I’m not really into reality TV. So when my sister, who works in TV, said I must watch a new reality TV show, I wasn’t so sure. But, it’s about travelling, and when she told me the premise, I thought it did sound interesting.
Brief summary of Race Across the World: Five pairs have to get to a certain destination in the world without taking planes, without using smart phones, and using a set amount of money — how much the airfare would cost to the destination from London. It’s a race. First pair to arrive win money.
There are many reasons I love the show.
Relationships
Firstly, you actually care about the contestants. Let’s be honest, this isn’t always the case with reality TV shows. I know the BBC will pick pairs who are interesting and have a relationship that people will like to watch, father-son, siblings, married couples etc. But, as the show unfolds, you see their relationships change and learn a lot about these people.
As many long term travellers know, travelling can make or break relationships. I met one girl in Cambodia who was with her best friend but was so tired of travelling with her that she wanted to go off on her own for a while. Some couples we’ve met are now not together. Travelling really brings out emotions and situations that you wouldn’t have at home.
The show does a great job of reflecting the strain on relationships, but also the joys of teamwork and sharing moments together. In the current series, I think you can also see the bonds between the teams, particularly the younger travellers.
Highs and Lows
The show does an excellent job of truly showing the nitty gritty experiences of travel. It’s not all blue sky Instagram photos. It’s being stuck on a boat for three days, 18-hour couch journeys, and hunting for somewhere to stay in countries where you know little of the local language. It demonstrates the highs and lows so beautifully.
It also has some amazing videography of stunning landscapes and vibrant cities, as well as showing the political issues, poverty, and so many other struggles that lots of countries face.
Kindness
The final reason I really love the show is that it highlights one of the truths I have come to believe about the world: people are kind. As you watch the travellers interact with people, you can see that overwhelmingly, people across the world are kind, welcoming, and willing to help.
This doesn’t mean that travellers haven’t had experiences with people ripping them off, having things stolen, or any of the other horrible stories that all travellers inevitably have. But, wherever you go, there will always be people willing to help.
Get Watching
We’re all currently stuck in lockdown. If you want something to watch that will definitely give you some wanderlust and make you feel good about the world, watch Race Across the World.
Series one is on BBC iPlayer and series two is currently on every Sunday on BBC2 at 8pm (just two episodes left). It might help you plan your next adventure!