Race Across the World

[Liquorandvinegar]

New series starting next week - really looking forward to it. The teams are travelling in Asia, but I can't find information about the couples yet. Wednesday nights sorted!

Yes I wonder!

I shouldn't have assumed they were actually in Tibet. Looked on Wikipedia and it's a very Tibet influenced area and was long ago part of a Tibetan empire. I didn't realise they had one!

I've always been fascinated by Tibet and Nepal so really looking forward to the next part.

I don't think Sioned has stayed in her Welsh village all her life. On her Instagram she has travelled to America (NY and Washington), all over Italy, Scotland, France, various Canary islands and Australia. For a 19 year old, that is well travelled. I had never been out of England at 19.

It seems a very silly and unfair tactic to spin narratives about the contestants which aren't true, and can easily be found out via their own social media and general media! If they have sold Sioned as a 'little hometown girl' who's never been anywhere and Caroline was a lifetime SAHM who just pottered around grooming horses when neither are true. Its unfair on them when they see the edit and they are the ones who get the flak afterwards.

Oh that’s interesting, the show definitely makes out she’s hardly ever been past the end of her street!

Yes I assumed this too.

Perhaps they felt that the local state school Melvyn went to was not very academic and wouldn't push Brian enough so decided to send him to a private school

However, I'm interested in their route to Nepal. If they head directly west they would go through Tibet. There is also the tricky area of India called Arunachal Pradesh which has a disputed border with China. Tibet also once laid claim to it. Other than these two routes, there is one through Myanmar to reach India.

I wonder how this area will be tackled!

Ah ha! They will fly to Nepal to cut out those tricky bits. They have used the Himalyas as the reason they have to do this, according to the programme website on BBC.

At the start of the fourth leg, only four teams remain. At the third checkpoint, Shangri-La in China, they discover where they are headed next – Varanasi, one of the world’s oldest living cities. For the first time on the journey, each pair will pass through three countries in one leg – starting in China, venturing through Nepal, before crossing the border into India. But in their way are the mighty Himalayas. Impossible to cross on foot, the teams have to fly to Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, to restart the race.

I agree with you Tomatotater

Evening all! The brothers have a big lead compared to the others.

Love the brothers calculating skills

Love that they're having to pretend Tibet doesn't exist but that everyone is already saying it's more colourful and lively than China.

I feel like there’s a big story coming with the Chinese speaking sister…

What's the fare?
700 each
How much for two?
1400
Will you do it for 1500?
Yes! 😆

Excellent haggling skills🤭🤣

Oh, Tom is quite sweet now fickle.

Nepal and India was absolutely my best backpacking holiday.

So so so going back.

But you can see elephants in India all the time. Just on the streets....

Yeesh, I would be vomiting all over the place on those buses! 🤢

Anyone else feeling queasy just from the footage of the road from the buses and the jolting camera work

6 in a room?

I raise you Hong Kong with about 30 people in a dorm....

I'm sure the camera crew are being very chilled this evening, having beers in the hostel

Sioned will likely outgrow Fin, he’s a bit of a drag on her already . Their relationship is a bit of a puzzle given that’s she’s so widely traveled

Has Elizabeth brought her gap year trousers with her or is she spending their budget on them whilst there?

Some of them are beginning to flag I think. India is full on and taxing them.

I’m with her on India being just too much. I couldn’t cope with that and I know I couldn’t.

I've been to India and hated it. I totally sympathise with Sioned.