Original subtitles

Reaching the other side of the world

has never been easier.

But by flying over,

are we forgetting how to travel through?

Mexico City...

North America's largest Metropolis,

to ushuaia, Argentina,

the most southerly city in the world.

Twenty hours by plane.

But could you travel the length of Latin America

without boarding a single flight

and all for the price of the air fare?

What have we got ourselves into?

Five pairs of ordinary brits

are attempting just that.

Let's go!

They will cover over 25,000 kilometers

at ground level...

Moments I guess you'll remember for the rest of your life.

In a demanding...

Don't cry, because you get weak.

And challenging race.

It's no good here.

Which soars high into the andes...

Crosses vast deserts...

And goes deep into the jungle.

Come on, what's next?

They must negotiate volatile regions...

We'll be out with a gun.

...Without the help of smartphones...

Bank cards, and with a limited budget.

Got no Google maps, got no mom,

got no food.

Have they got what it takes

both physically...

Can someone call an ambulance?

If you're flying, you don't really meet

the real people of these countries.

And emotionally?

He is quite clearly

changing for the better.

You need a miracle to get out of here.

I feel like this has brought us closer together.

The rewards are great.

This is crazy good.

The first team to the finish line

will claim the prize of £20,000...

In a race across the world.

Let's go, let's go.

Vamos, vamos!

Excitement, adventure, trauma.

Oh, my god.

Previously...

Come on.

Five teams set off on their epic journey.

First checkpoint is copan ruinas.

God, should have gone to the toilet before starting.

Mother and son Jo and Sam raced hard.

- Why are you running? - I don't know.

...to reach copan ruinas

ahead of the pack.

Oh, my god, we're first!

...With a three-hour lead

over bickering brother and sister,

dom and Lizzie.

Just let me be angry sometimes.

Have to pull ourselves together.

But, dom, it's just frustrating.

Despite splashing the cash...

- One sixty. - Yeah? Good one.

Uncle and nephew eman and jamiul

found themselves high and dry in Belize...

We don't have any more spaces.

Oh, no.

...While for Michael and shuntelle...

Yes, I should've negotiated straight around with you, but I didn't.

...And Jen and Rob...

It's gonna break me.

A tropical storm left them stranded

just short of the checkpoint.

I'm really dressed for this type of weather.

This is awful.

I think we're just gonna have to take the hit.

With the weather clearing...

Come on.

Hola amigo.

We're here to check in.

Two more teams reach the checkpoint.

- Third. - Oh!

So pleased we've beat Michael and shuntelle.

He's gonna be furious.

He's gonna be so mad.

I can't wait to see their faces.

- We're fourth. - Fourth.

Wow.

- Not good enough. - Yeah. Gutted.

I know how he feels already.

Um, nothing but winning is best for him.

While the teams rest...

One is still to arrive.

Ha!

Uncle and nephew, eman and jamiul.

Almost 33 hours behind the leaders.

Uh, clarion hotel?

Good price?

Bueno. Muy bueno.

Hello there. Hola.

- Can you please sign here? - Yes, we can.

Do you know what's that?

Damn.

Me and my uncle, we're at bit of a disadvantage.

We do know each other the least.

I think we gotta think smart.

I'm feeling eager and ready to get into the next leg.

We're not the underdogs.

We're like Leicester city when the won the premiership.

Uh, we're leaving today.

6:00 am,

teams can only leave the checkpoint

in the order they arrived.

In first place, mother and son, Jo and Sam.

- Ah, Panama City. - You're right.

Panama City,

a hub of international banking and commerce,

with its skyline of glass and steel skyscrapers,

and colonial old town of cobblestone streets

and crumbled ruins.

To reach the second checkpoint 1800 kilometers away,

teams will have to travel

through at least four central American countries,

navigating multiple borders, currencies,

cultures and customs.

Let's have a look...

And plan.

But first, whether to travel

through Honduras or El Salvador?

If we go to El Salvador,

we'll see more countries,

'cause last time, we missed out Belize.

And El Salvador,

it's untouched.

We'll also see some wildlife.

Jo and Sam's detour through El Salvador

will mean navigating two extra borders,

but with some of the fastest roads in Central America,

they could further their advantage.

First leg, I thought we'd see more...

We did.

Maybe we need to look at our route

and take in more things,

but still race.

Are you ready?

No.

The taxi is the clarion bus.

Yeah, well, get in.

Oh, god. Back on the race.

We're going on a bus to San Salvador, direct.

This is the most uncomfortable seat.

Hello.

Her hands are so small.

Tiny hands.

Your hands were...

You were almost that size when you were a baby.

You know what they say, mom,

big hands, big gloves.

Sam's always wanted to travel,

but he struggled as a child with adhd.

Basically, how it affects the brain is the wiring is just off.

Some connections just don't connect.

But he's now at a stage where he can cope with that.

Hopefully, he'll find the wings

to carry on traveling himself,

and I'm sure this will give him confidence to do that.

Two hours from the El Salvador border,

a problem.

Ah, this is just not what we need.

I've got a hyperactive brain.

