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Race Across the World series 2

737 replies

IsabelleSE19 · 26/02/2020 11:23

I loved this show last year and was very excited to see a trailer yesterday that seemed to show series 2 was coming soon and was located in the Americas? But Googling it has revealed absolutely nothing! I thought I'd start this thread so that fellow fans have a place to comment when we have more info.

If it is the Americas, it will stop the contestants just copying last year's journeys, although I must admit I think the Europe/Asia route will prove more interesting as there's such a great variation in cultures as you travel east. But I don't know much about South America so looking forward to being wrong, and I'm sure it will be just as exciting as the last series. It'll be the people that make it - loved Darron and Alex from last year and their changing relationship/bond!

OP posts:
peachypetite · 20/04/2020 20:49

Agree rob and jen don’t show any romance. A shame but the mum and son spent so much early on luxury buses, loads of food, experiences in a bid to placate him and they will be unlikely to finish! I would like the uncle and nephew to win.

purpleme12 · 20/04/2020 20:51

Yes I think maybe the people on the first series Were better watching

Poetryinaction · 20/04/2020 22:29

I am absolutely loving this programme. I have had to skip through some of this this thread though as I want to watch series 1 when this finishes.
I love love love the mum, Jo. She is patience personified. The loveliest mum ever. I think she was brave to bring Sam, and he has done really well. He is very liekable. Emon and Jahmil (excuse spelling) are absolutely gorgeous too. I feel so sorry for Rob and Jen, and can also sympathise, as there is clearly a lack of communication and no romance. My iwn relationship is a but like this at the moment for various reasons, but I know if we were to do something like this it would be amazing (and we'd win!).
I am less keen on the siblings, they do come across as very spoilt. But I am glad they are bickering less. And Lizzie is absolutely stunning to look at.
I worked in South America as a younger person. I loved it. Love the programme so much.

Poetryinaction · 20/04/2020 22:30

Excuse all the typos.

BeaLola · 20/04/2020 22:33

I wonder for the older participants how they get so much time off work?

I would love to do it in theory ,with DH who would look after me and is very resourceful but not sure who I could leave DS with ,Grin

If they do another series I wonder where it will be ?

I would be rubbish at packing light !

Btw I see Jen had her nails back last night .

Maybe Jo and Sam will get a lift from the gaucho to Ushuaia - I hope so as it ring be the same if they don't finish

theschoolonthehill · 20/04/2020 23:26

Unless the family they're with pay them massively over the odds,

I assumed that the paid jobs in their booklets were created and paid by the producers of the programme. They either get a night's accommodation and food or else payment. They work in shifts of four hours and get well enough paid for it. When one couple was cleaning boats during the last episode, they got a lot of money for four hours. They'd have surely stayed the night with cheap accommodation and done another eight hours as it was paying so well when it is now coming down to money over time in order for them to complete the race. I always assumed the programme producers were the ones paying them. Does anyone know for sure?

CanIHaveAPenguinPlease · 20/04/2020 23:54

I actually like all the couples. Jen & Rob are me & dh almost to a tee. We aren’t demonstrative but we’ve been together nearly 25 years. We’ve always been that way. So I want them to win.

I love Jo but Sam has been a bit of a spoiled kid - I know he has learning difficulties but he’s made it much tougher on his mum because of his wants.

I really like Dom & Lizzie. They’ve really grown as people on this program & are learning about themselves. I think they seem disappointed with how they’ve turned out.

The uncle & nephew are lovely but I’m not drawn to them in the same way as the others.

theschoolonthehill · 21/04/2020 01:20

I like all the couples too. I don't really care who wins but I'd like it to be Jo and Sam so Jo can go off travelling again and enjoy herself a bit more. But she plans on giving it to Sam to replace the car he wrote off so they probably shouldn't win!

Rob's job means he already has enough money so although I like Jen and Rob, they don't need the money.

The siblings might make use of it. I've a feeling some tv producer will want to put Lizzie in front of a camera. She is extremely pretty although not enough to say. I hope she doesn't go down the reality tv route.

