40This is amazing.
22:42Built in the 15th century by the Hakka people,
22:48two laws, fortified earthen homes
22:52that housed hundreds of people each,
22:55protecting entire communities from invaders, thieves
22:59and wild animals.
23:04The chef, the chef is brilliant.
23:06It looks brilliant.
23:07Beautiful.
23:08Very good.
23:10Is it good?
23:15Is it chicken?
23:20Chicken.
23:22Clack, clack, clack, clack, clack, clack.
23:24And that's...
23:26Is that...
23:28Moo.
23:30Whoa.
23:32And beer.
23:34OK.
23:35Oh, I like this man's style. I really do.
23:38Hi.
23:41Whiskey.
23:44He said he's whiskey.
23:46Cheers.
23:47Cheers.
23:48Cheers.
23:52It's like moonshine.
23:54Oh!
23:56Oh, dear.
23:58That'll make me hair grow back.
24:00No more, no more.
24:01No more.
24:04Melvin persuaded me that we don't go as far south as I wanted to.
24:10Thank you very much.
24:11See you later.
24:12Good night.
24:13Good night.
24:14Melvin has made that decision and I followed it.
24:18We're up at five.
24:19Rest me aching bones.
24:21It's just been a long day.
24:22We decided to come to this homestay.
24:26I was adamant that it made more sense to do that.
24:29Yeah, I reckon you've got the best bedroom.
24:31It's pissing off me.
24:32I'll snort with you.
24:33You can have the big one.
24:34I feel sorry for the buggers below here, Mel.
24:35Am I snoring?
24:38I don't push myself in a way.
24:41I would have given in to him eventually,
24:43but I feel good about the fact that he actually listened,
24:46he thought about it and got on board with me.
24:48Eventually, he did see sense.
24:51Have a good night.
24:53Well, try not to snort too, lamb.
24:57It's a creaky one.
25:07Look at this.
25:09It's so beautiful.
25:12Riding a bullet train towards the city, Guilin.
25:15Elizabeth and Letitia.
25:18We're going through the mountains.
25:23Speeding through Hunan province and the Guangxi region.
25:27Famed for their karst peaks over 250 million years old.
25:34I can stare at this view all day.
25:37Remind me a little bit of Skittles.
25:41Little...
25:43Green Skittles.
25:45I think Letitia will be very, very excited.
25:48We need to get the bus to Long G tomorrow.
25:53Rice puddies.
25:55Finally.
25:57Prayers are coming true.
25:58Straight.
26:11Glad I pulled that knee band, did you?
26:13Yeah, watch this bit here, Mel.
26:15800 kilometres east.
26:17I'm sweating.
26:19Amongst the forests of Fujian,
26:20where the tigers of South China once roamed.
26:24I want a bit of phrase, I'm fucked.
26:26Mr Xu's family have worked the land for nearly two centuries.
26:31It's actually quite nice.
26:33Lovely, isn't it?
26:35Brian and Melvin are repaying his hospitality,
26:38scaling a mountain to harvest bamboo,
26:41a staple for both local cuisine and construction.
26:44I've been on panda lookout ever since we've been to China.
26:47Melvin.
26:48What?
26:49It's absolutely ridiculous.
26:51Panda's come from China?
26:52You're not going to see a panda in here, Mel.
26:54Do we sign up for this?
26:56Whose stupid idea was it to cut bamboo shoots?
26:59So, cut it straight down.
27:01Try that, bro.
27:03You caught one yet, Mel?
27:05Well, there's some into here.
27:07Oh no, that's a bottle top.
27:09We're a couple of old blokes,
27:11so it's going to be tough for us.
27:14But if we can use our skills that we've acquired over the years
27:17to give us a bit of an advantage,
27:19that's our game plan.
27:21Army days, Mel.
27:22Remember when you were a soldier?
27:24Reminds me of Belize, 50 years ago.
27:28When I left school, I joined the army,
27:31and I did seven years in the army.
27:34I'm a light and backpack,
27:35tracking through stuff like this.
27:37Then from that I did a bit of painting and decorating.
27:40Then I joined the prison service.
27:42I did a little bit of private eye work.
27:45I used to run a karaoke evening.
27:48And I like Elvis Presley.
27:50There are a lot of Elvis' songs,
27:51so I call myself Melvis.
27:53I've got it.
27:54OK.
27:55I've got it.
27:56That'll be 30 quid, please, labour cost.
