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00:00Hello Backpackers, I'm Tyler West and welcome to Race Across the World, The Detour.
00:04This is your travel buddy for the show that's got us all feeling a little bit thirsty.
00:08Give me your vodka.
00:10Give me your vodka.
00:13Contemplating life.
00:14Will you build a building for me when I die?
00:17Must be jerking.
00:18And really getting up close and personal with a different culture.
00:21It's the strangest sausage I've ever seen.
00:23Yes, it is, isn't it? Very old sausage.
00:27Yes, it's the show where you'll hear the latest chat on Series 6 of Race Across the World,
00:31plus some travel tales, fails and tips from our special guests.
00:35And at the end of each episode, we have an exclusive clip from the next episode of Race Across the
00:40World.
00:40So get in there.
00:41And once that's all over, there's still some more for you to enjoy.
00:45Just search on BBC Sounds to hear our bonus episode, Travel Buddies,
00:48where we'll be inviting one of our guests to choose their ideal race partner.
00:52So help yourself to a slice of mystery meat, wedge yourself into that bunk bed,
00:56and join us for Race Across the World, The Detour.
01:03Right, we've got some top-notch guests in this episode.
01:05So who has signed in the book this week?
01:07From Radio 1, it's Melvin O'Doom.
01:10Yo, what's going on, guys?
01:12And comedian Maisie Adam.
01:15Yes!
01:16Come on, this is it, guys.
01:17Now, I think it's also time to say hello again to our resident travel expert.
01:21He couldn't tell you what a VHS tape looks like,
01:24but he could get you from Brighton to Birmingham in record time.
01:28It's Alfie Watts, everyone.
01:29Hello, hello.
01:30Thanks, mate.
01:31Do you know what a VHS tape is?
01:33Yeah, there we go.
01:34Move it up, move it up, move it up, move it up.
01:36It's harrowing.
01:36And as always, I'll be delivering my ideal route for this leg of the race.
01:39It'll be a pacey trip, but we'll also include some unmissable detours.
01:43Wicked.
01:43Now, before I go any further, if you're still drinking wine in Tbilisi
01:47and haven't yet reached Zamin National Park,
01:49then stop what you're doing, go and watch on iPlayer,
01:52and then just come straight back here.
01:53Now, what a turnaround this has been for our races,
01:57and it shows how quickly things can change, right?
01:59Katie and Harrison are now top of the leaderboard again,
02:01and Mark and Margot came last.
02:04Now, Maisie, Katie and Harrison, they're back on race mode, right?
02:07Yeah, they're either, like, smashing it or are woefully behind.
02:11Yeah, and they've got the choo-choo train sound effects down to her.
02:14I cannot believe, because, like, she's young, Katie.
02:17She's going for the whole...
02:18I've not seen someone do that on a train since Thomas the Tank comes in.
02:24Surely that's where's the nightclub.
02:27What nightclub are you guys doing?
02:29Are you not pulling that one out anymore?
02:31We're not doing that.
02:32Line up, boys.
02:34When the language barrier gets tough, you've got to do sound effects.
02:37But it does feel like they've got the balance right again
02:40between, like, combining speed and detours.
02:43Yeah, and budgeting, thanks to Harrison.
02:46I've never known a man budget as efficiently as him.
02:49Harrison is basically the new Martin Lewis.
02:51He can save money for days.
02:53My African dad will be so proud of him.
02:55Trust me.
02:56I was very surprised when they turned up and opened that guest book.
02:59I was sat at home going, how?
03:02Yeah.
03:02You were 20 hours behind.
03:04Yeah, he was like, we're back, baby.
03:05Yeah, amazing.
03:07Now, Mel, poor Mark and Margot, though, right?
03:10They've been going from strength to strength in every leg,
03:12but then it just slipped away from them in this episode, didn't it?
03:15Was it bad luck?
03:16Well, bad luck and also, I just feel like there's just such different characters
03:21and I feel like Margot's very good at enjoying the whole scenario
03:25and the whole experience, whereas Mark is just like,
03:28okay, this is wonderful and he kind of gets sucked into these different environments.
03:32But yeah, I just think it was bad luck for them.
03:33Yeah.
03:34Alfie, we'd love to know your perspective on this.
03:36What can they do to get back up the leaderboard?
03:38Well, I think that we've seen that it can flip in the space of a leg really quickly.
03:43I think for them, sometimes the priority isn't necessarily always the race.
03:47And I think that that's great, you know, like that they want to experience it with each other.
03:51They want to get something from it.
03:53But we have seen last time that they did win the leg.
03:56So I just think that it's sometimes about just flipping that switch between
03:59do we want to be in race mode or do we kind of want to take it down a gear
04:02and just slow down a bit?
04:03You just start moving quick when we're in race mode.
04:05You just start running everywhere.
04:06Like, I need toilet, quick.
04:07Like, that's it.
04:09Everything becomes hyper fixated.
04:11For real.
04:11Which is pointless.
04:13Because the speed you're going to the toilet at doesn't make a difference.
04:15It does make a difference. Just squeeze it out, but still.
04:17Maisie.
04:20There's your clip.
04:21Was that an overshot?
04:22There's your clip.