It doesn't stop.

I struggle to sleep.

It takes me a while to go to sleep

at night as well, because I'm now thinking

constantly.

Not about the right stuff, about everything.

Constantly thinking.

Being through, like, four, five schools,

and, like, four colleges,

most people call me an idiot,

but you can say what you want.

At the end of the day,

you're not me and I'm not you. We're all different.

Yeah, I don't think that looks too good.

I did a level one mechanics in college.

Um...

But it's obviously not working,

because I've no clue what's gone wrong.

Everything all right?

Senor.

- Yeah? - Yes, yes, yes, yes.

Good, good.

Panama City.

- I know where that is. - Yeah.

Next to leave the checkpoint,

three and a half hours behind the leaders,

brother and sister, dom and Lizzie.

El Salvador sounds cool.

It doesn't particularly interest me.

It's quite nice to go so we're bit off to being in track.

It's an extra border to cross.

We should bypass El Salvador,

and then arrive in in Costa Rica,

we can really enjoy ourselves.

Taxi to copan ruinas.

It does get really frustrating

that dom dominates on situations

and dominates our choices.

And it's been like this my whole life.

He doesn't let me have my voice.

Dom and Lizzie have chosen to skip El Salvador.

With no direct buses through Honduras,

they will need to bus hop from village to village

in order to reach Nicaragua.

Do you know where the bus station?

Two corners, one block,

- and... straight down. - Straight down.

So I thought the driver said the bus is

two blocks down...

That's not what I heard.

He said, two blocks down, turn left,

and then turn right, and go straight down.

- Well, we'll see, won't we? - Okay.

Dominic has always relied on his charm.

He gets away with murder.

His friends can't believe the amount of things he gets away with.

The amount of people I've met being like, "dom is such a wonderful boy.

He's so lovely." And I just think,

you don't really know dom, do you?

11:50 or three o'clock. We'll just have to ask.

Hola.

Um...

- Is this an office? - Si.

We're trying to get a bus to Santa Rosa De copan.

- Three o'clock. - Two hundred.

So that's now a four-hour wait.

Jo and Sam have arrived in El Salvador.

Bueno.

Muchas gracias.

Years of civil war and political unrest

mean that El Salvador, the smallest country in Central America,

has remained largely unknown to the outside world.

But now, travelers are beginning to discover

its picture postcard colonial towns

and unspoiled beaches.

With a budget of close to just £26 a day,

the teams will need to work

to earn extra cash to make it to the ushuaia.

We've got ourselves a job at the turtle sanctuary.

I can't wait to see the turtles.

Jo and Sam have arranged to work

at a hostel in El cuco

on El Salvador's pacific coast.

It will be really good.

This is what this trip's all about, isn't it?

With the sea turtle population under threat

due to poaching,

local projects like this are trying to help

with the survival of the species.

This is a frigatebird.

Hi, honey.

They're met by Tom, owner of the hostel.

Tonight, you're actually going to go out on the beach

where the turtle gathers.

You're the first one to grab those eggs

- and you make, like, $30. - Oh, wow.

We buy more than 10,000 turtle eggs a year.

So what would happen if you weren't buying them?

They'd be taking them down to the restaurants

in El cuco and selling them.

I've actually seen people smuggling them

into New York City.

Oh, this guy knows what he's doing.

Before joining the locals,

who comb the beach at night, collecting turtle eggs,

Jo and Sam are put to work.

Should we bring mom in there

- for a couple slugs? - Yeah.

At the moment, we're chopping down a coconut tree,

because they're going to make a pathway down here.

It's very hot, sweaty work.

Sam's doing brilliantly.

I have a physical job as a gardener.

I love it.

I burn off all of my excess energy.

Go, Sam!

The only ways I learn is being hands on.

Like if you aren't good in the education system

or anything like that in school,

just go be a builder.

Give it a pull now.

Whoo!

Whoo!

- Well done, Sam. - Finally.

7:30 pm...

Oh, hotel.

Despite leaving the checkpoint ten hours ago,

dom and Lizzie have traveled just 60 miles

to Santa Rosa De copan.

We'd like to say for one night,

but how much does it cost?

- Lempiras? How much? - How much lempiras?

- One room. - One room.

Can we use this... This pencil?

He can write it down without we asking.

- So how... - Oh, okay.

- Just let me speak to him. - All right.

How many lempiras for one bed, one night?

- Okay. - Four hundred.

Do we have the change, sorry?

Uh...

I feel like he's telling they don't have change.

Okay, well, then we won't pay 500.

I do let you talk, Lizzie.

I don't know why you always say this.

Sometimes in these situations, I want...

You know, I want to have a say as well,

so I just say let me speak.

I don't mean it as in like...

No, but you don't say that.

You say, "dom, you always... You never let me speak."

You apply it to every situation.

I feel like i'm constantly dominated.

- No, you make it out... - But that's in your mind.

No, it's not even the case.

- You play that card... - In your head.

When we were younger, we were so connected

that we were like twins.

As we grew older,

we're at each other's throats.

