Original subtitles

The desire to explore our planet has never been stronger.

But in travelling over,

are we missing the joys of journeying through?

Canada, the second largest country in the world.

From Pacific to Atlantic Ocean - flight time, seven hours.

But could you successfully navigate this gruelling 16,000km

route at ground level,

all for the price of doing it by air?

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

Go, go! Go, go, go!

..in a demanding and challenging race.

All I'm saying is I'm going to die.

We're all going to die.

They'll head deep into the wild...

Oh, my God, the sea is ice.

..across vast prairies...

This is awesome. Road trip!

..soar high into the Rockies...

Just once in a lifetime, innit?

If we see a bear, I'm going to kill you.

Ah!

..to the very edges of civilisation...

We are going to go into the remote wilderness here.

We can't get a bus out of here. We can't get a train out of here.

..without smartphones or bank cards and with a limited budget.

It's dark, it's raining. We've got no money.

We are going to have to find a car share.

I don't like this!

They'll need charm...

Parlez-vous Anglais?

Mission accomplished.

..hard work...

We're absolutely brassic. We can claw the money back.

Yeah. We'll work.

..and ingenuity, to get them through.

So, I can give you a ride. Are you going to kill us? No.

Have they got what it takes both physically...

It's just the hardest thing I think I've done.

..and emotionally?

It's hard, but you've just made us feel like family.

I believe in you.

I know. I just don't believe in me.

I'm not giving up.

The rewards are great...

Mother Nature at her best.

Never seen anything like it.

..and for the first team to the finish line,

a prize of £20,000...

Every second counts.

..in a race...

If they come behind us now, I'm taking the bag, OK?

..across the world.

Breathe through it. You can cry when you're sat down.

Mid-life crisis is going really well.

Yeah. I'm quite enjoying my crisis. Yeah!

Perched on the edge of the Pacific Ocean...

..Vancouver.

150 years ago,

British Columbia's largest city started life as a makeshift tavern.

But for thousands of years,

it's been home to the region's indigenous peoples.

On the sacred peninsula that is now called Stanley Park,

the race begins.

I can't believe we're all the way out here.

On the edge of the Pacific Ocean. I know!

Eager to get going, friends Trisha and Cathie.

If it wasn't so cold, I think I'd want to put my toes in there.

I... Yeah.

We met when we were 13.

Mmm-hmm.

I was quite worried about my first day at school.

By the end of the first day, we just became firm friends

and we've been getting into trouble ever since together, really.

Yeah. So excited.

And to do it with you! I know, I know!

She's like the sister I...

I was going to say I never had, but I have got a sister.

Look how beautiful it is.

How well can you see? Can you see the cruise ships?

Not really. I can see the red crane.

We are inseparable and a force to be reckoned with.

Does my bum look big in this rucksack?

Next up...

I thought it'd be snowy.

I just, like, associate Canada with snow.

Well... they do have seasons.

..Monique and her father, Ladi, from Essex.

My dad is like my superhero.

If anything was to go wrong, it'd be Dad that I call

because I know that he... he'll be there.

He's like Liam Neeson from Taken.

My bag's heavy.

I think yours might be heavier, though.

It's got your stuff in it!

THEY LAUGH

My daughter is accustomed to a princess lifestyle.

Thank you.

Am I responsible for making her like that?

Hell, yeah. Sure I am.

But she also needs to understand the challenges

that she may face later on in life.

If I can help her with that through this race, then great.

If you have any cellphones, credit cards or cash on your person,

please hand them over now.

Stripped of all the trappings of modern-day life...

Oh. So sad.

..the teams receive a map of Canada, money belts, a travel guide...

Thank you.

..and GPS device to track their progress to the finish line.

Game on.

Third to arrive in Stanley Park...

They're special, aren't they?

..another daughter with her dad,

Claudia and Kevin.

I had no idea that that was linked to Canada.

I think we've got enough talent between us to um...

To blag it. To... Yeah, absolutely.

I mean, you know, we're going to be doing a bit of ducking and diving.

We're going to be jigging and jiving.

I think we're a bit of a dynamic duo.

I love to backpack

and to spend time with my dad,

and get back to doing crazy adventures, like we used to do,

would be amazing.

Thank you.

We'll have some magical moments.

Where are we going?

Also joining the race...

It's getting a bit wet.

It's changed so much.

It's like being back in Manchester. Yeah, I know!

Married for eight years,

Glaswegian Zainib and Mancunian Mobeen.

Our relationship is...

I'd says it's good.

Yeah, I'm enjoying it.

It's good! What do you want me to say? It's going well!

"I'm enjoying the marriage!"

Oh, look. There's the Canada goose.

They're not friendly, I've been told.

No cuddles? No.

Try patting one on the head.

See what happens.

LAUGHS

Zainib's the most beautiful person I've ever met.

She's Champions League and I'm Championship.

He's lovely. I love him.

But I think we're going to get on each other's nerves, I really do.

And we're going to bicker, cos according to him

everyone's happy and everything's lovely,

and there's rainbows and fairies.

I ain't about that.

Completing the line-up...

Where'd you think we're going?

I don't know.

..brothers Marc and Michael.

I want to go proper wilderness. What?

Yeah.

Are you joking? I think that would be awesome. No...

It's, like, bear season or something, innit?

I think the way to describe our relationship is confused.

Difficult, with hints of promise.

I'd like to get to know my little brother cos I...

..I don't know who he is.

Can't believe I'm doing it with you, to be honest.

When we was kids, we used to fight all the time.

