Tonight at 9pm on BBC One and iPlayer, Race Across The World showcases the intriguing Indonesian island of Sumatra, a seldom-explored gem bursting with untouched natural beauty. Its lush rainforests shelter exotic wildlife, creating a challenging yet rewarding backdrop for the competing teams.

Testing their resilience, contestants navigate through obstacles like the unpredictable transportation network, scarce lodging options, and language barriers. The latest episode adds a heartwarming touch as the participants come together to honor Owen's 21st birthday, immersing in local traditions involving eggs and flour.

Owen's personal connection with a Padang fisherman and his family highlights the essence of cultural exchange on their journey. Amidst the uncertainties of Indonesian travel, Alfie finds himself pondering the unknown future as they make their way along the breathtaking southern coast of Sumatra.

Alfie (20, Football Referee) and Owen (20, Trainee Pilot) from Hertfordshire are best friends from school with a determination and maturity rarely seen. While one wants to experience everything the race throws at them, the other only has eyes for the finish line. Alfie said: “I think we wanted to take part in the series mainly because we’re both lovers of travelling and have done a little bit of travelling before but never done the whole backpacking, country-hopping situation. It was something that we wanted to try further down the line anyway and we thought it would be such a great experience that it would be impossible to say no to”.

Owen said: “We wanted to do this because, as Alfie said, we wanted to go travelling and we’ve never done this sort of thing together. Also, we wanted to put our friendship to the test, see what we can achieve with it. And personally, ourselves we wanted to see how we’d deal in this sort of situation and how well we can do, see if we can make it to the end and maybe even win”.

Catch up on iPlayer.