- 13 hours ago
Race Across the World Season 6 Episode 7
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Short filmTranscript
00:13Mongolia, the eighth and final country of the race, vast, remote, and unforgiving.
00:26This is now more than a competition, it's an expedition, across endless step, over frozen
00:34peaks, and deep into the unknown.
00:40Mongolian temperatures can plunge beneath minus 20, and its biting winds and isolation
00:46could test every decision and every ounce of resilience the teams have left.
00:53In the far west, in the shadow of the Altai Mountains, there are few roads, and even fewer
01:00large towns, only scattered settlements separated by hundreds of miles.
01:08At the edge of this frontier lies Olgi, where all four teams have landed, unable to continue
01:17their race through China.
01:19Let's go.
01:21Ooh, I feel the cold.
01:23But this remote outpost brings a new kind of challenge.
01:27We're going to...
01:31Carcoring.
01:33Carcoring?
01:34Oh, hold on, hold on.
01:36On many international maps of Mongolia, the roads are not accurate.
01:40Shit.
01:42So that means that this map will not be accurate.
01:45In fact, we've got to trust people's words more than the map.
01:48With outdated maps, and paved roads that dissolve into unmarked dirt tracks, teams must travel
01:55boldly as they venture into central Mongolia to the penultimate checkpoint.
02:03Harhorin, once an imperial capital under the sun of Genghis Khan, its ruins and sacred monasteries
02:10stand as a reminder of the country's powerful past as the largest contiguous land empire.
02:20First, to make their move, race leaders Joe and Kush.
02:24Let's go, let's go, let's go.
02:25Bye-bye.
02:27Can't lie though, that looks sick.
02:32It is just absolutely beautiful.
02:34It's genuinely like Narnia.
02:36Literally, I care because I'm not steroids.
02:41I can't wait to try and explain this one to my mum.
02:58Salaam Alaikum.
02:59How much for two? Cheapest room?
03:02120,000.
03:05Utilising their 14-hour lead, Joe and Kush have taxied to the closest provincial capital,
03:11Hovd.
03:13Hey, this is Sam.
03:14We've got a kettle.
03:16A cup of tea.
03:17That's all.
03:18Mongolia, day one, flying down snow-capped hills.
03:22It was just, it was mental.
03:25Temperature was a big surprise.
03:26It's just balty.
03:28It's like through your jacket, into your bones.
03:31My legs don't normally get cold, but I can feel it through my kicks.
03:34All right, so let's have a look on the mat.
03:36There it is.
03:37Clark Horan.
03:38That looks to be a fair distance.
03:40Yeah.
03:40And so, it'll take quite a length of time.
03:43And also, that's quite off-road.
03:46That's going to be so sick.
03:47That's boss.
03:49Teams face a 1,550-kilometre journey to Harhoran,
03:54across a country where public transport is scarce.
03:58To make progress, they'll need to rely on car shares,
04:02taxis and hitchhiking.
04:04But lifts aren't necessarily free.
04:07Local drivers expect payment.
04:09And with fuel prices rising, every mile comes at a higher cost.
04:15Teams could head north via the city of Wulangong
04:18to pick up the paved road east
04:22or go south, following an established route skirting the Gobi Desert.
04:29Whichever path they choose, parts of the journey will take them off-road
04:33across unmapped trails and landscapes few tourists travel.
04:40Wulangong seems like the biggest city around.
04:43So, there should be best transport connectors.
04:44Choosing to go up north, we have that highway that covers
04:48pretty much the entire distance.
04:50That might be our only opportunities to get public transport,
04:53which would save money.
04:54So, we got to Wulangong and then do a little homestay,
04:56stay in the year.
04:57That'll be good.
04:58Hoping to preserve cash for the final leg,
05:01the boys will head north in search of a free homestay,
05:04planning to pick up local buses between towns as they head east.
05:08You can see the finish line, it's not far away now.
05:11Everyone wants to be first,
05:12but you only really want to be first on the last leg.
05:15And so, getting to this point now,
05:16it does feel like there's a little bit of sort of pressure.
05:19Yeah.
05:19Because we are so close to the finish line,
05:22it's like, all on our own, like,
05:24we can't afford to make any mistakes.
05:36Looks like it's out of the map.
05:39Ulgi.
05:39Mm-hm.
05:40All the way to Karko.
05:42That is quite a journey.
05:45Wow.
05:45Back in Ulgi Airport,
05:47teams are released in the order they arrived
05:50into the last checkpoint of Almaty.
05:52In second place and ready to depart,
05:55Mark and Margo.
05:56It seems from Ulgi,
05:58we could actually go north, up to Oulangom.
06:01But I think it swings and roundabouts, which way you go.
06:03Do you?
06:04It's a bit punch in the dark, isn't it?
06:05It is.
06:06Yeah.
06:06I'd say in a girl.
06:07Yeah.
06:08I'd love that, yeah.
06:09We've got to make some round up to catch up with them.
06:11That's going to be tough, I think.
06:13It's not impossible, though.
06:14We are behind the boys by quite a stretch.
06:16Let's go.
06:17Our strategy is to try and catch up in whatever way we can,
06:21but we have no idea what it's going to cost in Mongolia,
06:24so we want to protect our budgets before the final leg.
06:26Let's go.
06:31Right.
06:31No.
06:36We just need to get going.
06:38Yeah.
06:38This is the worst part.
06:40I look forward to just sitting here and doing nothing
06:42and thinking of the other teams.
06:46Gaining advantage.
06:49I love your positive.
06:50That's true.
06:50You're welcome.
06:58Margot!
06:59What?
07:00Can you sign out?
07:01I smiled last time I made them stop.
07:08Are you going here?
07:09Coughed?
07:09No.
07:10No.
07:11No.
07:41Okay.
07:41Okay.
07:42Thank you very much.
07:44We are a bit stuck at the moment.
07:47People are stopping who actually just want to hire themselves
07:50out as a private hire and they just want too much money.
07:53We thought travelling in one go would be cheaper, didn't we, Margot?
07:56Where's my credit card?
07:58Yeah.