He had a better relationship with his imaginary friend

than he did with me.

That everything?

Lastly, something you may need while you're in Canada...

..bear spray.

Bear spray? Okey doke.

So I just kind of like...

..do you just spray it on you, like aftershave?

That would be very painful.

It's only to be used in emergency situations.

So if he's actually charging at you?

Exactly. Well, good luck.

Bye. Bye. Bye.

We actually going to come across a bear? Yeah, probably.

That would be horrible.

Armed with the essentials...

THEY EXHALE DEEPLY

..time to find out where the race will take them.

The race begins at two o'clock

Your final destination is St John's.

Do you know where that is? No idea.

St John's could be in Hackney for all I know.

Oh, my God, this map goes on forever. Wow.

Is this the whole world?

So where is St John's,

cos we're starting on the Pacific Coast, aren't we?

I wonder if we'll finish on the Atlantic.

Oh, there! Look. Oh! No way!

Oh, my God!

It's there!

The finish line, St John's in Newfoundland,

the most easterly city in North America.

So, it's Canada. Canada's massive.

Oh, my days...

The whole of Canada? That is the whole breadth of Canada.

That's insane, isn't it?

The journey of over 16,000km to the edge of the Arctic

and shores of the Great Lakes,

will see them pass through seven checkpoints.

Only when they reach one, will they learn the location of the next,

and they'll have to do it all for just under £2,500 per person.

That's not a lot, Dad. Do you know how expensive it is in Canada?

That's an outfit, that is.

In a country where a loaf of bread can cost twice as much

as in the UK...

This is no luxury holiday.

This is about sweating it out, this one.

..a budget per team member of less than £50 a day

means they'll need to find ways to supplement it.

So, we're going to have to work,

and I reckon doesn't necessarily need to be monetary gain.

It could also mean accommodation, so we don't need to pay for

accommodation, we don't need to pay for food. Cool. That's good.

I like that.

So, game plan. Clock strikes two. What are we doing?

all right, we've got to find... We've got to find the first checkpoint.

What was the first place called? T... T... Tlell.

Where is Tlell? No idea! Come on, Dad.

Get your, um, map reading skills.

I can't see it anywhere.

Got it the wrong way round, I think.

Here it is! We're going to an island.

Go, girl!

The teams assemble at the start line...

..a first chance to clock their rivals for the £20,000.

Really lovely to meet you.

We're best friends from school.

We're dad and daughter. Are you? We're dad and daughter!

Oh, my God! Cute!

Nice to meet you.

Do you know where the first checkpoint is?

Maybe. Maybe not.

We have no idea.

It's nearly two.

It feels a bit real now, doesn't it? It does.

The more I think about it,

the more I'm pooing my pants.

That's all right. Nerves is good.

But I'm definitely very competitive.

I'm in it to win it.

You see? That's my girl.

Have we ever worked together as a team?

No. Is there ever a situation where we've...?

No. ..worked together as a team?

No!

I was in the Cub Scouts.

I'm going to teach you how to use a compass.

Have you really packed the compass?

I have packed the compass, yeah.

Zainib has definitely got a hanger issue,

so I think you might struggle.

See, that makes me want to prove him wrong.

Individually, we're very determined.

Trisha completed a 100km walk with a chipped bone in her foot.

I did the same with a torn muscle in my hip.

So, together we are... Unstoppable.

Go, go!

God! We're actually doing this!

Steady on, Michael!

Let them run, let them run, let them run! We got this.

We might not have a bed tonight!

Do you know how far it is from here to getting out of the park?

Another 3km.

3km? OK.

This is too difficult.

It's going to be dark before we get out of here.

First, teams need to break free from the thousand-acre Stanley Park.

There was a map and it said if we followed the cycle path,

there's a tea place and I'm hoping that we'll be able to get

some more information about getting back into the city.

Yeah.

Let's keep heading down here.

So this says Downtown Vancouver,

and from there we can ask where that place is that we still don't know.

Find someone, ask someone and then we'll go from there.

Having located the checkpoint on their map,

Monique and Ladi hunt a way to get there.

So we're trying to get to Tlell.

Oh, my God. This one here.

That's um...

Quite a way. Yeah.

That's a couple of boat rides, anyway.

The first checkpoint, Tlell, over 1,200km north

on the ancient archipelago of Haida Gwaii,

known as the Canadian Galapagos for its lush rainforests

and diverse wildlife.

For the teams, it's only accessible by ferry

just three times a week from the port of Prince Rupert.

To get there, they could head inland,

making the most of the main roads linking tourist hot spots

such as Whistler or Merritt,

or take to the water sooner,

ferry hopping onto the wildlife haven of Vancouver Island,

then back to the mainland.

Pretty sure the boat has to go from the north of Vancouver Island.

OK. Thank you very much.

Take care. Thank you so much. OK. Bye.

Strategy is go through Vancouver Island, trust the locals.

Let's just see what the options are.

Planning their route, Claudia and her dad, Kevin.

Right, so... This is Vancouver Island.

The other option is to go up through British Columbia.

What do you want to do?

To make it to St John's,

the teams will need to work to earn extra cash or payment in kind...

I would love to do Vancouver Island.

Look at that! We could go to the rainforest.

Oh, my God, we could see some bears!

..and have been provided with a directory

of local job opportunities.

Then it says here you can grab a job cleaning boats.

You get a tour around the Great Bear Rainforest.

Mm. Right, OK.

I would love to see that rainforest and see the bears.

So you just want to see the bears?

I have to say, I'm not willing to...

We're going to lose a day maybe, if we're not careful.