27:58And then I trained to be a driving instructor,
27:59and that's what I've been doing ever since.
28:02I've never had a lot of money,
28:03but I've always worked to my means and spent to my means.
28:07I've got four shirts for £9.99.
28:09That's OK.
28:10I'm comfortable in my bamboo, lightweight, soft, sweat-proof,
28:15really nice stuff.
28:16Sweat-proof?
28:17Well, that's not actually.
28:19I managed to sell my company many years ago.
28:24I'm fortunate that I do have the money to do what I want to do.
28:28He's always been a hard worker.
28:30That's where he's got where he's got.
28:31But with Brian, it wasn't physical work.
28:34It was mental work,
28:35and it was stressful work for him as well.
28:39There you go!
28:40Is that good?
28:41Yeah.
28:42Is that it, then?
28:44Yeah.
28:46He's a good lad,
28:47and to end up where he's ended up,
28:49he's brilliant.
28:50I'm really proud of him for doing it.
28:52What have we managed to get?
28:55Marvellous.
28:56OK, we're off.
29:02Thank you, Mr Xu.
29:03Bye-bye.
29:04Thank you, Mr Xu.
29:05Thank you very much.
29:06Right.
29:07So we need to go to the train station.
29:08Inquire about tickets.
29:10Go as far south as we can get.
29:19It's absolutely beautiful.
29:21It does look nice.
29:23City hopping along the coast,
29:26Finn and Seanet have travelled 700 kilometres
29:29to reach Zhuhai.
29:32Known as the Chinese Riviera,
29:34it is one of the most prosperous regions in China.
29:38I've never seen a city with big buildings
29:42that go on straight to a beach.
29:45I would definitely never have thought this would be in China.
29:49The sea looks like home water.
29:51It's so chill.
29:53I mean, Wales has beautiful beaches.
29:54Yeah, you've got it, like, towards, like, St David's and stuff
29:57and, like, Barrow-Fundle.
29:58Yeah.
29:59It's a lot more of a peaceful life.
30:01It is.
30:02At home, we don't really have hard decisions to make,
30:07and we can depend on other people.
30:09Doing this is just massive.
30:11Like, we have no experience at anything.
30:14I think we're forgetting the fact that we're 18 and 19,
30:16and we have gone from, like, above Beijing to Zhuhai...
30:20Yeah.
30:21..by ourselves, basically, like...
30:23Where me and Seanet are from, you know,
30:25our local train station, there's two platforms.
30:29Even then, they still have to ask someone which platform it is.
30:33So, to be in a train station where there's 24 platforms,
30:35it's in Mandarin, it's absolutely unbelievably hard for us.
30:42I like going to beaches and stuff when I am home.
30:46I mean, it's just, like, quite nice for me
30:48to just be able to just stop for a minute
30:51and have that, like, honed feeling, maybe.
30:58I feel about not being...
31:00Like, not being able to speak to your mum.
31:03..to your mum.
31:16Deep breath.
31:18Down to ten.
31:24What is it that you miss?
31:26That familiarity, I like to have that.
31:29So, I don't like being away from everyone we know and...
31:34..basically just having each other.
31:39Do you regret it?
31:41No.
31:43I know I need to do it.
31:44It's like speaking and thinking about home, I don't like it,
31:47because I know, like, as much as I feel like I want to be home right now,
31:57I definitely don't.
31:59If I was home, I'd want to be here.
32:01Just trying to adapt to China, adapt to the language, adapt to the people,
32:05trying to build up my confidence to be a bit more risky.
32:08Everyone misses you, don't worry.
32:11That's not helping.
32:13OK.
32:14Nobody misses you...
32:16Sorry.
32:17Just shush about it.
32:18OK, sorry.
32:25Bath.
32:27Bath.
32:28Bath.
32:29Bath.
32:30Bath.
32:31It'd be a RTH, wouldn't it?
32:33So half the population is right and half is wrong.
32:36Yes.
32:37My side's right.
32:41Ryan and Melvin's push south has brought them to the city of Guangzhou.
32:45of Guangzhou.
32:52Is that what that said?
32:54There is a typhoon.
32:56Bollocks.
33:00We have a major problem.
33:01Apparently there's a typhoon warning
33:04and it's south of the island that we want to go to.
33:07No buses at all tomorrow because of the typhoon,
33:10but apparently the bullet trains are still running.
33:13It takes us to Zhang Zheng,
33:15which is within spitting distance to the island.
33:20It's not going to do our budget any good at all.