And I don't feel like since the age of 13 or 12

that we've been even friends.

Yeah, which is a massive shame.

You are like you always speak over me,

- which is bollocks. - All right.

- Don't worry about that. - You always play that card.

Let's go find somewhere else. Don't worry.

Always play that card.

You just gets really nasty sometimes, dom.

It's unnecessary.

Okay, well...

No. I can't be bothered. You're mean to me.

When she says things like that,

I always feel like

I've really battered her self-confidence here.

Maybe if you weren't siblings,

and you didn't have that unconditional love,

you wouldn't be able to work things out

after things go wrong.

And I hope this race can show that

I do believe in her.

She is capable, and shouldn't doubt herself.

We need to get the lights off

because the turtles are coming in to lay the eggs

and they get frightened away if they see the light.

We're just standing back to see if it comes in to land

and lays the eggs.

Please come in.

Oh, there's a turtle, Sam.

In El cuco,

Jo and Sam's work day is not yet done.

- So is it digging the hole, or... - It is covering the eggs.

Sea turtles spent most of their lives in the ocean

hundreds of kilometers from shore.

But every year, thousands of females

flocked to the beaches to dig nests and lay their eggs.

- Having a right dance about it. Look. - Wow.

I've never dug turtle eggs, so, like, so I don't wanna break any.

Aww.

It's amazing Sam, all these eggs are going to be saved now.

Each person gets fifteen bucks for the work today

and these eggs we're going to pay you three dollars a dozen.

So a 102.

Create some memories with my mom.

It will be one of the best things. I'm so happy to be doing it with my mom.

It's what I'll be able to live by

and tell my kids when I go traveling with them.

It's fantastic that, that can pay for another two days

travel and, um, accommodation hopefully.

6am. Copan ruinas.

We have to travel through Nicaragua and Costa Rica

setting off 24 hours behind the race leader's

married couple, Jen and Rob.

We're gonna skip El Salvador.

We'll never have this chance to do it all over again.

I did not appreciate how hard it would be.

You've got no money. You're starving, you're tired in the middle of nowhere.

You don't have a phone.

We don't speak the language.

It's pretty stressful.

Remember when our shower broke just before we came out?

- Yeah. - And you were devastated?

Devastated? Yeah.

I think after this experience, it won't impact you so much.

No, because I've gone four days without changing my pants.

What time do we leave?

Oh, god.

I don't know what that is.

Who do you think

Hot on their heels, rival couple Michael and shuntelle.

I-I'm out of my comfort zone more than I've ever been.

I have to push more.

And you have to be more competitive.

Yeah, I did... well, I'm a competitive person.

I have to woman up.

Man up.

I'm a woman. So, I'm womaning up.

So what do you think is by looking at into Nicaragua.

Yeah.

With both couples choosing to bus hop through Honduras

the race is on to reach the first town along the route.

Santa Rosa De copan.

Will we be able to book a taxi to get to town?

I've devoted my entire life to my son and I've loved every moment of it.

But he's now living his life.

I've worked in a company for nineteen years and i-I'm not fulfilled.

I just want to see now what the next forty years is for shuntelle.

It's going to be busy, busy.

They're here.

They're on our bus. And their only seats are next to me.

Absolutely no way in hell.

- What annoys you about them? - It's a race. I'm spending

all my time with them.

Your seats are next to us.

I'm sorry.

This is the closest route.

Have you chosen your room?

You don't say anything at all.

- Have you chosen a room yet? - No. No we haven't.

We have no idea where we are going.

- Which way you going? - That way.

After three hours of an uneasy truce, racing resumes in earnest.

Ready to start asking questions.

Don't mess with these guys.

Yeah?

Hello. Uh, we're trying to get to Nicaragua.

Want to at least be who we left with today down the road?

I don't. This is pointless.

This is crazy, there's nothing here. They can't be right.

Look, there's still there.

Just seeing face to face.

It's about the petrol station.

They are standing there doing nothing.

Uh, I don't know what to do.

High five babe. First leg of learning.

I feel a little bit more confident now.

And I realized everybody else

is actually serious about this race, so I better get serious, too.

I thought about how awful this was.

I've come out to this beautiful beach

and write my diary and reflect on the journey so far.

And I think something about the turtles last night.

And obviously the turtles cannot protect the young.

They Bury the eggs and the eggs are left, and I suppose it was

a link really there with some?

Um, we adopted him when he was six months old.

We already had a birth child. And Charlie, he was

he was three years old and you have that immediate bond.

And of course, it's different with an adopted children.

You do worry you get to that point of loving them in that way.

It's time I realized how much I loved him was when he was over a year old

and the horrible Tsunami in Southeast Asia happens on.

I remember reading about this story of a mother with two children, and she

she couldn't hold on to both children, and she had to decide which one to let go.

I had nightmares about it at no point

because I let go of either of them, and it was that.

I realized I love them both equally and and he's totally mine.

He's totally mine.

It's lovely, proud, and I'm so pleased we're in this journey together.

- It's paradise, -and it just feels so peaceful.