I don't know. I think we just need to make a decision.

OK, this one's yours. Your shout.

I would love to see the bears.

All right. Just need to note we've still got a race to run.

As both father-daughter teams head to Vancouver Island...

This is a tea house.

Somebody in there will know.

Oh, no, the tea room's closed.

Oh, you're having a giraffe.

I wonder if the other guys are having as much trouble

as us finding a way out the park.

Hi. Sorry to bother you.

Are you able to give us a ride?

To where? Just outside the park. Is that OK?

Yeah, yeah. Oh, thank you so much.

Oh, what a legend.

So, Haida Gwaii...

How do we get there?

Yeah, you have to drive up north to a place called Prince Rupert.

Whistler is going straight north, so that would be more...

..the more direct route.

I've actually never been to ski resort.

Setting their sights inland....

Could we please have two tickets to Whistler?

..husband and wife Zainib and Mobeen

are aiming for the exclusive ski resort, Whistler.

It's a race but it's also an experience

and I could do with some skiing lessons.

I'll give it a go. I'm not an adrenaline junkie like you.

From there, over 1,500km will still stand

between them and the checkpoint.

Do you have any recommendations on how we get to Prince Rupert

via Whistler?

Well, there is no bus service now from that direction and uh,

you can't ride the train up there no more.

There's no concrete way of getting past Whistler?

Uh, not on any kind of transit.

OK.

I think we're committed now, which is a bit worrying.

We've just been up here.

Two hours in...

We need to get to the road. I don't even know where the...

I don't know which way we are now.

..while Trisha and Cathie go round in circles...

That seems to be the biggest challenge at the minute

is getting out of the park. Yeah.

We're doing all right. We're out of the park.

Brothers Marc and Michael have reached Downtown Vancouver,

yet to locate the checkpoint.

Let's ask this bloke, he might know.

What guy, this guy? Yeah.

No, he's walking away. No. He don't want to be asked.

No, they don't want to be asked. Who should we ask, then?

I don't know. What about the dude in glasses?

Dude in glasses. Ask dude in glasses.

No. Nope, she's drunk. Don't ask her. Ask...

Well, we need to ask someone, Marc.

I know, but I don't know who to ask, Michael.

Just ask anyone.

Excuse me.

We're looking for somewhere called... that.

Wow. I think that might be Haida Gwaii.

Yeah. Haida Gwaii. Oh, you legend.

It's right there. So you want to go to Horseshoe Bay.

A short bus ride away...

..Horseshoe Bay ferry terminal,

the gateway to Vancouver Island.

Could we have two tickets to Nanaimo?

About to set sail...

Come on, Marc, power walk.

..the 5:40 ferry.

Ha-ha! How you doing?

Guys, you and I are not the only people here.

Oh, what a view to come out of the harbour.

We're going to get the ferry ride of a lifetime, aren't we?

Three teams cross the Salish Sea to Vancouver Island...

It's just phenomenal.

..created when an ancient tectonic plate

descended to its destruction beneath North America,

pushing up the seafloor.

FOGHORN BLOWS

There's a whale right over there.

One of the reasons why I'm scared of the ocean.

You're scared of the ocean?

Well, that thing's in it.

This... today is my idea of hell.

Left behind...

OK. That looks promising. Civilisation.

Oh, thank goodness. We've made it.

Vancouver!

..Trisha and Cathie call it a day.

Wow.

That's the longest day I've ever had.

Can I cry now? Oh, my God.

6:30am.

Yesterday, it was just like walking around in a circle.

It was so frustrating. It was really frustrating.

But today I'm like, come on! We can actually get somewhere today.

Yeah.

We need, um, tickets, please, to Merritt.

Brilliant. Lovely.

Now we're going to see Canada. Yeah, exactly.

Sticking to dry land...

Oh, my word.

Oh, God, it's a long way down.

Ooh.

..Tricia and Cathie are travelling 270km to the city of Merritt.

Perhaps we're not as far behind as we think we are. Behind as we think.

Those of them that are on Vancouver Island,

if they are having problems with the ferries,

they might actually be stuck. Oh!

We are definitely back in the race, aren't we? Yeah.

Across the water,

one of the three teams on a wet and windy Vancouver Island...

Oh! Oh!

..Monique and Ladi are looking for a way off it.

Wait, what? What?

The only ferry is two days. Oh, my God.

Then the next one again, is when?

Will be next week.

So we have to get on that ferry.

To reach Prince Rupert, the jumping-off point for Haida Gwaii,

the teams on Vancouver Island must catch a ferry from the north.

Running just once a week, the next departs in two days' time,

almost 400km away.

If we knew this beforehand, I wouldn't have come this route.

We would've gone a different route.

But then we don't know what problems would be the different route.

It's all... Do you know what I mean? It's not like we can go and Google.

But you know what? It's not that deep.

We're here now, so I reckon we need to find a bus

that can take us north.

Where are you guys from? London.

London, OK.

I'll give you the front seats and I'll point out the sights.

Oh, brilliant. Thank you so much.

This is going to be an absolutely amazing journey.

The area between Vancouver Island and Haida Gwaii -

and it's just absolutely amazing. Wow.

I came on this journey with my daughter

to make lasting memories, and Davey is the man.

You know, you want to know something, Dave knows.

So, Dave has filled us in with lots of things

to do on Vancouver Island and we're

going to try and make the best of it.

While Monique and Ladi pushed northwards...

Ferry tickets and the motel was quite expensive.

..Marc and Michael are heading in the opposite direction...