33:22That's 520 yuan.
33:26But it gets us there.
33:28If the weather is bad and we can't move,
33:31we've got no choice.
33:32It's the bullet train.
33:33We said we were going to get there.
33:34We've got to get there.
33:36That's 500.
33:37I've got 500.
33:38How much you got?
33:39I don't know.
33:40I'm going to take my pants off to have a look.
33:42We've got some of the dust.
33:49That was discreet, wasn't it?
33:52We want to head south and we want to get there
33:54as quickly as possible.
33:57Travel, travel, travel.
33:58Also in Guangzhou...
34:00Zhang Zhang.
34:01Let's do that.
34:02But unaware of the impending typhoon,
34:05and Tom do you have tickets to Zanjiang oh no all tickets for today are sold out
34:15oh god tomorrow afternoon please I just just want to hate I hate looking to a
34:22spot being fifth I felt most bad for mum oh my shoulders are hurting oh that's
34:31the problem with coming last we just have to suck it up I just keep on thinking how
34:37she's going to feel if we get to that book and it says last again we spent quite a
34:42lot we've sacrificed experience to gain speed expensive change done the bullet
34:47chains we've got a train booked to Zangling tomorrow the earliest one we
34:52could which gives us some time to work and earn some money back on the budget
34:56okay enjoy today work tomorrow race perfect let's get in the spirit mama yeah
35:03I'll be fine
35:07two and a half hours of standing potentially but for some reason we've chosen to hang
35:12out by the toilet I'm not sure why with three teams positioned along the coast
35:19Yen and Gaz are forging their way inland heading to gianto to work and stay on a
35:27local family farm growing up in a Chinese family I know how much food is kind of
35:32like the central focal point and I know we'll be fed really really well they
35:36will want to share everything they're going to be really proud of what they
35:39produce how they turn that into food for the family and I think that experience is
35:44priceless really I yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah I know it looks so neat Elizabeth and
36:02Letitia have made it to long G take off your socks man you'll see I can get wet now
36:08I'll wear your socks after no because I'm gonna wear my socks off to fulfill a
36:13lifelong dream of Letitia's no rain can bother me it's like ripples in the sea
36:20the sea of rice and experience one of the world's finest examples of
36:26agricultural ingenuity
36:29built over 700 years ago by the Zhuang and Yao minorities more than 70 square
36:41kilometers of cascading rice terraces weave along the contours of the steep
36:47mountain slopes
36:50being in the clouds one with the rice one with the rain it's a shame that we
36:57can't see the whole of the field really well like the ambience with this
37:04weather it's given us like a unique experience you know I'd be more
37:08comfortable in the Sun honestly I was dressed for the Sun oh I just love the
37:15smell don't you love a smell even very happy
37:18I'm happy it's good that you're enjoying it yeah I'm really enjoying it
37:22good
37:25Letitia was very extroverted actually when she was young she was very loud she
37:32would always want to be like the center of attention and seeing it almost looks
37:37like the ripples in ice cream when I went to Italy it is she was still a teenager
37:46there was more than 10 years really that we were apart you've got the ticket
37:51yeah yeah I think so when I came back to the UK and Letitia had become quite
37:55anxious and she had this introverted quietness to her she definitely got a
38:00bit shyer a little bit more reserved a very short-lived you know it's great one of
38:06there anyway hmm I'm something that you really wanted to do for a long time so
38:11yeah
38:18I'm just happy I came here it's a nice feeling and um yeah I just love it it just fascinates me really
38:26because I remember you just started having this love like your love for Asia started with China I
38:33was in Italy hmm I was just like down all the time when I wasn't feeling my best I'd watch
38:41like Asian movie or something and it'll just make me feel better I was just one of those teenagers who
38:51didn't leave their room I didn't really understand who I was a bit depressed and I feel like Asia
38:58culture kind of like woke me up I guess because I feel like I was just so like stagnant it gave me
39:05the goal to work towards maybe I can go to Asia maybe I can go study there maybe I can you know learn
39:13the language so it gave me something to like look forward to it was definitely an escapism it was a safe
39:19space because it was very consistent it's hard for me to think that you've gone through that and
39:34that I wasn't there it's okay I'm so glad we came today it's lived up to my expectations yeah I
39:46really liked it I'm glad I had the opportunity to you know do it and also with you just for you
39:53to you know see part of my interest and this is definitely me getting to know you a lot more it's
40:02nice actually experiencing it with you and I think I wouldn't have wanted to come to China I think with
