Race Across Asia

Leg 1: Sapporo, Japan → Nara, Japan

Having checked in at the Gokoku shrine the race started in earnest at 2 pm from Odori Park in the city of Sapporo on the northernmost Japanese island of Hokkaido, with the first leg finishing 1,600 kilometres (990 mi) south in the old imperial capital, Nara, on the main island of Honshu.

Three teams took a train to the nearby port of Tomakomai. Eugenie & Isabel managed to catch an overnight ferry across the Tsugaru Strait to Sendai, whilst both Brydie & Sharon and Betty & James took the last ferry of the night to Hachinohe. The next day, Brydie & Sharon headed towards Tokyo, while Betty & James caught a train to Sendai, on the east coast of Honshu. Already in Sendai, Eugenie & Isabel took a bus to Niigata on the west coast. Betty & James took an excursion to Matsushima Bay before heading to Tokyo to work cleaning rickshaws.

Alfie & Owen were the first pair to reach the capital having arrived by bus where they witnessed a baby crying contest at the Naki Sumo festival before continuing to Mount Fuji by bus. The pair then backtracked to Tokyo before heading to Kyoto.

Meanwhile Stephen & Viv visited an Onsen in Aomori before heading to Tokyo and onward to a job harvesting wasabi at a farm in Hotaka. One of the farmers then dropped the pair at Matsumoto station where the pair caught a train to Kashihara, just south of Nara. In Tokyo, Brydie & Sharon took a train to Toba to wait on tables at a restaurant run by the local Ama women, whilst Betty & James proceeded directly to Osaka.

Eugenie & Isabel took a ferry to the small island of Sado in the Sea of Japan to visit the Myosenji Buddhist temple. Once back on Honshu they caught a bus to Kanazawa and then a train to Nara.

Leg 2: Nara, Japan → Sokcho, South Korea

The race restarted on day 7 to Sokcho in South Korea, a country which could only be reached by taking a ferry across the Korea Strait, from Hakata on the Japanese island of Kyushu to the port city of Busan.

Betty & James were the only team to cross onto the island of Shikoku (via the Great Naruto Bridge), where they helped trim some Japanese Acers to be used as garnish on Japanese food. Brydie & Sharon had gone directly to Okayama to work aboard a fishing boat on the Seto Inland Sea.

Alfie & Owen made their way to Kobe where the latter wanted to sample the famous Kobe beef. Afterwards the pair checked into a capsule hotel for the night. 

Stephen & Viv headed to northern Kansai in search of work repairing a thatched roof in exchange for bed and board.  Afterwards the pair backtracked to Osaka and caught an overnight bus to Hiroshima. Already in Hiroshima were Eugenie & Isabel. There they paid their respects at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park after which they did a one hour shift in an Okonomiyaki restaurant.

On arrival in South Korea, Alfie & Owen immediately commenced traversing up the Korean peninsula by buses hugging the eastern seaboard, whereas Eugenie & Isabel replenished funds by working at the Jagalchi Fish Market alongside the Ajummas (old lady vendors). When the other three teams finally made it to Busan, Betty & James caught the last bus to Seoul but Brydie & Sharon opted to spend a night in the city before making their way to Daejeon the next day to work collecting chestnuts. 

On day 11 Eugenie & Isabel finally headed to Sokcho on a direct bus service, whilst Alfie & Owen were killing time by visiting Haesindang Park in Samcheok. In Sokcho the teams were advised to take a taxi to the Seokbong Ceramics Museum of Art. From there it was onto the Cheongchojeong and finally to the checkpoint.

Leg 3: Hanoi, Vietnam → Phnom Penh, Cambodia

The race restarted on days 14 and 15 when the teams were transferred by air to Hanoi in Vietnam. It was revealed that the checkpoint was in Phnom Penh, capital city of Cambodia, 2,000 kilometres (1,200 mi) to the south, and that the team finishing last on this leg would be eliminated.

All of the teams decided to head south towards Da Nang. Three teams aimed for Ho Chi Minh City whilst the other two opted for the Lo Thanh – Ou Ya Dav border crossing near Pleiku in the central highlands.