There's a job in Victoria, so our plan is to go south,

try and recoup back some funds

and then we're going to need to go back on ourselves and go north.

Unaware of the ferry deadline,

they're aiming for the southern tip of the island

to boost their budget by working at a family-run smallholding.

How far is it to Victoria from here?

Uh, it's an hour-and-a-half drive.

Is it? Yeah.

I was under the impression we were going to just be able to switch

and get on another bus and go to Victoria.

That's probably why I'm a bit frustrated at the minute.

It's two o'clock, so we're getting late into the afternoon.

So, desperate times.

Shall we try and car share?

I'm not comfortable getting in a car with someone I don't know,

at the moment. It's not really public transport.

It's someone's car.

I don't know what I'm going to do when it gets tough in the race.

I don't know.

Two years ago, 36-year-old Marc...

Do you want tea? I'd love a cup of tea, please.

..moved back in with Mum.

If I've had a bad day, I kind of just game online on my Xbox.

No!

I like disappearing off in it.

Some people use the gym and this is what I do,

but I just feel stuck at the minute,

and I'm hoping doing this is going to give me that kick up the backside,

just make me want to try new things and do new things,

and go out, experience it, enjoy it, come back with all that confidence

on my back and just go out and try and live my life.

What do you want to do? I don't know, Michael. I'm panicking now,

for some reason. Why are you panicking? I don't know.

We're all right. We know how...

We know that we're going to get there today.

I think Marc's struggling when things change

or don't go according to plan.

The important thing is we're sorting it out.

We're not standing around floundering.

I'm the same, but I think if we both get despondent about it,

it's not going to... it's not going to help.

You all right? Do you know of any buses that are going to Victoria?

This one is. Oh... Ah, really?

Back on the mainland,

nestled among the snow-covered peaks

are the Fitzsimmons mountains. Whistler,

where a weekend skiing could wipe out an entire race budget.

To me, to you. It's like Tetris.

To me, to you.

Canada seems really pricey.

It makes sense for us to stop quite early on for a retail job,

to do something that we've wanted to do, like, ski.

This is male.

You're going to confuse me. Say it in your head.

Male, USA, 12.

I think we make a good team,

but it can be a little bit frustrating at times.

You're on another pile.

Right, can you just slow down, then?

Mobeen and I are both very different people.

He's a bit nerdy.

Look, I smashed half a pallet in less than half an hour.

Aren't you the retail king?

You know, tries to be cool, but isn't cool.

Walk on your heels.

Listen, you're behind me. I'm not taking advice from you.

I've had people in the past say, "What's up with Zainib?

"Why is she so pissed-off all the time?"

She has a very stern look,

but in the inside, she's not like that at all.

Let's go. Ah!

Honestly.

I'm winning at this speed. I'll get there, no problem.

Oh! Ah, I'm going the wrong way!

And snowplough!

Hey, you're a natural!

Oh gosh, I'm tired.

It's amazing. So cool.

All right, Mobeen, you can do it.

He's doing well for himself.

It is totally worthwhile coming here.

I'm... I'm skiing to the finish line.

Can't help thinking about the race

and I have a sinking feeling that we're not doing very well.

I'm just worried we're taking a route that is risky,

where there's no definite transport going up north.

How was it? So good.

The snow was so soft.

Can we do it again? Have we got time?

You can experience the real ski run.

I'm down for that. Let's do it.

Bet the other teams aren't having as much fun as we are.

Back across the water...

Right, go.

That was pretty good.

..Claudia and Kevin have arrived in Campbell River,

beloved by fishers of salmon,

and the last major outpost of civilisation on the journey north.

The only transportation we have was today at 1pm

and the next one is not until Saturday.

So we missed it by 45 minutes?

If there's anything that goes anywhere near,

like somewhere that there might be more bus connections to get there?

There's no bus connections. Right. Right.

Yeah.

We've got a ferry crossing to do as well to get back onto the mainland.

OK. Taxi companies, then.

I mean, it's frightening me thinking about getting a taxi.

No. Wow. Yeah, I know.

Yeah. I'm... Oh, my God. That's so gutting.

Right - better make a move.

Thank you very much indeed.

They can't even put on a bus service

that will take you from one end of the island to the other.

Come on. There's got to be another option.

Now we are going to have to resort to staying out in the wet,

just to try and find a car share.

I don't hold out too much hope on this idea,

but I think we've got to give it a go.

With public transport so limited,

Canadians have learnt to embrace car-sharing...

Are you heading up north at all? No, no.

OK, no worries. Sorry.

..but hitching from the roadside is illegal...

I don't suppose you're heading up north at all, are you?

No, no. No, OK.

..so teams must approach people away from highways.

You're not even, like, bothering to hold it up.

No, what I'm doing is I'm just,

I'm trying to be low-key about the situation.

I don't want to be throwing it in people's faces...

You shouldn't be low-key about it. We've got to go.

Why am I running laps around this place?

Claudia wanted to do the rainforest and see the bears

and, you know...

But to actually try and get there has just been a bloody nightmare.

On the other side of town...

Wait, what? Am I missing something?

Why are we washing a bus?

Why... why are we doing that?

It seems logical that we do that in exchange for a lift,

but instead, Dad's just working for the shits and gigs.

There's no incentive because there's no reward.

We're helping a man, yeah, that's helped us.

Washing a bus is not the biggest thing in the world, yeah?

But in my head you've just decided to wash a bus for no reason.

So, it never went through your head that it would be a good thing

to do to help him do that?

And therein where the problem lies.

Dave has helped us.

