Race Across The World Series 5 Thread 2

[TwentyKittens]

With only five posts left on the old thread, thought I'd start this so we can link between the two.

This thread carries on from the first:

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/telly_addicts/5314933-race-across-the-world?utm_campaign=thread&utm_medium=share

Caroline again saying she's done nothing, taken no decisions, just looked after the family. It's getting tedious.

I am so impressed with the maturity of the young Welsh couple. They are my favorourites and I hope they win. I agree that the Caroline narrative is getting tiresome, I wish they would show some other footage of her, I am sure there must be plenty.

I agree. I'm certainly not jealous of her.

You think they are toning down the poshness?

I agree about Fin. My adult son has diabetes, and it can be difficult to manage and you can have bad days. He's doing well.

I think we keep forgetting that Caroline has a child with CP, which must have had a massive impact on deciding if she was a SAHM. I would imagine she has spend many, many hours helping Thomas over the last 20 years. I think this trip is mostly Thomas showing Caroline what he can do and part of her feeling freedom is the knowledge that she helped make that happen.

I think there is the right balance between back story and travel.
I don't mind who wins.

I’d like Finn and Sioned to win, as it feels like the money would make the most difference to them, but none of them offend me this series. I think the younger sister is the one who’s actually being portrayed in the least flattering way, it feels like they are making her come across as manipulative and spoilt to me.

I’ve actually come round completely to Caroline - even not having had children myself, I can see that when a lot of your life has revolved around them you would feel a bit worried about your place in the world when they’re not dependent on you any more. I assume the horsey part of her life is probably as normal a background to her as cats and dogs are to many households.

I think/hope that what the brothers will have got from the experience will be worth more to them than any prize money.

Looking forward to Wednesday, but sad that it will be over - bring on the next one!

Yes, I think that's a good point. It must have been a challenge in the early years.
Did he later go to boarding school?

I wouldn't wish to downplay the problems Thomas has had with his CP but it is only in his hand and not even obvious to a casual observer. I have known and worked with children with severe CP who can't walk and have marked learning difficulties but their parents have had to work through necessity. Plus, Thomas went to boarding school.

Anyway, I have no problem with Caroline or anyone else privileged enough to be able to be a SAHP but it's the 'Poor me' shtick I find distasteful.

maybe the problem with Caroline is that she doesn’t really articulate herself properly because all we get is broad statements

i see that Tom and fin have become good friends which is nice to see!!

I think, again, it was her narrative, sitting on her own, bemoaning her lack of courage and her limited life and how "things will be different" following this journey. I did wonder if she was questioning her marriage, but who knows.

Me too & it’s barely been mentioned! Wonder if that’s him not wanting any pity or why it’s barely been discussed given the ridiculous pity-parties of Caroline & the sisters?!

Maybe Caroline has really low self esteem as being a sahp even for 20 years certainly isn’t doing nothing

maybe she’s reevaluating her marriage and life plus all those hormanal changes that happen in midlife
she perhaps does feel at a bit of a crossroad

or of course there’s chance it’s all fake and she doesn’t lack confidence and of ruthlessly competitive and trying to throw others off the scent

either way, I’m sure this experience will give her a much needed booost and hope she rolls with it

or perhaps it will be saved until the end
mainly sioned has been filmed tbh

Finn has been stoical

I think there can also be an element of oh dear. What the problem, diamond shoes too tight ?
like if your well off, you better not open up about your problems as it will just piss others right off because to alot of people in this country if you’ve got money
you don’t have the right to talk about any problems you may be facing and dealing with

@Freedomseeker2025 I definitely think there’s an element of reevaluating her life. Turning sixty is a big watershed moment for many people, the next big birthday is seventy, plus your children are no longer children. This trip has taken her out of her (wealthy) rut and given her new opportunities and experiences.

Mine has too and his diabetes is affected badly by being in hot weather. He almost had to come home early from a holiday in Australia as it was a heatwave even by their standards. He'd never cope in India's temperatures.

I agree. He’s overcome so much. I’m sure his poor parents must have been beside themselves with worry the whole time he was away!

i thought fin didn’t have a relationship with his father? He has been through a lot and he is very resilient.

they’ve also shown great maturity as a couple given their age.

the Brothers not only had the different education which led them to different strata’s of society but they had abusive parents.

i’m still not 100% on the sisters back story tbh and if the producer wanted to focus on personal journeys I don’t think they’ve actually done a very good job

Yes, plus my son gets reactions to some foods, so eating abroad for him got a bit hit and miss.

I've noticed we haven't seen many conversations this series about food / the cost of it this series. Previously pairs would be saying how they were surviving on crackers etc to keep costs down. We also seem to be seeing less of the conversations around budget / journey planning/ resolving travel problems this time round.

Yes, I've noticed that. I'd rather have that kind of detail that the same stories of their life's challenges.

They don't seem to have done as much work this series either. I wonder if the budget goes further so they haven't needed to?

No, you're right, they haven't.