Top Gear - finding the source of the Nile

[WhatchaMaCalllit]

First off, did anyone watch the two parter where they were set the challenge of finding the true source of the river Nile?

Did they really do it do you think? Is it more likely that they just found a random spring in Tanzania and said that it was the source of the Nile?

Yes I saw it.

Don't know if they really found it. I am sure where ever they went has been visited before (it seems unlikely that nobody, ever has gone where they went) but maybe those people weren't on an expedition and therefore didn't think to announce it.

I would have thought it would require scientific analysis than they managed to confirm whether they were right. Or maybe they just found a puddle and decided that was a good place to finish the programme.

DH & I didn't really get this, how is it that all the scientist and explorers in history haven't been able to find the source of the Nike but three blokes off the telly could?

I'm assuming either it wasn't a serious ending or that there must have been more to it.

Prefer the usual race to the finish type specials that don't confuse me quite so much!

*Nile

I saw it,and I have to say, I laughed a lot! They are very very funny when they do these things. No I don't think they ever did find it, but the prog was cleverly done.

It's not supposed to be a scientific claim. As after all they would have to prove that that puddle was further than other tributary puddles. Also surely they'd have to prove it was on average the furthest away, because doesn't the source of the Thames change by 30 miles or more from year to year. It also very much depended on the definition of source used, as they were using the idea of furthest from the Atlantic.

Fun programme though. I loved the woman with the Bananas and Clarksons reaction when he tried to lift them.

Our whole family watched this and laughed a lot! Im not fussed if they have scientifically proven where the 'real' source of the Nile is, it was fun to watch.

And I have realised that I adore the SUbaru.

They arbitrarily changed the definition of the mouth of the Nile from the Nile Delta to where the Mediterranean meets the Atlantic. In doing so they could ignore all the existing claims. But that's bollocks. You can't just decide that you don't like where the mouth of a river is and so decide it's a few hundred miles west across a sea.

They may have found a tributary of the Nile, but they didn't find the source.

But Top Gear isn't a factual programme, it's a comedy programme that happens to use cars as props. I thought it was great fun.

I always watch Top Gear, and I especially enjoy the big challenges - but I enjoy it as a comedy car programme, and I love watching the interaction between the three blokes, the bickering, the car modifications, the sabotage, and the general daftness. I am less keen on the more 'serious' car tests, where they drive around wittering about flappy paddle gearboxes, and transmissions and sport modes etc - that leaves me cold.

I was absolutely convinced, at one point, that Richard's car was going to catch fire - he started cooking his beans, and then left them unattended whilst he wandered off for some reason. I was fully expecting a big bang at that point.

I really liked that it wasn't Richard or Jeremy that found the puddle but good old Captain Slow!!!

Some of the scenery in Africa was stunning.

I wonder do they actually do all of the running repairs on their cars themselves or is there like a 'pit crew' that are on standby if they need help - for example when the wishbone went on Hammond's car, did he really fix it all by himself?

I loved it when they all took bits off each others cars - and when the chair fell off Hammond's car into the river and the stranger had it collected in a matter of seconds.

As that two parter was the last in the current series, I wonder when they will be back?

I can imagine Hammond and May having a go at fixing it themselves but not Clarkson. When they built a kit car a few years back, May and Hammond seemed to do most of that with Clarkson just messing about. I doubt much has changed.

I did love his Egytian cotton sheets though. His bed looked very comfy considering.

I read somewhere it is back in June. I have a 12 year old who will be counting the days so I shall see what he has to say on it later. He might know.

I seriously doubt Hammond fixed the suspension himself. If nothing else, dismantling it all, repairing it and putting it all back together would take an age if done single-handed.

They had what looked like at least a couple of dozen crew members travelling with them and I think I spotted that bloke (Sim something?) that did most of the engineering work in Man Lab. I bet he knows one end of a welding rig from the other.

I thought it was excellent. Loved it when Clarkson's homemade handbrake smashed his rear window.

I thought it was great

TBH I don't really mind if they found the source or not. But it's light comedy entertainment for a Sunday night.
I once wet my pants because I was laughing so much during one episode

Only let DS2 watch it because there was a Subaru involved and it had to be the best ended up enjoying it.
I so hoped Clarkson would have a close encounter with the crocodiles

ClaireFromWork - I was pmsl at that! He thought he was so clever but then SMASH!!! and then glass went all over his 200 thread count Egyptian cotton duvet cover too