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SabrinaThwaite · 18/10/2023 22:21

Would travelling up through Sweden be cheaper than through Norway?

Girliefriendlikespuppies · 18/10/2023 22:37

Harry is annoying, really petulant at times.

Love Bonnie and Billy, I want them to win.

Helenes face when she realised she'd lost Mel made me tear up, bless her. The shoes 💔 I went to holocaust museum in Washington 20 years ago and it still haunts me now.

I thought Noel's story of being one of 23 children and the last one to come to England was really touching.

Jellykat · 18/10/2023 22:50

I'd like B&B to win, theyve done so well being so young and Billys painful legs at times.

RichardsGear · 19/10/2023 00:12

I feel a bit annoyed with Emma - I get the feeling she wants a bit of a jolly (paid by the licence payers?) and there has been a lot of rather petulant, "... but I've never been to [X place] Harry, and I've always wanted to go there and sod the race," when Harry is seeing it as a competition, which is what it is.
The vast majority of 'celebrity' versions of programmes are done with the participants' winnings going to charity. I've not seen any mention of this and I assume the budget hasn't come out of their own money. So when I hear pointed comments about, "I really want to go to XYZ," (and it's not just Emma tbf) I'm starting to think, well put your hand in your pocket like everyone else has to!

I do realise I'm very bitter and twisted and there are plenty of other programmes with 'celebrities' rabbiting on in travel documentaries set in God knows what exotic places, having a high old time and getting paid for the privilege.

Umanresources · 19/10/2023 00:56

I think that Billy and Bonny have the best equal relationship. The other couples seem to struggle slightly with the dynamics. The adult children seem to be confused about how to treat their parent, sometimes as a parent and at other times they try and take the lead as the adult in the relationship. I wonder if it’s because they all now have children of their own and have been used to taking charge. I remember when my own mum was ill I found it really difficult looking after her because the roles had been reversed and it felt wrong. It was also difficult to see her getting older and not as capable.

I am enjoying it all though and wish it was longer. Billy and Bobby for the win! 🏆

Graciebobcat · 19/10/2023 05:37

But I think the parent/child dynamics are really interesting! And a lot of people can relate to it. I quite like all of them to be honest and don't mind who wins.

Just annoyed that I totally missed the hot springs when I went to Budapest about 15 years ago! Never heard of them until last night.

Graciebobcat · 19/10/2023 05:42

Alstroemeria123 · 18/10/2023 22:18

I think Helene and Mel are going to struggle in the next leg - think they have less than £600 left and they’re getting to an expensive bit of the trip

Yes I suspect that will be the case. With an extra £200 the other teams will potentially have the option of faster travel. It's a shame as they have been quite careful so far and had more money coming into the last leg. But that's how it goes- how you manage the money over all the stages is key.

gawditswindy · 19/10/2023 07:08

Helene and Mel have been wasting money throughout. They've been taking taxis and high speed trains when everyone else has been economising. It's very clear that Mel is not used to slumming it. They only reason they're any money left is where they've had freebies.

Nottheeightoutoftencats · 19/10/2023 08:14

gawditswindy · 19/10/2023 07:08

Helene and Mel have been wasting money throughout. They've been taking taxis and high speed trains when everyone else has been economising. It's very clear that Mel is not used to slumming it. They only reason they're any money left is where they've had freebies.

In their defence they are the only celeb pair to have hitched at all! But yes money (or lack of) will be a huge factor on the last section.

PuppyMonkey · 19/10/2023 08:36

I wasn’t paying 100% attention last night but I couldn’t work out why Harry and Emma lost their massive lead so badly! I saw them in the hot springs and on a big train journey, was their route really indirect or something!?

Definitely felt the production team were behind the big reunion of Mel and Helene but tbh it would have been quite a dramatic twist if a team lost each other and had to work out what to do on their own!

JayAlfredPrufrock · 19/10/2023 08:41

Could not understand why the train thing happened at all. Surely you’d wait?

Alstroemeria123 · 19/10/2023 08:48

I wasn’t paying 100% attention last night but I couldn’t work out why Harry and Emma lost their massive lead so badly

didn’t they get stuck somewhere with no bus out until the next morning; allowing other teams to catch up?

gawditswindy · 19/10/2023 08:52

JayAlfredPrufrock · 19/10/2023 08:41

Could not understand why the train thing happened at all. Surely you’d wait?

You'd have thought so but they're a bit flaky. The way Helene was panicking about Mel is telling though. Rightly or wrongly she has no faith in her.

Presil · 19/10/2023 09:07

I think there was a lot there that we didn't see. Helene said something like "someone told me to stand somewhere else" - who?

She was clearly very worried about Mel.

Agree that it's really showing how the relationship between parent and adult child is complex and shifts in ways that aren't always fully perceptible to the actual people involved. I'm enjoying the series a great deal.

HoHoHoliday · 19/10/2023 09:53

Alstroemeria123 · 19/10/2023 08:48

I wasn’t paying 100% attention last night but I couldn’t work out why Harry and Emma lost their massive lead so badly

didn’t they get stuck somewhere with no bus out until the next morning; allowing other teams to catch up?