It's just showing appreciation, yeah? Yeah.

And sometimes in life, that's what you need to do.

Got it.

OK, cool.

It's a learning process.

Lesson number one.

Repay kindness with kindness, cos it will come back on you.

And that's what it was meant to be about,

throughout this whole journey, giving her some life lessons.

Hiya! Sorry to interrupt.

I don't suppose you're heading up north, are you?

No. No.

This isn't working.

Do you think I'm cut out for hitchhiking? I don't think so.

I've toyed with the idea of a taxi.

I think we're just running out of time now..

Sorry to trouble you. Are you interested in taking a run up north?

Look at the clouds coming down over the mountainside.

It's just unbelievable.

Worth the $500, Dad?

Is that a $500 view?

320km away, in the heart of British Columbia,

the country music capital of Canada...

..Merritt.

Just outside the city...

Oh!

Oh! Oh, hello!

Oh, look at the babies!

..a 100-acre bison ranch...

That's Rocky coming up right now in front of the fence here.

Oh!

..home to over 30 head of a species once hunted

almost to the point of extinction for their hides...

OK. You're going to be splitting firewood.

..and offering bed and board in exchange for some hard graft.

Don't put your hands here, because this pushes,

you'll squish your hand - always on top.

That way you have control when it falls and splits.

OK? OK, yeah.

You good to go?

Right. So I have sight loss.

OK. I can see what you're doing but I can't see the little buttons.

OK, not a problem. So...

..yeah. That's OK.

You have a partner. Yeah. Partner in crime.

Exactly. Partner in crime.

Good. Yeah?

If I put the logs on, you split the logs,

then I can move the logs into the barrel and put the barrel up there.

Yeah, OK. Yeah. Yeah? Yeah.

Me and Cathie work well together.

She finds it hard to lift stuff,

whereas I've got my mum's hands, they're like shovels.

Hearing that I can't do things, it is a bit of a confidence knock,

but you get over it.

You kind of have to.

I used to have 20-20 vision.

It was absolutely fine.

Never had a problem.

In the last seven, eight years I've started losing it

due to a disease called chorioretinopathy uveitis.

It's like looking through a spotty dark cloud

and the dots are blind spots.

Yesterday was really hard emotionally because of my eyes.

I did feel like a burden, especially to Cathie,

cos I couldn't see the map, I couldn't read what was going on.

Whereas today, it's completely different.

I can do stuff.

Ah! The bison are here to see us.

Oh, wow! We need to be working!

Before I do lose my sight completely,

I want to see these amazing things.

I want to feel these amazing feelings.

They are very nosy, aren't they?

They're curious. They're a very smart animal.

They look like they're not, though, don't they?

Right, shall we crack on? Right. Yeah, let's crack on.

On Vancouver Island...

Right, so we're going to get you on the tractor.

My son's going to show you how to use the tiller.

Right, sounds great. Let's go see if we have a pair of farm boots

for you. OK.

With the day nearly over,

Marc and Michael have made it to Fiona's organic seed farm.

This right here is our tiller.

Keep away from it. Don't want to get sucked in.

Because of the unseasonable cold and wet weather,

planting is weeks behind,

so Fiona's sons, Hayden and Ben, set them to earning their keep.

How you feeling? Think you got it covered?

Shitting myself.

Ho-ho-ho!

How's that? Brilliant.

Listen, I wouldn't trust me doing that.

This is more my speed.

He's doing all right.

LAUGHS

Oh, my God! Cathie! Come and have a look!

This is proper Canada.

Hello. Hello.

Oh, my God! How close did you get?

Yeah, stick it in first.

Lower it down just a tad.

Brilliant.

I don't know why I'm so nervous.

It wasn't as complicated as I thought it was going to be.

It was just... after I got used to it, it was pretty good.

I enjoyed it. It's also given me a little bit of a bounce.

I'm a bit more optimistic.

There's probably going to be bears and shit.

Well, the noise can take over the noise of your snoring, so...

After a fitful sleep...

I struggled last night, big time. It was really cold.

Breakfast. We've got oatmeal with some loganberries from the garden.

Oh, thank you.

..Marc and Michael remain 500km from where they need to be.

I don't think that boat goes very often.

OK. Your next one is tomorrow and it's another week...

..until the boat goes again.

OK!

We're stranded.

The south to the north is like the same as driving from London

to Edinburgh, so that's the journey that we're going to need to do

in the space of 24 hours, really.

I did actually put a post this morning on a ride-share board

and see if anyone else is driving up, so...

That's great. Thank you. Yeah, I said two nice guys from London.

We appreciate that. If we don't make the ferry, our race will be over.

265km closer to the ferry...

Fiona, we are going to ask you for some help.

..Monique and Ladi are looking to make the journey

that cost rival father and daughter Kevin and Claudia $500 yesterday.

Do you know anybody who I could car share with north of Campbell River?

Maybe like pitching in with gas and stuff?

Yeah, that's not a problem. We will pitch in with gas.

Definitely. That's good.

If I was car-sharing in the UK, I don't know what I'd do.

I'd probably call you.

I guess I'd call friends I know.

Exactly. But we don't have any friends.

Exactly. Well, Fiona's our friend.

Fiona's our friend.

I got you a ride.

Whoa! My mom's going to take you.

Oh! Oh, my God! Stop!

Fiona's mum, thank you so much.

How would you like to be referred to?

Sorry, I've been using Fiona's mum, so...

I'm Caz.

Hi, Caz. Hi. Nice to meet you.

Nice to meet you.

On the mainland...