First to leave, having lost their map and still in need of replenishing their budget, Eugenie & Isabel decided to initially make for Ninh Binh by bus to work washing motorcycles. Not soon after Alfie & Owen started their journey to Ho Chi Minh City by catching an overnight train to Da Nang. The next day both Betty & James and Stephen & Viv also headed there by the cheaper but somewhat ironically, faster bus. In Da Nang, Betty & James caught up to Eugenie & Isabel when both teams found themselves at the same bus station headed to Pleiku. 

Meanwhile, Stephen & Viv continued onto Nha Trang from Da Nang by rail on their way to Ho Chi Minh City. Arriving after 30 hours, the pair took time to recuperate at the local mud baths before heading first to Da Lat where they stayed overnight in a glamping tent before working a shift picking coffee beans on a coffee plantation for their bed and board and then onto Ho Chi Minh City by bus where they hoped to catch an onward connection to Chau Doc. In Chau Doc, they learnt of a ferry that traversed up the Mekong River to Phnom Penh but needed to take a taxi to catch it.

Having detoured through Hoi An, once in Ho Chi Minh City, Alfie & Owen worked in a nightclub, whereas Brydie & Sharon headed further south to Can Tho to work at a floating market before taking a taxi to the border. The former pair crossed into Cambodia at the border village of Kaam Samnor and hitched a lift to the capital.  The last pair to arrive were Brydie & Sharon and therefore eliminated.

Leg 4: Phnom Penh, Cambodia → Mae Sariang, Thailand

After receiving blessings at a buddhist temple in Phnom Penh the teams learnt their next checkpoint was 870 miles away in Mae Sariang in the Shan Highlands of Thailand.

Alfie & Owen headed straight for the border at Poipet whilst Eugenie & Isabel travelled to the shores of Tonle Sap Lake where they visited a floating village and caught Siamese Mud Carp. After a hair-raising lost passport scare, Betty & James took a bus to Siem Reap where incredibly they missed the attractions of Angkor Wat and made for the border crossing at O Smach and into the rural Isan region of Thailand.

Stephen & Viv headed for Battambang and took a side trip to the Phnom Sampeau Caves to see the carvings of the Buddha and the immense bat colony that calls them home. After a couple of mishaps Owen & Alfie got to Khao Yai National Park where they caught up with the local wildlife including Sambar deer and wild elephants and trekked to the Haew Suwat falls.

Stephen & Viv made their way to Lampang to work at a horse stables, before arriving in Chiang Mai, while Betty and James, travelled through the province of Roi Et, helping out at a farm tending water buffalo. Eugenie & Isabel caught buses to Phitsanulok, visiting the Ban Khlong Water lily park, and having a tiff before travelling on to Chiang Mai.

Owen & Alfie found got stuck after a thrilling rafting trip on the Khek River meaning they arrived last to the final checkpoint. Stephen & Viv arrived first upending the leaderboard.

Leg 5: Mae Sariang, Thailand → Koh Phi Phi, Thailand

On day 27, the race restarted from Mae Sariang, with all four teams transiting through the capital, Bangkok, en route to the checkpoint in the Phi Phi Islands some 1,500 kilometres (930 mi) to the south.

First to leave, Stephen & Viv, managed to hitch a lift as far as Chiang Mai en route to their first stop, Rangsit, on the outskirts of Bangkok to work at a duck farm. Betty & James also headed to Chiang Mai and watched some Muay Thai and visited Wat Phra That Doi Suthep whilst in the city. Eugenie & Isabel chose Mae Sot as their stepping stone to the capital, but decided to take a side trip to the Erawan Falls in the Kanchanburi province once they reached Nakhon Sawan. At the falls the Doctor fish provided a new experience for the pair.

Alfie & Owen, disappointed with finishing last on the previous leg, wanted to hurry directly to Bangkok, but found themselves stranded for another day waiting for seat space on the bus service. They made use of the down time by working alongside the housekeeping department at a hotel.

In Bangkok Stephen & Viv decided to head for Khanom on the east coast by train to see some rare pink dolphins in the Gulf of Thailand. When Alfie & Owen eventually arrived into the capital, they opted to make Surat Thani their next port of call but had over nine hours to kill, so took the opportunity to visit Wat Pho and see the giant reclining buddha before heading south to work making a type of Nam phrik in Tha Khoei.

