Episode 2 Queen's Baton Relay

The Queen's Baton Relay, launched at Buckingham Palace,

is taking a special message from Her Majesty

on an incredible journey around the Commonwealth.

Before that message is read out at the start of the Commonwealth Games

in Glasgow next July, it will touch lives around the world.

And it will symbolise what unites the diverse,

exotic and dynamic community of the Commonwealth.

Adventurer Mark Beaumont is following the route of the baton.

There are 70 nations and territories. 70.

On this truly global journey, he'll meet characters and communities.

He'll visit the modern and the traditional.

And on the way he'll try to capture the spirit of today's Commonwealth.

A Commonwealth united by the Queen's Baton Relay.

The first stop on this epic journey is India,

a country that contains almost a fifth of the world's population.

This is the first time the Queen's Baton Relay has returned to

Delhi since the city hosted the last Commonwealth Games in 2010.

the relay picks up pace as it's taken from Delhi to Agra

Wherever the baton goes, huge crowds of photographers

It's a powerful reminder of India's moment in the spotlight

It's obviously a huge source of excitement.

Hundreds and hundreds of people have already got a chance to touch it,

to get photographed with it, even to see it.

That's electric. It's just so exciting.

I think that that pace is also just a reflection of the pace of life here.

Of Delhi. It's just an amazingly busy, busy place.

But with a travel schedule that averages three countries a week,

there isn't much time to pause and reflect.

the relay travels to Dhaka in Bangladesh for a two-day visit.

And from there to Lahore in Pakistan.

But the baton arrives on one of the most important days

It's a national holiday. You can really feel it.

There's a wonderful sense of celebration.

Lots of different athletes and organisers from lots of sports.

In the background is one of the world's largest mosques.

I mean, it's the perfect setting to welcome the baton to Pakistan.

It's a country with a proud sporting tradition.

Especially when it comes to the Commonwealth Games.

So it's an honour for me to be handed over the baton.

You know, it has the Queen's message in it.

Every athlete wants to be a part of it.

What is your involvement in the Games?

I am in karate. I am the national team coach of Pakistan.

I feel proud. Especially I feel proud about this moment.

Amongst the athletes who have come to greet the baton is one

with a special connection to next year's host nation - Scotland.

Abdul Ghafoor won Pakistan's first Commonwealth weightlifting medal

at the 1970 Edinburgh Commonwealth Games against tough opposition.

His two sons plan to follow in his footsteps.

In 1970, what was your greatest competition?

Do either of the sons plan to be in Glasgow next year?

and they will most probably be participating.

it's time to head to the next stop on this extraordinary journey.

It's a country that's emerging from decades of civil war.

politicians continue to debate the nation's troubled past.

But for the people who have come to welcome the baton,

the focus is very much on celebrating the future.

Home to around a million people, the capital city of Colombo is

also the starting point for the Viceroy Special.

This steam engine may have been built in Britain,

but it was restored by Sri Lankan enthusiasts.

It still runs the same 80-mile journey from Colombo

on the coast to the tea plantations of Kandy in central Sri Lanka.

But instead of tea, today the train is carrying a very special cargo.

The fact a reception like this is happening in a train station

on the journey across Sri Lanka, I think

it's added to by the fact that it's incredibly humid,

the sound of the steam train with this music over the top of it.

As the train winds its way up into the Sri Lankan highlands,

every stop sees hundreds of inquisitive people

This is a small town here. It feels like a big festival.

Very small town, but very big festival here.

Why is it important to you, why is it important to Sri Lankan people?

The thing is, our country is going to the world.

The world knows what is Sri Lanka, who is the Sri Lankan people,

For many, this is the chance to give a true Sri Lankan welcome.

While others are just curious to find out what all of the fuss is about.

It travels to here and every Commonwealth country.

There are 70 nations and territories. 70.

For one man, this journey is the culmination

of a lifetime's passion for steam and history.

Many people aspire to owning a nice car.

