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

I started watching this at 9.15 to give me a fast forward buffer. There is sooooo much rambling now it's making it really boring in places.

I also really want to like Caroline. We're a similar age, and yes life can feel like it's passed you by, so it would be good to get some inspiration. I wish she'd done the, I've lived life as I was expected to, and was in a rut and now I'm desperate for change instead of the housewife thing.

Everyone can get in a rut no matter what they do and being stuck in your comfort zone is really hard to change, especially as a woman hitting 60 with a child now in adulthood. She didn't need to pretend she was just a housewife to show how much the experience has revitalised her!

I loved what Tom said about her, and that they've developed such a strong bond over seven weeks of travel. That's such a win.

Dear God, stop bitching about Caroline.
Imagine if she's reading this.
She hasn't hurt anyone.

Why is it bitchy? PP are entitled to their opinion.
Caroline has portrayed herself as a SAHM who has lost her confidence since bringing up her son for 20 years.

the fact that she was a very successful woman in her field, wealthy, sent her child to boarding school who has a mild physical disability.

she won an eventing competition just before filming, according to horse and hound.
not really as she portrayed herself on the show

I was happy for any of them to win. I really liked that Caroline and Tom said they became friends as well as mother and son. That's a genuinely lovely thing to have come out of the series. And I did like the brothers telling each other they loved each other via the camera at the end - how adorable.

I think what Tom wrote about Caroline in his diary was so lovely, she must be very proud. Well done to them.

Still don’t get why Gaz & Yin had to be eliminated, they had so much more in them. Would have made more sense if there were further eliminations But it was just them, odd! Is it the same every series ? Never watched from the beginning before.

I don't really see why they have to eliminate anyone, if they cut the repetitive back stories, they could fit in 5 couples in an hour.

This.

Really pleased. Wanted the brothers or Caroline and Tom to win. I know what she means re losing your identity when you have kids and they really grew as the series developed. Tom’s diary was so lovely.😭

Agree.

It’s sad Caroline is getting so much hate. I was rooting for her and Tom as I felt like she jumped into this adventure feet first and embraced every moment of it better than anyone. She never moaned about anything, always had a smile and seemed to appreciate everyone she met and everything she got to see and do. I think she’s great. And it’s the producers that decided to portray her as a downtrodden housewife, not her.

I applied to go on this! Didn’t get picked though.

Lovely ending to a fantastic series. They're all winners in so many ways and I really like Caroline and Tom. Caroline has a fantastic attitude and hopefully she'll value herself more now.
And yes, she's a bloody good amateur rider but that doesn't come without a serious work ethic.

This with bells on.

This programme used to be great. I’m a traveler. I loved the challenges. But now it so personality led. I can’t be arsed. No where near enough about the geography, the train timetables etc etc The transport challenges, not personal growth bla de bla. It’s a shame.

Yes, I do agree it was the producers I think who spun that story. I think it was the same with the sisters. I thought they were interesting in the first couple of episodes - I mean, how many young British people can speak mandarin?! They'd both travelled and I thought they'd be interesting. But the episodes had them both going on and on about how they aren't close and don't communicate. Again, mildly interesting for one episode but I was sick to the back teeth of it by the end.
I guess it's irrelevant in the end anyway because it's a race not a popularity contest and Caroline and Thomas won, fair and square despite how they were portrayed.

I don’t hate Caroline, I dislike the way she’s portrayed herself when the reality is different.

Has anyone applied before? Are you able to talk to family etc during the days in between legs? Or fully cut off the whole time?

I think both things can be true. Caroline is conscious that she hadn’t had a career as such. Her ( apparently only)!child is the centre of her universe and it’s bitter sweet because she wants him to stand on his feet and inevitably he will move away from her. The father is never mentioned, maybe they are separated and Caroline has mentioned fearing being lonely. Being a good horsewoman doesn’t negate those facts.

I loved all the people on this years series, and was happy for any to win.

Tom and Caroline were lovely to watch, she’s raised a nice lad and listening to him read his journal was emotional.

it was nice watching all these couple use the race to strengthen their relationships with each other, particularly the two sisters and the two brothers.

the young couple were amazing too, I loved watching them grow in confidence as the series went on.

Yes Sioned and Fin were pretty cool.

Sioned needs to stop pressurising Finn to propose RIGHT NOW though.

it's a race

I wish we'd seen more of it instead of the talking to camera and endless navel gazing

I was SO gutted. She has had plenty of opportunities to win in her eventing, while this would have meant so much more to the others, plus the money would have meant more too. Hers was an utterly tedious story, although of course we must agree it’s all the producers and editing. They chose a very tedious story.

So disappointed but very happy for F & S who were fabulous and the most interesting pair of all

And how much the different places they decide to stay cost, and food bought on route.