Original subtitles

Reaching the other side of the world has never been easier.

However, by flying over, are we forgetting how to travel through?

Singapore -

the furthest point from the UK by road and rail.

Normally a 12-hour plane journey.

But could you get there for just the price of the airfare

without taking a single flight?

What am I doing? Holy Moley, that's going to be tough.

Five pairs of ordinary Brits are about to attempt just that...

Most people would go from A to B on a plane,

but then they'd miss all this.

..in an extraordinary race.

Come on. At ground level, they'll cover over 12,000 miles.

Oh, man! Look at that! That's amazing.

Everybody wants to get to Azerbaijan.

Who will finish first,

as they leave behind the trappings of modern day life?

It's 34 hours on one bus. Without their bank cards...

We're going to run out of money at some point.

..and their smartphones. I don't want to argue about it.

Time's ticking on.

It will test them physically...

This is where you find out about yourself.

Sleep. Sleep where? You can't finish the race if you're dead.

..and emotionally.

It's almost like I'm questioning my purpose.

What is it that I want?

It's a bit much. I'm at breaking point.

How will they triumph?

Tactics... A new strategy - blend in with the locals.

..resourcefulness...

This is nice. It's actually lovely.

..risk taking... Seriously running out of food, proper water.

..or charm?

Can you take us to Greece?

For you, I want to help you.

The reward is great...

It's about recapturing the little bit of me.

..as the first team to Singapore will claim the prize of £20,000...

Argh!

..in a race across the world.

Shift your butt, come on.

50 days, blood, sweat, tears.

This programme contains some strong language

The race begins in Greenwich -

the meridian line separating east from west.

The Old Naval College is the former home of the Royal Navy

and epicentre of British exploration.

I can't wait. No.

I'm just so excited. First to arrive,

best pals since school, Sue and Clare.

Clare has been my best friend since we were 11 years old.

I can't wait.

The most exciting thing I think we've ever done.

When we were 21, we did an Interrail trip together around Europe.

Good morning. Good morning. Morning.

We didn't have phones, we didn't have the internet,

we had limited money.

Thank you.

Yes, we want to win, but I think we also both want to enjoy

the experience of the journey.

Do you know where we are? Well, we're at Greenwich.

The next team aiming to find the fastest route

to Singapore without catching a plane -

father and son Darron and Alex from Bradford.

I think I'm going to be quite hopeless at the start

because I'm used to my phone, like. If I'm lost, I go on Google Maps.

But I'm going to win because I've got my dad.

He knows how to travel.

You got used to your backpack yet? A little.

I've slept in tents on top of mountains, in the wilderness,

at the side of an active volcano.

I want something I've never experienced.

Before the start of the race,

the teams have agreed to be stripped of all mobile devices,

credit cards and cash.

Good morning. Good morning.

Do you have any mobile phones or wallets with you? Yeah, I do.

Right, if you could hand that over to my colleague for me, please.

Thank you.

What each team is provided with is a world map,

a travel guide with local job ads and two money belts.

Thank you.

Third up...

..friends for over 30 years Natalie and Shameema.

You forget how pretty London is. I know.

I would say Natalie's and I's experience

of travel is very different.

My first expedition, I went to Vietnam,

Cambodia, Thailand, Burma,

India, Sri Lanka, Madagascar,

Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania.

Setting off into the unknown is something that I don't usually do.

You know, I've never even owned a backpack before.

This trip has come at a great time for me.

I've been married for 19 years, but we've decided that

it's the right time for us to separate and my two daughters

are growing into strong, independent women.

So it's almost like someone saying, "You've got permission to not

"be responsible for something," and that feels quite nice.

First thoughts when I say race across the world.

Oh, shit.

Good morning. For the team's safety,

the only piece of technology permitted is a GPS device...

Thank you. ..that will track their progress to the finish line.

Singapore - the furthest point you can travel to

from the UK by road and rail -

a journey of over 12,000 miles.

But rather than a 12-hour direct flight,

it will take an estimated 50 days.

Also joining the race -

husband and wife and owners of a small retail chain

Jinda and Bindu from Nottingham.

We've been together since we were children

and, after three decades,

you're going to know somebody very, very well.

We've been through ups, downs.

We've been broke together, we've been through crises together.

Our marriage has seen everything that marriage can see and come out the other side.

It's made us so tough and it's made us so determined.

Those skills, when you put them in this type of situation,

it really boosts you along.

We need turbulence and stress around us to perform.

There will be plenty of that on the way.

Centre of time, centre of London. I am so ready.

And completing the line-up -

best friends and business partners Josh and Felix.

We've travelled a lot together over the last five or six years.

We've had some incredible adventures -

kind of a bit like Herge's Tintin.

Whether it's grizzly bears in the Oregon mountains

or visit the Montenegrin Alps, we know that anything this challenge

can throw at us we'll probably be able to surmount.

This is going to be the most rich and amazing experience.

We want to climb the hills and swim in the lakes.

We want to eat it.

En route to Singapore, the teams must pass through five checkpoints.

Only when they reach one will they learn where the next will be.

Your first checkpoint will be Delphi. Delphi. Where's Delphi?

France? Really?

Greece. The oracle. I've got some Sophocles in my bag, so....

We're sorted.

Oh! Money.

Just over £1,300 per person gives them a budget

of roughly £25 each a day.

You have £1,329.

The cost of a direct flight to Singapore.

