This gem is the Amazing Race, Scandanavian style. Approximately 12 teams of 2 from Norway, Sweden and Denmark (why not Finland?) go along a 10000 km route form Moscow to Peking. You can see the first episode at
PEKING EXPRESS. I have no idea exactly when additional episodes will be available.
It is made a bit difficult by the fact that teams speak their native language and the subtitles appear to be in Norwegian. From time to time a little English is spoken, but it's not enough to really allow you to understand any of the nuances. You can, however, understand where teams are going and what they are doing. Teams started out by at the edge of Moscow and have to find a marked car specifically for them. It will take them SSE into the Russian countryside, which is pretty in what must be midsummer. Each team is dropped off at a specific small country road and teams must walk in and find shelter for the night. This results in a variety of sleeping arrangements and diversity of food. The next morning, in what must be a carefully choreographed start to handicap the teams closest to the first pit stop of KLIN, teams the furthest away start first. The pit stop is just a marked table in a field. I should add that the host is a beautiful Scandanavian blond who is a pleasant contrast to Allan Wu and Phil Keoghan. Teams arrive from 0905 to 1315. Since 3 teams tied for last, they have an obstacle course race to determine which team is last and eliminated. It is two guys.
Teams continue and have to forage again for shelter and food at another set of places. The second pit stop is in front of a magnificent Russian Orthodox church in KAZAN. A female team places first and wins a ribbon. There was no indiciation of any team being eliminated.
This is a pleasant diversion while we are waiting for AR12 and ARA2.