07:59On the penultimate leg, budgets are now running low.
08:03Three teams have around 20% remaining.
08:06Every bit of cash counts and every ride must be fought for.
08:12200,000.
08:14No, we only have little money.
08:16120?
08:16120.
08:17Yeah.
08:18150.
08:19I think 150 should just take it.
08:21Okay.
08:21Yeah.
08:23We're on the move.
08:25Welcome to Longolia.
08:26You're going to have to pay through the nose.
08:27I'm sure it's going to get easier on the busy areas, isn't it?
08:31If it doesn't, our budget is done.
08:34We're cooked, Mark.
08:36We're cooked.
08:39As Mark and Margot make their way to Hovd.
08:43We need to get to Longob soon, I was ready.
08:46I know.
08:46Joe and Kush are already looking for a way out.
08:49Sharing a minibus will be cheaper.
08:52Assalamu alaikum.
08:53You drive?
08:53Yeah.
08:58Thank you, my friend.
08:58We paid for a 10-seat van, but we are waiting for it to fill up.
09:03I don't know how long it'll take, but hopefully not too long.
09:06Let's see if we can get him to just go.
09:09Oh, Ned, you're faster.
09:12It is vital to save money, but it depends.
09:16We have to be time conscious.
09:18Be fast.
09:19If it does take six hours for this van to fill up, we might as well grab a taxi.
09:25Go.
09:25Now.
09:26Go.
09:26Now.
09:27He's saying it'll go.
09:29We're sorted.
09:31Go.
09:33There's a lot of pressure now that all the other teams are being released today.
09:36We've just got to try and maintain our position.
09:39We've done all the planning yesterday.
09:40We've got a plan.
09:41We know where we're going.
09:42The boys are pushing north to reach a homestay that will position them close to the here
09:47gas highway that runs directly towards the checkpoint.
09:51But they must first navigate 250 kilometres of unforgiving off-road tracks.
09:57You've got to be joking.
09:58Sick.
09:59You have got to be joking.
10:01Whoa.
10:04We've been driving on a normal, regular road, and suddenly it's taking us on a little
10:11shortcut across the desert.
10:13I hope it's a shortcut because this is absolute hell.
10:19Oh.
10:22Oh, God.
10:23Good.
10:24Good.
10:27Good.
10:32I mean, the van did take some hits.
10:35We were definitely, like, airborne.
10:38We could've got five seconds at one point.
10:42Who knows?
10:43This could be five minutes or an hour.
10:47Oh.
10:49We are absolutely in the way.
10:52This is absurd.
10:53It could have been years since someone's actually stepped exactly where we are now because there is nothing here and
11:00I mean nothing
11:00I can't even see a single animal inside it, it's just empty
11:07Ah, I feel sick
11:11With the boys at a standstill
11:14I love how flat it is into like absolute mountains
11:19Andrew and Molly are ready to race
11:24How long? One hour? Two hours?
11:28Twelve? Or one?
11:32Thirteen, man
11:33Okay, thank you
11:36Setting off in third place, the pair are straight on the road to Altan Thiel in a local car share
11:44So we are going to do a homestay tonight
11:46But it's getting distance covered now, early
11:48We're on the main road
11:49Yes
11:49South
11:51But I do think today we need to make sure we're in position for tomorrow
11:54Yes
11:54And the day after
11:55And that's why Molly, we need to spend the money and just get it done
11:57Yeah
11:58100%
12:00The first team opting to head south, the aim to gain ground and spend big
12:06We need speed and we've been in third or fourth continually and we would like to climb up the leaderboard
12:12and get competitive for the last leg
12:14We've got the money to be able to spend so we need to spend it and I keep saying to
12:19Molly there's no point in being rich losers
12:21I have said to you from the very beginning you'll need to win one
12:23Yes, only need to win one
12:31I'm really, really excited for Mongolia, I mean I don't really know what to expect
12:35Last to depart
12:36We're fourth
12:37And we need to catch up
12:39Katie and Harrison plot their route out of Algi
12:42In terms of racing quick, mix of north and south seems like a decent route
12:48Yeah
12:49Because we're mixing the best of the two highways, do you know what I mean?
12:52See if we can get onwards to transport to Derby
12:55Their plan, head south to Derby before tackling a shorter off-road section
13:01To join the middle of the paved northern highway
13:04Then push on to the checkpoint
13:07We need to get to Derby
13:09You can go to Hop City, nearby Derby
13:13There is a lot of pressure on this leg
13:15Mongolia's going to provide so many different challenges that we've really not experienced so far in the race
13:20The only thing we can take with us that we've learned on the race so far is asking people and
13:24trusting people
13:25Okay, so 30,000, 30,000
13:28Yes
13:28Let's go
13:29The fact that you cannot rely on the map is not good for Harrison
13:34Without his comfort map, he is nothing
13:37Let's just hope he doesn't lose his calculator, then we'll have to go home
13:41Will anyone else be in the taxi?
13:44One person, go with you
13:45Yes, okay
13:47Hello
13:50It smells very good
13:55We've finally got our first journey in Mongolia properly underway
13:58As they head to their first stop in Hovd
14:01We're last, so we need to be quick
14:04To anyone else is what we've got to catch up
14:07300 kilometres ahead
14:08Andrew and Molly are arriving into Altantil
14:13Look where you are
14:15This is so cool
14:21Tucked in the valley of the Bator Harhan Mountain, which rises to nearly 4,000 metres
14:27They are sampling a taste of rural life with the Bayan monks at their nomadic encampment
14:33Hello, hello
14:34Hello
14:34What have you just killed?
14:37Cow, right? Okay, wow
14:38Where the family are preparing home-reared livestock for a feast in their honour
14:44Size of the lure
14:46I expected, like, to have traditional life, but to actually be thrown into them slaughtering a beast, it's different, to
14:54put it that way
14:55Just totally surreal, not what I expected in any way whatsoever
15:01On the steppe, hospitality is a way of life
15:05Strangers are welcomed with food and shelter
15:07A tradition shaped by the harsh realities of the land
15:11Made out of felt and wood, circular gurs are a symbol of nomadic life
15:16Still home to over a million people, on the move, or in settled communities, and built to house entire families
15:24Wow
15:25Oh, it's warm, it's so warm
15:27Oh, it's lovely and warm
15:29Wow
15:30Thank you, thank you
15:32Hot, hot
15:34Very hot
15:36Are you family here?