04:23Was it just me?
04:24No?
04:25It's good to have a travel tip, Ty.
04:30Moving on.
04:32So, Maisie, Adra and Molly, though, they had a pretty tricky leg.
04:36Yeah.
04:37I mean, they're navigating parts of the world where tourists are pretty uncommon.
04:41How was it watching Molly step up and lead things, though, and taking a bit of charge?
04:44I think it was really good, and I don't think she gave herself, like, enough credit.
04:48And she spoke really lovely and openly about how she struggles with kind of, like, backing her own decisions.
04:53And I think that's something, especially in a parent-child, like, dynamic, that that can feel...
04:59It naturally falls into place of, like, you ask the parent, what should we do here?
05:03What should we do?
05:04And you could see that that was how they naturally fell into.
05:07And then she really had this moment of wanting to make more decisions.
05:10And it's that thing, isn't it, of, like, if you're the one that's made a decision,
05:14you then feel the pressure and the responsibility of the results of that.
05:19And then I think when it didn't work out as ideal as possible,
05:22it was really nice to see Andrew actually be softer and kind of lifting her up and be really encouraging.
05:29It's been really special to see.
05:31But it's a hard...
05:32That is a hard place to suddenly choose to be the one to call the shots on.
05:36100%.
05:36Alfie, it's a beautiful part of the world that they're in, right?
05:38It really is.
05:39I mean, the space that we're talking about specifically is Kiva,
05:43which is an incredible city in Uzbekistan.
05:46There's actually records of people living there since the 6th century BC, which is crazy.
05:51I've been there.
05:53It's...
05:53Of course you have.
05:54Yeah, I know.
05:56Retracing that Uzbekistan Silk Road really is amazing.
05:59Like, some of the kind of mausoleums that they have and the minarets and things like that.
06:04It's just...
06:04It really is a beautiful part of the world.
06:06Nice.
06:06Love that.
06:07Melvin, we finally have Joe and Kush.
06:09Mm-hmm.
06:09My boys.
06:10The comeback kings.
06:11Yeah, man.
06:12It kind of seems that they've really enjoyed themselves this leg, right?
06:15Yeah, and I just think...
06:15I was saying to Maisie earlier,
06:17I think they're the best at getting strangers to help them.
06:20They're just so kind of like...
06:22They're such warm characters and really confident with strangers.
06:25And I've really loved that about them.
06:26And I think that's really helped them in this competition.
06:28The Scouse Charms come good, hasn't it?
06:29100% for a real.
06:30Especially at the circumcision party.
06:33I mean, what party?
06:34I didn't know that existed as a party.
06:36With the cash flowing round?
06:37Yeah.
06:37That was wild.
06:38If they ever need a DJ for something like that, I am available.
06:42This is who Kush got a phone number, didn't he?
06:43He did.
06:44Oh, my God, that was...
06:44Smooth brother.
06:45Kush was like...
06:46He clocked that he was being flirted with on camera and then was like,
06:49one moment.
06:49Yeah.
06:51He's like, guys, we cut the cameras for a second.
06:53But he'd go and then just give a high five.
06:55Yeah, I didn't.
06:55We didn't see the exchange.
06:56Come and see me after your dance.
06:58Okay.
06:58Yeah.
06:59I think he was laying the foundations.
07:01Fair play.
07:01Right, now it's time to unpack the route from tonight's episode.
07:04The fourth leg saw our racers travel from Kazakhstan to the eastern edge of Uzbekistan.
07:08A journey of around 2,200 kilometres into the soaring peaks of Zaman National Park.
07:17Part of the Turkestan mountain range, and nicknamed the Uzbek Switzerland, its alpine meadows and hidden valleys shelter rare birds,
07:28lynx, and Siberian ibex.
07:31Home to some of Central Asia's most dramatic scenery.
07:34A contrast to the arid plains that lead here.
07:38Right, Alfie, do us proud.
07:40Bring us the facts.
07:41Yeah, I mean, this is one of the kind of most niche checkpoints we've ever seen on the show.
07:46And it's amazing.
07:47Kazakhstan is the ninth largest country in the world.
07:50So they are traversing a huge amount of area.
07:53A lot of it is very sparsely populated.
07:55Zaman National Park itself is non-stop scenery.
07:59It really is beautiful.
08:00There's a 100 metre high waterfall that's definitely worth checking out.
08:03It's a really difficult place to get to because it's so isolated.
08:06But if you can get there, it's definitely somewhere to add to your travel bucket list,
08:09which I think for everyone in the world is kind of ever-increasing.
08:12That's good to know.
08:13Alfie, you are incredible.
08:14Listen, honestly, I taught him everything he knows.
08:17I'm just saying it.
08:17I mean, I only know about mobs and Ibiza.
08:20That's it.
08:22With Joe and Kush, this felt like a really crucial leg for them.
08:26Experiencing that home stay and then working at that party as well.
08:29Alfie, at this stage of the race, everyone's starting to feel a little bit tired.
08:31How important are the home stays to sort of re-energise?
08:35The one thing that you always know that you're going to get from a home stay
08:37and you'll know this is that you'll get fed and you'll get a bed.
