Race across the world, S2

[Terzo123]

Series 2 of Race across the world has not long started on BBC2. The first series was excellent.

This time it's a race from Mexico City to the south of Argentina.

[MJK 24]

If it’s half as good as last time, it’ll be great tv.

[llewop]

Good so far, bonus for us being we visited a fair few of the places they passed through in Mexico when we toured there some years back.

Clearly getting by in Spanish is going to be essential!

Interested to see if the Darian gap ends up being like Caspian Sea last time with them all converging on the same ship.

[nicanary]

They all seem to want to take in some sight-seeing. Not the point, surely?

[llewop]

nicanary said:

They all seem to want to take in some sight-seeing. Not the point, surely?

Some of the sight seeing was killing time for their next bus or whatever, but yes, getting on with it, particularly early on to not get eliminated (if they do that again) would seem the essential essence of it.

I was hoping the odd job distractions would be dropped, but I guess they need to stretch the budget.

[Bluedot]

Loved the first series, good start to the second.

[Robertj21a]

Yes, good series. I think I recall that they are indeed dropping the last arrival at the staging point again.

[Sir Bagalot]

Much better that The Amazing Race.

Thought tonights episode got off to a great start

[droopsnoot]

I didn't watch the first series but this seemed quite good, not as annoying as I find most reality stuff. I am no world traveller, but having been told that Pueblo was 2 hours out of Mexico City, why would anyone think it had a metro station? Unless the two-hours bit was only on the voiceover.

[Caher]

Fascinating and beautiful part of the world. Me and a g/f did similar 15 years ago.

[FunkyNige]

Really enjoyed the first series, hope this one is as good.
I did find it a bit odd that none of them decided to learn ‘Where is the bus station?’ in Spanish after they found out they were starting in Mexico City.

[borcy]

Just caught up with first episode, looks as good as the first series which I thought was really good.

[ColdoRS]

Loved the first series and watched the first episode of the current series last night. Enjoyed it.

Anyone know whether the rules explicitly state that you can’t buy a vehicle?
For £1450 or whatever they had, surely they could pick up a cheap van in Mexico City - save as much as possible for fuel and food and bribes as the borders etc... and just sleep in the back of it? Take shifts driving and they’d be there in a day

I guess that in the interests of good tv, the above isn’t permitted.

[indigochim]

Just watched this too, looks like a good laugh and as above for a reality TV show no one appears to be a complete drama queen yet.

[llewop]

ColdoRS said:

Loved the first series and watched the first episode of the current series last night. Enjoyed it.

Anyone know whether the rules explicitly state that you can’t buy a vehicle?
For £1450 or whatever they had, surely they could pick up a cheap van in Mexico City - save as much as possible for fuel and food and bribes as the borders etc... and just sleep in the back of it? Take shifts driving and they’d be there in a day

I guess that in the interests of good tv, the above isn’t permitted.

It probably isn’t permitted in the rules, but in any case it wouldn’t work for this route:

https://en.m.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Darien_Gap

[nicanary]

I thoiught it was odd that you couldn't get a direct bus from Mexico City to the capital of the neighbouring country. It's easy enough to get a coach from London to any number of European capitals. They had to use very circuitous routes.

PS Belize looks nice, Very laid back, like a Caribbean island.

[Blink982]

The first series was one of my favourite tv shows from last year. I only caught up with ep1 of Series 2 just now so will have to watch the next one on iPlayer. I thoroughly enjoyed the first episode and hopefully, despite being set in a continent that more or less speaks one language will keep us gripped just like the first series. It’s the only “reality” show I can put up with.

[anonymous-user]

llewop said:

It probably isn’t permitted in the rules, but in any case it wouldn’t work for this route:

https://en.m.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Darien_Gap

Unless they can afford a classic Rangie.... ;-)

[Robertj21a]

I wonder if they are allowed to buy a map - presumably not.

[Bluedot]

Robertj21a said:

I wonder if they are allowed to buy a map - presumably not.

I wondered that and assumed the same.

Thought the couple that lost their money wimped out a bit early, why not work as much as poss and keep going till you just run out of money ?
Thats what they seemed to suggest they were going to do, then they just announced they were leaving and that was it.

Great series though, really easy watching on a Sunday evening.