15:40Yeah, yeah
15:41Yeah, brothers
15:42Oh, brothers
15:48Mmm
15:48Thank you
15:52Nice
15:55I'm going to eat a piece of this
15:57Hot
15:58Oh, wow
16:02Very nice
16:04I'm doing really well
16:05Coming from a girl that can't eat fish fingers from Tesco's
16:08Yes
16:09Oh
16:11Hello
16:11Hello
16:14It's a great evening
16:16It's kind of just amazing to see
16:18People come and go
16:20People eat out of the same bowl
16:22They share everything and enjoy the family time
16:27What is this?
16:29I think drink it and find out
16:31Vodka
16:33Vodka
16:33Vodka
16:33Oh
16:40It was just lovely that you never took from the cup unless it was offered to you
16:46And it was all about the respect for the head of the household
16:49There's a community spirit
16:50Just a lovely thing to witness tonight
16:53Thank you
16:56Thank you
16:57Thank you
16:57Thank you
16:58Thank you
16:58Thank you
17:01We love your home
17:03Beautiful
17:04Really beautiful
17:05Also taking shelter at a local girl
17:09Mark and Margot have reached Miengad
17:13This is like the ultimate design for compact living
17:16It's so cleverly organised
17:19I don't think I could do a girl life
17:21My girl would be an absolute tip
17:24Tea
17:24Mungerjan tea
17:25Tea is it?
17:27This is different from any of the tea we've seen before
17:29It is, yes
17:29Guests are welcomed with sooty tea
17:32A rich savoury tea blend of milk and salt
17:36Seasoned with fermented butter oil
17:38Munger tea
17:40It is customary to try any delicacies offered by your host
17:44You don't normally drink tea, do you, Mark?
17:46I don't, no
17:48Thank you very much
17:50Thank you
17:59It's very bitter
18:00I like
18:01You like that?
18:02It's good
18:03I quite like it
18:04Delicious
18:04Look at him, delicious
18:06Good, he's very good
18:07Yeah
18:08The family that live here are really, really joyful
18:13Do you ever play Noughts and Crosses?
18:15Do you know this game?
18:17Yes, go on
18:19These two are school teachers and they're living in a ger on this site
18:25This is a nomadic tent
18:27You're meant to sort of be able to take down and transport wherever you go
18:32This is now a permanent one
18:33Oh, neither of us do it again, no
18:36Neither of us win, do we?
18:38And they've been it really homely
18:40It's fantastic
18:43You win
18:44So put one to you
18:49What's this one?
18:50A little coal
18:53With their earlier setback behind them
18:56After a makeshift repair to their minibus
18:58Joe and Kush have finally made it to Naranbulag
19:03What is that?
19:06Oh, bro, that's horse poo
19:11It was very resourceful as well using the leftover horse
19:17Excrement as a fuel source
19:20So happy we did this
19:23I love the boots
19:25I like your boots
19:26I'd well wear a pair of them
19:28Yeah, bro
19:29The Mongolians are just the baddest pimps of all
19:32They're just tons
19:32Massive fur coats, eagles and knee-high boots
19:36Dance, dance, dance
19:38Dance?
19:40Dance, dance
19:41Shall we?
19:42Mm-hmm, dance
19:43Ja
19:44Ja, bye
19:45Da, bye
19:54Their host, Batsend
19:56Has arranged a night of traditional dance and music
19:58At the local community hall
20:13I wish they could dance for longer
20:17Just a really mad experience
20:18I feel very privileged to be in a position to witness
20:21It first hand, you know
20:26This is so random
20:28Me and Kush, we both have a very musical family
20:34And a passion for music
20:35I believe it's such a healthy way of expressing yourself
20:41I play drums, trombone and a baritone horn
20:47My dad played guitar his whole life
20:50That's how I got into it
20:52I've got my dad, so thanks for that
20:54You want to play?
21:16Historically used by male herders to mimic nature
21:20Mongolian throat singing
21:21Mongolian throat singing was brought to the stage in the mid-20th century
21:29I've been listening to this one Mongolian song for like years
21:32My dad showed me it back when I was like 11, 12
21:34We started playing this song, yeah
21:37It was insane
21:38I could have cried in that moment
21:48To hear something I've been listening to for seven years
21:51It's so mind-blowing
21:53It was just beautiful
21:56I'm going to cry
21:57I'm going to cry
21:58I'm going to cry
22:01I wish I had shown my dad
22:02He would be like on the floor laughing
22:05It would be hilarious
22:17That's so good
22:18I can't believe that
22:20I've been Mongolian throat singing live
22:22That was sick
22:24That was so good
22:26This is like the best thing I've ever done in my entire life
22:30This guy is so cool
22:31I don't know how you do that my friend
22:33I don't know how you do that
22:34This is what I was wanting out of Mongolia
22:36Was this kind of like experience
22:41Can't believe it what's going on today
22:43I'm so thankful for this experience
22:54I need earmuffs
22:56My ears are freezing
22:59Katie and Harrison wake up in the city of Hovd
23:02Don't bring a hat
23:03Where's your hat?
23:04You've got a hat there, Ken
23:05You're such an angry person
23:07You should really try to be just a little bit more calm
23:13Home to a diverse range of ethnic groups
23:16Including the Erat Mongols, Kazakh and Uranhai people
23:21Its population of 30,000 residents
23:24Makes it one of the largest settlements in western Mongolia
23:29Which way do you want to go?
23:30This way
23:34Where are you going?
23:36I don't have a clue
23:40Oh, hang on
23:41Is that a bus there?
23:44But even the biggest cities
23:45Don't have an immediate or obvious way out
23:48Bus
23:50That's a bus
23:51Is it?