Yes it was this, plus the next morning they opted for the slower/cheaper transport where the others spent more to go faster.

HoHoHoliday · 19/10/2023 10:09

"there has been a lot of rather petulant, "... but I've never been to [X place] Harry, and I've always wanted to go there and sod the race," when Harry is seeing it as a competition, which is what it is."

They have all done this at different stages though, last night Billy opted to go through Prague to see it, last week Alex and his Dad wanted to go past Lake Bled to see that, next week's clip showed someone reindeer sledding.
The contestants on the non-celebrity version also do the same. So I wonder if they are told they have to spend a certain amount of time sightseeing? They could just go point to point more quickly for the sake of winning but they don't so there must be a reason to delay themselves for sightseeing. The producers must want good tourism footage too!

"The vast majority of 'celebrity' versions of programmes are done with the participants' winnings going to charity. I've not seen any mention of this and I assume the budget hasn't come out of their own money. So when I hear pointed comments about, "I really want to go to XYZ," (and it's not just Emma tbf) I'm starting to think, well put your hand in your pocket like everyone else has to!"

Their travelling is funded by the programme (it was something small like a £2K budget per couple!) but the £20K prize is for charity for the celebrity series, the winning pair chooses their charity.

MyCircumference · 19/10/2023 13:03

I think Harry and Emma ended up on a bus

martinisforeveryone · 19/10/2023 13:09

I think it's part of the premise that each team has to do a certain amount of work and visit some kind of attractions so it varies our viewing pleasure. No one wants to watch hours on end of buses, trains and stations.

I did wonder what was going on when Harry had taken off his T Shirt and was lying himself across the big bus window to cool down. It seemed such a little boy thing to do. Then they took a train, which they knew would be the slower route, but it gave them time to relax and do their tapestries and chill down a bit. So it all seemed quite calculated.

Graciebobcat · 19/10/2023 13:10

Nottheeightoutoftencats · 19/10/2023 08:14

In their defence they are the only celeb pair to have hitched at all! But yes money (or lack of) will be a huge factor on the last section.

Show quote history

They had the most budget left before leg 4 IIRC.

Graciebobcat · 19/10/2023 13:12

I think everyone has got on pretty well TBH. I would hate to be filmed for the average pretty relaxing family holiday - they could make me look grumpy if they wanted to edit things that way!

Alstroemeria123 · 19/10/2023 13:12

No one wants to watch hours on end of buses, trains and stations

I don’t know, I’ve met a few people who’d enjoy that!

I’ve said this before, but I’m disappointed generally in the “travel” aspect of the show - I want to see more of the countries and less of the relationship stuff. So I’m glad they are stopping off to do work / sightseeing or you’d never see anything!

martinisforeveryone · 19/10/2023 13:28

I don’t know, I’ve met a few people who’d enjoy that!

bit niche though* *😁

I would've been interested to know more about Noel's family. 23 children, yikes.

I was also disconcerted about Helene being told to go and stand somewhere else. Don't think I'd have done it, because how would Mel know or find her? Seemed very contrived, as was the reunion after Helene had been left to take all the luggage with her as well.

Nottheeightoutoftencats · 19/10/2023 16:42

I would've been interested to know more about Noel's family. 23 children, yikes.

I was most interested in what his granny thought of her daughter?/son? Leaving her with a metric fuck load of kids to care for! She had probably had a large family of her own and was just winding down when she got another load to bring up. Did she have other children? Did they leave home and pass their kids on to her too?

Mind you my Grandma was one of 20 odd made up of great granddad's kids from first wife and second wife plus two adopted cousins who's mother died in childbirth and great-granny then took on two of her daughter's GI war babies. I'd have had more than enough of nappies by then!

5foot5 · 19/10/2023 17:09

From the rome2rio website I think the way to go will be train to Stockholm then train to Narvik in Norway, followed by bus to Tromso. Looks to me like it will be hard to avoid Narvik and there is only one bus a day from there to Tromso. Will be kind of anti-climactic if, after everything, they all end up on the same bus and it is literally a race to the finish.

Budget wise I think those with £700+ should be OK for fares but tight on food and accommodation. But I am thinking Mel and Helen with only £500ish might be screwed.

Original poster
Aslockton · 19/10/2023 19:06

Helene and Mel remind me of my late mum who went on a coach trip to Europe. She got disorientated in Brussels and could not find the coach. The coach went without her as it would lose its ferry slot. Mum was left in Brussels with her handbag, 40 euros and her passport. My brother had to organise a hotel and try and direct her there. She was very put out that she did not have a nightie or clean underwear!

We then booked her on a eurostar, but she just turned up at the nearest railway station hoping to catch it! Much of her 40 euros went on a taxi to get her to the correct train station. Once back in the UK, she negotiated the tube then used her OAP free bus pass to get back to her town on the south coast. She had a wonderful adventure and told all her friends how proud she was that she got herself home... My brother and I were less impressed.

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