The boys self-funded their six month trip while filming Series 1 and sold the series to Australian TV two years after they finished filming.
Travel bugs! Gonzo had a run in with poison ivy while traveling which meant a month of itching before steroids cured him, while Parv had his appendix removed in an emergency operation.
The boys Toyota Camry that they drove around in Series 1 already had 200,000 miles on the odometer when they bought it. During the course of the trip that had to replace the timing belt, four wheels, the ignition chamber and the entire engine.