So it's got to cover all expenses on the race, including food, water,

travel and accommodation.

They'll have to work to earn extra cash and travel smart

if they're to make it to Singapore.

We don't want to run out of money. We can always work.

I'd rather budget and be careful.

We'll make it work.

We know how to live on a budget. We'll make it work.

Yeah. I'm not worried.

The race begins at 14:00 hours.

Hi, guys. Do you need help?

No, it's sorted.

The intrepid adventurers assemble at the start line...

We meet at last.

..setting eyes on their competition for the very first time.

Hello. Hi.

Our paths will, I suppose, cross.

We'll be a little bit ahead of you, unfortunately.

All that stands between the finish line and the £20,000 prize

is two continents, 21 countries,

four seas and each other.

SHAMEEMA SCREAMS

CLOCK CHIMES

We've got to be at least jogging. We're in a race, remember.

So? I can't run with this pack on - not yet.

I'm not talking running, we're talking jogging.

Suck it up and jog. We don't need to jog.

We'll just like walk really fast.

Should we look on the map?

No, not now. We can get going.

It's not going to move, is it?

Without smartphones to help plan the route to the first checkpoint...

I'll find somebody to ask where Delphi is, yeah?

..they need to be sure where it is.

I was wondering if you could help me.

No money. I don't need it.

I don't need money.

Delphi, Greece? Yep.

Almost 1,900 miles from London - and the team's first checkpoint -

the ancient town of Delphi.

When the Greek god Zeus sought to find the centre of the world,

he released two eagles - one to the east and another to the west -

and Delphi was the point at which they met.

It seems that the most direct route is just a straight line

here, through Germany, Croatia, Albania...

There are two sensible routes to Delphi -

the first could take the teams through Western Europe, from France

to Italy, crossing the Adriatic to Greece.

Transport is fast and reliable, but can be expensive.

I don't think that's going to be necessarily the quickest way.

The coastal route won't be the quickest.

Or they could navigate Central Europe to the Balkans,

where travelling can be cheaper, but transport less reliable.

Let's get across to Germany first.

But first, they need to get out of the UK.

I was thinking, get a train that'll get us out of London and then try

and see if we can hitchhike.

We might be able to find someone who's taking the ferry over.

Do you know, like, from Dartford, which is the next town

in the direction towards Dover?

Well, the next big town's Gravesend.

We'll get to Victoria Coach Station... Yeah.

..see what coaches are due, see where they go,

and we'll adapt and adjust accordingly.

Yeah, we'll just see what happens.

Yeah, I mean, for all I know, there might be one due to Paris.

Could you call a local taxi firm?

Hi, there.

I'm in Cutty Sark at the moment and I need to get to Dover.

What is the best price that you could do?

I know it's far.

105. OK.

It's not cheap to get out of London, but I just want to move forward.

There's a little dock here,

where they have boats that go back to Waterloo.

I think we can get a train to Ashford International.

From there, see if we can negotiate a ticket on the Eurostar.

Josh and Felix are on a mission

to cross the Channel today at any price.

We'd like to go to Dover or Folkestone.

We'd basically like to know the prices.

It's 70 quid. It's quite a lot of dosh.

The appeal of this, even though it's more money than we want to spend -

we can be there in two hours.

I would like to sit down and look at our budget because...

I don't think we've got time to plan our money properly

in the next 15 minutes. So, let's just get on the fucking train.

We're the perfect partnership.

Already we're choosing the luxury option, which is maybe mistake.

I think we're fine.

Working together and being friends,

we're charging forward for the same goal and, although along the way

we might disagree, it's never personal.

So long as we don't spend any more money today.

We might make France this evening.

# Well, I'm on my way

# I don't know where I'm goin'... #

Also aiming for Dover, but on the cheap...

Just flag anyone down.

Natalie and Shameema have taken a short train ride to Gravesend

and are now on the A2.

You're not going to Dover, are you?

No.

Are you going to Dover, by any chance?

You're going to sleep!

# Well, I'm on my way... #

50 miles down the road, two teams are already in Dover.

So, buddy, how much is that, please?

Jinda and Bindu have opted for speed and comfort...

You'll get it. Don't worry.

..but at a price,

blowing nearly 4% of their entire budget.

She thinks this is cheap.

I just don't think this is going to be cheap.

Two tickets, please.

Foot passengers. Foot passengers.

Ay-ay-ay.

If we spent money at this rate, we'd be through our money in two weeks.

Goodbye, Angleterre.

Oh, my God.

We've been joined by our competitors.

They're keeping their cards very close to their chests.

I don't want to go near them because they just keep talking.

As the first two teams leave British shores...

I think we've got to head into Paris,

freshen up, we might have a drink.

Sue and Clare also have their sights set on France...

Ashford International.

..by taking the fastest route.

The Eurostar from Ashford in Kent.

Arrivals, that is. So, when's departures?

Maybe that is the next train. But that's coming in.

That's arrivals. Oh, is it? OK.

We're trying to find out where to buy tickets for the Eurostar.

Oh, hello! Hello.

Is it the other side?

Oh, sorry, I've just recognised who you are, Mr Merton.

You can get tickets over there, if you go down there... Yeah.

We're on a trip to Singapore.

Can I shake your hand because I think you are brilliant?

Oh, are you? The Eurostar looks closed at the moment.

Arrivals, it says 17:34.

