Ex-spouses
Yin (54, data manager) and Gaz (52, sales director)
BBC/Studio Lambert
- Amy Raphael
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Whose idea was it to sign up?
Yin It was mine; eight months before we applied, my partner passed away suddenly. I went through a period of bad mental health and ended up staying with Gaz. I thought that the show might help me get back to life. The only person I could do it with was Gaz because, having been married, we know each other inside out.
Gaz I’d never watched the show so didn’t know what I was signing up for. It might sound weird because we’re divorced, but I couldn’t imagine doing it with anyone else.
How did you feel when you were told that the race started in China?
Yin I was ambivalent about going to China because I don’t speak Mandarin. It confuses people. I initially wanted to run for the hills. I’m British-born Chinese and grew up in a traditional household in a white suburban town where I was subjected to regular racism.
Gaz It was hard knowing how Yin would feel. But we just had to deal with the cards we were dealt. The food was amazing!
Did either of you ever feel like quitting?
Gaz The map we were given was dreadful because it only had major towns and cities on it. But we didn’t ever get to the point of wanting to jump on a plane and come home.
Yin There were moments when I was close to quitting, but I enjoyed the challenges of figuring out how to get from A to B.
Did you always agree on when to prioritise racing or sightseeing?
Gaz We didn’t discuss it! We went all guns blazing. Everywhere we went was amazing.
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Yin We did sometimes choose sightseeing, knowing there were places we’d never see again.
Authors
Amy Raphael
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