Ages: Gaz is 54 and Yin is 54
Relationship: Former married couple
Why Race Across The World?
Yin: "I think it came from me. I saw the advert, and in that moment thought, 'you know what? I really want to do that.' The last year has been quite a personal journey for me. Gaz and I, although we used to be married, we've been separated for about three years. And then when we split up, I found another partner, but he passed away suddenly in September. The last year has been tough, but one of the things that Chris gave me was a real sense of adventure, and he really liked traveling. We talked a lot about traveling and so when this came along i thought why not, something inside me made me fill out the application form.
"I said to Gaz when he got home because I was living with Gaz at the time, because he was looking after me during my grieving period, and I just said 'do you fancy going on Race Across the World with me?' He was like 'yeah, whatever'. He probably just said it more to amuse me, because he obviously knew what I was going through at that moment. But before we knew it, he'd filled out the application and the journey had begun!"
Gaz: "Personally for me, I did some travel in my early 20's, but when all my friends when to university to get degrees, I just went out and got a job. I'd seen little bits of Race on Gogglebox. When we were together, we never went on holidays off the beaten track. I'd taken 9/10months out of my life to go traveling when i was younger, and Yin had never had that."
Do you have a strategy?
Yin: "Our main strategy is to stay to the end and do the whole experience."
Gaz: "We've set ourselves mini goals, in the sense that we know someone gets eliminated in one of the legs, so if we can get through that bit, that's a win. And then if we can get to the end, that's another win. And if we're in sight of winning it, that would be great. But in regards to strategies, it's hard as we've never done it before. There is a will to win. And as much as we do think there's a strategy, I think because anything can happen..."
Yin: "I think Lady Luck plays a part, whether your strategy works or not."
Gaz: "I think I'm very good at spending money, and Yin's very good at saving money, so from that point of view, there is a slight strategy as we'll be quite cautious in what Yin will let me spend."
What's the most unusual thing have you brought with you?
Gaz: "Years ago we went to New York and we went to the 9/11 Memorial, and we bought this little soft search and rescue dog, so we've brought him with us."
Yin: "I went on the trip to Norway. And then there's the teeniest, tiniest baby doll that I found just laying there. And it was clearly a doll that needed looking after. So it has come with me. The dolls bed is a little cross in the pocket. And this is from when we went on a trip to Kendall. We visited a church and they had this hope tree and I chose a cross in a pocket, it has this little prayer inside – I'm not religious but it just felt right."
What will your biggest challenges be on the race?
Yin: "Forgetfulness, I think we're at the age where we'll forget something, also tiredness for me."
Gaz: "I'm not very good with heights!"
What's your partner's most annoying habit?
Yin: "Impulsiveness and he doesn't shut up. They are also some of the best things about him though."
Gaz: "She won't let me spend money."
Race Across The World airs Wednesdays at 9pm on BBC One and iPlayer.
Neil Wilkes
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