I can't see anything on departures. Can you? No.

Have you checked your timetables? No. No.

Any idea that forward planning might be a good idea in this?

I think our organisation skills will come into it.

Careful organisation, with a bit of speed and know-how.

That'll take you to the other side of Ashford station,

where there's a ticket desk there.

Fantastic. That's lovely. Thank you very much for your help.

Good luck to you. Nice to meet you.

Nice to meet you. Good to see you. Cheers. Bye. Bye.

Can you believe that?

I think that's the one - the left -

and I think the right one is with a passport.

That's locked.

I'm not liking the look of that thing there,

where there are no trains...

..listed on the board.

That's not good.

Ashford depart...

Unfortunately, the last Eurostar today from Ashford left

over two hours ago.

Ridiculous. Well... Right... Let's just go, back on a train.

I would have never thought that.

With two teams halfway across the Channel and two teams trying

to reach Dover,

there's one duo yet to leave London - father and son

Darron and Alex.

How much would it be for two tickets to Dusseldorf? 43.90.

43 for two? Oh, that's not... That's worth it. 20 something... Let's do it.

Yeah, we'll do that.

Nearly bought tickets to go to Paris but, for a couple pound more,

we could get to Dusseldorf.

We travel overnight.

Set off eight o'clock this evening.

Get there at 7:00 in the morning, so cheap tickets,

save on accommodation.

First 12 hours,

we're in Germany. Dusseldorf tomorrow.

Budapest, Serbia, Macedonia... It's probably not the most

well-travelled of routes into Greece,

but I think arguably it's one

of the most interesting ones. Our strategy is, like, always

on the move.

If you're going to be sleeping,

hopefully be travelling while we're sleeping.

I'm feeling tired. Suck it up, Alex.

20-year-old Alex's parents separated when he was four.

He now lives with his mum. Got you some Oreos.

Alex has got a pretty cushy life, no responsibility.

Does what he wants when he wants - whenever.

I've already started packing a few stuff... Some cooling mist.

Two pairs of Versace aftershave.

You want to be smelling nice wherever you go

and you're meeting new people.

Oh, that's not a pleasant smell.

First casualty of adventure is hygiene.

As Darren and Alex bed down for their 12-hour journey to

Germany...still stuck on the A2, Natalie and Shameema.

Right. Come on, then, shall we walk?

We've been on an adventure since we were nine years old.

There's no doubt about her having my back.

She was there when my mum died.

Shameema was there when I got hit by a car.

She wasn't there, but I think she rang all the hospitals,

trying to find which ward I was in.

If I'm feeling weak, she knows how to pick me up.

She knows that I can't do this without her.

We're trying to get to Singapore.

We are now getting anxious because we're like, "Oh, my God, it's getting dark!"

So we have a core belief of what a good person

should be like in this world.

First stop is we're trying to get to Dover.

And on this trip I'm hoping

to rely on the kindness and the goodwill of strangers.

We could buy you a ticket to Dover from Rochester, if you like.

They're going to want to do things for us because we are kind people.

Thank you so much.

Bye. Thank you.

The girls head from Rochester to Dover.

We hit the last passenger foot ferry out of England by literally seconds.

Yes.

I never give up. We're getting off UK soil today!

Whoa, whoa, stop. Sorry.

We're getting on the ferry.

No, you're not.

Not until tomorrow morning at 8:30.

Is that the last passenger ferry?

That's the first full passenger boat. Having run out of options

to leave the UK today, Natalie and Shameema head off to find a bed

for the night.

Having reached Dover themselves, Sue and Clare are also unaware the only

ferries at this time are not taking foot passengers.

There's a 10:00 one. OK. Yeah, let's go.

You should be able to get them for tonight.

Do you want to get that one now and get across? Yes.

And where are we going to stay in Calais?

We might not stay in Calais, we might find somebody on the

ferry that can give us a lift to wherever they're going.

And we've got an hour and a half to find that person.

Why are we in such a rush tonight?

Because I want to get on the way.

We haven't come very far.

What are places like here, in Dover?

Are there some nice places to stay?

Yeah, there's plenty of B&Bs and stuff like that.

Yeah. It's going to be really expensive.

Oh, well, what...?

Where else are we going to stay tonight?

We're late finding somewhere. I don't know, it depends.

£49 for double room with en suite.

Is it possible to reserve it?

OK. Awesome. Thank you.

Bye. Thank you so much.

26 miles away, the ferry has docked in France.

Bonjour. We made it! So country number one.

But with no trains or buses leaving Calais tonight,

it's straight to the nearest budget hotel.

We're leaving very early in the morning,

so if you can maybe give us a room just to stay in, a few hours,

get some rest. Just us two.

Guys. Ciao. Always one step ahead.

Would you guys mind - cos I was just in the middle of a conversation

I didn't want to share, so would you guys mind waiting outside? I'm sorry.

Shall we just go somewhere else?

They're not to be underestimated, those two.

They've really got...they've really got some moves.

Can you...can you...? Normandy is 59.

OK, OK. Other people...

SHE SPEAKS FRENCH

Yeah? OK. Because we came first.

We came and found you.

Thank you.

Right. 59.

59 euros? Spent £100 today, so we're three times over budget.

Settling down for the night...

My son Steven? Yeah. Hello?

Jinda receives an emergency call on the producer's phone.

Is it bad?

My mum's in hospital and...

..she's taken a slight turn for the worse.