23:52He's just showing us his bus
23:54Er, er, Derby
23:55Yes
23:56I think it's quite difficult here
23:58Just because
23:59You just feel like
24:00You're stranded constantly
24:02I found the bus station
24:03It's a little bit more difficult to find out information
24:05But it's also more difficult to locate what you're looking for
24:10People are understanding after Voxel
24:11It's the same they did in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan
24:15But in those countries there's a big grand Soviet building
24:19It's just a shed
24:21This is where we need to come back to
24:22What time?
24:24Half ten?
24:25Ten, yeah
24:25Ten because we can get a ticket
24:27Then we can find somewhere to sit
24:30As the siblings await a bus to Derby for a homestay
24:36Good morning goat
24:37In Altantil
24:39Andrew and Molly wake up in their local stopover
24:42Look at this Molly
24:44Oh shit
24:45Like in the middle of nowhere
24:48Gorgeously peaceful
24:51Look at that
24:52It's beautiful
24:53I love Mongolia
24:56I didn't want to get out of bed either
24:59In return for last night's bed and board
25:02I just go?
25:04I'm okay, yeah?
25:05They are pitching in with the morning routine
25:08I've never built a cow like this before
25:12It's just such an amazing place
25:14People working the landscape and using what they're being given
25:17And the morning job is picking up the frozen cow dung
25:21They use it for fuel
25:24I think I might be done
25:27Yes
25:29She doesn't believe me
25:31Wow
25:32It is gorgeous isn't it?
25:34It's amazing seeing daddy in Mongolia
25:36I think he's just loving it
25:39It's absolutely unreal
25:40Molly
25:41I can't see you over the cow
25:43Yeah
25:44Are you just moving the
25:46Dung
25:47Boy job
25:48Enjoy
25:49Good job
25:51Wakes you up in the morning anyway
25:54It's really important for daddy to seize this
25:57This is his opportunity to prove to himself that he can do it
26:02Because three years ago my daddy had a heart attack
26:06And it was probably the worst day of my life
26:09That really shook me and I think it really shook him
26:14Daddy realised he wasn't invincible
26:20The heart attack knocked my confidence
26:24Over the years it has just caused me a huge amount of stress
26:26And a huge amount of anxiety
26:29That I've never been able to kind of fully get rid of
26:33I don't know
26:36If I'm doing it right or wrong
26:37Well now we're right, that's us now
26:42And it was one of the things I kind of said to Molly
26:44We need to get through elimination because I need to finish this
26:47Mongolia has been a pinch me moment that I'm here, I'm standing here
26:52It's just something that I've always wanted to do
26:56This is my way of putting a full stop on heart attack
27:01And the ability to say no, it's not going to affect me anymore
27:05But it's going to give me positives as I make the way of the journey through life
27:11I cannot thank this whole journey enough for flicking that switch
27:17And allowing me to move on
27:21OK, job done
27:25We need to get into town
27:26Get a bus
27:28Can you drive us in?
27:30Thank you
27:33Mongolia
27:33There's only one word for it, it's magical
27:35It's absolutely magical
27:38It was just amazing to see him back the way he was
27:40How excited he is for everything
27:42So thrilled, so, so thrilled
27:44Like he's been given the health all clear
27:46But this is mentally the all clear
27:49Right, away we go
27:51Go, go, go
27:52Go, go, go
27:55As father and daughter continue south towards Altai
27:59180 kilometres away in Miengad
28:02Mark and Margot look for a way to head north
28:06I think if we left here now, we could get to Oolongom for this evening
28:10If we go up to Oolongom, we're actually thundering along to the checkpoint
28:14We are, we need to get moving
28:15We need to get moving
28:17So, hello, hello, where do we want to go to?
28:21Oolongom
28:22How do we get to Oolongom from here?
28:25We have to go back to Hovd?
28:26We have to go back and then up?
28:28Yes
28:29I don't want to go back to Hovd, do you?
28:31No, we might have to though
28:33She's sending us backwards to go forwards
28:37How do we get back to Hovd?
28:39Can we get a taxi from here?
28:43No taxi here, no taxi here
28:45If we go, if we go on the road and go
28:49Let's just do that, that's what we'll have to do, isn't it?
28:52Thank you so much
28:53Thank you
28:55Originally, we wanted to shoot straight up from Oolongom, from where we are now
29:00Come on, let's go
29:01Our ger host made it clear, that's not a possibility
29:04We have to go back to Hovd
29:05Very disappointing
29:06If we want to catch up with the boys, we need to move fast
29:11I don't want to wave, I want to lift, mate
29:15Hi, are you going to Hovd?
29:18Are you going to Hovd?
29:22Thank you
29:24So good of you
29:26Goodbye
29:27Bye
29:27Bye
29:27Thank you
29:28Aw, thank you
29:30Thank you so much
29:33After a night in Naranbulag
29:35Let's go
29:35Joe and Kush are aiming to catch one of only two daily buses that pass through the town
29:41An opportunity to travel 450 kilometres to Tosantzenghel
29:48Oh wait, is that our bus?
29:50Hello
29:53Tosantzenghel?
29:54Two?
29:55How much?
29:56160,000
29:58It's leg seven out of eight
29:59So realistically, we want to be really budget conscious
30:02And so we have backup funds for the final leg
30:05Should we haggle?
30:07100,000 for two?
30:08We said 160,000
30:09We're going for 100,000
30:10That leg is where it's going to be
30:12That taxi versus that bus will make or break ours
30:16And we want the money to be able to spend that taxi
30:18That's okay
30:19Thank you, my friend
30:21Thanks, bro
30:22It was so easy getting on this bus
30:24Yeah, it was good
30:25It was so easy
30:28Bro, I'm gassed at that price
30:29I mean, this place is so bougie for what we paid
30:31This feels like first class
30:33This place is so cool
30:35Get comfy, bro, it's got a bit of a journey
30:38As the other teams forge on
30:40The in-laws are back where they were 24 hours ago
30:45Thank you
30:46Thank you so much
30:47Thank you so much
30:47How much money?
30:49What?
30:50You want money?
30:51Yeah, how much?