It's a great feeling to know that a 102 turtles

andare going to be released back

- back into the sea. - They never even with their parents.

You're 19 and still at home.

I want you to be there forever is you know,

because I know you'll leave sometime.

- I'm planning on leaving when I got back. - All right, okay.

For emon and jamiul

do you know where the map is? Have you checked everywhere?

Officials say it's been lost.

Being last to leave 30 hours behind the leaders isn't their only concern.

It would be better for us to have a map, you know, a bit of a disadvantage.

Panama City. Here we come.

Nicaragua. I've never heard of that country.

Costa Rica got good football team El Salvador...

This will be a good time to get the map out, wouldn't it?

After ten years apart due to a family estrangement,

emon and jamiul have only just reunited.

He's always been my favorite.

You know, people shouldn't say that that you have a favorite nephew.

But when he was a little kid, he always had that, not listening.

Cross, cross, cross.

From now on, he get his own. He's a grown man.

You got it, my friend.

Every time I've asked my mom or my family

where he is kind of just brushed it off to the side

after asking so many times, he's kind of no, you know what?

Nobody wants to answer your questions.

Let's get there and then we'll decide where to go from there.

We're hoping that this trip will be a good way for me to understand

why he made those decisions to leave.

You need to have a battle on the funding of where we're going.

Going for a slow release in porridge for breakfast

224 kilometers away.

Michael and shuntelle are pushing on with their plan of bus hoping through Honduras.

We've got a bus now that's going in about 10 minutes t o, um, camaguey.

- How much was it? - 20.

You could do it today.

I'm sure it's exciting.

I joined the military very young.

It gives you confidence and it gives you an understanding

of the world in different people.

When is he leaving?

You need to go fast.

10 minutes

thank you.

During his trips about exploring adventure to strengthen out relationship.

This will make or break us.

- And Mateo? Number eight. - Eight.

- You had to pay for them? - Here.

Oh, my god. My money belt is here isn't?

I can't see a money belt, no.

- Where's my money belt? - I don't know. I can't see it.

Nothing at all?

There's nothing on you.

Where's the bus that you just got on.

Back pocket?

- It's not here definitely -Michael can't find his money wallet.

I don't know what he did with it. He went and bought some food.

I came here this morning.

I lost one.

Have you seen?

Yeah?

It's all good here.

- I think we've done all we can. - Yeah.

It's gone babe.

Got it. Got it for myself.

Got it for him. We're are handicapped.

It was already a limited budget to start with then to half the budget.

Wow is not possible.

Eight, nine and ten.

For Michael and shuntelle account of their depleted funds.

1236.

We lost over a 1000 pounds.

Starting the day with over 2000 pounds,

they have lost 1155 pounds

over 50 percent of the remaining budget.

That's a lot of money and it's gone.

Yeah, it's sad said.

Today has been a tough day.

Highs and lows, very lows today on certain.

- Sadly. - You're getting used to the idea and I messed up.

I'm sorry.

But we're gonna keep on racing.

And do what we do. Up again tomorrow.

And on with the race.

Nice to meet you.

Beautiful place you got here man.

Yeah, very nice.

- Really like it. - Just under 100 kilometers

from copan, ruinous and the last place.

Emon and jamiul are yet to come up with a route.

We're on very, very limited budget?

Food tastes even better when it's free.

You don't pay for something it's something magical.

I've had a lot of burgers in my life but, that's the best burger man.

- Yeah. - A great guy.

And he didn't have to help us out.

It just shows you, you know, there are good people in this world.

Who're willing to help you.

We need to get to the border as fast as possible.

There is a fastest road

on central to South America over that one.

You got to get to Salvador first, capital of San Salvador.

Allen's suggestion to head through El Salvador on it's faster roads

means they could make up much needed time.

We plan to change the route that we go take tomorrow is a more faster route.

Got the three factors budget, speed... Budget speed and...

We got two functions.

El Salvador.

Oh, my days, this people know how to grill

As emon and jamiul cross the border into El Salvador.

- You just can't hitchike around, can you? - No.

Approaching the Nicaraguan border.

Michael and shuntelle are learning

some of the pitfalls of traveling at ground level.

There are huge potholes on the road

and our driver.

There's a pothole coming up ket's get that one mate. Go on.

Someone's become a bit travel sick on the bus.

Hot on their heels,

Jen and Rob are also experiencing the winding mountain roads of Honduras.

If anything's gonna trick Jen off, this is probably it.

Just hold back a sec.

Oh, she just got of the bus. Oh my days.

Why didn't this country have trains?

While in El Salvador,

Jo and Sam are sharing their bus with more unusual travel companions so much

Oh, my god.

I've seen some stuff in my past. I've never seen that before.

It's not the fastest bus in the world.

For one team,

their strategy of back to back buses has paid off.

Dom and Lizzie are the first to set foot in, Nicaragua.

These chicken buses in Nicaragua.

Absolutely bonkers people preaching,

selling, talking about sexual health. It's just totally mental.

Nicaragua suffered a series of civil wars

in the 1980's that only ended in 1990.