Cos my mum was really keen for me to do this and my dad was as well,

everyone's just saying, "Look, just, you know, carry on doing what you're doing."

There's a huge family, everybody's rallying around, and sort of me

being there isn't going to make a huge difference right now.

I know. She was fine.

She's been poorly for about three months,

so, you know, I could...I could possibly finish all this, and still

she could be in the same kind of situation.

So we're just weighing everything up, and

it just feels like I should carry on,

and that's what everyone's telling me to do.

After a restless night, Jinda and Bindu are up early...

What time is it?

Quarter past five.

..to catch the 6.17 train to Lille

and then a coach to Aachen in Germany.

But last night's call from home is playing heavily on Jinda's mind.

I feel helpless in this situation with my mum.

I'm so many miles away.

I feel like one of the people who would be most proud

if we won this would be her.

So I feel like I want... I don't want to just go home and say,

"Oh, well, I've come home to see you,"

and sit by her bedside for a couple of hours

and then get back into my routine.

I want to go home having achieved something.

Darron and Alex's overnight coach trip has paid off.

They've leapfrogged the other teams to arrive in Dusseldorf 215 miles

closer to Delphi than their nearest rivals.

It wasn't the most comfortable coach.

Alex is still a bit cranky because he didn't sleep well.

It's only day two and I'm already stinking!

And there's still a long way to go.

Nice and refreshing. Alex, have a go. No, no.

I'll hold your glasses and cap. No, I'm all right, thank you.

Alex and I used to be really close.

Alex lived with me till he were about 16 and he moved

to his mother's and, without a shadow of a doubt,

we have drifted apart,

and we've drifted apart pretty severely.

It does wake you up. It's full of moss. I'm all right.

Nothing's going to hurt you. I'm all right.

He's getting to the age where I think, if we don't reconnect now,

it's going to be harder and harder,

the older he gets.

I can't remember where we are. Is it Dundeldorf?

Dusseldorf. Dusseldorf.

Dumbledore! Oh, I'll have to remember that! Harry Potter!

That's what I were thinking! Yeah! THEY LAUGH

300 miles away...

Look at that! Yeah. The White Cliffs of Dover.

..Sue and Clare...

We've left British soil!

..and Natalie and Shameema are on their way to France.

Now it feels like it's real.

There's no going back for the next seven, eight weeks,

until we get to Singapore.

George and Felix may already be across the Channel...

We get the, like, train to Lille... And the coach from there. Yeah.

Just if you had the internet, we could just check that, you know.

..but are having trouble getting out of Calais.

The current frustration is working out how to book

an online-only bus company without getting online.

Pardon, monsieur. Un telephone? Google?

What is it called, EasyBus? Oui.

I can't explain. It's probably easier to find someone else we can talk to about it. Can we...?

Your phone - may we use it?

Pour le internet? No. No, don't worry. Don't worry, don't worry.

No, no, no, no. No worries. Er... Merci beaucoup.

Merci, merci. De rien. Merci.

Without the credit or debit card,

how can we make a reservation?

If you have only cash,

that's the problem. You need to find someone that can buy

with the credit card and you give him the money.

If you have 44 euros... Yes.

..maybe I can help you.

Oh yeah. Because it is my good day and...!

THEY LAUGH

Thank you.

INDISTINCT

Great!

So if you want to collect credit card...

Oh!

The way we travel normally,

it's not unusual for us to find ourselves talking to random

strangers and finding out information.

I think it's quite liberating. It is better than the Internet.

It's always the best way of doing it, but it doesn't mean it's easier.

While Josh and Felix head to Lille...

..Sue and Clare have already arrived.

Pardon. Parlez vous Anglais? Un petit peu?

At the northern tip of France, it's a blend of north European

and French culture, and a good leaping-off point

to most European destinations.

See, I did say in France that people didn't speak English.

The girls board a bus to Paris,

looking to head south and push on into Italy.

I'm just very frustrated that...

How many hours is it since we left?

I just don't think we need to be thinking about that too much, Sue.

Can I just speak? I know you can. Thank you. OK.

So 24...about 30 hours after we've left,

we're in Lille,

when the journey from the...from London to Paris takes two

and a half hours.

So I'm just shocked

how long it's taken us to get here.

But this has been one mistake that we made

by not being able to get on the Eurostar -

not knowing that we couldn't get on at that station.

13 euros for both of us.

To get to where? Lyon.

Also in Lille, Natalie and Shameema are hustling for tickets.

That's all right. If you want to buy it for us,

we're happy to take gifts, if you're rich!

SHE LAUGHS

I don't understand.

How's it going, guys? How's it going?

Oh, my God! No way!

Oh, my God!

When did you get to France? Yesterday. Oh, right.

We only got here this morning. Yeah, I thought so.

I don't think it actually benefited us any

because we rushed, we bought expensive transport.

We stayed in a hostel we didn't really want to stay in.

We spent so much money, you would not believe. Really? Yeah.

Where did you guys stay last might?

We stayed at the Travelodge for free.

Very nice! How did you manage that?

Well, we're hustlers. Blagging skills, yeah!

Where are you going? Paris?

No, no. I can't tell you. Natalie will kill me.

Maybe we should go where they're going.

No. No, we've got a good plan, actually.

I better go before I speak too much. See you later. Take care. Bye.

We've managed to get here in the same time, doing probably

a lot harder route and saved a lot more money,

so...that's given me a boost.