08:40Although home stays sacrifice time, they do get you re-energised.
08:43For real.
08:44And they allow you to have those conversations,
08:46those interactions with local and real people.
08:47And that's what creates the magic of what we see.
08:51Yeah.
08:51Maisie, we also learned about, Kush opened up about the death of his stepdad
08:55and how that sort of affected him in his younger years, even to now.
08:59Scarlet Moffat mentioned this in episode three.
09:01He seems to be growing up right in front of our eyes as we're watching.
09:04Absolutely.
09:05Melvin and I were saying beforehand,
09:07I don't think even Joe and Kush realise how mature they are for such young lads.
09:13And the way that he was able to kind of articulate such a traumatic,
09:20but also quite life-altering thing.
09:23And for his friends to also be able to reflect on the changes that that brought out in him.
09:29I think that shows not only like a really exceptional maturity,
09:33but a really lovely bond between those two.
09:35They are each other's ride or dies.
09:37They have each other's backs.
09:39Race has a really special way of doing that though.
09:42You've hit the nail on the head with like,
09:44it was just convenient that they were doing martial arts.
09:46Like this does just happen.
09:47I remember when I was on the race and I spoke about my mum,
09:49it just so happened to me that there was this lantern opportunity.
09:53Like these moments just speak to you.
09:55And I saw myself from three years ago in Kush in that moment.
10:00And it's just like, this epitomises why we love the show.
10:05Melvin, Katie and Harrison,
10:07they made a stop in Nookers to visit the Mizdarkin.
10:11As much as Harrison is focused on the race at this point,
10:14he's always focused on the race.
10:15Yeah, always.
10:15It seems like those reflective moments are as important as the racing moments.
10:20Yeah, I think it's a reminder that they're seeing some of the most beautiful parts of the world
10:24while they're doing this race.
10:26And I get that.
10:27Look, I love that he's so kind of like locked in with his money.
10:31He doesn't mess around,
10:32but there's going to be certain parts of this race and you'll see them
10:35and you have to stop and you have to enjoy it.
10:38Because I think the worst thing would be to finish this whole thing
10:42and then look back at the parts of the world that you missed out on.
10:45Here's what you could have seen.
10:46So he had to take it in at that moment.
10:48And I think he's also, he's been really good at being very self-aware
10:51that that, although it's a massive challenge for him,
10:54he gets the most out of it.
10:56There was a bit where he said,
10:57it's the bit I struggle with the most, but I find it the most rewarding.
10:59And I think that's a huge thing for a young lad to admit.
11:02Yeah, at least he's realised it.
11:03Yeah, and it is hard.
11:05Like I was saying with my friends the other day,
11:07it's really hard to make friends as an adult.
11:08100%.
11:09And that's in this country, right?
11:11When you're a kid, you waddle up to somebody in the playground
11:13and go, what's your favourite colour?
11:14Oh, mine's also red.
11:15And that's your boss.
11:17Friends for life then.
11:18Yeah, but it's really quite difficult to do that as an adult.
11:21And he's doing it in another country on no budget,
11:25but with little to no money
11:28and with very little on paper in common with these people.
11:31A language barrier a lot of the time as well.
11:32Alpha, you've got to clear something up for us, though,
11:34because Katie basically thought that the Mizdarkin
11:37was built in the time of the dinosaurs.
11:39Is that true?
11:40Yeah, she's unfortunately a few million years out.
11:43Okay, all right, just a little bit.
11:43So not too close,
11:45but the Mizdarkin is a beautiful place to go and visit.
11:47A little urban legend for you
11:49is that there's something called the Apocalypse Clock,
11:50and it's basically a clock that's eroding away,
11:53and tourists go and take a brick
11:55because the legend has it that when the clock is fully destroyed,
11:58that's when humanity ends.
11:59Well, why are they taking the bricks?
12:01No, because they're keeping it alive.
12:02Yeah, we'll stay here.
12:03No, no, because it's eroding,
12:04so people are, like, rebuilding it.
12:06Oh, so you add a brick.
12:07So you add a brick.
12:07Don't take a brick away.
12:09Oh, yeah, I thought you were saying,
12:11you go up, you take a brick.
12:12Welcome to the D2, ladies.
12:13And then when it's all gone.
12:14And then when all the bricks have gone, we die.
12:16My friend is a property developer,
12:19so should he just go and do the whole thing?
12:20Yes.
12:21He could do the whole thing,
12:21or if he really wants to test the theory of the urban legend,
12:25he could just take it all away.
12:26Oh, no, let's not do that.
12:28No.
12:29Why are you even wishing that upon us?
12:31Just, it's an experiment.
12:33Yeah, so if there are any brickies
12:35listening to the D2 currently,
12:37we've got some work for you.
12:37Yes, there's some work in Uzbekistan.
12:38Right, there absolutely is.
12:40Now for a game we all love here on the detour.
12:43It's the one-star reviews.
12:44Now, the rules are very, very simple.
12:46I'm going to read out some genuine grumblings
12:47left on review websites
12:49of famous landmarks from all over the world,
12:51and you just have to guess
12:53where they're talking about, okay?
12:54And you know, I'll give you some extra clues as well
12:56to help you along the way.
