Still, none of these memories matters – not really. The getting there and the being there are simply not of equal value. Seeing otherworldly nature, eating home-cooked meals with ingredients you’ve never heard of, hearing kids squealing with delight in a language you don’t speak, figuring out what people drink, where they go, what matters to them – those are the rich seams from which travel joy comes, and the things you remember in the years that follow. The bus ride there? Not so much.
A favourite tote bag-esque aphorism is that travel is about the journey, not the destination, and racing competitions appear to have adopted that full throttle. If your primary aim is going as great a distance as possible on the cheap, though, why not just spend a week bus-hopping up and down your local high street? It’s far easier, more wallet-friendly and environmentally sound – plus you get to sleep in an actual bed at night.
The BBC programme does at least afford some level of cultural interaction by placing contestants with local families with whom they can work and stay (one of many generous production extras they are afforded). Copycat competitions don’t have a television budget, however – meaning the sole focus is on the stopwatch. Sure, they give you the chance to “win” a contest, but it’s hard to imagine being left with anything but an empty victory at the end.