We need to scout the area now.

It's a bit empty!

..still in Whistler, Zainib and Mobeen

can no longer avoid the inevitable...

Can I ask this guy? Excuse me.

..how to head north without public transport.

Hi, there, sir.

I believe people are very willing to car share around here.

We're heading north towards Prince Rupert.

No, you're not going north. Yeah.

All right, cool. Thank you. Thank you.

Can I be honest? I don't want to go north now.

Why? I think that's way too risky an option.

We're talking about 22 hours-plus of car-sharing.

So today, can we try and please get a ferry to Vancouver Island?

We're not going to see if anyone's going north?

Zainib proposes ditching their original plan,

to head back the way they came, and then onto Vancouver Island.

That bus is going to Horseshoe Bay.

I don't think we need to get on that bus.

There's literally no rush.

We've actually only asked people in car parks in Whistler,

which is a tourist route. What do you propose we do?

Surely people at the gas station are making their way north..

Do you want to do that? That's what I'm thinking, yeah.

OK. That's fine. This is your decision.

Yeah?

It's kind of on you if it goes wrong.

Are you going north? No.

No. Thank you.

I've made myself quite clear about what option I think is the best.

Excuse me, sorry to bother you. Are you going north, by any chance?

No. Are you heading that way?

No. No, no.

Ah, man. Failing massively right now, ha-ha!

As is marriage, a compromise.

So, where do you want to go?

Well, we need to go up here.

Yeah. We can drop you off...

At Cache Creek? Yeah, yeah, sure.

Awesome. This is cool.

This is cosy, man.

Success for Mobeen - a lift of over 200km north.

Kind of committed to going up north now, haven't we?

Yeah.

In the second leg, we do things my way.

Oh, God! I don't like this.

Also seeking to overcome the dearth of public transport

heading north - Tricia and Cathie.

I'll ask anybody for anything.

Um, and I'll just do it.

Um, but Cathie's not...

This is... this is way out of my comfort zone. Yeah.

I'm really, really uncomfortable at the minute.

I don't like this at all.

I'm a total rules and procedures girl.

I don't like it. I guess that's why I ended up

being a compliance officer.

Not going anywhere near Prince George, are you?

No.

But Tricia is just not afraid of anything.

Would you be able to give us a lift up north, at all?

Squeeze in, I guess.

Oh, amazing.

He's going to Prince George? Oh, my God.

OK, let's do this.

She's only got little legs, anyway.

I'm only little. You've made our day.

Absolutely made our day.

Woohoo!

As the girls begin a 438km leap closer to Prince Rupert,

on Vancouver Island, their sights set on the same place,

Claudia and Kevin are a stone's throw

from tomorrow's ferry that will take them there.

You want to see some bears? Yeah.

Nice, OK.

I've got a boat that has sea growth underneath it.

After yesterday's $500 splurge, it's all hands

on deck to earn a trip to Claudia's must-see,

the Great Bear Rainforest.

These bears better be worth it.

Just 26km away,

Monique and Ladi's ride drops them in Telegraph Cove...

What can we do to repay you?

Don't worry. You can pay it forward to other people.

Oh, thank you so much.

..free of charge.

I'm telling you, that's serious.

Got to pay these things forward.

A tiny community of just 20 people,

Telegraph Cove is the launch point

to explore Vancouver Island's abundant marine life.

I am really looking forward to this.

With time to kill before the ferry departs the island,

an opportunity to catch sight of the killer whales

that follow schools of Pacific salmon as they migrate north.

I'm hoping to see a dolphin.

Oh, my God, it's a sea lion.

Sounds like your snoring, Dad.

It sounds like me snoring? Yeah.

This feels like why we came on this adventure,

cos this is just, like...

..priceless.

Oh! I don't know what I'm looking at.

That blow, see... It's there somewhere.

I just saw the blow come up.

Where's it going?

I'm craving just to, like, chill-out in some heat

and have, like, an Aperol Spritz.

That's... that's fun to me.

Right there.

What?

Not to say that this isn't fun...

There, there! See the... Oh, I blinked.

..but I could be having more fun.

At the opposite end of the island...

Eagles come down from the sky, pick a chicken up

and you'll never see it again.

..Marc and Michael are still enjoying the good life.

I think you guys are in luck.

Really? So, we have Janine and she says,

"What's the earliest I could hook-up with them, and where?"

Are you joking? Happy to go any time

after 7am tomorrow morning.

Angel saves the day.

People here are so friendly and accommodating

and willing to help, and I think

that's definitely going to be the way forward for us.

I think Marc needs to kind of move out of his comfort zone,

so that we can benefit from people's generosity.

Thank you. Ah, lovely.

Thank you very much. Thank you.

Here's to a good day tomorrow. Cheers.

I think we need to savour this last pint

because I'm not sure when we're going to get our next one.

Mm. We've gone over the budget.

We've done what we shouldn't have done,

and that is to maybe panic a little in trying to get up here.

I don't really want to change our strategy.

It always has been around experiences.

That's what this race is about and that's what we have to remember.

The strategy for me just went out the window after yesterday.

We should have done our research while we were at the garage.

I was running around that gas station and you just stood there!

No, but... Yeah! You probably could've asked questions!

Rubbish! Rubbish! No, you probably could've!

I was asking people for information, I wasn't sat on my arse.

You only asked after I'd spoken to them!

Get off your high horse. Oh, wow...

So, stop bigging it up.

We're working as a team and not as individuals.

Take the smirk off your face, please.

I'm not smirking. You are.