12:57Mel, I'm looking at you for that.
12:58Yeah, thank you, thank you.
13:00Okay, so the first one...
13:01No pressure, guys, but the last time...
13:02Actually strays already.
13:03The last time we played this,
13:05Scarlet and Jake smashed it.
13:07Did they?
13:07It was the highest score so far.
13:08They got three out of four, Jake and Scarlet.
13:10Right, let's get four.
13:11We can get four, come on.
13:12So the first clue.
13:13If you enjoy standing in queues all day
13:15just to look at frankly boring stuff,
13:17crowns and armour,
13:18this place is for you.
13:20Crowns and armour?
13:21Where's the crown rules in that?
13:22That's a big clue.
13:23Tower of London.
13:26It's the correct answer!
13:27Yeah!
13:27Why didn't you just give it to us straight?
13:29I don't know, I just wanted to tease you
13:30along the way a little bit, you know?
13:31Right, on to the second one, right?
13:33It's just grass trees, overpriced calves,
13:36surrounded by buildings in a square.
13:38Grass trees.
13:38Grass trees.
13:39Hyde Park?
13:40Surrounded by buildings.
13:42Surrounded by buildings in a square.
13:44In a square.
13:45In a square.
13:45In a square.
13:46Grass trees.
13:48Trees in a square.
13:49Oh, is it Central Park?
13:51Central Park.
13:52Absolutely it is, Central Park.
13:53Right, on to the next one.
13:54The way up is very long and rocky,
13:56there's no lift or tram up,
13:57which should be a necessity for a hill this big.
14:00Big hill.
14:01Big hill.
14:02Big hill.
14:02Well, I was going to say Kilimanjaro.
14:03The way up is very, very hilly and rocky.
14:06Okay, people returning encouraged us to keep going,
14:09saying there would be fish and chips and a pub at the top.
14:11There is not a pub at the top!
14:12Exclamation mark.
14:13Fish and chips?
14:14Fish and chips and a pub at the top.
14:16Fish and chips.
14:17So it's got to be in the UK, fish and chips.
14:19Yeah, yeah.
14:20Stamford Hill?
14:21That's very famous in...
14:23Could it be Whitby Abbey?
14:24Could it be Whitby Abbey?
14:25Whitby Abbey?
14:25Think mountain.
14:26Mountain.
14:27Come on, because it's a mountain.
14:29Snowdon.
14:30Mount Snowdon.
14:31There's the one in Scotland, Ben Nevis.
14:33I think it's one of them.
14:35His eyes did something.
14:36His eyes twitched.
14:37It's one of those.
14:37What are you saying?
14:38His eyes twitched.
14:39Ben Nevis or Snowdon.
14:40Ben Nevis.
14:41Okay.
14:41It is Ben Nevis.
14:42Congratulations.
14:43Yeah, Britain's highest mountain.
14:44Why?
14:45Sorry, but why would you believe
14:46that there's a fish and chips shop
14:47at the top of Ben Nevis?
14:48That's the thing, isn't it?
14:48That's not on the people coming down.
14:50They should do that now you've said it.
14:52Or they were trolling them.
14:53They were saying, yeah, keep going.
14:54There's fish and chips at the top.
14:57Okay, final review.
14:58This is a tough one as well.
14:59Interesting from an architectural point of view,
15:01but overrated from an aesthetic
15:04and artistic perspective.
15:06Overrated?
15:07Overrated.
15:08Old Trafford.
15:09Joking, joking.
15:12Interesting.
15:12Overrated.
15:13You know what it might be?
15:14I was going to say that,
15:15or I've heard the pyramids for some people.
15:18Oh, that's a good shout, Mel.
15:19A little bit of another clue, right?
15:21Rather unattractive,
15:22especially in the rear.
15:23Oh, well, a pyramid looks the same from every...
15:25Yeah, yeah, yeah.
15:27Excuse me,
15:28no one complains about this little peach.
15:31A pyramid looks the same from each angle.
15:36So it can't be a pyramid.
15:37So what looks different from behind?
15:40Sur...
15:40Sur...
15:41Sur...
15:42Sur...
15:42Sur...
15:42Sur...
15:42Sur...
15:42Sur...
15:43The Surhara Desert is unattractive.
15:45Oh, you've not seen it from the front.
15:46Okay.
15:47Sur...
16:16It was a contender for the eighth wonder of the world
16:17Joe and Kush got into a little bit of trouble
16:19when they tried to take a taxi into Uzbekistan.
16:23Wrong way, bro.
16:25He's taken a wrong turn.
16:27He's been told to make a U-turn,
16:28but he keeps thinking that he's smarter.
16:30Uz...
16:31Uzbekistan...
16:31This way.
16:34He doesn't know he's going.
16:36Oh, my days.
16:38I presume he knows that there is better than water.
16:45It should be fine.
16:50We'll get there.
16:51Don't stress.
16:52Oh.
16:53Kush is bad.
16:54Kush, man.
16:54Kush is me.
16:56Me and him are the same person.
16:57It is.
16:57That is literally what I was doing on the race.
16:59If my taxi driver was taking me the wrong way,
17:01I'd be like...
17:02What would you do, Alfie, in that situation?