Absolutely neck and neck and they definitely spent less money than us

because they said they didn't spend money on the hotel yesterday, so...

Perhaps we're not exploiting...

Getting stuff for free? ..getting stuff for free.

We're too willing to pay for things.

While Josh and Felix are en route to Munich...

..Jinda and Bindu are already in Germany.

150 miles farther east,

in the cathedral town of Aachen,

resting place of the medieval emperor Charlemagne.

My sock has been off my ankle, bugging me all day long.

Before thy can settle in, though...

PHONE RINGS

..Jinda receives a second call from home on the producer's phone.

Hi, baby, you OK?

Yeah, yeah.

Really?

What?

Oh, God.

SHE SOBS

I'll come back. I'm coming. All right?

We're going to head back, OK?

All right. Thanks.

All right. See you when we get back.

Yeah, love you. See you soon.

Bye. Bye. Bye, Mum.

I would have loved to be able to get to the end.

I think we would have met a lot more people along the way

and hopefully we'll get to do something like this again one day.

One day, yeah. But right now I just want to...

I just want to hold my mum's hand and let her know that I'm there.

Jinda and Bindu's departure

means that a reserve team have been called upon.

Does anybody know where Delphi is?

Retired PE teachers Tony and Elaine,

who have been married for over 40 years.

I can't believe it, we're here and we're doing it.

And it's about to start, about to kick off.

We're about to cross the world. Yeah.

Five hours ago, they dropped everything to join the race,

starting from London with the same budget as the other teams,

and are now making a final phone call to take over the baton

from Jinda and Bindu.

How are you guys doing?

We've got caught a little bit cold on it all,

but we're just so very sorry to hear that you've had to withdraw

so early on.

Basically, you're representing us now. Yes, we are.

We were in Aachen. Yes. And we were going to get a lift to Cologne.

And then...

..on to Milan. Milan.

And then that should get you on to Delphi in Greece.

While Tony and Elaine fast-track their way to Milan,

having left Paris, Sue and Clare are heading in the same direction.

So we've been into Switzerland...for about five minutes.

I was just thinking how amazing it was to actually come all this way,

you know, Paris to Milan, for 45 euros.

Natalie and Shameema have disembarked in Lyon.

Let's go and sit on the other side.

We're in Starbucks, brushing our teeth.

That feels so much better.

Sticking to their strategy of nonstop coach travel

has got Darron and Alex halfway to Delphi,

arriving in Budapest.

DARRON GROANS

Tired after a long journey.

400 miles behind them,

Josh and Felix are in the capital of Bavaria.

With almost 12,000 miles of the race still to run,

they have spent close to an eighth of their total budget already.

We've got to look at our classified ads...

All the teams have been provided with a directory of local job

opportunities and Europe is an early chance to pick up a good wage.

We have brilliantly got work, so no travel.

Some people would consider it, if they wanted to win this leg,

a shot in the foot.

But we'll spend our hard-earned wad

on a getting on the fastest train out of here tomorrow. A speed boost.

They've secured some manual labour at stables just outside Munich,

helping out the owner, Oliver, who's broken his arm.

Let's start.

Bring up the gravel.

25 tonnes. 25 tonnes.

And afterwards, you roll it. Yeah.

We've shovelled poo, rolled gravel and had the satisfaction

of being able to work for 250 euros.

It makes a difference to getting back to

where we were to start off with.

We stop for no-one.

They're friendly, they're helpful, they're...

..the best guests we have.

Travel the world, they said! See new places, they said!

The opportunity to race across the world has come at a good time

for these best friends...

Go on! Get your anger out.

..who have spent the past four years building a creative hub together

in Tottenham, London.

We have theatre Sunday to Thursday and then we have big music events

and parties on the weekends.

In four months' time, unfortunately, none of this will be here.

It'll be knocked down and turned into a block of luxury flats.

We've got two months to decide what our future is,

so this is the perfect opportunity to find out.

Got it? Yeah.

We do something like this for a day, we spend all of our energy

and we'll lie down tonight and our minds will be buzzing with,

like, what we could do when we get back to London

or how we could bring something that we've learnt here back to our lives

and improve them, and now there's a lot more riding on it.

We're older, we've got girlfriends to think about.

We'll have a new plan by this time tomorrow, mate.

Don't you worry.

On the banks of the River Danube,

the Hungarian capital, Budapest.

Created in 1873 by the merger of three cities -

Pest, Buda and Obuda -

here, Darron and Alex are also hoping

to earn their first extra money.

Excuse me, do you have a phone we can borrow to make a call, please?

We need to ring this number.

Hello?

In English?

Alex has spotted an ad that could continue to keep

their accommodation costs to a minimum by offering bed and board.

We've seen your advert for the paprika harvesting.

Right. No worries.

All right. Thank you, Anita. Speak to you later. Bye.

But it's not the bed and board Alex is used to.

They said that we can sleep outside, but we don't have tents.

Could we sleep on the factory floor?

She said it was dirty and that, so we're in a big pickle here.

We're in this competition to win it,

but one of the challenges will be for me to step back and go,

"No, Alex, you need to step up."

And I need to encourage him and let him step up.

What do you want to do?

I don't know.

I don't want to sleep outside.

You...you make a decision.

No. We make the decision. You say you don't want to do that.

What do you want to do? I don't have a clue.

