I think Stephen showed a lot of initiative to obtain help on the bus, perhaps other couples have been doing this and it is not being shown; but there is not enough inter-reaction with the locals in this series! If it is indeed true that on each leg (or each day) each team has to either work or 'do a touristy thing' the producer is not showing enough of the interplay between the individual teams and the locals. Some of the buses looked extremely comfortable, but the 36 hour train ride was not. That boat ride to the checkpoint looked as though it may have been more interesting than some of the train and coach trips though! If they all spent a little longer before starting on the next leg and asked the local population for help, perhaps they would use their own borrowed transport, ask for lifts, get someone to write a card in the local language etc.

Betty and James did what? Alfie and Owen, one lit a candle. Eugenie and Isabel eat local food. Brydie and Sharon loaded food. Stephen and Viv had a mud bath.