17:04I'd do what he did.
17:05Like, because there is nothing you can do.
17:06Like, he doesn't speak the language.
17:07So, he just makes it very obvious to the driver
17:09by putting his head down.
17:10Yeah, exactly.
17:11That's all you can do.
17:11That's all you can do.
17:12I mean, maybe travelling around a new country,
17:15that's difficult.
17:16Yeah.
17:16And it's so...
17:17That's it.
17:17It's like, we've all been in that scenario
17:19where, like, if you take an Uber
17:21and they're taking a different route to the sat-nav
17:24and you kind of go, whatever.
17:26But, like, in another country,
17:28how do you try and communicate
17:29to somebody whose language you don't speak
17:32and you're not from that country and they are,
17:34that actually you think there's a better way?
17:36Like, it's an impossible position to be in.
17:38Melvin, have you done any driving in another country?
17:41Yeah, so, I've got a cousin called Becky
17:43and she used to get cheap flights to LA.
17:46And so, she invited me to come with her one day.
17:48And I've had this dream of hiring a Mustang car.
17:51Yeah.
17:51I think everyone does it, but I'm old.
17:54So, when I hired this car, there was no sat-nav, right?
17:57So, we had to use maps to get around
17:58and we got so lost,
18:00I argued with my cousin for the first ever time
18:02in our life
18:03and I scratched the rims on this car as well, yeah.
18:06I don't actually know how we got back
18:07to giving this car back to return it to the rental place,
18:11but I got so lost
18:12because we had no sat-nav in the car.
18:15Genuinely, though,
18:15like, what did we do before sat-nav?
18:17I have no idea.
18:18We used to do, remember the AA?
18:20Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
18:21You used to plan your routes online
18:23and then you could print out the map
18:24and then follow the map.
18:26But before any of that,
18:27I was like, how did anyone get around?
18:29Alfie, you just,
18:30it's all off the top of the diamond, isn't it?
18:31Yeah, and I mean,
18:32I'm perfectly well experienced in the time before GPS
18:35so I feel like I've got loads to offer here.
18:38Well, that hit deep, right?
18:41That hit very, very deep.
18:42I feel like if there was a theme to this episode,
18:44it would probably be sausages, yeah,
18:46because there was a lot of, like, sausage chat.
18:49Margot even, like, invented a new word,
18:50Kazakh spam.
18:51Kazakh spam.
18:52Kazakh spam.
18:53Kazakh spam's up there.
18:54It's a very sausage-y series.
18:55Yeah, it is.
18:56It is.
18:57There was a lot going on.
18:58Even Kush got force-fed on the train.
19:00Yeah.
19:01Yeah.
19:01It was all food.
19:03Have you ever got, like,
19:03proper stuck into another culture
19:05his food?
19:05Kush got, um, fed,
19:07force-fed and body-shamed.
19:09Oh, yeah.
19:10You're not going to get any girls looking like that.
19:13I was like, woo!
19:14Luckily, he couldn't understand what she was saying.
19:16Bless him.
19:17And also, that sausage looked mysterious.
19:19Yeah, I would have done that.
19:21No way.
19:21Like, in,
19:22when I went to Ghana for the first time,
19:24there's a place called Bojo Beach.
19:26And, I mean,
19:27generally, the food,
19:28I love Ghanaian food,
19:29but my mum always used to say,
19:31don't have the kebab by the side of the road.
19:33Yeah.
19:34And I was, I didn't listen
19:35because it smelled so amazing.
19:37And my cousin had it as well.
19:39And put it this way,
19:39on the way back,
19:41she asked the kebab to stop
19:42and she knocked on a stranger's house
19:44to use their toilet.
19:46It's like carnival.
19:46Yeah.
19:47Wow.
19:47What is your favourite cuisines?
19:49I love having this conversation with people.
19:50Jollof rice
19:51because it means I get to see mum.
19:53Oh,
19:54Mexican because it's nice.
19:56Mexican.
19:56Yeah.
19:57Mexican because it's delicious.
19:59It was so sweet.
20:01And then, you know,
20:02just straight in.
20:03Just the truth.
20:04Maisie,
20:04Margot had a bit of a moment
20:05on the horse farm.
20:07She did, yeah.
20:07She was like,
20:08I want to go see the horses.
20:08I love the horses.
20:09And then she realised that,
20:10What the horses are for?
20:11The horses are kind of there
20:13to be eaten.
20:14But they both also,
20:15they both kept their
20:16Kazakh clothes on as well
20:17for the rest of the leg.
20:19It's like,
20:19oh, we're in it now.
20:20We're embracing it.
20:20Really enjoyed her
20:21in the traditional Kazakh headdress
20:24doing her lipstick.
20:25Yeah.
20:25Amazing.
20:26She became a whole other character.
20:27Have you ever like,
20:28sort of really committed
20:29to another culture's fashion choices?
20:31Me and another comedian
20:33called Susie Ruffell,
20:34we went to Morocco.
20:36I think on the first night
20:37we were in Marrakesh
20:38and we were like,
20:39whilst we're here,
20:39let's have tagine.