That leaves the uncle and nephew. The uncle seems nice but I haven't warmed to them as much as the other contestants. It has really only been in the last two episodes that they have grown on me at all.

So I don't care who wins. I love the show though and the mix of contestants.

BettyUnderswoob · 21/04/2020 04:12

Was delighted to see this thread, but my god it's horrible! I hope Jen isn't an MNer, the way she's been torn apart on here. She's extrovert, very open and speaks her mind, but there's nothing malicious or unpleasant about her, unlike the posters who've been dealing out the vitriol.
I like her, I think she seems great fun!
And as for the poster frustrated that J&R didn't have sex in the posh hotels... literally the stupidest thing I've ever read on here. How the fuck would you know!?Confused

Anyway, I've been enjoying the series. I'm sorry that poor Jo and Sam look like they may not finish. Jo is so lovely and Sam has grown up such a lot... I love how he works hard and admires the families he's worked with.

Uncle and nephew have done well, and got the best out of the locals.

The sibs... hopefully grown up a bit and repaired their relationship, but the begging!!!

Winners will be either uncle and nephew or Jen and Rob. I don't mind who.

Stellaris22 · 21/04/2020 08:00

Jen has definitely grown on me. Completely understand why she gets stressed in the situations (who wouldn't) and when she poured the glass of wine to the brim in the hotel last episode I definitely related!

I'm still hoping for the uncle/nephew to win as they've been wonderful and natural with the locals.

thetoddleratemyhomework · 21/04/2020 08:10

@BettyUnderswoob

Thank you!! She is good fun :).

Not Jen, by the way.

slimecentury · 21/04/2020 08:16

Hi fellow comrades. What are we going to do once the series finishes? I would love to hear about what the travellers from both series are doing now and also how they filmed the series. A behind the scenes piece. BBC are you listening??!!
Jen and Rob have also grown on me. I like Jen. She's open and honest. I like all of them really. I can see what the siblings are saying about them having a sheltered privileged life as they do come across a bit spoilt and unable to make decisions (Lizzie especially) but they are good fun.
Love the uncle and nephew and would love them to win. They are such naturals around people. And Jo is just amazing. Honestly such a wonderful woman. I was in tears hearing her back story. Sam has also grown on me. I love seeing how he comes alive doing all the physical work.
Brilliant programme. Heartwarming. I might go and watch it all again!!

Poetryinaction · 21/04/2020 08:38

I like Jen and Rob too. Love the nephew and uncle, and really like Sam. Jo is out of this world, superhuman wondergirl!! And the siblings are ok. Obviously it would be ace if Jo and Sam won, but if the uncle and nephew do I'd be really pleased too. Also Jan and Rob as I think they've worked really hard to make it happen.

ihatethecold · 21/04/2020 08:51

In terms of posters saying that Dom and Lizzie are spoilt.
Are they not a product of their environment?

I do think the this generation are treated differently to my generation. I’m mid 40’s with 3 late teens/ early 20’s and I was way more independent at this age than mine are.

SleepingStandingUp · 21/04/2020 09:44

If your travelling as a couple you're having sex after a shower a sleep at the push hotels, it's literally the only reason it's take DH over someone else, but we hardly need to see it do we, or them snogging all the time.

@ihatethecold they are a product of their environment but that's their families wealth not their generation. Plenty of spoilt rich kids before the millennials came and I f young people their who simply couldn't afford to quit uni in the third year and sit around finding themselves

TreeTopTim · 21/04/2020 14:27

When Jen and Rob had the disagreement in the bus station DP and I laughed because that could have been us. I get stressed easily and DP is chilled out. We are opposites but work so well together.

I do hope that all couples make it to the end. The only ones that I haven't taken to are the brother/sister duo.

BettyUnderswoob · 21/04/2020 15:21

@thetoddleratemyhomework

I think people forget that these are real people, whose names and faces are now broadcast to millions, not characters in a drama. I'm honestly taken aback by the nastiness of some posters. I guess by now I shouldn't be.

