Series 5 Episode 7 Recap

Leg 7 has previously been a leg where the teams are struggling with budget or time, jockeying to get into a better position of financial situation before the final push. 

This series however has been seemingly rather easy on the budgeting front, with only Fin & Sioned showing any signs of struggling with the money going into this leg.

The positions were also very close, giving no one team a real drive to try to catch up or desire to stay far ahead.

Best positioned from the start were Brian & Melvyn, with a decent budget and small lead and the momentum of being the current lead. They took immediate action in leaving Sasan Gir, taking a taxi to Ghogha to catch a ferry across the Gulf of Khambhat, cutting out a much longer route around the Gulf. However the gentlemen seemed so pleased with this ‘shortcut’ and so optimistic about how much time they had saved, then they appeared to barely race at all, taking a long trip out to Vollone vineyards, to work for a discounted room.

They did rediscover their energy near the end, but their faith in their ferry route really foiled their speed this week. 

Tom & Caroline remained as competitive as usual though, and were the only team bold enough to take a route via Mumbai, although they took a coastal route and small beach stop along the way, possibly to relax before the busy city.

The duo probably exhibited some of the clearest personal changes from their journey, compared to their first legs in the race. Week one they spent an extraordinary amount of time struggling to find a train, this time after their long bus to Mumbai they found themselves unsure where to get tickets from but handled it much better. Tom found out where they were going, and rather than panicking when they found they could only get on a ‘waiting list for the next day, they took it far more in their stride. While they remain one of the more competitive teams, they have definitely relaxed more as the journey has continued, and seem to be working together better as a team too.

Also improved in their dynamic were Elizabeth & Letitia, who after last week's heart to heart were a lot happier with each other. 

They took a northern route, gambling on a train over taking the ferry. Their good mood stuck with them throughout, even during a massage which the more anxious Letitia struggled getting used too.

With clearer communication between the sisters, they have great potential for the final leg, and with the pull of the prize money might pull out all the stops to get there first.

Equally determined, but maybe more budget restricted are Fin & Sioned who probably pushed themselves the hardest this week, having made up phenomenal ground last week, yet still coming in last.

This week took them north too, where they worked serving chai tea in Vadodara. They were the only team shown to hitchhike, and later on they got cosy in a campsite, so their budget issues were taking them a long way from their early stage hotels, but it might all be too little too late.

Their more social job and plan to head via the noisy environment of Mumbai showed they are willing to do what they had to to win, but talking with locals about the advanced booking needed to get to Goa from Mumbai ment they took a series of buses instead.

Restricted most by budget they might be a bit of a wild card for the final, but they’ve shown a lot of determination over the weeks, and they have caught up a lot of time in the last few legs too!

But the gamble on Mumbai might have been better to risk - Caroline & Tom managed to get from the waitlist onto the train, heading straight for Goa. Brian & Melvyn, still confident in their ferry shortcut, rocked up convinced they’d be first, only to find they’re now 17 hours behind Caroline & Tom, and 10 hours behind everyone else as well!

1st	Caroline & Tom	-
2nd	Elizabeth & Letitia	+6h 54m
3rd	Fin & Sioned	+7h 48m
4th	Brian & Melvyn	+17h 11m

All that leaves the teams still pretty close by RatW terms - certainty teams have come back from bigger gaps before!

The budget may well be the biggest factor, but the show is being remarkably tight lipped on the exact numbers. Brian & Melvyn are the only known value with 19% remaining which seems pretty good going into the final leg. Fin & Sioned are almost certainly under 10%, with Elizabeth & Leticia likely somewhere between that and the brothers. Caroline & Tom are presumably still at the top, but maybe their train was more pricey?

Luckily as it’s the final week you get the points from your predictions throughout the series? Do you continue to bank all your coins on your favourites from week one, hoping for a gigantic points payoff? Or do you hedge your bets and make sure you’ve got tokens on them all so you’re guaranteed at least two points?

Whatever way you go - get your prediction in before the show airs tonight!