With the Democratic election of the first female president in the Americas.

A place of outstanding natural beauty.

It's home to Central America's largest lake and 19 active volcanoes,

which run down the spine of the country.

We're heading towards the Costa Rican border at penny's blankers,

so hopefully we'll be able to cross into Costa Rican tonight.

That means you smashed two countries in two days.

Can anyone do better than this?

We'll take the cheapest one.

Also newly arrived in Nicaragua, Jen and Rob

have reached the former capital and second largest city mausoleo.

This is gonna be so heavy how are you gonna do this?

This easy, like bicycle.

I felt like a gigantic fatty is right now.

But we're going to spend some time in the city,

have a little bit of downtime in mausoleo, it's a bit impulsive.

Long established is the intellectual and political heart of the country.

The city is steeped in revolutionary history,

with murals around every corner depicting fallen heros.

It is impressive someone painted this.

To do with war, definitely in bloodshed.

At the heart of the city,

the basilica built in the 1700's

is this a black Jesus?

Why this small city in Nicaragua is home to the largest cathedral

in Central America remains a mystery.

Some see there was a mix up with plans

and that this magnificent structure should in fact be in Lima,

the capital of Peru.

I feel really, really behind.

We need to switch off from the race a little.

Bit, otherwise it becomes all consuming.

Just try and enjoy this time.

Can I keep my feelings to myself?

I think this journey would be a great opportunity for us to reconnect.

I feel I'm a slightly different person after and losing most my hearing.

And I think we don't have the same relationship as we did before.

Definitely not.

Just want to remember why we fell in love in the first place.

Just hope that we start to relax and have a bit of fun.

Enjoy each other's company more than we do now.

Yeah.

To stop thinking about the race

cos robie says, "it's not all about the race, Jen."

But as of this day, we're probably in a worse-off space

becaue the pressure is not allowing us that time to sit back and enjoy.

If anything, I'm probaly the worst person.

I speak before I think. That's a fault.

But it's never from a place... I'm not a horrible person.

It's always from a place of love.

It's 'cause I care about something

or because it has, you know, an affect on my emotions.

I'm never just a...

- There's the bell going. - Where?

There.

Tore my hearing aid off.

I know that robie is an angel fir putitng up with Vic.

It's just a high-pressured environment.

Like, I'm doing my best. And as time goes on, it will get easier.

Oh, there's two volcanoes over there.

We need to crack on.

- Look at that over there. - It's amazing.

Deep, deep into this jungle.

After a non-stop journey through Honduras and Nicaragua,

brother and sister dom and Lizzie

are the first team to cross into Costa Rica,

extending their lead by over 400 kilometers.

This is what we've been traveling for four days for,

and now we're finally here.

I am absolutely shattered.

Really need just to stop somewhere and actually enjoy it.

The most visited country in Central America,

Costa Rica attracts over 2 million tourists each year.

This tiny, peace-loving nation has no army,

and is home to 5% of the world's biodiversity,

including 52 species of hummingbird.

Vamos.

The siblings have arrived in limon,

on the country's Caribbean coast,

home to the bribri tribe.

An indigenous people native to Costa Rica.

Their primary focus is agriculture.

In order to help preserve their way of living,

farms like this invite volunteers to work

in exchange for bed and board.

- So we're gonna help you work? - Uh-huh.

I can hear pigs.

It smells.

It's smelling me.

I can't deal with that.

Come on.

Get all the poo.

- Here? - Yeah.

She doesn't mind getting dirty.

Oh, my god. Dom.

Aww. I'm gonna call you "babe".

I think dom and the pig have a lot in common.

The way they smell, the way they eat.

General behavior.

She's my mom.

- Me llamodominic. - Mauricia.

The bribri are a matriarchal society

with their own language, traditions and culture.

- It's all about unity in your family. - Yeah, it is.

We're brother and sister, and as we got older,

we went apart,

and we're trying to come back together.

When we spend too much time together, we... we clash.

And I think part of this experience

- is sort of trying to be close again. - Mm-hm.

Staying together and seeing each other often

and speaking often and communication is so important.

I think that's something dom and I both lack. We don't talk to each other.

Family relationship should be a friend relationship, too.

You want to spend time with them, not...

- "I have to." It's not a chore. - Yeah.

Aww.

They told me they are not friends.

But I saw... work together,

and they are friend, they are happy.

I heard some weird-sounding bugs. I'm really scared.

You know, there's a mosquito inside your net.

- What? - Look.

No.

You just got punk'd.

Concerned about their budget,

emon and jamiul have stopped off in Leon, Nicaragua.

- Start anywhere. - Si.

Using the directory of local job opportunities

given to all teams,

they've picked up work washing buses.

We've got a lot to cover, man.

You could do a jet wash here, lad.

In car-washing, the wheels are the most important.

If the wheel looks good, the car looks clean.

Automotive maintenance is right up emon's street.

He's built a string of successful businesses out of it back in the UK.

I've always worked for myself.

When I was 15, I used to go to the local market store,

and I used to sell anything and everything.

And I sold them all, one pound each. Absolutely flew out.