30:5250,000
30:53No
30:54No
30:54It's not a taxi
30:5740
30:57She's saying 40
30:58Thank you
30:59Thank you
31:00Well, there you go
31:02It's a bit of a shock
31:03Because
31:03When they pick you up and then you...
31:05And they don't say anything at the beginning or whatever
31:07But...
31:07This is ridiculous, this is
31:08With the unexpected fare denting the remaining budget
31:12They try to find a cheaper way out
31:15A bus?
31:16Is there a bus?
31:1840,000
31:19So, not tomorrow
31:20No
31:2140,000
31:22Saturday
31:23Saturday
31:24So, there's not another bus till Saturday
31:27Thank you
31:27Thank you
31:28Thank you
31:29A very bitter pill to swallow
31:34Keeping your spirits up when you're doing everything you can
31:38You're making decisions that you think are strategic
31:41And it's just all going wrong
31:43It is crushing
31:44It does get you down
31:47You know, tomorrow's another day
31:49But today
31:53Sunsetting
31:54It's getting cold
31:55It's a cheap hotel
31:56As they bed down
31:58That's how much money you got left for this leg
32:0129
32:02The reality of the delay hits home
32:06Oh dear
32:06With the budget we've got
32:08It's budget over racing, isn't it?
32:11It is, yeah
32:12It's coming down to the wire, isn't it?
32:15It's just so expensive, Mongolia
32:17And our budget has been decimated
32:20We'll spend two nights in this area
32:22We're going to spend...we intend to spend one
32:26We just want to get to the end
32:27That's what we want to do
32:31Dumplings!
32:32I want to look like a dumpling after all of these
32:35340 kilometres east in Derby
32:39Dumplings good
32:40Yeah
32:41Katie and Harrison have made it to their homestay
32:44Where they are experiencing Mongolian hospitality for the first time
32:48Thank you so much
32:49Thank you so much
32:49That was very nice
32:52Now let's enjoy the dance
32:54Let's
32:55Yeah
32:55Maybe we'll finally get to pull, Harrison
32:58Can't do it in Manchester
32:59Where there's a couple million people
33:01What chance have I got in a small village in Mongolia?
33:08Yeah
33:08I think the men have got to ask the women to dance
33:12I'm young, single and available
33:15Young, single, available and full of dumplings
33:17What more food do you want?
33:19What more food do you want?
33:24Hello? Hello?
33:26It's me
33:26Oh!
33:27OK
33:30Oh my god no
33:31This is time
33:32She's all over the place
33:34This is too confusing
33:36This is too confusing
33:38There is definitely a routine
33:40And I'm not quite getting it
33:42I keep popping into it
33:44Thank you
33:44Thank you
33:45Bye bye
33:46How was that?
33:47That was the best experience ever
33:49Yeah?
33:50I'm an absolute disaster on the dance floor
33:52Your turn
33:54That's not afternoon
33:55I can't dance
33:56Harrison, no
33:58Please
33:58Harrison, you have to
33:59Katie, Katie, Katie
33:59On this trip I've had to speak to random people
34:01Stay in people's houses
34:02I have not felt anxiety in my chest like this for once
34:07This is your song?
34:08It's not my song
34:09OK
34:10Let's go
34:12Mihi
34:13OK, where does this go?
34:16Same one
34:18Oh, where are we going?
34:25Oh my god
34:29This is terrible
34:32Yes, yes
34:34She's smiling at me
34:35And I'm just trying my best
34:39Ah, thank you
34:40Thank you
34:41Thank you
34:42Thank you
34:43That's the best thing
34:45She's going to go and say that's the most
34:48Plank
34:48The biggest plank I've ever danced with
34:51To turn up to this village
34:5380 kilometres off the main road
34:54There's a Mark Gurley and Disco Hall as well to go with it
34:58Full of surprises this place
34:59You just don't know what to expect next
35:01People of all ages having a dance together
35:04Choosing different dance partners
35:05And it's really wholesome
35:06Now it's like the most uncomfortable situation you could have put me in
35:10That's what the race is about
35:12So just trying to, I suppose, broaden my mind and better myself a little bit each day
35:18I can't take the smile off my face
35:20I'm so glad Harrison did dance
35:22For a couple minutes of embarrassment in front of a few people
35:26He's got like a memory for a lifetime
35:29We're always going to look back and laugh when we look like the right pair of videos
35:33Definitely this is the best memories we've had so far
35:43Oh, that is chilly
36:04Joe and Kush have woken up in Tosant Sengal
36:07A remote Mongolian sum or rural district with under 10,000 residents
36:13We've got a job from five that we can work in a car
36:17We're trying to find a bus that leaves after our shift
36:20And I'll get us to the checkpoint
36:22Can you help us get a bus to Kharkurin?
36:34Yes, 3am in the morning
36:36From Tosant Sengal
36:40You are amazing
36:41We've got to basically, well, go to work and then after that get to checkpoint
36:45I don't think any team's could have done it faster
36:48While they wait for their shift
36:50This one here, yes?
36:51This one
36:52Okay
36:52Andrew and Molly are also pushing on towards her forum
36:55We've covered the ground, Molly
36:58Travelling via Arvai here on a local bus service
37:02Feeling good actually
37:03Feeling good
37:04The dream scenario would be if we could get within touching distance of the boys
37:07Within three or four hours
37:09Hopefully we can get close to them and put them under pressure
37:12It would be majorly impressive
37:14Fingers crossed
37:15Two hundred and thirty kilometres behind
37:18Hello
37:19We want to go to Altai
37:22Katie and Harrison are trying to reach Altai
37:25Where they plan to head off-road towards the Northern Highway
37:29After bus...
37:31What?
37:32Time?
37:33Two
37:33Two
37:35That's way too late
37:36Yeah
37:37We would be stuck there tonight
37:39Right
37:39So that's the only bus
37:41Yes
37:42If we get that bus, we probably won't get to Karka
37:45It's Morim
37:45And it will mean we could be two days behind teams
37:50Taxi?
37:51Taxi, no
37:52No
37:52I don't know the answer
37:54I think we need to change our plans
37:58Okay, so the bus doesn't stop in Altai
38:02It goes all the way to Baring Kongor
38:04Does it?