40:07anybody else but you honestly I'll be highly offended if you want of someone else you would survive
40:14this is the best food we've had in China since we've been here you know guys are spending the
40:41evening with mr. Lu and his family number one food really good yeah number one yes you that's
40:51like a fish you catch it the fish was caught this afternoon to entertain our esteemed guests so nice so
41:02nice I'm gonna have to stop soon now how long have you had the farm come here 20 24 are you two
41:16husband and wife oh yeah yeah and do you have children two children we one daughter
41:26that didn't it was good wasn't it it's excellent when we used to be as a family instead of like
41:37Sunday roast that'd be our equivalent of the Sunday Chinese dinner even the pork chop stew oh I loved
41:43that one do you miss that kind of food because we haven't been together for now for about three
41:47years chicken's feet and black bean sauce is still my favorite but also autumn likes it as well
41:51little a b's birthday yesterday it seems strange to us like 23 years of her birthday this is the
41:59first one we're not going to be with her we've had quite a long marriage we did have a child our
42:07daughter autumn of all things that's probably the most thing we're proud of the most of I mean it
42:14even like when we split up we still came together for birthdays whether it was mine yours or
42:18autumns and they've always been fun we've always managed to put our differences aside for autumn yeah
42:23I don't know why it works or how it works but it works yeah but it does it's unique but it does
42:29also it's quite sad that we're not with her for our birthday
42:37taking part in the race autumn sees it as I don't know like a last adventure together time has moved
42:52on autumn is now grown up we both are different people she understands me and Gaz are going on a
42:59different path living our own lives we still want to be supportive of each other but me and Gaz want
43:08to get back to engaging with life again and start enjoying it again the two dogs are shagging each other sorry
43:17Thomas this is it with a few hours remaining before the train departs towards the checkpoint
43:40Caroline and Tom have picked up work and for shine it's a gym sir the kung fu capital of China and
43:50birthplace of Bruce Lee's legendary master it man yeah yeah I think Thomas is loving this he's
43:59desperately wanting to watch but he has to get on with his job oh you like this man you're good at
44:06this up all the way okay look at the speed ah I don't do anything slowly ah bathrooms I love to
44:19be busy all the time I'm quite a restless person half the jobs I'm sure I invent she'll be happy and
44:26having a good time it's just genuine what she enjoys she just took the broom and she was straight off
44:33just speedy Gonzales mom's role when I was a kid was very much make sure everything at home is in
44:40order or dad's out working it's very much a um old-fashioned upbringing with dad being the provider
44:47and mum being kind of the stay-at-home mom how did you live at a head I do feel until now my life has
44:56largely been predetermined and traditional when I got married I gave up working my husband was happy
45:03to work and wanted me to stay at home I cared for Thomas all the time I don't financially contribute
45:11at home and I do feel guilty and it doesn't make you feel good you it makes you feel literally not
45:18as important I think it's for mum that's just part of her routine and her normal life and she's I think
45:26she quite enjoys it you know like being needed and wanted I generally didn't even know who mum would
45:32be without those things because I've never really seen it I suppose I've coasted through life really
45:38for the past 20 odd years I haven't done something that comes from my soul that means something really
45:46really important to me I want to prove that I can have value and do something fulfilling I don't know
45:53if he realizes this means more than just a race to me whoa whoa oh my god look at the size of that
46:02spider I can't see it oh come closer look at that oh that's nice thank you towards how do you expect to
46:14be a kung fu master if you can't even go with a spider oh before departing there's time to spar with
46:22Master Dong.
46:41This is going to tire us out before we can race.
46:44It's great seeing mum doing something like this.
46:46This is where she gets stuck in.
46:47Yeah.
46:50She's just quite tough.
46:51She doesn't stop.
46:53Yeah, mum, I do it.
46:56Mum, you got this.
46:57Oh, gosh, OK.
47:02Thank you, Master Dong.
47:03Thank you so much.
47:06Back in race mode.
47:07It's nice to know that this is potentially, hopefully,
47:11definitely the last day of this leg.
47:15As Caroline and Tom head for their train.
47:21Oh, I think, oh, I'm in luck.
47:30Yeah.
47:31Yeah, I got a big one.
47:32Before making their way to the checkpoint,
47:35Yin and Gaz are paying for last night's accommodation.
47:39Yay!
47:40Gold!
47:43Digging lotus roots.
47:45Our hostess has turned up in his jeans and gone straight in.