This is actually a carpet to make car mats.

When I first made car mats,

I made them with my bare hands,

and I sold them with my bare hands.

These are mine.

I started selling them online.

Later, I got my foot in the automotive industry.

And this is the empire that I've built.

After I finished university,

I had aspirations of becoming an entrepreneur,

to own my own business.

Eh, to follow my dreams about traveling and creating adventures for myself.

My father was in the mind that I'll go

and to a 9 to 5 job, have a stable income,

I'll get married a couple of years later, have a few kids,

and that'll be me,

and I'll be set up in Manchester.

My ideas were completely different.

I wanted to take risks.

My father didn't appreciate the decisions that I wanted to do.

So I left Manchester when I was 20 years old.

In terms of jamiul's family and my older cousins,

I sort of lost touch of everybody.

In a sense, they forgot about me.

We didn't get the bus there.

My uncle is driven, he's focused.

If he wants something, he'll go out there and try to achieve it.

I don't know if he's, uh, doing a good job on the windows.

The dirt's from inside.

- Oh, is it? - Yeah.

He's quite an inspiration to me.

He owns his own business, and he's traveled,

and maybe I can learn quite a bit off him

to maybe help me go forward in my future.

Clean the top of that.

Just all the way down there. Just wipe it down.

When you're washing cars, you just clean the best part people can see.

That sounds like the way to go.

Worked my way from the front to the back,

sweeping the floors.

Not sure if he's cutting corners or did a full whack up.

Most likely he did a full whack.

You should always work as hard as possible

or do the best of your abilities.

I guess he hasn't been in my life too much

to realize the hustle I am.

I don't know.

Oh, this, you don't need to do.

I don't think my uncle's put in too much hard work.

I think he's been dossing about, to be fair.

Only the top room needs doing.

He's just been a boss for so long,

I don't think he knows how to go back to just being a worker.

Oh.

- Gracias. - Gracias, gracias.

Thank you, thank you.

Buen viaje.

Ready, babe? Let's get out of here.

Michael and shuntelle have also made it to Nicaragua,

but with funds seriously depleted.

We, um, had a bit of a chat last night.

We are still racing, we are still in it.

We are thinking just to head straight out

to Costa Rica.

I've always wanted to visit.

Everybody talks how amazing it is.

Hey.

Boarding a bus to the capital, Managua...

How are you doing?

...Two competitors.

Jo and Sam's decision to work in El cuco

means Michael and shuntelle have closed the 24-hour gap between them.

- It's good to see their faces. - Yeah, definitely.

They left over 24 hours ahead of us.

But we're not gonna let anyone know

about my massive mistake.

- The race. - The race is on.

The animosity is on.

Let me see them, and then...

Reassure 'cause it does appear that we're last.

- See you around, guys. - See you.

With temperatures soaring...

It's just too hot to keep doing this.

Feels about 45 degrees.

Back-to-back travel is getting to Sam.

I've got a limit on how much heat I could take.

If I can't do it, I'm just gonna go fly home.

Let's see if we can get...

See nothing, mom. It's gonna be the same the whole time.

We can try and get...

Stop trying to come up with excuses saying, "we'll see."

I'm not, sweetie, darling.

- Yes, you are. - We can try and get airconditioned buses.

I know the countries are hot, but I didn't think it'd be this hot.

Like, this is just ridiculous.

Sorry, love.

Sam's struggling with the heat,

and somewhat takes it out on me, which is fine.

The best way to do is sit back and let him work his way through it.

If you start questioning him,

it can really downward spiral.

- It's just too hot. - Okay.

We get airconditioned coaches and...

The only thing I can do to try and make his journey easier,

I will try and do.

I'll give you 50. There you go.

That's 2 quid. Just don't spend it all.

I don't take many frustrations out on my mom.

But I know that when I do, we can make up afterwards.

Can I have the crisps?

She's my mom.

She knows me and I know her, and she's brought me up

since I was six months.

I've never gone out my way to find out who my birth mother is...

Muchas gracias.

Because it's quite a warm feeling to know that you're definitely special

in the way that you've been chosen.

We need to get to Panama as quickly as possible.

Today.

In last place, emon and jamiul have found a bus

which could take them all the way to David in Panama.

Speeding straight through Costa Rica

and giving them a chance to catch up.

But it's not cheap.

$107?

I think we should do it.

We go through both the borders that we want.

Yeah, it's $107 each.

But we need to go back in the race.

Take us minimum two days...

To get to Costa Rica.

That's what I'm thinking.

That's two days accommodation, two days travel, two days food.

We gotta spend to make moves.

I'm not too happy about the budget,

but it is what it is.

And emon and jamiul aren't the only team splashing out in transport.

Whoa, aircon.

We're going to Costa Rica.

I just will never, ever get enough

of what's outside this window.

Of rainforest, hills, clear water.

Food, coconuts to drink, pretty girls.

It's happening here.

The Marino ballena national park

in Costa Rica's pacific coast,

named after the humpback whales that migrate here each year to mate.

All right, let's get cleaning.