20:40And then we went right off
20:42into the High Atlas Mountains
20:43and had tagine every single night
20:45because that's what people,
20:46when you go to the house,
20:47do as like,
20:48as like what Margot were having.
20:50But then it was very much like
20:52also wanting us to dress
20:53in the traditional Moroccan dress.
20:56In their house,
20:57it looked really fun and cool.
20:58And then as we left,
20:59we were like,
21:00this is cultural appropriation.
21:03Yeah.
21:03I've had a mishap
21:05with outfits before.
21:07My brother and I
21:08went backpacking
21:09and we went to Hong Kong.
21:12I think we'd caught a flight
21:13from New Zealand
21:14and his bag came round
21:16on the carousel
21:17and I was like,
21:18wait for mine.
21:18And you know when you start
21:19clocking the same bags,
21:20and you're like,
21:21no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.
21:21Please, please, please, please.
21:23And my bag had got lost
21:25and so I spent
21:26two, three days
21:28going round Hong Kong
21:29sharing clothes
21:30with my brother.
21:31You smashed it on Race Across the World.
21:33Yeah, well, maybe,
21:34but all of my photos
21:35of my time in Hong Kong,
21:36which was so great.
21:37I'm in like,
21:38I'm in a,
21:38there's one where I'm in a T-shirt.
21:41We got this tram up to a peak
21:42at the top of Hong Kong,
21:43in Hong Kong City
21:44and I'm just in
21:45a Zoo York T-shirt.
21:47I'm like,
21:48cargo shorts.
21:49I look like I'm having
21:50the world's worst
21:50identity crisis.
21:52Oh, that's so funny.
21:53Yeah, yeah.
21:54Like, because we were
21:54at a very different state.
21:55I'd gone to university,
21:56really discovered
21:57who I was.
21:58My brother had just
21:59left school
21:59and was just sort of like,
22:01very much still dressing
22:02like a 16-year-old boy.
22:04Amazing.
22:05Yeah, it was tricky.
22:06That's my travel tip, though.
22:07That's whenever you pack bags
22:08and you're going with someone,
22:09like half and half clothes.
22:11Split it.
22:11Is that what you do?
22:11I do it all the time with Molly.
22:13You have to.
22:14That's smart.
22:14I've never done that.
22:15Yeah, because I'm not,
22:16if her case arrives
22:17and mine doesn't,
22:17I'm not wearing a bikini.
22:18You know what I mean?
22:19I'm not doing it.
22:20I love that.
22:20That's the go-to.
22:21Not like,
22:22oh, maybe I'll have to
22:22borrow one of her T-shirts.
22:23I will simply have to
22:25wear her bikini.
22:26I will have to do it.
22:29Now, this is the part of the show
22:30where we get to hear from you.
22:32Sometimes we get travel tales and fails.
22:34Sometimes we get travel hacks.
22:35And sometimes we hear
22:36from former racers.
22:38And this week,
22:38from Series 3,
22:39we've got the wonderful Laddie.
22:41Have I got a question for you?
22:43So,
22:45I had an experience
22:47whilst racing across Canada
22:49as part of the race
22:51with wild animals.
22:54Yeah.
22:56What
22:57is
22:58the
22:59wildest
23:00animal
23:01that you
23:02have seen
23:03whilst travelling
23:05and has
23:06that wild
23:07animal
23:08ever put you
23:09in danger?
23:10Laddie had a
23:11close encounter
23:12with a bear.
23:13A bear?
23:13A bear.
23:14First of all,
23:15what a handsome man.
23:16Yeah.
23:16He's good, right?
23:17Wow.
23:18What a look.
23:20Yeah?
23:21He's working it.
23:23Yeah.
23:24Yeah.
23:25So,
23:25what is
23:26the wildest encounter
23:28you've ever had
23:29whilst travelling?
23:30them?
23:30Well,
23:31I mean,
23:32I've done the jungle,
23:33so we've had some
23:34mad encounters there.
23:36Yeah.
23:37Like,
23:37I mean,
23:39there was literally
23:39just like kangaroos
23:40just outside.
23:41It was wild, yeah.
23:42Australia is a...
23:43And just the bugs in Australia,
23:45it's almost like
23:46they go to the gym
23:47and get hench.
23:48Do you know,
23:49fun fact, right?
23:50Go on.
23:50If all of the kangaroos
23:52in Australia
23:53were to invade Uruguay,
23:56yeah,
23:56hear me, hear me, hear me,
23:57hear me, hear me,
23:58hear me, hear me.
23:59Every Uruguayan
24:00would need to fight
24:01off 14 kangaroos.
24:02No!
24:03How crazy?
24:04Like,
24:04you know when they're like,
24:05they're just in their chest up.
24:06And why do you know this?
24:08I learnt a different fact
24:09every day.
24:09Let's make it happen!
24:11Kangaroo invasion of Europe.
24:13Let's do it.
24:14We once went,
24:15when I was,
24:16like,
24:16a lot, lot younger,
24:17we went to
24:18South Africa.
24:20Grandad,
24:20had a heart attack
24:21on a cruise
24:22so he had to be airlifted
24:23to the nearest bit of land
24:24which was South Africa.
24:25We were all told
24:27he's going to go
24:28so we flew out
24:28to be like,
24:29oh God.