38:04Yeah
38:05So I think a better route would be to follow this bottom highway through
38:09End up at Baring Kongor
38:12So we're moving closer to checkpoint tonight
38:14Good to get as far as possible
38:16Yeah
38:18Katie's new proposal
38:19Continue east on a bus to Baring Kongor
38:22Putting them within 360 kilometres of the checkpoint
38:27We've kind of got a plan
38:29Katie's very smart
38:30We're really happy that she sort of took the lead
38:32And had the ideas of where to go
38:34We were 21 hours behind when this work started
38:37So important that we do close the gap on Joe and Kush
38:41We're on the bus
38:42We're on our way to Baring Kongor
38:45I've got no energy
38:47I'm tired
38:49This is your route now
38:51Come on girl, it's your problem
38:52Enjoy
38:53Kongor is a pretty big problem to have
39:00Well, let's go and hitch
39:02This is a one-horse town, isn't it?
39:05Definitely
39:05Still in Hoved
39:07Where Joe and Kush left two days ago
39:09I see no one here
39:10And with no buses north today
39:13Budget strapped Mark and Margo search for a way forward
39:18Not speaking a language
39:19Not having a phone
39:20Having to get money
39:21It is really, really tough
39:23We're now going into uncharted territory
39:28Don't know
39:29He's going straight past
39:30We set off with Julia
39:32As inspiration for us actually working together on the race
39:37When we arrived in Mongolia
39:39It really felt so different, so alien
39:41I couldn't have any sense of Julia here
39:44Come on Marg
39:46They're going in there
39:47It does feel as though now
39:49We're on our own
39:50How much you want?
39:53We haven't got that, thank you
39:55We've only got a little bit of money
39:56She's looking down upon us and saying
39:58You're on your own now
39:59It's just you two
40:00To find your friendship together
40:03It's the biggest challenge we've had so far
40:05But I want us both at the end of the race to stand proud and go
40:09We did it
40:10Being teammates, being friends
40:12I'll ask him
40:14Which is what she wanted
40:17Are you going to Oulangom?
40:18Are you going there?
40:20Oulangom?
40:21Yeah
40:21Oulangom
40:22OK
40:24Oulangom
40:27Good to get on the move, Mark, isn't it?
40:28It's very good to be on the move
40:30I never thought we were leaving
40:32And we're going back up the same road
40:35For the third time
40:36After retracing their steps north
40:40The in-laws finally face the winding dirt track to Oulangom
40:45Oulangom
40:46Fasten your seatbelts
40:48You're in for a bumpy ride
40:49Right, yeah
40:51Why else?
40:53Give us more
40:55Across a vast arid steppe
40:57Dotted with salt lakes and roaming herds of goats, camels, yaks and horses
41:03It transforms to snow in the colder months
41:07This was made up for the last two days
41:08Oh, has it, Mark?
41:10It's unbelievable, this
41:11This is just priceless experience
41:13Absolutely priceless
41:17Oh, Margot
41:19Oh, camels, camels
41:21Camels
41:21Two double amps
41:22Can we stop to see the camels?
41:25Whoa
41:27Wow
41:28Hello, camel
41:30Ho-hoo
41:35Hello
41:38Hello
41:39Hello
41:40I'm a friendly human
41:44Aww
41:47What an amazing place to see them
41:49It was brilliant, camels and snow
41:52I know
41:53Four at once
41:55Gah
41:55Oh
41:55CK
42:02Get up
42:03On my knees down
42:04As Mark and Margot lift their spirits
42:06Come on
42:08Six hundred kilometres closer to the checkpoint and toss on Sendgl
42:14Everywhere I step, I leave more of an imprint than there was
42:17before I started mopping. Am I going to do this?
42:19Joe and Kush are coming to the end of their bar shift
42:22before they take their pre-booked bus.
42:25I'll have to mopping backwards.
42:27Yeah, that's the idea.
42:28Hopefully this shift will pay off our bus tickets.
42:31I think this last leg, it is going to be a taxi race,
42:34and we need as much money as we can.
42:38Hello. Hello.
42:39Hi, it's us from the bus stop. Ah.
42:42We were just wondering if there's any way you could find out
42:45the exact time the bus will arrive in Toncentengel.
42:5412.
43:01OK.
43:06I think there's been a miscommunication.
43:09There's so much confusion about these bus times.
43:11It's, like, minus 15, so we can't just wait outside,
43:14because we need to know exactly when the bus is,
43:16so we're not standing in the cold for three hours.
43:19Sorry, Dad.
43:20You're telling me to go to the bus.
43:22What are you doing?
43:242am.
43:25Yeah?
43:27OK.
43:28If we hadn't called and checked the bus times,
43:31we would have missed it, because it's coming an hour early.
43:34Thank you so much.
43:35Mm-hm.
43:35Thank you so much.
43:36Goodbye.
43:37Without the phone call, we would have missed it.
43:39Their perseverance paying off.
43:42Just 470 kilometres stand between the best friends
43:45and the seventh checkpoint.
43:52It's such a rewarding feeling that me and Kush are capable
43:55of winning this race.
43:59We are more than capable of doing whatever we want and succeeding.
44:05I feel like I'm going to be going home ten times bigger than I was,
44:09you know?
44:09You lad, look at his bus.
44:12Oh, my days.
44:13VIP, Mongolian Limited.
44:13Welcome to VIP.
44:14Are you messing?
44:15I realise there's so much opportunity for me.
44:19It's like almost mine for the taking.
44:22Sure.
44:23Made it, bro.
44:24You know what lesson the today is?
44:27Persistence.
44:28Gassed.
44:29We're going to car for him, lad.
44:45Last checkpoint.
44:46Isn't that really weird?
44:47That is weird.
44:48With Joe and Kush making headway through the night,
44:51morning brings a change of pace for Andrew and Molly.
44:54Checkpoint.
44:55Here we come.
44:56Yeah.
44:57The lads were 17 hours ahead of us.
44:59Yes.
44:59And to pull that back is going to be a huge effort.
45:02But if we're in four or five hours of them,
45:04it would be an amazing result.