Well, this man here, Hemasiri Fernando,

I think I am probably the greatest train enthusiast in my country.

I want to do something for the future generations.

I'm so happy that I could create this train

and preserve full steam locomotive in the past.

The original railways here linking to the central parts of Sri Lanka,

Before the railway came in, it took 12 days

for the transportation of tea from Kandy to Colombo.

The powerful group of planters in Sri Lanka demanded that they need

a faster mode of transportation to send their tea to Colombo Harbour.

There has been a great festival, a great party every time

the train has stopped today, and lots and lots of children.

What are children in Sri Lanka told about the Commonwealth?

still the children they have a great respect for the Queen.

They know about the Queen and the United Kingdom.

It is very easy to motivate and convince

these young schoolchildren to come for a reception like that.

The train's route takes it through towns and villages,

For nearly 30 years, this country was gripped by a long

It's a conflict that hasn't just impacted

the lives of the people who live here, but the wildlife as well.

The train ride's stopped off here at Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage.

It's wonderful to see this because each of these elephants have

been affected by contact with humans in some way.

A lot of Sri Lanka is now farmland, so through invading crops

or two have even been affected by land mines

just left in the countryside here over the years of conflict.

Whilst they are in captivity, it's a vast area.

Over 1,000 elephants were killed during the height of the war

They're an iconic part of Sri Lanka's rich wildlife.

Orphanages like this one are vital to the populations recovery.

the baton's next stop is the tiny island nation of the Maldives.

And it's arrived at a difficult time.

This tropical paradise is in the middle of an electoral dispute,

which has sparked unrest in the capital city of Male.

In this tense atmosphere, the baton makes a flying visit.

This may well be the shortest stop off

for the Queen's baton on its whole Commonwealth journey.

At the moment in the Maldives the real focus

is on the political electoral process and so instead,

members of the Commonwealth Committee, lots of children

and some of the Maldivian athletes have come to the airport

before we head straight on to our next destination - Singapore.

Amongst the athletes who have come to see the baton

is an extraordinary group of young swimmers.

There's something very unusual about this swimming team.

Explain to me where you train. In the sea.

What do you do when you're swimming along

and you see a big fish underneath you?

What's it like going from the sea into a swimming pool?

but when we switch to the pool it's quite light there.

It's easier to swim there sometimes because we go faster.

The normal temperature here is around 30 degrees,

so it's about the same temperature in the water as well.

I can imagine when you're trying to train hard,

having warm water isn't always the best because then you're too hot.

Yes, but some of us, actually most of us swim at night,

so it's a little colder at that time.

For international competition, it's not very good to train here,

it's the best place to come and train here.

Personally, if I was to choose to be a swimmer anyway,

But I can also understand what a challenge it is going from

swimming in the Indian Ocean to racing on the international stage.

But these guys are definitely starting at the right ages.

..the baton continues its journey east to Singapore.

It may have begun life as a sleepy fishing village,

but today Singapore is a global powerhouse,

and one of the largest commercial cities in Asia.

For a small nation sport plays a big part of life here.

Expectations of medal success at the Games next year are high.

It's a country that punches well above its weight.

But as the third most densely populated nation on Earth,

one thing it doesn't have is a lot of space.

the forest that once covered this small island has shrunk.

And to draw attention to this fact, a team of architects has created a

series of remarkable structures that has transformed Singapore's skyline.

One of the newest additions in Singapore which, in my mind,

is the ultimate expression of a modern

if not almost futuristic society is man-made trees.

Sometimes 16-storey tall super trees.

are designed to be almost entirely self-sufficient.

Using solar panels to generate their own electricity

and harvesting rainwater to nourish the plants that grow on their sides.

They stand as a powerful symbol of Singapore's connection

on the baton's Commonwealth journey -

This Asian giant is an economic heavyweight.

Its capital, Kuala Lumpur, is one of the world's most iconic cities.

Nestling among the skyscrapers is Kampung Baru,

by the British Colonial Administration in 1900,

once situated on the outskirts of town.