Do not have one single clue.

Am I allowed to bang his head against the wall on camera?

Dissing ideas but not coming up with a solution -

anybody can do that, it's easy.

Him growing, him becoming a more rounded individual

and still winning...

It's going to be... It's going to be a tough balance at times.

Just feeling a bit... I don't know.

Bit homesick, I suppose.

Don't know.

Could just do with some advice from my mum, I reckon.

My mum just helps me get stronger

and she's always got the right advice to tell me.

I've made an executive decision.

We're going to stay here tonight.

Try and get a cheap hotel. I think you will feel massively better.

Sue and Clare have arrived in Milan,

considered one of the fashion capitals of the world.

It's good to have covered some miles now.

I feel like we've actually got somewhere

because yesterday...

Just...it felt like we were taking one step forward, two steps back.

But there's no stopping to admire the fashionistas.

Platform 14. OK. Trains.

They're aiming for Venice

and, from there, to catch a ferry to Greece.

We haven't really found out any information about any boats,

but I think...

..it might be easier to find that out in Venice.

Lagging 270 miles behind them...

..Natalie and Shameema are in Lyon.

A sugary smell in the air.

Sweet smell of patisserie.

It's the gastronomic capital of France and they're looking to

pick up some paid work in the city's famous bouchons -

family-run brasseries.

Morning. So we are trying to get a job for the day.

Do you ladies know anyone that might need any help,

like, to do anything?

Good luck!

Thank you. Thank you.

Bye-bye.

People don't like people walking in, asking for jobs. Yeah.

I think I've got that sense of that.

Excuse me.

Do you know somebody that could give us a job for the day?

I don't know. I call my friend - he has a restaurant. OK. Cool.

Relying on the kindness of strangers.

OK. Oh, have you got a job?

Can I hug you?

Thank you!

Once again, the girls' strategy pays off...

Hi, I'm Natalie.

..as they secure a shift for ten euros each an hour.

Let's work it, baby.

Should I put some lipstick on?

You're serving, so you better do.

All right!

THEY LAUGH

You want coffee? Oui. Cafe? Two, please. S'il vous plait.

SHE GASPS

I mean, the car hire - what do you reckon?

I think, while we're in places where we can get there

on public transport, that's got to be cheaper. By reaching Milan,

race newcomers Tony and Elaine have completed the initial travel plan

they inherited from Jinda and Bindu.

Customer service. There you are, Tony.

Now they're on their own and looking to find a train to Bari,

on the heel of the boot of Italy.

95 a person to Bari.

That's like 200 euros. Yeah.

And we're going for the overnight one.

How much more expensive, for the sleeping, for one person?

70 euro more. 70 euro more.

Do we want to sleep in a bed?

No. We'll sleep in the seat.

I'm from Yorkshire. We're tight.

Anyway, we've not got enough euros, to be honest.

We've got next to nothing to spend,

right, and just, you know, being a Yorkshireman

with short arms and deep pockets,

right up our streets.

What can we get for five euros?

Cheapest pizza? Cheapest pizza is eight.

No, that's too much. Cheapest one's nine euro.

Pizza, water, and a coffee, all for seven euros. Happy days.

You like to do a pizza? Oh, yeah.

What's your name? Antonio.

Antonio! Oh, yes.

Oh, yeah. Clothes for you. Fantastic.

We worked as teachers for 40 years,

so we can communicate and hopefully this communication will transcend

any language barriers we come across.

Wahey!

I think age will be in our favour. We don't need a lot of sleep.

We don't eat a lot.

Wow.

One, two, three, hyaah!

It's a long race.

It's more of a marathon than a sprint.

Madame, here we go.

If we are the oldest contestants, then it would prove

what we think, deep down, that old people can do it.

I've made you... Dinner! First time in 40 years.

Oh, God, it's amazing.

140 miles further into Italy...

..Sue and Clare arrive in the floating city of Venice.

But rather than explore its 170 canals and 417 bridges...

..they have their sights set on getting a ferry across the Adriatic

and as near to Delphi as they can.

As cheaply as possible and fairly quickly.

For today? Yes.

From Venice, they are twice or three times a week.

Nothing today? There is tomorrow.

What time? At two o'clock.

Does it say how long that journey is?

Uh... It should be 36 hours.

36 hours? 36?

With the ferry to Petraeus not departing for 20 hours,

the girls can see the sights after all.

I've never been to Venice.

You wouldn't give us a one-minute ride for free?

Woo!

SHE LAUGHS

Oh, this is the life, isn't it?

As Clare spends half her year in Spain, this is the most time

they've spent together since their Interrailing days over 30 years ago.

So this is the partner in crime all those years ago

and we were unlikely friends because Sue was a little bit square.

It's those early days that really count, the youth clubs and the boys.

All of those silly things that you do together

have made our friendship.

So we went to Paros and that was a lovely young man.

Still remember his name well - who wouldn't? Konstantinos Panos.

He probably fancied me.

Can you take us to Greece?

Oh, do you know what? I think he was police. Was he? Yeah.

The race will be tough. There will be tough times.

I know. But I think it's strong enough to survive

anything, really, our friendship.

Oh...

I'm so glad that we've had the time to just come here.

In Budapest...

What's the cheapest twin room available to us? 60.

60 euros for the night.

It's the most expensive Eastern European country I've been in.

Darron and Alex have been struggling for three hours

to find a place to sleep...