47:49Central to Chinese cuisine, their host, Mr Lu,
47:53will sell this morning's harvest at the local market.
47:57Oh!
47:58Whoa!
47:59That's a...
48:00Whoa!
48:00Look at the size of that one.
48:01That's a good one.
48:03This is what I think of rural China.
48:06Picture-esque scenery, agriculture.
48:10Whoa!
48:11Careful, careful.
48:12Oh!
48:15I keep falling over.
48:17Stacey!
48:18Rural China is interspersed with industrial China.
48:22But then you get rewarded with views like this.
48:25You feel like such a small speck
48:28when you're surrounded by these magnificent mountains.
48:33The abundance of our labour.
48:35OK.
48:36Ta-da!
48:40We did all this.
48:40This.
48:42This is the China that I wanted to see.
48:47I feel quite honoured to have experienced that
48:49and to have experienced it with them as well.
48:52You're wonderful.
48:53Thank you, sir.
48:55After a morning's hard work,
48:57Yin and Gaz...
48:59We're going to try and get to Sanya.
49:00..join the other four teams...
49:02Sanya.
49:03..on the final push to Sanya.
49:07To get there, they need to reach Shuwen Port
49:10and board a ferry to Haikou on Hainan Island
49:14before travelling a further 280 kilometres
49:17to the second checkpoint, Sanya.
49:21If we can get to the checkpoint today, that is the dream, isn't it?
49:28Yeah. It's worth the money, it's worth the early start if we can get there today.
49:31If we get there today, subject to the typhoon not causing us any problems.
49:37If the transport's not working, we'll stop and we'll stop for a day.
49:42Approaching from the southeast, typhoon Trammy,
49:46bringing torrential rain, high winds and major disruption.
49:51I can't really see out the window, it's so gross.
49:55Once a storm hits, all transport is typically suspended,
49:59meaning teams risk being stranded on the mainland.
50:03The weather's bad.
50:05I'm not feeling particularly confident today.
50:11Elizabeth and Letitia are the first team to set foot on Hainan.
50:16Oh, it's very slippery.
50:18I'm a little bit nervous, actually.
50:21Oh, it's raining.
50:23Typhoon might be on its way.
50:25Chop, chop, chop.
50:28Why don't we just get a bus so we're on the road already?
50:31Yeah, let's just get moving.
50:34Oh, there's literally a torrential rain.
50:37This bus seems very slow.
50:39We think we could have potentially lost our lead.
50:42We could have been on a train.
50:45That would be faster.
50:46I just hope that we're not so far behind.
50:51As the sisters begin an arduous bus journey south to Sanya...
50:55What's the Titanic?
50:58Need to be on the front for that.
50:59Oh, I'll sail on the side. It's safe.
51:02Two other teams are approaching the island.
51:04So excited to get to the checkpoint.
51:06It felt impossible, but we're actually getting somewhere.
51:09Yeah, I'm happy.
51:10Keep going, keep going.
51:13A bit of a breeze going through the head.
51:15Very good.
51:15Typhoon, innit?
51:17Two tickets to Sanya.
51:20It's the result.
51:2118.40 tickets to Sanya.
51:26Finally!
51:28Sanya?
51:30Tonight?
51:34Oh, my gosh, yes!
51:35Oh, butterflies are coming.
51:37This is the last hush.
51:39What is this?
51:40This is the calm before the storm.
51:52Race mode is on.
51:53Make your way to Sanya.
52:00On the Jifang Road by any available means.
52:04Jain is a station.
52:05Should we just fly down a taxi?
52:07No, I think we should walk.
52:08So let's just go and we can get some more instruction.
52:12Sanya Ki Shizan on the Jifang Road.
52:17Ozna?
52:17No.
52:18No Russian.
52:18I'm not Russian.
52:20He thinks I'm Russian.
52:26Is it a hotel, maybe, or a station?
52:30It's going to be somewhere here.
52:32I can get you a car.
52:36Do you know how much it'll be?
52:38I'll be happy.
52:39Are you sure?
52:39I'm not.
52:40Thank you so much, Jain.
52:41Thank you so much.
52:41Yay!
52:43Why are these directions not clear?
52:45Are you with me, Mel?
52:46To where you're trying to kill me.
52:48It's absolutely pouring it down, and it's pitch black.
52:52See if you can see street names.
52:54Yay!
52:55It's this one.
52:56Yes.
52:57Oh!
52:57If this is a station.