In financial dire straits,

Michael and shuntelle have found work beach-cleaning...

100% we don't want plastic on our beaches.

Got to think of our children, our grandchildren,

and our grandchildren's children.

...Earning a big pay-off that they could otherwise ill-afford.

I have not seen any whales in my lifetime.

Oh!

Oh, wow.

That is so cool.

- Amazing. - It's a baby.

The mom is blowing.

They're swimming together.

Oh.

I can't believe we're so close to them as well.

This is quite something.

Babe, I just need you to know

that, yes, it was you who lost the money,

but we started as a team,

so we as a team have lost the money.

It's really comforting that you have got it in you

to see a situation for what it is.

And I really thank you for that. Thank you.

Your gung ho attitude throughout the whole of this trip,

I was worried about, I'm not gonna pretend.

But, my goodness, are you determined.

I think this has opened up your mind a little bit.

You can dig deep if you have to.

You're quite... you're a bit of a gung ho yourself.

Isn't it funny how it is so different throughout Honduras?

Joining them in Costa Rica,

Jen and Rob, en route to monteverde cloud forest,

mountains frequently enveloped in mist,

and home to six species of wild cats.

- Stunning, isn't it? - Gorgeous.

- We've always wanted to go to the cloud forest. - Yeah.

And actually, this journey is about the experience.

It's about having the best adventure.

Breathtaking.

Oh, my god, where did that come from?

This is like the best day of my life.

Drinking tea in the cloud forest.

Cheers.

I can't really describe it.

Yeah, there's no way to describe what it looks like.

It's just gorgeous.

Definitely worth the trip to get here.

To actually get out all those buses back to back to back to back.

Like a timeout from the race.

Stressed Jen isn't he best from of Jen, is it?

No, and the race is making me stressed as hell.

I actually really, really, thoroughly enjoyed today.

It's been perfectly, honestly all there,

kind of up until this point.

Tomorrow we're up again at 5:00 A.M.

On the road, we're try and get, you know, straight to Panama City.

But now, that actually doesn't scare me.

It actually kind of, like, excites me.

It's 5 o'clock. We're leaving monteverde.

Today, our objective is to get to Panama City.

Leaving the cloud forest behind,

Jen and Rob have Panama in their sights.

While Michael and shuntelle are approaching the border.

We're nearly there.

We've done buses, we've done buses,

and more buses.

Just get me to the checkpoint.

Manifest, dom, manifest.

First into Panama, dom and Lizzie

on a direct bus to the capital.

Thank you very much.

So the toilet doesn't flush, and that's why it stinks,

'cause Lizzie's just been in there.

Guys, it's not funny.

They won't flush, so just sat in there.

I'm so sorry.

I didn't know. I'm so embarrassed.

- Panama City. - Si? Es posible?

Oh, you have to go with the bus terminal.

Just 25 kilometers behind, Jo and Sam.

Is there seats for the buses at 7:00?

Maybe.

There won't be a bus in the middle of the night, will there?

Yeah.

To the south,

after an epic 19-hour journey through Costa Rica,

emon and jamiul have paved their way back into the race.

- Hassan, nice to meet you. - Nice to meet you.

Before a night bus to the capital...

This is a typical Panamanian food.

...Emon finds common ground with local restaurant owner, Hassan.

My father has a couple of restaurants in UK.

Your food is really good.

- Really? - Yeah.

Hassan has opened his business here five years ago,

but is originally from Lebanon.

When you leave family, what did they think of you, uh...

your choice to move to Panama.

In the beginning they didn't like it, especially my dad.

Had a similar situation. He's okay now.

He's happy with what I'm doing. Yeah.

Fathers, especially in our culture...

- We have the same cultures. - Yeah.

They like to have some kind of control over their kids, you know.

You don't make any mistakes. Never learn.

- Exactly. - I've made mistakes in my life.

In the ten years I was away from home.

- Now, I've learnt... - so did I. So did I. Everyone...

- Who doesn't... - Yeah. Exactly.

Who doesn't make mistakes in his life.

It made me a better person.

Is there a mosque around here?

Yes, about 14 mosques here in Panama.

Is there one close by?

Yeah, there's one here in the David. I go there at 1:30 P.M.

Would you mind taking us with you?

- Not at all. I'll be glad to do that. - Ah, good.

Um, yeah, sure. No problem.

It has been very nice to see my uncle

open up a bit more about why he chose to leave the family the way he did.

Maybe it takes a stranger to make those things happen.

When need to start speaking to each other more, I think.

We're gonna have to work on it.

It's been more than ten years plus

since I've been to the mosque with jamiul

felt good. Felt a bit closer to him.

- Thank you very much, hasan. - Thank you.

- Great pleasure. Thank you for everything. - Safe trip.

- We'll be in touch. - Mm, sure.

- Yes. - Good bye.

Inshallah.

Rápido.

- Gracias. - Gracias.

Bus takes us to checkpoint.

It's the last bus to checkpoint, Panama City.

Wut-wut!

Gracias.

That was such a result. It literally is leaving now.