24:30And then,
24:31he didn't go.
24:31He went on to live
24:32for another 25 years.
24:34Anyway,
24:35we were in South Africa
24:36and on one of the days
24:37we were like,
24:38let's take him out
24:39in his wheelchair
24:39to like,
24:40you know,
24:40see things
24:40because it might be,
24:41might be the last thing you get.
24:43So we went to this place
24:43called Cape of Good Hope
24:44which is really densely populated
24:46by baboons.
24:47We're in this minivan.
24:48The tour guide's like,
24:49go out,
24:50take some pictures,
24:51whatever you do,
24:51do not get any food.
24:53We go out.
24:54I can remember my mum
24:55being like,
24:55well this is nice,
24:56should we get some crisps?
24:57And I was like,
24:58I think I was like seven
24:59and I was like,
25:00but mum,
25:00the tour guide said
25:01don't get food.
25:02She was like,
25:02no he didn't.
25:03She just hadn't heard him.
25:04So I was like,
25:05yeah okay,
25:05let's get crisps.
25:06We bought a packet of crisps
25:08and I kid you not,
25:09about 20 baboons
25:10started chasing us.
25:12We were,
25:12I have such a core memory
25:14of my mum and I
25:16racing back to this minivan
25:17where my grandpa was just like
25:19in a wheelchair,
25:21not even like aware
25:22of where he was.
25:23My mum jumped onto the minivan first,
25:26slid the door across,
25:28leaving me outside
25:29banging on the van
25:30with 20 baboons
25:31just like jumping on me.
25:33It was like,
25:33I should be in therapy
25:35just for that.
25:36I'm so glad
25:37your story went second.
25:39Yeah.
25:41Problem is,
25:41I thought I had a good,
25:42I've shared a bed
25:43with a capybara.
25:44Did you buy her dinner first?
25:47Wow.
25:47When I was in Venezuela
25:48I stayed at this lodge
25:49in the Amazon
25:49that had like
25:50wild capybaras.
25:53Wild capybaras
25:53are like really rare
25:54and they had wild capybaras
25:56this thing
25:56and I woke up
25:57and one was at the bottom
25:57of my bed.
25:58Fun fact,
25:59if all the capybaras
26:00in the world
26:00were like,
26:04I could take a capybara,
26:05I couldn't take a kangaroo.
26:06Balkan season.
26:08Now,
26:09remember,
26:09if you have got
26:10a travel tale,
26:11fail or a hack
26:12that you'd like
26:12to share with us
26:13then please do
26:13just WhatsApp us
26:14on 08000 487 387.
26:17Alfie,
26:18it is time my friend.
26:18Oh,
26:18you've got the blazer on already,
26:19right.
26:21Don't need to ask me twice.
26:22It looks great.
26:23You've got new badges
26:24that never fit.
26:24He's like Superman.
26:25exactly.
26:26He just changed.
26:27It is time for you
26:28to tell us
26:28your route for this leg.
26:30Act out to Zami National Park.
26:31Your race begins now.
26:33So,
26:34there were mixed results
26:35between the different routes
26:36that were chosen in this leg
26:37but for me,
26:38Uzbekistan's Silk Road
26:39is the one that I'm tracing
26:40mainly because I've been
26:41and can give you
26:42some little hacks
26:42along the way.
26:43So first,
26:44you need to get to Benu
26:45for the border crossing.
26:46Now,
26:46our teams who chose
26:47to do this taxied it
26:48but I would take the train.
26:49It's slightly slower
26:50but far cheaper
26:51potentially only costing you
26:52between 10 and 20 pounds.
26:54From Benu,
26:54you can get another train
26:55to Nukus
26:56which is around 11 hours long
26:57and could cost around 15 pounds
26:59for seats only.
27:00Now,
27:00from Nukus,
27:01grab a bus to Urgench.
27:02These currently only run
27:03once per day
27:04but do cost a couple of quid
27:06so it's well worth
27:07the risk of making it.
27:08And from Urgench,
27:09there's a trolley bus
27:09that will take you
27:10to your first detour,
27:11the incredible ancient city
27:12of Kiva.
27:13It is so worth the visit
27:15and I would book
27:16a guided tour.
27:16They're sometimes
27:17as low as 50 pounds
27:18but a local will have
27:19so much info to give you
27:21and then you'll have
27:21all of the tools
27:22that you need
27:22to explore further from there.
27:24And then from Kiva,
27:25get back up to Urgench
27:26and from there
27:26you take a train
27:27to your next detour,
27:29Samarkand.
27:29This is another long journey,
27:31almost nine hours
27:32but a first class
27:33sleeper cabin
27:34in this part of the world
27:34could potentially only
27:35cost you 50 pounds each
27:37so it is a journey
27:38you can make the most of.
27:39Don't expect business class
27:40service.
27:41Okay, all right.
27:41This is still
27:42a Soviet era
27:43sleeper train
27:44so don't expect too much.
27:46But once you get to Samarkand,
27:47you'll be in one
27:48of Central Asia's
27:48oldest cities.