52:59Bus station.
53:00That sounds right.
53:04On foot, head west to find the beach.
53:09Right, hang on, hang on, hang on.
53:10Line your north, line your north.
53:12OK, west is not that way.
53:13West is not that way.
53:16So west is that way.
53:17That is north.
53:18It's over there.
53:19It's that direction.
53:23West should be that way.
53:26Never eat shredded me.
53:29Where do you know?
53:30How do you know where north is?
53:32Flooded everywhere.
53:34I can smell the beach.
53:35Let's follow our noses.
53:37So it's down here, man.
53:39No, over there, I think.
53:41I don't, uh, I feel really, really stupid.
53:45I feel really, really stupid as well.
53:50That's the beach.
53:51There you go.
53:52Beach coming up.
53:53Head across the bridge to find your checkpoint hotel
53:57in the Phoenix Island Resort.
53:58Oh.
54:01Is it?
54:02That's in the leg.
54:06There's a bridge over there, look.
54:07Get out!
54:08Run after it.
54:09Last push now.
54:10I'm here.
54:11I'm on your tail.
54:14So the bridge was to the right?
54:15Yeah.
54:17Oh my gosh.
54:18I don't think I can run anymore.
54:21Come on.
54:22We'll make it.
54:23Oh my gosh.
54:24Oh my gosh.
54:25Oh my gosh.
54:26Ah, Breeze.
54:31Ni hao.
54:32Ni hao.
54:33Ni hao.
54:34Ni hao.
54:34Please stay in here.
54:37Congratulations, you have successfully reached your second checkpoint.
54:40I'm like, ah!
54:43Where is it?
54:44What?
54:47Win it!
54:51Wow.
54:53We're surprising ourselves because I think we actually are doing quite a few things right.
54:57Yeah, I feel like this leg, we really balanced race and experience.
55:01Even like the rice paddies, I was so happy and it's nice to share.
55:06I can see it.
55:12You're in second place.
55:14And look at the time.
55:16I nearly gave you a hug then.
55:17Don't give me a hug.
55:19That is a big surprise, isn't it?
55:20It's good.
55:22We've never ever expected to pick up places and the time.
55:27I'm chuffed on that.
55:27Absolutely amazing.
55:29I'm absolutely buzzing now.
55:34Ni hao.
55:35Ni hao.
55:36Ni hao.
55:38Oh.
55:39Wow.
55:39Wow.
55:40They've made a comeback, Brian and Melvitt.
55:42Wow.
55:43I would have loved to hold that second place position, but I'm very happy with third.
55:48At home, our relationship has no stress.
55:51So, coming here and having only each other, it's a lot.
55:55Proud of us.
55:56I'm proud of us, too.
55:58But this is definitely an experience that I would never want to change.
56:01And we're both so sweaty.
56:03Oh.
56:03Three pairs have made it to the second checkpoint in Sanya, but two teams are yet to arrive.
56:15Scary.
56:17On Hainan Island.
56:18My feet are soaking now.
56:20I don't know what choice we have.
56:22The weather's conspired against us.
56:25But stranded until morning, Caroline and Tom.
56:34So near yet so far.
56:35I'm worried about how we need to feel when we get to the book.
56:38I think we'll be our fifth again.
56:41I think we're going to feel so deflated.
56:46Still on the mainland.
56:48Why are we not moving?
56:49Yin and gas.
56:51Oh.
57:08What is going on?
57:09That's nothing we can do.
57:10We're trapped.
57:10It's definitely been 12 hours.
57:12And we've gone from here to there to back here again.
57:16We haven't gone very far at all.
57:18I have no words.
57:19We're just in limbo.
57:20No words.
57:21I'd pull my hair out if I had any.
57:23We are literally in the hands of Mother Nature.
57:26Oh, adrenaline's pumping.
57:34The team that arrives in fifth place will be eliminated from the race.
57:37Okay, we're in fight mode now.
57:39Look at that.
57:40The first time in 40 years, we've got a different type of relationship.
57:44I want more challenges.
57:45I do not want to be going home.
57:46Wow.
57:47If this doesn't make me fall in love, I don't know what will.
57:51No.
57:52We have caught.
57:53We're one nil down at halftime.
57:55I'm not panicking just yet.
57:56I give up.
57:57No, we can't give up.
57:58Thomas knows.
57:59We need to go quickly.
58:00Ben!
58:01Thomas!
58:25Ben!
58:32The�
58:32The
58:34The
58:35The