Betty & James also opted to replenish funds, selecting a job opportunity in Kaset Phatthana at a Guava farm. Eugenie & Isabel chose a night bus from the capital directly to Krabi. With the Phi Phi archipelago only accessible by marine transport from either Phuket or Krabi, Betty & James opted for Phuket whilst the other three teams chose Krabi and a service across the Andaman Sea.

Stephen & Viv chose the slower two-hour ferry crossing in order to preserve funds as opposed to the 45-minute hop in a speedboat which was twice the price. Having caught them up, Alfie & Owen also chose the same service, mistakingly confident that if it came to a foot race against Stephen & Viv, the odds would be in their favour. Meanwhile in Phuket, Betty & James splashed out for a speedboat crossing, a decision that would prove decisive.

On arrival in Ko Phi Phi Don, the teams were instructed to take a long-tail boat from Bay View Beach to Shark Point and the checkpoint. Betty & James arrived first with a margin of 14 minutes. Eugenie & Isabel were the last team to arrive a little over two hours later.

Leg 6: Koh Phi Phi, Thailand → Bukittinggi, Indonesia

On day 34, the race recommenced from Ko Phi Phi Don, Thailand with the sixth leg finishing 2,000 kilometres (1,200 mi) to the south in Bukittinggi, Indonesia.[17]

The three leading teams chose to hop across the Andaman Sea via the islands of Ko Lipe and Langkawi, with only Eugenie & Isabel backtracking to the Thai mainland and choosing an overland route. On Ko Lipe, Betty & James replenished funds at a diving school and Stephen & Viv worked a shift at a bar. Alfie & Owen leapfrogged ahead to Langkawi for their money earning opportunity at Hutan Bakau Kubang Badak (Kubang Badak Mangrove Reserve), replanting mangrove trees and clearing the beach of litter.

On arrival in Langkawi, Stephen & Viv made a plan to head for George Town on the island of Penang to see the colonial architecture, whilst Alfie & Owen pressed onward to Kuala Kedah on the mainland and then headed directly to catch an overnight bus to the capital, Kuala Lumpur, where they took an excursion to see the Petronas Towers.

Already on the mainland, Eugenie & Isabel opted for a homestay in Kampong Pulau Belantik, where they received bed and board in exchange for working at a rice plantation. They then decided to travel to Ipoh for another work opportunity, this time labouring on a pomelo farm. Betty & James also passed through Ipoh on their way to the village of Bagan Sungai Burong where they helped out on a fishing boat. On arrival, they realised once again that they had been careless with their passports. After backtracking to the bus station, once again lady luck smiled on them and they were reunited with their belongings.

All four teams ultimately took the ferry across the Strait of Malacca from the port in Malacca City to Dumai on the east coast of Sumatra. Two teams found themselves neck and neck from Malacca City all the way to the Pekanbaru.

After travelling across the island of Sumatra, the teams reached Bukittinggi on the west coast of the island, where they were instructed to take an angkot to the Jam Gadang (big clock) tower. Alfie & Owen were the first to reach the checkpoint at Padi Ecolodge, with the other teams arriving a day later due to the lack of an evening ferry.

Leg 7: Bukittinggi, Indonesia → Jakarta, Indonesia

Before the race recommenced, Owen celebrated his 21st birthday a day early in Bukittinggi by being egged and floured in the traditional Indonesian way before he and Alfie recommenced their race on day 40.

The next checkpoint was revealed to be the nation's capital, Jakarta, on the island of Java, approximately 1,300 kilometres (810 mi) to the south. The duo opted to stick to the western coast and initially headed to Padang to assist some local fishermen in exchange for bed and board before catching a nineteen-hour bus to Bengkulu to earn some more money, this time cleaning surfboards. They were rewarded with a free surfing lesson, before they had to depart on another long-distance bus, this time to Bandar Lampung.

On day 41, the three remaining teams departed the checkpoint. Eugenie & Isabel commandeered a pre-booked taxi belonging to Stephen & Viv to the local bus station where they made the decision to pay for a car to take them to the regency of Dharmasraya instead of hanging around for the scheduled bus. Both Betty & James and Stephen & Viv headed for Sungai Pagu on the same seven-hour angkot service where they parted company.

