Episode 2 Recap

Leg 2 started with an interesting side effect of the changes in week 1 - with no common start point the checkpoint was the first time the teams had met! At the checkpoint the teams were on a nature watch, so they had a chance to meet and talk while watching the animals which was pretty cool. Due to being so far behind Princess & Junior arrived stylishly late, but it was nice all the teams got a chance to bond and for Jeff - panic slightly more about the competition.

And they were largely more competitive this leg, all keen to push ahead. Ella and Nana were first to leave and were keen to keep their time, but also wanted to see the orangutans, so opted for a direct route through the jungle towards the checkpoint at Balikpapan.

They hopped on a bus before others had even left the checkpoint, so were in good spirits throughout the leg, working at a floating cafe on the Rugan river and having a great time seeing the orangutans. At the start the others called them the most competitive team, but the girls were also clear they wanted to enjoy their journey as well.

Equally having fun (most of the time) were Sam & Kaz. I think Sam has yet to meet anyone he doesn’t want to befriend, and their optimistic sense kept with them this leg. They aimed to use a more travel friendly highway before heading inland, while also aiming for their plan of spending as little as possible on accommodation. The more regional differences started to creep up on Sam though as he tried to befriend a man in an Iron Maiden shirt who clearly had no idea what Sam was saying - and possibly no idea what his t-shirt said…

They ended up paying for a room again to Sam’s frustration, but they had more luck later on getting accommodation working at a billiard bar and later a glamping lodge. They don’t always seem to be the best at planning, but their attitude means they always seem pretty happy to roll with whatever comes there way.

Less generally cheerful were Jeff & Matt. Not happy being so far behind they decided to head entirely for an interior route via Amuntai, although they seemed to hit a lot of problems on route. Early on in Palangka Raya they seemed stuck, unable to convert their money into the right currency. Having bumped into Princess & Junior they were (reluctantly) pointed in the direction of someone who could help, but it didn’t seem great news for the gents they hadn’t found this solution themselves.

They then ended up in a shared taxi to Amuntai - a budget friendly choice but not time wise or the route they were aiming for, as the driver took the most scenic of routes, adding hours to their travel. 

Their stint at a swamp buffalo stable showed they aren't afraid to get their hands dirty, but they do seem to end up in situations a bit out of their control more often than you’d expect.

Princess & Junior however seemed much more comfortable this week - aiming for speed they quickly caught up with Jeff & Matt and Sam & Kaz, and found someone to exchange money easier than Jeff & Matt. Their debate on if they should tell the others or take advantage showed the slight split in the teams competitive streaks but eventually Junior agreed he didn’t want to win the leg by leaving another team stranded.

The duo actually had a lot of more thoughtful moments this leg - working to harvest reeds in Kuala Kapuas, Princess reflected on the difference in their lives, and the both talked about a traumatic car hijacking attempt they’d survived as kids during a trip to South Africa.

The story of that made some of Princess’s reluctance or inexperience with public travel far more understandable, and I think as the race continues she may find her confidence increase which can only improve their chances as a team.

For this week though they gained time, but not enough. Coming into the checkpoint, eternal optimists Sam & Kaz were stuck waving from their stopped ferry as Jeff & Matt’s sailed past leading to a reversal of positions for the two teams, but otherwise the positions remained the same. The remaining budgets are yet to be revealed however, and with the gaps closer than last week it’s still almost anyone's game.

1st	Ella & Nana	-
2nd	Jeff & Matt	+4h 7m
3rd	Sam & Kaz	+4h 25m
4th	Princess & Junior	+13h 3m

Think you can guess who’ll sign in to checkpoint 3 first? Get your prediction in before the show starts!