I honestly don't think we're going to find a room tonight.

..and are facing the prospect of a night on the streets.

We'll sort something out.

It's getting cold now.

No room available.

OK. Thank you.

That's OK.

We'll sort something out.

I just feel like shit.

Do you want to try a coach first?

I don't care.

We've got to do... Sitting here's not going to achieve anything.

Having a bit of a breather, that's fine.

I'm at breaking point.

No, you'll be fine, Alex.

Just... It's a small hiccup, that's all it is.

I absolutely hate Budapest and I never want to come back.

It's been the worst day of my life.

Meanwhile, 400 miles due west...

Wow.

Good evening. Oh, look at this. Fantastic.

The smorgasbord is out. Are you hungry?

..Josh and Felix are sitting pretty.

A hard day's work has not only earned them a stash of cash...

It's nice to have you here. Yes. It's been lovely staying. Thank you.

..but also a free bed for the night.

Oh...

Oh... You know what? It's cosier than the couch.

Yeah. I would rather be here. I would much rather be here.

This is... I'd genuinely rather be here.

After a five-hour hunt and shelling out £68,

Darron and Alex finally find shelter for the night.

Oh, I'm buzzing! I'm absolutely buzzing.

You've got a bed.

I'm just so happy right now.

Act like you've never had a bed before. It feels like it.

It's been, what, three days? Yeah.

But it feels like it's been a month.

When people get upset, especially Alex,

I can't quite understand it.

Maybe it, maybe that's based on my lack of empathy

and I don't know,

but I need to try to...

..show a little more compassion and understanding for Alex

and what he's going through,

which is not going to be easy for me.

It's those what push through

which are going to be the ones what survive and win.

It's going to be fun. Yeah.

Having spent time working in Munich,

Josh and Felix are still 1,100 miles

from the Delphi checkpoint.

Seven hours on a high-speed train.

This is like the mental challenge of getting transport to transport,

or sitting on transport and not going mad.

To speed things up, they plan to travel 30 hours nonstop

on the fastest transport.

We're on a train to Budapest.

It cost 120 euros for both of us,

which is twice as expensive as the night train version,

which we could have got tonight.

We used the money that we earned on the farm for this train.

Settling in for the next seven hours. Jet train!

Speed boost! Speed past everybody.

As Josh and Felix fast-track it to Budapest...

Certainly been given a colourful paint job.

..just leaving, Darron and Alex.

Absolutely buzzing.

On our way to Serbia and we've gone for the risk.

We don't know where we go from Serbia!

They've decided to take the path less travelled,

heading through the Balkans.

Definitely feels coming off the beaten track.

The line we're going on is almost like some...

..forgotten part of the world.

We're just praying and hoping

that we can get straight to Greece tonight.

We don't want to be stuck in Serbia, go straight to Delphi from here.

Hopefully, there's going to be a connection.

Ticket office.

Hello.

We're looking for a train to Greece ASAP, really.

No trains?

No... No train whatsoever?

Oh, this ain't good.

So what exactly did she say?

She said that, after the 30th of September,

it doesn't go to Greece.

Let's try to think of the best way to do this.

There is potential for us to be stuck here with no way out. I know.

With Darron and Alex in danger of getting stuck

600 miles from Delphi....

I tell you what, this is going to be a totally different ferry

to anything we've been on before because it is just full of truckers.

..closing in, Tony and Elaine,

and Natalie and Shameema.

That is our ferry.

Both teams have motored down from Milan to ports in southern Italy

and Natalie and Shameema are on the faster crossing.

We're going to Greece, baby!

But Tony and Elaine have a plan to save time and money

when they get to the other side.

We're hoping one of the truck drivers will give us a free lift

from Patras up to Delphi.

We're trying to get to this place, Delphi. Do you know...?

Do you know where this is?

Delphi?

No? No?

No chance?

Can you go to Delphi?

Yeah? No Delphi. Athens.

Athens.

Oh, here we go.

Yeah, yeah.

Even if we don't get a lift, I'm happy!

Grazie.

We will fly to Delphi.

LAUGHTER

We'll get there, Sue. We'll get there.

Also heading across the Adriatic Sea - Sue and Clare,

halfway through their 36-hour voyage.

We could have done it quite a lot quicker, actually, I suppose.

But how boring is it, you know, just sitting on a bus?

It's about a journey.

It's about recapturing a little bit of me, this,

with my best friend, Sue.

The trip that we did before - I've got a few photos here.

You with your dungarees.

Thought they were wonderful.

Oh, well, of course...

Go on, then. I know you like saying it, Clare. Say the name.

Konstantinos Panos.

I think it was only because we had matching shorts that he liked me.

I feel a little bit of, you know, the young Clare, the free Clare.

I feel like crying. It's, like, really emotional for me, really.

After several hours stuck in Belgrade,

Darron and Alex took the first available bus south

and have landed in Skopje, Macedonia.

What's your opinion, Alex?

I think we should get a taxi.

Not willing to risk another delay,

they commit to their biggest spend so far.

We need to go to Greece.

For 120 euros? 120. Right.

Is it possible to swing by the Alexander the Great statue?

Yes. OK. No problem.

En route, Darron insists on a quick detour.

If it wasn't for him you may have had a different name.

Alex was genuinely named after Alexander the Great

and his achievement.

Alexander conquered a large part of the known world at the time

in his 20s - done Greece, Persia, commanded it all.