For over 100 years, the city has grown around it.

But rather than selling the land to developers,

the residents have decided to hold on to their property.

Which is now worth an estimated $1.6 billion.

The way of life here has been largely

Sam Shuradi, who is a senior member of the village council, believes

this traditional lifestyle is worth protecting.

They know who you come from, where you belong.

Your father's name, your mother's name, that kind of thing.

This, I think, the spirit we try to... Not say preserve, to maintain.

But this isn't just any old day in Kampung Baru.

one of the biggest community events of the year.

Malaysian weddings are all about spectacle, food,

This is Mark. My name's Tina. This is my brother.

Today is about the whole community coming together to help

Even Mark has a special role in the proceedings.

My job is when everyone arrives to give them a gift,

Yeah, a token. A token of appreciation.

So the plan is for up to 500 people, and then their partners.

The preparation is for... 1,000 gifts.

That's a big job to hand out 1,000 gifts.

Yes. You are going to give it to my auntie.

But not to her because she's younger than you. Ah.

So what are you meant to do, you're meant to kiss the hand?

What's this for? This is a gift to say...? It's a thank you.

When people leave the house, the occasion here, they'll say,

This sweet is just to say it's something sweet.

You hope that you will say something sweet about our programme, right?

With up to 1,000 guests, putting on a wedding of this scale

presents some interesting logistical challenges.

How do you prepare food for 1,000 people?

That's an incredible task. One kilo of rice is equivalent to five packs.

For 1,000 people we are going to have about 100 chicken.

And the 100 chicken is cut into eight pieces.

So it's about 800 pieces. It's equivalent to nearly 1,000, right?

This is a way of life completely at odds with the busy mega city

And for Sam, this wedding is about more than just a party,

it's about how this unique place embraces its sense of community.

Weddings, the world over, are a celebration of...

people coming together, families, communities.

So, I mean, this is an amazing thing to see, to witness,

because it feels like this is really the heart of the community. Yeah.

We always do that. We always give our hand in that kind of thing.

What happened, you could go outside Kuala Lumpur,

nobody cares, even if you fall down on the street, nobody cares

because, "I got a meeting, I got to rush," kind of thing.

For us, even the word "meeting" whatever, someone is falling,

in an accident, we stop and we help them.

These are two or three different lives, I put it that way.

Wherever you are in the world, weddings are always a happy occasion.

Until today I've never been a stranger, a complete stranger,

But I have to say I could not have been made more welcome.

This powerful sense of community is a recurring theme

And it's something that will be echoed in a wider scale when the

Commonwealth nations and territories make their way to Glasgow next year.

The next country is the final stop in the Asian leg

It may be small but what Brunei lacks in size,

it more than makes up for with enthusiasm.

Thanks to its vast oil and gas reserves,

this is one of the richest nations in the world.

It's a country where a new generation

And where one woman has come to symbolise a fresh start

Who is your best athlete here in Brunei?

Maziah Mahusin is already a household name here in Brunei.

At 20 years old she is their first female Olympian.

This is the end of pretty much a half marathon that the relay

has done this morning through to the national stadium.

Last year, Maziah broke the national 400m record at the Olympic Games.

It was a huge achievement, not least because she is the only

international female athlete in the country.

It's been a lonely journey for me for the past five years.

At first I have this female partner to work with but some of them

gained employment so I just keep on training with the guys

and the coach was like, "You have to follow the guys, behind..."

when you're training with guys who you feel you're always chasing?

I do challenge myself more, you know,

so when I go to overseas competition I was like, "Oh, I was the slowest."

So I think of it like I want to be the fastest also among other

countries so that's why I really need to, you know, to train hard,

That's why I just have to just ignore the pain

with the guys cos they really motivate me.

They're like, "Come on, follow me. Push yourself." I was like...

The fact that Maziah has battled with a long-term ankle injury

makes her achievements all the more remarkable.

And it's certainly not going to stop her from embarrassing

In just four weeks the baton has covered over 17,000 miles,

From Brunei, it heads south to Australia.

