Race Across the World series 2

[IsabelleSE19]

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!

It's "Race across the world", which I think is an accurate description.

The show should be called something else because it is very misleading.

Which is why it is called "Race Across the World".

Loved series 1. Watching episode 1 of new series I wondered again about the tension for everyone between making an interesting programme/experiencing things/making detours timetaken to see/do stuff vs the competition. I always suspect if everyone were simply racing it would be far far less interesting for them and us as viewers. I kind of think there may be a condition in contract that a certain percentage of time is spent on ‘experiences’ but I can’t even see how this would work. Felt again I’d do the programme just for the journey and sod the competition but it’s an awful lot of money !
My dp and I are at our very best when travelling remote/difficult. Give us an evening in with bins and domestic ‘stuff’ etc and we’d be right back living apart - bliss.

I kind of think there may be a condition in contract that a certain percentage of time is spent on ‘experiences’

I always presumed they must do a certain amount of sightseeing, broken up however they like. It would be much less interesting if they didn’t sightsee. I think they must be given an English language guide book about sights and tourist attractions to choose from. They can’t rely on tourist offices due to both time and language. Otherwise how would they even know about them. They definitely must have more than just a map of their routes.

I’d love if somebody who participated last year was on MN.

I've also been thinking about the racing vs sightseeing. For example, when they get into South America, the quickest thing would be to plough straight down the Pan American highway, but then they'll miss so much, including the Inca ruins in Peru, Cuzco etc. I assume that's where the checkpoints come into play because they force indirect routes.

Yeah the checkpoints I think are done to get some sightseeing in, give various options for routes etc.
The sightsee vs win will come out in tbe selection process. They're more likely to pick two siblings with a fragile relationship and a desire to travel than very experienced traveller buddies who are keen to just get the race done.

The checkpoints give a range of options for routes but also force them to visit more countries. I noticed that one of hte checkpoints is in Brazil - possibly Rio. That's WAY off the optimal route of staying west of the Andes and heading straight down the coast.

That infinity pool place the siblings visited was just stunning.

In series 1, one pair were doing well on schedule and spent a day (and some budget) on a tourist experience which had an outcome towards the finale. The uncle/nephew made a timing error by getting too set on visiting a particular site on the way controlling their route, rather than taking advantage of what you come across.

You want to plan your route competitively for travel time and budget, but over the 6 odd weeks it takes, there has to be compromise for comfort and downtime along the way. Plus it's good TV to show a bit of tourism.

(Remembers the day of 15+ hard hours of travelling from Nepal into India by just about every means possible (overcrowded jeep, bus, coach, cattle class train, walking, tuktuk) and rocking up into a foul hostel at 11pm. About our only mission the next day was finding somewhere nicer to stay the next couple of nights )

Gosh this programme gives me itchy feet!

The checkpoints are often places like islands with a limited transport connection that mixes up arrival times.

I spotted that they have to get their way over the Andes...

@ACupOfCoffee @PineappleDanish you two are right. I blame sleep deprivation (2month old baby) and a friend who calls it race around the world and recommended it to me.

Putting that aside, i enjoyed the episode and will be watching it next week.

@TreeTopTim I recommended it to people last year calling it Race around the world and also thought it wasn't right as they weren't going all the way around, like Michael Palin 😁

Congrats on your baby and hope the sleep deprivation improves soon.

@TreeTopTim I didn't realise you'd it wrong uther, I'll also blame babies, mine are 3 months! Maybe we'll subliminally imbue them with a list for adventure 😂😂

Lust

Adventure also needs a good list I am both adventurer and list maker.

I just caught the beginning of the repeat and managed to catch up on the first twenty minutes I missed the other night.

Very interesting to see the map with the checkpoints - they're being forced to cross the Andes and the Amazon 😀

OH and DD are planning to do a mini version of this in the UK, based on the train fare but no train allowed.

So they will get the bus then?

I love this programme. I spent 3 months in central & South America many years ago. I kept saying to dh I’ve been there. He no longer wants to watch it with me

Travel by bus was actually much easier than it sounded. We often did 24/36 hour coach journeys across country.

I have very happy memories of my time there. Guatemala was my favourite place but so much unrest. And being regularly stopped by the army was not a pleasant experience.

Anyone seen the American show The Amazing Race? Has been going for years. That's a proper race but the format is slightly different as they have to do loads of local challenges where they are. Also they're going for a $1m prize so everyone is constantly trying to undermine the other teams, and the last team to each checkpoint is eliminated.

I much prefer this more laid back format the BBC does. Although there were eliminations in the first series, with only 5 teams will there be any in this series?

Is the Amazing Race on Netflix or similar? Need to find something to watch to distract me from corona-doom.

@georgedawes My 11 yo ds loved it. We didn't see the first series but will be now 🌍😀

So they will get the bus then?

Or hitchhike, or walk or take a cab or use a boat or hire bikes or buy a coach ticket or kayak. Depends where they are going. Not everywhere has buses and buses aren't the only form of transport.

I’m pretty sure that last year the last ones at certain checkpoints got eliminated. They have to wait a while though as there aren’t many pairs to begin with and last year a pair had to pull out as her elderly parent was dying. Another couple took their place.

I don’t think I will bother with the American version. Doing challenges and undermining each other is a step too much into reality tv ganeshow for me although there was a fair bit of it last year from the couple who left early on and the two young men. It made me hope neither would win.

Amazing race looks to be on amazon prime video ? Not ever seen. Back in self imposed isolation as once removed contact of confirmed case as of this morning. I actually have a lot of stuff I should be doing but a good binge watch sounds preferable ???

From what I remember one couple got eliminated last year at the first checkpoint but none after that

I think last year there was also a last minute replacement early on... a couple only made it to northern france when they had to return home in an emergency.