I do find it hard when my dad wants to play the father role.

Our relationship is more of a friendship.

When my parents went through their divorce, I was about 12 years old.

My dad wasn't there very much.

Right. I'm going back to the room.

Obviously, we need to work on our communication.

I just hope that over the coming weeks

we get the time, and I guess maybe he has that realisation

and wants to talk about things, and wants to fix things,

and - rather than just walk away, cos that's what hurts and...

..that's what he's always done!

Hopefully, she turns up. I mean, if she doesn't, it'll be a disaster.

For the three teams on Vancouver Island,

it's D-Day.

Is that her?

Morning! Hello. Hello.

Hop in, get comfortable.

The ferry towards the checkpoint leaves at six o'clock tonight.

With seven days until the next one, if they miss it,

they'll be as good as out of the race.

Oh! Sorry.

Goddamn it!

Having joined up with their ride, Janine...

Thanks so much for taking us to Port Hardy.

I'm just a bored wacko with nothing better to do.

..Marc and Michael have furthest to travel,

from toe to top of the island in seven hours.

Further up the coast here, you'll be going into grizzly country.

Oh, no.

Despite the looming deadline,

in search of bears...

..and some spiritual healing,

Claudia and Kevin.

It... it... it's just unreal.

Haven't even seen the bears yet and I'm... I'm completely in awe.

This is such a pinch-me moment.

A vast, sodden landscape,

the Great Bear Rainforest is home to 1,000-year-old cedars,

grey wolves, cougars,

and its most celebrated resident,

the rare, cream-coloured spirit bear,

sacred to the indigenous Tsimshian people.

Typically, this time of year we would find bears along the edges

and, yes, bears do walk across this log.

Don't try and go under it when there's one on the top of it, then.

Yeah, I don't know how that would play.

ROARING

That is a black bear.

That is a bear in the wild...

..in its natural habitat.

It's special.

Ah!

It's so beautiful.

First time I saw a bear,

it was good to see them up close.

It's just, like, untouched beauty

and there's not much of that around anymore.

It's hard to find.

That $500 taxi is in the past now.

I'm not worried about that anymore.

I am just in awe of what I am seeing.

It's just phenomenal.

Why are we going this way?

Because there was a detour around construction.

Oh, you bugger!

And we can't even get out that way.

You can drive a tractor.

Two hours till departure.

The tickets were seriously expensive, $366.

So that's a significant amount of our budget

that has now disappeared,

but at least we are here.

How's everyone feeling?

Absolutely fine.

This is essentially a perfect storm.

Wind and tide are against one another.

You can't have it easy all the way, can you?

Come back to Vancouver Island, someday. Of course we will.

Safe travels. Take care.

All right, cool. Thank you very much. Have a great day.

Thank you. Safe travel, guys. Cheers. Have a good one.

We've seen one other team.

But we haven't seen Kevin and Claudia.

Hold on, is that...

Stop!

Oh, my God! I need to tell Dad!

Three teams settle in for an overnight voyage to Prince Rupert.

Stop having treats. Like, we need to stop.

You're the one that said to me did I want a coffee?

You said you needed a coffee!

Once there, they'll be able to catch another ferry,

to the first checkpoint tomorrow evening.

Seeking to reach Prince Rupert via the mainland...

We really need to get a ride in the next couple of hours,

to be able to make that ferry tonight.

..with 700km to cover,

Zainib and Mobeen's car-share odyssey continues.

You don't want to go towards Prince Rupert for some money?

Are you going to Prince Rupert, by any chance? Sorry.

I'm just relying on this sign

cos I haven't got the energy right now to talk to people.

Do you want to be a Good Samaritan? I'll pay you for it.

Well, if it means drive all the way to Prince Rupert...

How much would you do it for? That's, like, a whole day.

Thank you for your time. $500! Cheers.

$500? Yeah. I'd give you, like, 250.

So I checked... What are you supposed to be doing today, anyway?

You know what? What was your plan? It was going to be a nature day.

It was going to be go out, find a good place. Nature?

It's not quite warm enough, but I was going to jump in a lake.

So on the way, I probably am going to find one.

Would you take us - you, honestly take us for 250?

250, let's do it!

What's your name? I'm Corey. Corey. Nice to meet you, Corey.

Nice to meet you, man. What's your name? Mobeen. Mobeen!

Thank you. Can we make it?

Thanks very much.

Can we make it? Yeah.

Let's do it!

Ten hours to catch the Prince Rupert ferry.

We agreed 250.

I'm just going to, bit at a time,

depending on how far you get us.

But - a potential detour.

For years, I used to have my best friend, my dog.

We would go, May 1st, to the lake, and I would jump in, every year.

Is your best friend not around any more? She died.

She died in 2019.

And so it came to today and I'm saying...

Maybe it was fate.

"I've got to do it today. I've got to go out to the lake."

It'd be amazing to share that with you.

If you want to. Only if you want to.

Oh, I'd love - I definitely... I need to.

I mean, until we met you, I thought "We're never going to get

"to Prince Rupert by tonight."

Oh, wow! Listen to this guy!

Honestly, honestly. Where's the hope, huh?

Where's the optimism, huh?

On that note, here's your next payment!

Arriving in Prince Rupert...

..the teams from Vancouver Island.

Hi.

We're looking for two tickets, please. OK.

$84.40.

This is just unbelievable.

Look at them.

Also in town...

Bloody hell. I can't believe how big it is!

They're all around us, look.

All up there, all over everywhere.

..leaving just one team missing.

I got a new friend who's going to jump in the lake with me.