45:06Any closer would be an absolutely unreal result.
45:07Any closer would be an absolutely unreal result.
45:09Oh, goodbye, nice road.
45:12Welcome to the real Mongolia.
45:14Making good on their strategy to spend big and move fast,
45:18they've opted for a private taxi along the off-road track
45:21to the checkpoint.
45:24I actually think I'm falling in love with Mongolia.
45:28Oh!
45:30What's up now?
45:32They're in a big red light on the dashboard.
45:35Jesus.
45:44Is this actually a joke?
45:46Shit.
45:49Jesus, Mary and the wee donkey.
45:54Car? Good?
45:56No.
45:56No.
45:57No.
46:01It looks as if he's trying to fix his battery,
46:03but I don't know.
46:04I don't know at the moment.
46:05I don't know what to do.
46:06I'm really quite stressed.
46:08It's quite cold.
46:10It could be a long way.
46:12Yeah, but...
46:12There's nobody around.
46:15Can we say a prayer?
46:17I think I'm on my third Hail Mary.
46:22290 kilometres behind, having made it to Bayan Hongar...
46:27Going to earn some money.
46:28We need it.
46:29Katie and Harrison grab the opportunity for a local job
46:32to bolster their budget for the final stretch.
46:39Strong winds and intense sunshine are driving Mongolia's renewable future,
46:44with ambitions to triple green energy by 2030.
46:48But for now, coal remains essential to survive its brutal winters.
46:55That is a lot of coal.
46:57He's got two shovels out.
46:59I guess I'm backing this 1600s for a day.
47:03Right, let's get to work. The man's looking at me.
47:08Keeping Mongolia warm single-handedly.
47:11I guess in countries where maybe the infrastructure isn't as well developed,
47:15so stuff like this is needed.
47:17Katie, you've got something on your face.
47:19You look like a Victorian school child.
47:21I look like a chimney sweep.
47:24Yeah.
47:26Katie's happy to crack on with anything, really.
47:28I'm still just feeling a bit tired and under the weather,
47:31so she'll definitely be a little bit more chirpy whilst doing it.
47:35I'm working away here. I'm sweating.
47:38You can do the hard grafts a day.
47:40I will, yeah. I'll work for both of us.
47:42Yeah. You do time and half. I'll do half.
47:45Yeah.
47:46You're good at helping people out when they need help.
47:49Me?
47:50Yeah. That's nice.
47:52You were really good with Mum, like, with the emotional support.
47:57I was too focused on what I wanted to do and...
48:01Well, that's...
48:02Yeah. I just wanted to say, like, I suppose, thank you for...
48:07for being there and being...
48:09Well, that's really nice to hear, actually.
48:13On the race, I've heard, like, more about how much you were there.
48:17I felt more and more, like, guilty that I wasn't there.
48:22I don't think you should feel guilty, but I really appreciate you saying that,
48:27because...
48:28I don't know if I felt, like, angry towards you, but I do have very specific memories.
48:34Like, one when an ambulance came to the house and...
48:39Mum was just screaming out in pain and, like, I come into your room and I try to tell you
48:44and you're like,
48:45well, there's nothing I can do, and then I can hear you laughing on the Xbox.
48:51I remember just crying my eyes out, cos...
48:55I don't know, I feel, I just felt like, why is this affecting me and it's not affecting him?
48:59Like, how does he seem so OK about it all?
49:03I don't know if I was feeling fine, cos I also remember that.
49:07And that's the regret, is, like, sitting in my room, but...
49:11..but I don't know how to deal with that.
49:13So you're not going to deal with it at all.
49:15So, kind of, probably don't deal with it.
49:16Yeah.
49:18I am sorry. I'm sorry to you. I'm sorry to Mum.
49:22To hear you say, like, that you actually recognise that it was tough for me,
49:28is really quite healing.
49:32I now just feel a lot more supported.
49:35Yeah.
49:35You're just a much better human, really.
49:38Yeah, different.
49:40Don't plan on ever going back to that.
49:42No.
49:43We have a top 1% relationship in terms of a brother and sister.
49:47Yeah.
49:47And then we've probably just added a little extra dynamic to it.
49:52It was important to let Katie know that if Mum needs something
49:55or if Katie needs something, I won't hide away and be as selfish.
50:00We'll carry on being pretty mean to each other, messing about.
50:04But if needs be, we're both there for each other.
50:08Perfect!
50:10The race has just accelerated this growth and change in him.
50:14One full truck of coal.
50:16At the start, we still weren't really comfortable having these conversations
50:19and now it's just easy, it's natural.
50:22It's really lovely because I do feel like I have a proper big brother by my side.
50:27It's glorious.
50:28I'm really quite proud.
50:30So am I.
50:37Yay!
50:40It's working!
50:41On the road again.
50:44Father Potty, you've done so much for me.
50:48Back on the move, Andrew and Molly.
50:51This is the last one.
50:52Jesus.
50:54Karkoran should be not too far away.
50:58Checkpoint, here we come.
51:05The seventh checkpoint.
51:08Harhoran.
51:09Home to Irdenzu Monastery.
51:12Built in 1585, it's a rare survivor of the Stalinist purge,
51:18which destroyed hundreds of Buddhist temples.
51:23First to touch down...
51:25What?
51:25Joe and Kush.
51:26Hey, bro.
51:27Let's go.
51:30All right.
51:32Follow the footbridge to find Irdenzu Monastery.
51:35Once inside, locate the golden lotus bud on the temple.
51:39Irdenzu.
51:42Oh, Joe.
51:44Bro.
51:45Bet you it's that massive of a monastery.
51:47Fifth and all that's the same.
51:49This is so cool.
51:51This whole place.
51:52Isn't it?
51:56Oh, here we are.
51:57Here we are.
51:58Okay.
51:58Ready to rock.
52:02Follow the footbridge to find Ernie Zoo Monastery.
52:08That's the monastery.
52:09Sure.
52:09Yeah.
52:10Look at this place, man.
52:11It's a stormy.
52:13This apparently was the cabin of Genghis Khan.
52:15Yeah!