If you think, you can't even make your own bed.

Look what he did at that age.

He enjoys this sort of stuff

and I'm not normally keen on this sort of stuff,

but maybe, after spending time together and bonding,

we are seeing similarities which we didn't know.

As father and son share a historical moment together,

Josh and Felix have edged ahead of them

after enduring a marathon 450-mile bus ride.

They've now crossed the Macedonian border into Greece

and are looking for a shortcut

to the checkpoint.

We've hit a problem. Really?

We're trying to get to Delphi. Our original plan was to go to Athens

and get the bus back.

Do you know if there is any other way to get to Delphi

without having to go to Athens, essentially?

So I think, if you go to Athens, you make kind of a big detour.

Athens is 100 miles south of Delphi.

Sticking to their current plan

will take them three hours out of their way.

Yeah?

THEY LAUGH

You're our hero!

That's amazing. You couldn't do that on the internet.

Back in their taxi, Darron and Alex are hot on their heels.

We're in Greece. Very, very close.

I can smell the competitors close by.

The sooner a team reaches the checkpoint, the sooner

they can leave on the next leg of the journey.

I think there's a very strong possibility

we're going to be in Delphi tonight.

So every second counts.

Goodbye.

Thanks, man. So, yeah.

Good luck, guys. Thank you so much.

Excuse me, sir. Are you going to Delphi?

Delphi? No, I don't think this is it.

Did our friend phone you?

Delphi?

I know.

Can we buy a map so that we could hike there?

I mean, it's 60km - it's going to can take two days.

Thessaloniki, 150 miles from the checkpoint.

First time we've seen Delphi.

You have tickets? No, we want to buy tickets.

What's your name? Alex.

Alexander. Alexander. The Great?

Ish, yes!

38 each. 76 euro.

My ticket. We're going to Delphi.

Buzzing, absolutely buzzing!

Delphi? No.

Oh...

Maybe we should hitchhike.

Come on. It's not it.

No? I don't know.

It's indicating... Yeah, yeah, yeah.

That's it!

HORN TOOTS Yes. Yes!

Hi.

Thank you for being our saviour.

Our ability to follow a hunch and take risks is one of our strengths.

Ingenuity, local knowledge...

Lateral thinking. ..lateral thinking and dedication to, like, our quest

that's really come to the fore.

Here! This is it...

Making their last connection, Darron and Alex...

Thank you.

I'm saying our place is either second or third,

but obviously you'd like to be first.

I don't think we're last.

..whilst two of the teams are still at sea.

We've got no idea where the other teams are... No.

..and I hope we're not coming in last.

We're still talking to each other.

That's not bad, after a week, is it? Yeah, no, it isn't.

Sue and Clare

and Tony and Elaine...

What's that like as a pillow?

..won't reach the checkpoint tonight.

Luxury.

# We're in Greece! #

But Natalie and Shameema have hit dry land...

Buses seem impossible.

..and despite no public transport leaving at this hour...

What about if we hired a car?

..they're not giving up just yet.

Hello. Hello, how are you?

Is there any car for hire today?

We need to get to Delphi.

How much is your rates?

140. 140?!

I know those negotiation tactics.

No, no. We have no driver for you.

No driver?

Do you want us to buy you a coffee or tea?

Great, so do you want to buy us a tea or coffee?

Darron and Alex arrive in Delphi.

Their GPS tracker tells them the exact location of the checkpoint...

Hotel Amalia Delphi.

..a mile away, on the other side of town.

Right, let's ask people. Go.

No, no, no. These, run. Excuse me.

Can tell me where Hotel Amalia is round here?

OK. Alex.

Alex!

Come on.

Headless chicken.

We found a driver.

You found a driver?!

Oh. Got a shiver.

He's not killing people. I know!

We're going to Delphi!

Dad, it's here!

After six days...

It's here. Oh, fantastic.

..and 1,900 miles, their first checkpoint.

Hello. Hello, welcome to Amalia.

We'd like to check in, please.

Where did we finish?

Each team must sign in to find out its position in the race.

Second. Oh, damn.

Hey! Hello!

Congratulations.

Thought we'd give you a chance on the first leg.

THEY LAUGH

Thank you. Thank you very much.

We did say you are our biggest competitors - in the thing.

We said it's between us four.

Well, the game is afoot.

You've won the first leg,

but we'll win the important one at the end.

Fighting talk.

Last one to Singapore buys the beers.

Yeah.

We're here! Oh, my gosh.

Hello!

While Natalie and Shameema take third place...

..two teams still have some way to go.

It's just one decision, one trip, that could change everything.

I expect it to get far more intense, far tougher...

..and far more exciting.

All is still to play for...

This storm is coming.

Fast, fast, fast...

..over the remaining 10,000 miles.

It's a lot further than we think.

..to Singapore.

Well, we're fucked. Looks like we're staying here.

It's a crazy, wacky, woopy place.

This shit just got real.

Shut up.

Next time...

Good to meet you.

..the teams leave Delphi...

The next checkpoint is Baku. OK.

..for Azerbaijan.

"The team that reaches there in fifth place will be eliminated."

The sword of doom hanging over our heads now.

Now I'm going to start playing dirty. Are you?

It's Baku...

No euro. No euro, pound. Oh, it's problem.

..or bust.

That's it, that's it! Come on!

I want to carry on.

I'm not ready to finish yet.