@slimecentury yes, would be interesting to see a little more of the behind the scenes stuff, especially the crew tagging along with the couples and the practicalities of that. It's so easy to forget they're not actually alone! I was worried about Sam on his own that time, but of course he really wasn't. Smile

Traviis · 21/04/2020 15:24

I was fuming with the siblings begging. Seriously, I surprised myself at how angry I reacted!
They were like, "We've relied too much on our parents and their money, we need to change... Hey! I know! Let's ask other people for money instead".

(I have such a chip on my shoulder, I really can't manage my feelings around privilege and... what's that word for wealthy people just expecting life to meet their needs?).

JasperRising · 21/04/2020 16:00

@BettyUnderswoob and @slimecentury Might be worth seeing if any of the couple's have Instagram. Last year towards the end of the series some of the contestants posted some of their photos showing how it looked from the other side - I think the winners had some photos up of them eating with local families and their camera crew.

I seem to remember reading an interview as well about the making of series 1 that talked about some of the challenges. It also mentioned that 2 production assistants were sent off during planning to do the exercise themselves - check out which routes were possible, find out places that would offer work opportunities etc. To be honest I always thought I would have watched the TV show of thayy!

Traviis · 21/04/2020 16:30

I wonder if, on the previous leg, stuff happened off screen that meant Jo realised Sam would drop out if things continued as they were, so they decided to just have a good experience and then eek out as far as they could. It seemed as though Sam really needed some good food, comfort and surfing.

SleepingStandingUp · 21/04/2020 18:16

He'd been surfing a bit on camera and threatened to walk after the in the bar, it's such a huge change I can understand why it might be overwhelming. The older nt contestants struggle so it isn't a suprise he's found it hard, just good his mama is awesome

VivaLeBeaver · 21/04/2020 18:22

I hope Jen and Rob win. She annoyed me a bit at first but I’ve warmed to her. She’s just a bit of a control freak stress head and I think gets irritated a bit by Rob’s laidback style. But she sees her shortcomings. I actually suspect I’m quite like her!

awaynboilyurheid · 21/04/2020 18:38

Traviis I thought so too, it all maybe became to much for Sam and I think Jo realised they had to enjoy the journey more or he would have dropped out earlier on ,its meant they may run out of money but at least they got further on than they would have if she had had pushed him. .

theschoolonthehill · 21/04/2020 18:38

I think gets irritated a bit by Rob’s laidback style.

It is so interesting how we all perceive things differently. I wouldn’t think Rob was laid back at all. I see him as someone reluctant to make decisions until he has every single option in front of him and can compare and weigh up each one to ensure he is making the right decision. That is fine in an office but this way of planning is completely unsuited to being in a race where decisions have to be made quickly and reluctance to make a decision results in delays eg not getting a bus until the next day.. When his go to answer is wait and keep researching, I can totally understand why Jen gets frustrated. It’s a competition, a race. That said, his over caution will help them to win as they have the most money left. But at the expense of excitement!

MrsWhites · 21/04/2020 19:42

I would like Jen and Rob to win, Jen has really grown on me. I feel for her in that when Rob list his hearing she obviously felt that she lost the husband she used to have and he obviously feels very changed by the experience too. I think they are trying to find a new normal for them which much be very difficult and I hope the race helped them find that! I also find it so funny when she gets frustrated with Ron’s slow pace, my husband infuriates me in exactly the same way.

I love the relationship between Jo and Sam but agree that he’s become more selfish as they’ve gone along, he really has no concept of budgeting and I think Jo has been worn down by his demands as time has passed. I don’t think they will be in the final part of the race, the trailer showed hardly any clips of them at all.

The siblings infuriate me, they give me the impression that they’ve been sent away to establish some sort of sibling bond when actually they don’t like each other very much.

Uncle and nephew, I actually really like them, they have done very well with getting information from locals. Me and DH always comment that that would be our strategy too!