52:17Locate the golden lotus bud.
52:20The top of that one over there.
52:22That whiter-looking one.
52:24Yeah, it looks like a lotus bud.
52:26Do you start like that and then you flower outwards?
52:28Yeah, yeah, yeah.
52:29Yeah.
52:30Exit the monastery on foot, head west and sign in at the checkpoint.
52:34Ich Koram Hotel.
52:37What way is west?
52:38West is...
52:39It says it's going like this way.
52:42Maybe that exit.
52:44So let's just get out of here.
52:46I think that's it there.
52:47Yeah, it looks like a flower, doesn't it?
52:49Yeah?
52:49It looks like...
52:50Okay.
52:50You sure?
52:51No.
52:51What's the name of it?
52:53Golden lotus bud.
52:54I think that's...
52:54That's a cross.
52:56Because it looks like a bud now, but...
52:59They all look like bloody buds.
53:00There's somebody over there, Molly.
53:02We've got people who ask.
53:04There's a monk.
53:05Even better.
53:11I can't spot any building that looks like a hotel.
53:14Can I see that compass?
53:16Is this west?
53:18No, that's a bit screwed, lad.
53:20He seems to stay in one place.
53:22It does.
53:23What else?
53:23I don't know where we're going.
53:24Nah, me neither.
53:26I've been going a further away from it, you know.
53:28Shall we take a gamble?
53:29Go straight?
53:30Yeah.
53:30We'll just keep going.
53:35This is it.
53:37Exit the monastery on foot and head west and sign in at the checkpoint.
53:42Alright, Molly.
53:43Here we go.
53:44You think anyone's around?
53:45I hope not.
53:48Keep going.
53:49There's not much left in the tank.
53:51I know.
53:51I am absolutely right.
53:54Just list that building dead ahead.
53:56It's all the clock.
53:57That's it, there.
53:58Come on.
53:59I think we've gone tremendously well.
54:02Don't jinx it, bro.
54:03We've just got to maintain our position.
54:04What's that?
54:04Wait a minute, Miles.
54:05Over.
54:06Molly, where?
54:07Run it in.
54:08Come on, come on.
54:10Reception.
54:12After you.
54:18Got to be first, bro.
54:22Congratulations.
54:24Your successfully reached your seventh checkpoint.
54:26You're a good point.
54:30You're a good point.
54:33Boss.
54:37Bro, what a boss leg we've had.
54:39I think that's the best leg so far.
54:41Everything while it's time.
54:43We're doing something right, bro.
54:44Budget.
54:44Fun.
54:45At this point, the win is everything.
54:47We've done so much to get here.
54:49This is where you want to be.
54:50On leg seven.
54:51First place, bro.
54:52I love seeing the empty book.
54:55One more time and we won it.
54:58I think the pressure is the hardest thing that we're going to have to try and keep under control.
55:01We've got to keep fighting until the very, very last moment.
55:04We're so close.
55:05Failure is not an option right now.
55:07Well done.
55:08Well done.
55:08On leg.
55:09If anyone does rad today, props to them.
55:13Whatever it may be, all right?
55:15I'm so excited.
55:16I'm so excited.
55:16Come on.
55:23Oh, we're second.
55:24Oh, well done.
55:26We're second going to the final.
55:29Well done.
55:31Well done, well done, well done, well done.
55:33This is our first time just being above third and five hours is nothing.
55:38We're in touching distance.
55:39We just need to follow it up now with the final leg.
55:41And hopefully then we can finish the job.
55:43So a 90-minute winner, Molly.
55:45I still see it sliding on my knees.
55:50Whoa.
56:05It is so cold.
56:07Yeah.
56:08Oh, my God.
56:09This is the coldest of a bit.
56:11I'm just trying to focus on surviving.
56:13There he is.
56:17No idea where we're going to come here.
56:20Last.
56:23So nervous.
56:26Oh, my God.
56:28Third.
56:29Still so far behind first.
56:31By a lot.
56:33I'm really happy we've come third.
56:35We're not last.
56:36But I am really devastated.
56:39We've just not made up that much time.
56:41Mongolia is tough to travel through.
56:43I think the phrase, we've been Mongolia, is something I'll use for a while.
56:48We're third, which is great.
56:50We've climbed up a spot.
56:51I really want to win.
56:52And I do think we could come first.
56:55Anything's possible.
56:56We've done fourth to first before.
56:58So...
56:58Yeah, we'll give it all we've got.
57:05Look at the blue sky.
57:07We're doing blue sky thinking today.
57:09That's all we can do.
57:11With three teams checked in, one team is still 470 kilometres away.
57:18What price are we going to start with?
57:20Are we offering them?
57:21We'll see if they'll take us for nothing.
57:22Nothing.
57:23Nothing.
57:25If we get a lift now to the checkpoint, I can expect us paying at least $80 to $100,
57:31which just completely blows the budget for the final leg.
57:34Is this a good place?
57:36It's not the busiest of highways, is it?
57:38No.
57:41You seem to miss a rush hour.
57:44What do you think?
57:45If we don't get to the finish line, go and sign that book, it'd be a real shame.
57:51We're so close, we're so close, and we made so many sacrifices, and we budgeted,
57:56and all the skanky accommodation we've done.
58:02I'd be really gutted if we don't get to the end.
58:05It'd be really, really disappointing.
58:13The thing is, if you do more than a five-minute walk in Mongolia,
58:17you're suddenly in the middle of nowhere.
58:19In the middle of nowhere.
58:21We've done fourth to first before, can do third to first.
58:24Come on, you.
58:25Do you think we can get to the end?
58:28I don't know.
58:29It's never been about the 10 grand for me, I just want to say I've won it.
58:32What the hell?
58:33We may have made a really bad decision.
58:36This morning we've got a chance of winning, and now,
58:39finishing would just be a great job.
58:41Let's go, go, go.
58:43Absolutely epic.
58:44This is eight weeks in the making.
58:45Play mode for Skado, Istanbul, all-in-one to this moment.
58:49I'm so excited.
58:50Mission Hargal is a go.
58:52.
58:53.
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