The siblings went onto a money earning opportunity making bricks whilst Stephen & Viv took advantage of a homestay in a traditional Rumah Gadang property with its distinctive gonjong roof, before moving onto Sungai Penuh for another homestay and work on the host families' cinnamon farm. Eugenie & Isabel also took advantage of a Sumatran homestay and helped their host family who were in the business of Batik production. They then ventured south on a 20-hour bus ride to Palembang, where they worked a shift serving Pempek, a popular deep-fried fishcake. Due to the lack of spoken English, Betty & James accidentally found themselves travelling backwards for three hours to Solok near Bukittinggi, but were fortunate to find an overnight bus to the coal-mining town of Muara Enim, where they took another opportunity to replenish funds, this time working in a restaurant that specialised in Tahu sumedang. Betty opened up about her MRKH diagnosis at the age of 16, and how it had shaped her life. The siblings headed next to Bandar Lampung by bus, a waypoint Eugenie & Isabel had splashed out on a taxi to reach.

Having already reached Bandar Lampung, Alfie & Owen also splashed out on their first taxi of the leg, to the ferry terminal at Bakauheni. They crossed the Sunda Strait to the Port of Merak and wasted no time in pressing onward to Jakarta, unaware Eugenie & Isabel were now less than half an hour behind them. In Jakarta the teams were instructed to take a bus from Gelora Bung Karno station to Karet Sudirman and then onto the checkpoint by foot at the Orient Hotel. Alfie & Owen maintained their lead arriving first once again, but Eugenie & Isabel had narrowed the time differential between first and second place down to just 12 minutes.

Leg 8: Jakarta, Indonesia → Gili Meno, Indonesia

The final leg of the race began on day 46, only a few hours after the arrival of Stephen & Viv at the Orient hotel in Jakarta, with Alfie & Owen finding out that the initial destination would be Bangsal on the island of Lombok, 1,400 kilometres (870 mi) to the east.

They decided to stick to the northern coast of Java and head first to Semarang. A strategy also employed by Eugenie & Isabel. After bumping into each other at Pasar Senen railway station, Alfie & Owen decided to put some distance between themselves and the ladies by catching an overnight train to Surabaya instead.

When Eugenie & Isabel reached Semarang, they were prevented from travelling to Malang until the next morning so they took the opportunity to take in the sights including Blenduk church and the Sam Poo Kong shrine. Betty & James only had 6% of their budget left and decided on the northern coast of Java too, but made Cirebon their first stop to top up funds at a salt farm on the coast at Pangenan.

However, what little earnings they made had to be offset with their overnight accommodation costs. The only team to take the more touristy southern route were Stephen & Viv, who with the healthiest budget decided to forgo any work opportunities and headed to Yogyakarta via Bandung where they went to see the nearby stratovolcano of Tangkuban Perahu.

In Surabaya, Alfie & Owen headed onto Malang, but not before detouring to the local airport by bus and taxi to exchange all their remaining funds into Indonesian rupiahs. When the two leading teams arrived in Malang, they both decided to head to the port of Ketapang to cross the Bali Strait to Gilimanuk. In the downtime between transport connections, Eugenie & Isabel visited the Jodipan neighbourhood with its colourful houses where they discovered Alfie & Owen painting the properties to earn extra cash.

On reaching the island of Bali, both the leading teams raced straight across the island by splurging on taxis to Padangbai to catch a ferry across the Lombok Strait. Eugenie & Isabel were tipped off by a local of another team having passed through the port earlier. Deflated, the mother and daughter duo took a service to Lembar and then proceeded by taxi to Bangsal, which is exactly what Alfie & Owen had done four hours earlier.

Having arrived in the dead of night, the best friends were unable to take a boat to Gili Meno, a small island offshore, as instructed until services resumed the next morning, by which time Eugenie & Isabel had caught up. At the masjid on the island, the teams were directed to Seri Resort and the finish line on the beach. Alfie & Owen arrived first, after fifty days on the road and with just 1% of their budget remaining, beating Eugenie & Isabel by just eight minutes. Betty & James arrived a day later almost completely out of funds. Stephen & Viv also arrived on day 51, just over thirty hours after the winning pair.