Race Across The World 2026 - Thread 2

[LindorDoubleChoc]

Here we are continuing to watch, chat about and admire Race Across The World 2026, Sicily to Mongolia. Everyone welcome!

Link to thread 1 is here https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/telly_addicts/5510122-race-across-the-world-2026?reply=15225883.]]

I'm sorry I've had to start this probably a little early as I'm not watching live tonight (got home very late from work).

When Mark and Margo had got to Shin-Ider the icon in the screen that pops up said that they actually had 3 per cent of their budget left

Couldn't watch the final on the day so have been avoiding all mention of RATW until I could catch up! Very happy for winners Jo and Kush, and that Margo and Mark made it all the way to the end. All great contestants, and fab that Katie has carried on travelling.

Also wonderful news about Zainab and Mobeen becoming parents - the episode where their Canadian host told them about his own adoption was so touching it made me cry, so I'm delighted for them.

Posted on the old thread by mistake.

Jo and Kush in the Guardian

https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2026/may/22/joy-of-bbc-race-across-the-world-jo-kush?CMP=fb_gu&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwdGRleASDHB5leHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEefoA2h8H3FbFp-6YE5HW4qkwsH7tejgdBaaruGMM1W7mqGbfRShEdk-UBPhU_aem_JIUvnTBvCF4J3xFVA6yYpw#Echobox=1779457679

Margo Oakley (on Facebook)

A few people have asked how on earth me and Mark made it to Hatgal with so little money left
Mongolia was incredibly tough for all of us.
By Day 51 we were cold, exhausted, a bit delirious but absolutely determined to get to that finish line somehow.
At that stage we genuinely had no idea where the other teams were, but for us it had now stopped being about winning and became about simply finishing the race together for Julia this meant everything to us.
That morning we left Shine Ider after a homestay and spent hours unsuccessfully trying to hitchhike in the freezing cold minus 13 degrees! Then somebody told us about a shared Furgon leaving for Murun at 10am and honestly, that Furgon saved us, it cost a fraction of the cost of a private hire.
As we got closer to Murun we somehow managed to persuade the driver to take us all the way to Hatgal for 50,000MNT using what can only be described as optimism, negotiation and desperate energy We crossed the finish line with roughly £36 left across various currencies stuffed into bags and pockets.
And just to clear up one thing because I know there’s been speculation online, if you’ve watched the reunion you will know production cannot step in to help unless there’s a genuine medical or safety emergency. It’s a real race and it has to stay fair for everybody.
Not every part of every journey makes the final edit because there’s just too much footage across all the teams, but I really wanted to mention that driver because without him and his wonderful Furgon we genuinely would never have made it to Hatgal.
So wherever you are, thank you one last act of kindness completed our amazing journey.
And thank you to every single one of you who have shared this wonderful adventure over the last 8 weeks....your love and support has been incredible and means the world to us

I'm catching up with the reunion episode now
Feel the teams last year got on better, the boys don't seem too engaged/warm with the others
Love seeing how so many have traveled since.