Pack your bags the right way: Stephen and Viv from Race Across The World

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The final is here, BBC’s Race Across the World has yet again taken the UK by storm and today is the last episode (sob) — but the False Economy podcast had fan favourites Stephen and Viv on the show to discuss how to save time and money when travelling across long distances.

So pack your bags and take a leaf from the book of seasoned travellers, who share with us anecdotal tips and hacks learned from their epic adventure on Race Across the World. (Don’t worry if you haven’t watched it, these are spoiler-free questions!)

First and foremost, as this is hotukdeals, do you consider yourselves frugal?

Stephen: One of Viv’s selling points when we first met, she said to me “Stephen, I’m low maintenance. Don’t worry. I’m low maintenance” That was her key phrase. She sold herself to me as being low maintenance. 

Viv: And actually, just fingers and toes and hair nowadays blows my budget straight away.

But in terms of how we spend, we do like to get value for money. We don’t just like to spend money just for the sake of it. We need to feel that we’ve got value for it. Otherwise, we won’t spend it. And we don’t like being ripped off.

Would you consider public transport more for your next holiday now you’ve experienced the highs and lows of local trains and buses on a budget?

Depends on where we are. We started off in Japan and the overnight buses there were luxury, absolute luxury. It was almost like being in your own photo booths, you could pull across this concertina little curtain and you’d have this little section all to yourself and the seat would recline pretty much fully and you were sort of cosseted there and it was really quite lovely.

And it was quite quiet because the Japanese are very quiet, there was no talking, no phones, everybody was “no phones allowed“ on the bus so everybody was just really quiet and that was bliss. And then we went to other countries… 

Budget in Indonesia was a wooden bench seat and there are four of them in a little square. There’s no table. So you’re sitting facing strangers and after eight hours you do  relax. They take their shoes off, they put their feet up. You all snore. Well some people snore (Stephen). 

Hindsight has taught us that perhaps we should have gone for an upgrade on a couple of things because the difference in the price between luxury and a straightforward wooden bench was only a couple of quid. So when you’re traveling for 30 hours and you’re trying to save money, you really can upgrade for pennies.

You were lucky enough to not just travel through a lot of different places, but actually spend time with the people who lived there. What was that like?

People were so willing and I think if you’re prepared to give of yourself and share bits about yourself then they do the same. Generally the people were so friendly and helpful and if you asked for help they were just wanting to share what they had; they had so little in some of these places but they were still so happy to share with you. It was wonderful to connect on a human level. 

I think inherently people are reluctant in our culture to try and approach strangers. You quickly learn when you’re traveling that you’ve got to talk to people (particularly in the context of Race Across The World where you are without your phone).

I think we’re both lucky in that we’re comfortable and confident enough to talk to people. It massively enriched our experience, getting to know locals and getting their tips and insights — whether it’s where the cheapest meals are or to not assume trains will be faster than buses. In Vietnam, for instance, the trains are prohibitively slow; they travel on average at 30 miles an hour.

Viewers have responded to your directness in different ways; some people are in awe, and some people are so British that even the idea of asking for a discount or money back makes them want to crawl into a hole and never come out. What’s your advice?

There was a learning curve and remember it’s a different culture, different country, different place, different economics and what British people consider rude are actually just the rules of trading in some places. 

If it upsets you too much to complain or to get cross, it’s not worth it because the net outcome has to be worth it. So yes, if you feel strongly about something, do something about it. Even if you are passive about your complaint, make your feelings known. But at the same time, if doing that makes you uncomfortable, it’s not worth it. It just isn’t. Chalk it up to experience, and don’t go there again. 

How did you handle the rest stops? 

Stephen: I took my own toilet roll everywhere. You cannot assume anything when it comes to the bathroom. I refused to go to the toilet during any time of the race. I only went during checkpoints. I just didn’t feel as if I wanted to have that experience…

https://youtu.be/0WnTONMfEKo

Stephen and Viv’s journey gave them insight into their strengths, their negotiation skills, and most importantly, into the delicate art of travel. You can watch the Series 4 Final tonight 29 May at 9pm on BBC One or catch up on BBC iPlayer.

Their answers help us see travel not just as a trip, but a journey into understanding the world and ourselves better. So pack your suitcase and embark on your own ‘Race Across the World’ adventure!

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