- Shall we do it? - Head into that checkpoint.

Three teams are closing in on the second checkpoint.

Come on. We need to get our bags asap.

Setting foot in the capital...

Welcome to Panama City.

Dom and Lizzie received details of the checkpoint location.

Procced to Plaza De francia and head to the lookout point.

Fast, fast, fast.

Uh, at the hotel right now.

- There we go. - Ah.

Plaza De francia?

Just down there?

- Thank you. - Thank you. Gracias.

All my days, right?

- Come on, let's run. - Yeah.

We're almost there. Come on.

Final steps.

It's not about that.

The building on the skyline, shaped like a sailboat is your checkpoint location.

- So is it that one over there -must be.

Oh, on our bikes again.

You need to get a taxi.

Let's go down and ask them.

Where are we in the race? Goodness knows.

We're just going to wait until we open that book.

And race to the end. Just how we like it.

Make the train go faster.

All right, we've got run!

Thank you. Thank you.

It's here. It's here.

- Hello. - Hello.

All right, let's go.

Hola!

- Welcome to Panama. - Gracias.

May I have your signature here?

Oh, my god.

We've come first.

Oh, my god.

I'm gonna cry.

- I'm so proud of us. I'm so happy. - I know. I know.

- It's worth all the crying and the stops... - And the arguing.

I can't believe we did it.

- Thank you so much. - Thank you.

I need a shower.

While, dom and Lizzie, freshen up,

dawn breaks and two more teams close in.

Want me to help?

I'm all right.

There. Shaped like a sailboat.

Come on. We got this.

That's the Plaza De francia?

- Yeah. - Yeah.

Big building? Skyscraper.

Let's go.

I've just had my wash.

What?

- Welcome to Panama. - Hola, hola.

May I have your signature here?

- Yeah, brilliant! - We did it.

My god, we've done all right then.

Oh, well done. And we have the week. We want to have great fun.

Really good fun.

Made it. Made it to Panama.

Hurry up.

You may sign the book.

- Ready? - Yeah.

Third, we've caught up 20 hours on the leads.

That's really impressive.

- We're happy with our result. - Yeah.

We've tried really hard on this leg.

We've enjoyed so many aspects of it as well.

But obviously it is bittersweet.

One, two, three, four, five, six.

Twenty one us and change.

Looking at that, Argentina seems a bit of a stretch.

We did spend a lot more than we probably would have done on this leg.

This amount will make us have to constantly question

every penny, everything we're doing

and just not be able to competitively race.

We are here to compete, but looking at money there...

We'll be in stark trouble.

Fifteen hours later.

i t's a race to avoid being last.

Didn't get a cab, I reckon?

- There it is. - Wow.

- Buenas noches. - Buenas noches.

- Ah! - Almost there.

- Edging our way up. - Slowly but surely.

We're hoping that we can become a force to be reckoned with.

It's a marathon, not a sprint.

Welcome to Panama.

- Thank you. - May I have your signature here?

Of course.

Oh, god. What do you think?

- Oh! - Oh, no.

- Oh, no. - Look, we're last.

- I'm a little bit gutted about that. - I'm absolutely gutted.

Last isn't a good place to be.

Bloody hell. Not ideal.

All five teams have reached Panama City

with less than twenty four hours between them.

We have gained on the leaders.

We arrived at the first checkpoint over a day behind them.

And now we're just under a day.

Trying to claim some positives here, guys.

But I can't think of anything apart from the fact we're alive.

You're not going to get positivity out of Jen now.

However, remaining budgets

could have a significant impact on the race.

We've had about two hours sleep.

- Yeah. - Yeah.

We got in at 3:34 A.M. to be precise.

- That's a hard leg. - Really hard leg.

I think we've all struggled this leg.

Everyone's got a story to tell.

We lost our map. This whole leg we've been doing it blind.

- Oh, wow. - Yeah.

We've had some really bad luck on our journey, too.

And we lost our money.

- Oh... - Oh, boy.

- You're joking. - So, we lost over a £1,000.

So that is a huge...

We just can't race with you guys.

You know, we can't compete.

- So that is the end of our... - Our race is over.

You're not gonna finish the next leg?

- No, this is the end of our journey. - We're gutted.

- We were not gonna need down that. - Ah!

No.

Oh, I'm keeping this one.

All right, man. All right, yeah.

- Just share the parts, eh? - Yeah.

I'm gutted.

There's a lot more world to see as well.

I can't lie.

I really struggled, but equally there were bits I really, really enjoyed.

- Just happened too soon, didn't it? - Yeah.

I'm hoping that even the two blasts

that we've had, head us in the right direction.

We've spoken about whether London is going to be our home.

Once my son's made his choices and...

- Then the rest. - Yeah, where will we go?

What will we do next?

Now all options are open.

- Next time... - Hola.

The teams cross the Darien gap.

- Yes. - Columbia.

- And enter South America. - Oh.

Coming over with a gun.

- But civil unrest. - State emergency in Ecuador.

Oh, no.

Means, nothing will be easy.

And the race across the world.

I'm out of race, end.