RACE ACROSS THE WORLD 2024

[TokyoSushi]

Just seen my first advert that it's back!!!! Japan to Indonesia starting 10th April, brilliant, my absolute favourite!

Commenting to read later

I like it too

Just caught up on episode 1 and it's already so much better than Canada...

I watch it with my 10 year old. She loves it. But has only got it into it in the last year.
They do say 'shit' sometimes but there's not a huge amount of swearing

I don't hate the older guy apart from the first comment he made to the other person saying 'shy are we' or something to that effect.
It's something you say to a child isn't it

Rather bemused by his wife just reeling off a load of bad stuff about him!!

I reckon Stephen might get punched somewhere on this trip!

With 3 GenZ covid teen young men it's a good reminder how the pandemic has indelibly shaped attitudes and life experiences. My 19 year old never got any option of any trip in high school and effectively sat at home for a big chunk of his formative years. I think it's left a huge mark ( possibly the biggest) on this age group that they get no allowances for

Plenty of people never went on school trips.
Lockdown wasn't for 4 years, they could have gone to places in the UK. It wasn't ideal, but the circumstances were very particular, and most just got on with it and are moving forward.

This. I have 19 year old grandsons in the same position. It hasn't held them back.

Exactly. Many are just getting on with their lives in a positive and productive way.

My DS is the same age as the young lads. He would be useless 😆 he’s v clever but disorganised with not much common sense. He got a coach back to uni as opposed to train as it was much cheaper. Left in plenty of time, he whatsapped me from Victoria coach station 10 mins prior to the departure- to say that he couldn’t see his bus, the only one going to his destination at that time was a different company. I advised him to ask someone- he messaged me back to say he was in the arrivals section, not departures 🤦‍♀️
Unf his MH was impacted heavily by covid both directly and indirectly and he’s done little independent travel as someone brought lockdown into the mix.
I am really enjoying this more than Canada so far, although I’d love to see Canada as well as Japan!

@Cattyisbatty

Dud he manage to get on the right coach? 🌹

@Newestname002 - he did once he realised his error!! Next time he’ll know…

I would love to know exactly what they have in their bags and what weight they end up being. I was trying to think of things I couldn’t do without. Mind you I’m a maximalist packer.

Same

But even I could pack lighter than the older couple. Why do they need the front packs, looks really uncomfortable for one thing

What it the celeb version where they had wheely suitcases

I’m guessing they had a lot more help in the celeb version!

I still think they must shoe horn in a supermarket shop at the checkpoint stop overs! Women may need to buy toiletries or even just for new socks or snacks. They are away for a long time.

The BBC interviews are worth reading, and they talk quite a bit about packing. They are told to prepare for basically every temperature including extremes of heat and cold. It sounds like quite a nightmare.

Ep 1 and already slightly bored.

I get so frustrated with the giant backpacks. As a seasoned traveller, I ditch absolutely any and everything that isn’t totally necessary. We did hot and cold on one trip last year, and still didn’t have giant bags. Now they know they’re in Asia (do they get the full route when they arrive, or just one checkpoint at a time?) I’d be chucking stuff - maybe even looking for a second hand place and selling for cash. Maybe other people have better joints/back than me, but I’d be in bits after a day carrying those backpacks all day, it’d definitely slow me down and make me less able to enjoy it.

They have tents though don't they?

I got anxious about the gifted shoes. Such a lovely gesture but now she’s got to carry a random pair of shoes around with her!

I remember a tent being used in one of the earlier series I think.
As far as the weather is concerned I think there’s a great variety of weather in Japan and obviously also depends on what time of year it is. Darron Speck from series 1 has been in Japan recently and I don’t think the sun was exactly splitting the trees.
They couldn’t buy stuff en route, the money is very limited and you might need it.

One advantage of the RATW format over conventional backpacking is that as soon as you check in at a checkpoint you can get absolutely everything washed by the hotel. That makes life much easier: no faffing with laundrettes or handwashing on basins, no carrying not-quite-dry washing in your bag, and you know that you'll only ever need a maximum of 4/5 pairs of socks/knickers. And you can unpack everything onto the floor of your huge hotel room, air and repack.

And of course you'll be able to have a really good shower, sleep and loads of food.

I would like to see a spin-off show: RATW: The Nerd Mix. Full of timings, packing, full budgets including food, minimal shots of scenery, and absolutely no long talks about how the couples are rebuilding their relationship and coming to terms with life experiences.

I remember in Canada there was a real variety in temperatures, and you saw the contestants in winter coats and clothing in the snowy regions. I wondered whether they had extra clothing which they could swop around, rather than carry g the clothes for the whole trip.

I think that knowing you are only a few days away from being able to have a really good wash, wash your hair, clothes etc will really help.