27:50Head over to Ulugbeg
27:51and Sherdor Madrasas,
27:52centres of Islamic learning,
27:53or pay a visit
27:54to the lively
27:55Sea Ob Bazaar
27:56where you'll find
27:56some delicious
27:57local delicacies.
27:58Once you're finished
27:59in Samarkand,
28:00that's when we're
28:00heading to Checkpoint,
28:01Zalmin National Park.
28:02Public transport
28:03at this stage
28:03is very limited
28:04so your best bet
28:05is to get a taxi.
28:06Three and a half hour journey,
28:08get your haggling boots on
28:08because you might be able
28:09to get this down
28:10to 20 pounds.
28:11And once you get
28:12to the incredible park,
28:13you'll be blown away
28:13by the stunning scenery
28:14and breathtaking views.
28:16It's well worth
28:16all the expenses
28:17of getting there.
28:18Alfie Watts, everyone.
28:19Amazing.
28:20What a route.
28:21What a route.
28:23A lot of trains.
28:23Yeah, a lot of trains.
28:24What was that
28:25business class one
28:26that you said?
28:26So basically,
28:27so you can either choose
28:28when you go on a train
28:29in Uzbekistan,
28:30you can either choose
28:30economy,
28:31which is where you share
28:32with four people,
28:33or business, basically,
28:34where you share with two.
28:37Oh, so you said
28:38But you think,
28:39if you're with someone,
28:39then that two-berth cabin
28:41is yours.
28:42Okay.
28:43Hospitality suite.
28:44Yeah.
28:45Yeah.
28:45And finally,
28:46it is that time
28:47where I get to reveal
28:48to you a super exclusive,
28:49not seen anywhere else,
28:50sneak peek
28:51from the next episode
28:52of Race Across the World.
28:53Are you excited?
28:54Yes.
28:54Oh, yes.
28:55You should be.
28:56Enjoy.
28:57I've got a lot of energy,
28:59and I do spend a lot of energy
29:00looking after my family,
29:02but now the kids are older,
29:04and especially at such a crossroads
29:06of turning 60,
29:07it gives me the chance
29:08to really reassess things,
29:10really look for what I want.
29:12Love this.
29:13This is beautiful.
29:15Let's get the party started.
29:17Anyone fancy a sing-song?
29:19Ba-ba-ba,
29:20la-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da.
29:23Yes-a-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee.
29:25Where are you all from?
29:26Are you all friends?
29:26Carly!
29:27Carly!
29:28Carly!
29:29Carly!
29:32Carly!
29:33Oh, my God.
29:35Carly!
29:38Carly!
29:39Carly!
29:41Carly!
29:42Carly!
29:42Carly!
29:43Oh, come on.
29:55Melv, me and you have done some DJ geeks together, yeah?
29:57Yeah.
29:57We have never got the crowd rocking like that.
29:59We need Margot at the next rave, please.
30:02Can I ask a question, guys?
30:04Where was Mark?
30:06Four carriages down having a melon.
30:09He's going, absolutely not.
30:10Oh, I love her so much.
30:11Jane McDonald is quaking in her boots.
30:15That is amazing, to have the social confidence
30:17to be able to do that in a train full of people
30:19that you do not speak the same language as.
30:21She's so great.
30:21What a human being.
30:22Protector at all costs.
30:23Right, thank you so much to Melvyn and Maisie
30:25for joining us for this episode of The Detour.
30:28And a huge thank you to our resident expert, Alfie Watts.
30:33But that is not all.
30:34All of these wonderful guests and Alfie
30:35will be sticking around for our extra special bonus episode,
30:38which you can find right now on BBC Sounds.
30:40Just scan the QR code or search Race Across The World,
30:43The Detour on the app.
30:45It's going to be a load of fun
30:46because we like to call it travel buddies.
30:49Melv, you have actually chosen Ricky.
30:51Yep, that's right.
30:51Your co-host, Ricky Hayward-Williams,
30:53as your dream Race Across The World partner.
30:55So we're going to get Ricky on
30:56and see if he has the same enthusiasm for you.
30:58Oh God.
30:59Yeah.
31:00That's probably a no.
31:01So we'll be back here on iPlayer
31:03and Sounds after episode six of Race Across The World,
31:05where we'll find out just how far into Central Asia
31:08our four teams will go
31:09and how quickly Margot will find a party and join it.
31:13And do you want to spend even more time
31:14with your favourite shows?
31:16As well as all the chat on Race Across The World,
31:18we've got boxes full of celebrity secrets
31:20in Sort Your Life Out Unpacked with Dilly Carter.
31:23And all the latest hires and fires from the boardroom
31:26in The Apprentice unfinished business.
31:28So no matter what you love watching,
31:29there's more to discover on BBC Sounds.
31:32Thank you for going on this detour with us.
31:34I'm Tyler West.
31:35Get yourself looking bonita,
31:36hop into that cable car,
31:38and we'll see you at the next Checkpoint.
31:40Woo!
31:56Get yourself out of the viewpoint of S saja.
32:06Get yourself out of the book!
32:12You've got a new adventure,
32:12We'll see you later.
32:13Get yourself out of the forefront of the universe.
32:13You've got the rapport with a differentanni spine.
32:13With all the illustrations that
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