Argh! Oh, my God!

Stop it! Look who's here!

God, that's bonkers.

Hi! And Mike and Marc!

That's completely thrown me now, because I didn't,

I thought they'd have been here days ago.

Yeah, they've come a different way and still got here at the same time.

We've only got one couple left. Yeah.

Corey, here's your last payment.

Oh, coffee!

Ow!

Oh, my God, the other couple are here!

Really? The other couple are here!

Hey, man, so good!

So good man, so good. Keep in touch, won't you? Yeah, 100%.

I love you, man. You're a brother now. No, you're a brother, man.

And we've just got in by the skin of our teeth.

I'm pretty happy. I'm happy as well.

We saw some amazing things.

Made some new friends.

Made some amazing friends.

I thought you weren't going to cry!

I'm just really happy. You should be. You should be. So am I.

I'm feeling a bit more optimistic now.

Yeah, I am as well.

Sorry for doubting you.

Still a lot of time to do that!

It's all square, then, innit? The race is on tomorrow.

It really is.

We're all in the same boat.

We might have been last on the ferry,

but we're going to be first to checkpoint.

We just don't want to be behind anybody.

This is my competitiveness. I know.

But the race is on.

All five teams aboard...

..awaiting them, Haida Gwaii...

..an archipelago of over 200 islands.

In the north of the largest,

the first checkpoint.

5:40am. Ten minutes till the ferry docks.

Head to Misty Meadows Gazebo...

..at Naikoon Provincial Park.

Their GPS tracker tells them the checkpoint's exact location.

A 44km dash from the ferry terminal.

Look out for an orange buoy and turn right.

Right. Let's go.

Is there buses, or...

There's no buses.

There's going to be, like, eight other people,

like, doing the exact same thing as I am.

Don't give them any information.

Are you going towards Tlell, by any chance?

No. No? Thank you.

I would love to finish first.

It would be nice to get a taxi there, wouldn't it?

Well, it would be, but the budget doesn't really allow that.

Right, there are lots of people here,

lots of teams that are here...

..all searching for the same information,

all asking the same people the same thing.

We're trying to get to Tlell.

OK. So I should say Steve sent us? Yes. Yes.

And what's his name? His name is Kyle.

My bike's got a popped tyre. Yeah.

I've got a friend meeting me to load-up the bike,

if you don't mind waiting a little bit. Yeah.

Yeah, we will, mate. We'll wait for you, mate.

Is this the right way out?

This is the vehicle deck.

We can't go out this way. We don't have a vehicle.

Sorry, excuse me.

You don't happen to be going north at all?

Whereabouts are you going? Tlell.

Yeah, I could give you guys a ride.

Thank you. Amazing, amazing, amazing, amazing!

Oh, my God, how lucky is that?

Oh, you are so kind. You're an absolute legend.

I take it that they've managed to get a lift.

We're the first off the ferry!

We're right at the front. Thank you!

Yes!

They're on their way and we're now stuck here.

Is that the octopus? Oh, my God, it's him!

Is your name Kyle, by any chance? Yes, my name's Kyle. Hi.

You're amazing. Thank you.

We are looking to get a taxi to Tlell. Yep.

And how much would it cost for us to...? $150.

Is that your best price?

It's the only price.

Let's just take the hit,

and then we re-plan the whole of next week's trip. OK.

Yeah, it's your choice.

Oh, my God, I saw Kevin and Claudia getting a taxi.

No!

Tlell. Population, 183.

Head to the beach and proceed 2km.

OK, where is the beach?

Expected - ten more.

Come on, Marc! Michael, I'm too tired!

Go! Go, go, go! There's going to be minutes between us.

I'm not going to run and break my ankle.

Argh! All right, all right.

Take the sandy path to the river

and follow the sign to the Haida House.

Come on, Mon. We can do this.

I'm sorry. Don't be sorry. I don't want to hear that word.

Keep going, keep going!

Come on, Marc!

Haida House. Down here.

We're here!

Oh! Come on, Dad!

Good morning, welcome to Haida Gwaii. Please sign the book.

Brilliant. Yes!

Well done, Dad! Well done!

Thank God.

I wasn't prepared to not win after we spent the money,

knowing that everyone else has hitchhiked.

Right!

I think that kind of wipes the negativity that we've had this week.

For the next two weeks, we've really got to scrimp and save.

Strong and steady.

That's going to be our mantra, I think.

I think we've got more money than them, as well.

Yeah. I definitely think we've got more money than them.

Get a jog on.

We've only got here relying on the kindness of other people.

We've smashed it. Our strategy is...

..we're just warming up, you know?

Let them come first by four minutes.

That's fine with me.

I'm having a blast doing this with my daughter, so...

..yeah, it's great.

You all right, how you doing? All right.

Are you going to cry?

Aww, don't cry.

After six days and over 1,200km,

just 17 minutes separate the five teams.

I think we've worked quite well together. Yeah, I think we have.

I don't know why I'm shocked.

This leg actually is more telling about budget, not about time.

And we didn't pay for a cab.

So who's the real winners in this leg? Yeah, I know. That's us!

Next time...

We are going to go into remote wilderness here.

Oh, no!

..all ties with civilisation severed...

It's grizzlies and black bears. Yeah.

Oh, my God! Wow!

..the teams journey into the wild.

Are you going to kill us? No.

This is just terrible, Dad.

It's soul-destroying. We're in this together. You're not on your own.

I've told you I don't want to do it, and I'm scared of it,

and you still want to do it?

I've almost forgotten what my life used to be like.