A city that attracts around ten million tourists a year.

It may only be the sixth largest city in the country,

Because this is where the Commonwealth Games

And it's where Australia plans to prove that the medal

disappointment of London 2012 was just a small hiccup

in an otherwise impressive sporting history.

At the Commonwealth Games, the nation has topped the medal table

athletes like 100m hurdler Sally Pearson will need to play

Where do you feel your greatest competition comes from?

I think Jessica Ennis said she's going to be doing the hurdles.

And also Tiffany Porter, who got the bronze medal in the hurdles

So, definitely a big push from those two girls

The interest in tickets has been absolutely through the roof

in Scotland. As an athlete, what's your expectations?

I think it's going to be absolutely fantastic.

We're struggling to get tickets over here as well.

we're on the waiting list for a lot of my hurdles events

so it'll be really exciting to see if I can get those tickets

for my family to come cos I have a lot of family

in England as well, so it would be nice to get them along as well.

It's going to be just as exciting as the Olympics in London last year.

Once the dust has settled in Scotland,

all eyes will turn to the sun-drenched corner down under.

And working to turn Australia's medal dreams into reality

is former swimming champion Andrew Baildon,

who set a Commonwealth record for the 100m freestyle back in 1990.

Andrew Baildon does the job for Australia...

The Gold Coast games may be five years away but building

work on the city's showpiece aquatic centre has already begun.

What's the plan over the next four years?

Well, we've got the Pan Pacific Games here in August next year,

so that'll be the first big event that they will host here

So that's why this construction is so far ahead of the Gold Coast,

cos they actually, you need it made three, four years ahead of time.

That's right and also we've had the global - the financial crisis

that everybody's felt and the Gold Coast felt that with tourism.

And now with a lot of this infrastructure going in early

and it's really helping the Gold Coast economy.

It's more than just a swimming pool that Andrew's helping to build,

a new generation of Australian swimmers.

Amongst them is his 13-year-old son, Flynn.

That was pretty impressive. It was tiring, yeah, but it felt good.

Do you think there may be a point when you think,

"Right, Dad, you and me. Let's have you."

I hope so, I hope I can give him a bit of a run for his money.

Maybe have to change it up and show him how it's done.

Would you mind showing me some techniques? Yeah, sure, why not?

For Mark, it's off to the children's pool for a quick lesson.

We might get Flynn to do a tumble-turn first

Yes, just like you're rolling over a barrel.

Making sure you put your chin on your chest on the tumble

and that you get a good flick over with your feet.

For Andrew, this is an opportunity to help develop a whole new

And he knows better than most what it takes to become

For children that are starting out in a sport at a young age,

I think that the important thing is that they enjoy the sport,

that we keep the pressure off at an early age,

We lead by example and we're great mentors to these children.

So that at the appropriate time, when they decide to specialise,

and they understand what it takes to become a champion.

but also understand the attitude that they have to have

towards their given sport and also toward their competitors as well.

Gold Coast is entering a new phase in its history as a young,

confident city looking to the future.

There's a sense of anticipation here.

2018 could be their chance to win medal glory on home soil.

But there's something else Gold Coast represents -

a whole new chapter on this extraordinary journey

The first leg of my journey has taken me from mega cities in Asia

through to here on the coast of Australia.

I've explored the most populated region of the Commonwealth

and found an unbelievable momentum in human stories.

There's been a real sense of pride in old ways but at the same time

this rush to the future, this excitement about all things new.

I've also seen a real sense of belonging with the Commonwealth

The power of sport to unify people as a sense of friendship.

From here, the journey continues, out through the nations

Join Mark next month as he continues his epic journey

diverse and exotic nations on the planet.

And meeting just a few of the friendly locals.

All connected by the Queen's Baton Relay.

Hello, I'm Riz Lateef with your 90-second update.

Police have never seen a case like it. Detectives in London say three

women, who were allegedly kept as slaves for 30