The Amazing Race: I'm Not Happy To See You

With four teams left, this week's The Amazing Race began in Osaka, Japan at the ninth pit stop of the race. Ron & Christina were the first team to leave at 7:02 AM and found out that the teams would now travel across Osaka by taxi to find the building with a hole in it, the Umeda Sky Building. Once there, the teams would have to find the floating garden (the observatory located on the top of the building) where they would find their next clue. Nathan & Jennifer left at 7:15 AM (Happy Birthday Jennifer!) and Nicolas & Donald left at 7:21 AM. All three teams arrived at the building only to find the observatory wouldn't open until 10:00 AM. As soon as they were able to, the teams grabbed elevators to the top and grabbed the next clue.

Teams would now have to travel over 1,000 miles to Taipei, Taiwan. Upon arrival in Taipei, teams would then take a taxi to Taipei Main Station and find their next clue. As TK & Rachel were finally able to leave the prior pit stop at 10:18 AM, the other three teams were off to the airport to grab tickets for flights to Taipei. (Did anybody else find it odd that Nicolas said that there were only pansies left in the game while in their taxi?)

While TK & Rachel were roaming outside the building for the garden (oops!), Ron & Christina snagged the first flight out of Taipei at 1:00 PM. At the counter, Christina slyly told the ticket lady to tell the other teams that there were no more seats left on that flight. When the lady told Nathan & Jennifer that, Jennifer exploded just a little bit. Regardless, they weren't able to get on the flight and had to get tickets for a flight that left at 1:15 PM. Nicolas & Donald would be on that flight with them also. Fortunately for TK & Rachel, they had since figured out that the garden was upstairs in the building and, after walking past the clue box at least one time, finally grabbed their next clue. They got the airport soon after and would be on a third plane leaving.

The first plane landed in Taipei at 2:51 PM and the second flight landed at 3:05 PM. Ron & Christina (first flight) ran to find their taxi and took off. After landing Nathan & Jennifer and Nicolas & Donald went to stand in line to have their money exchanged (they never showed Ron & Christina doing this). The third plane with TK & Rachel landed and then guess what? TK & Rachel got in line for their money exchange and even wound up being ahead of Nathan & Jennifer in line. (The only thing I can guess is that Nathan & Jennifer were running around trying to find the best line.) So TK & Rachel were now caught up with the others and let's just say that Jennifer was a little ticked off about it.

Ron & Christina were (of course) the first team to reach the station and get the next clue. Teams would have to travel by high-speed rail to the city of Taichung where they would then have to travel by taxi to Jiji and find Acrobatics Jeep for the next clue. The other three teams were just leaving the airport in Taipei at this time and was it here that Jennifer provided the title for the show. While leaving the airport in the taxi, Jennifer told Nathan that she could feel hatred in her for TK & Rachel and wanted to rip the dreads out of his head. She also said, "Sorry guys, I'm not happy to see you." She's acting quite the bitch on her birthday don't you think?

Ron & Christina were still holding down their first place position by getting tickets to Jiji before the other teams. The three remaining teams were all able to snag tickets on a second train and were still stuck together. When Ron & Christina found the next clue, they discovered it was a Road Block. Who's ready for a tricky ride? One of them would choose to be a passenger on a car driven by a professional stunt driver. The stunt? The driver would maneuver the car on to a giant teeter totter (yikes!) where they he would drive back and forth on it while it went back and forth. Then they would have to switch to an amphibious car and be driven underwater for 17 seconds. Once they finished both rides, they would receive the next clue.

Ron chose to do it for his team and his reaction on the teeter totter was absolutely priceless! Poor guy seemed so scared but he was definitely a trooper. Upon receiving the next clue, they read that teams would have to travel by to Taipei (via high-speed rail again) and find GK Teahouse in Taipei. They would each have to order and drink a cup of tea. Their clue would be revealed at the bottom of the cup once they were done drinking it. They took off for the train station as the other teams began arriving at the Road Block. Rachel, Nathan, and Donald chose to do the task for their teams.

When Rachel finished, their next clue was their Speed Bump. Instead of going back to the station to go back to Osaka, they would have to make their way by taxi just over one mile to He-Ping where they would take part in a traditional Chinese ritual that was performed annually during the lantern festival. After putting on safety suits, they had to run through fireworks, were doused with water, and then received the clue that sent them to the train station. (It actually looked like a cool task that I would love to do!)

Ron & Christina were able to get 7:36 tickets for the train and were off to Taipei. Nathan & Jennifer arrived a tad too late to get the 7:36 tickets and had to settle for tickets on the 8:00 train. That was the same train that Nicolas & Donald would be on as well as TK & Rachel!!! Their Speed Bump didn't slow them down at all! Of course, Jennifer whined the whole time on the train about how TK & Rachel are always so lucky and how everything was stupid. It was hilarious when Nicolas & Donald left to go tell TK & Rachel what Jennifer was saying about them. I think I would have had to get away from them myself.

Ron & Christina arrived at the teahouse, finished up their tea, and found that the clue on the bottom of the cup told them to go to the Gong Guan Night Market in downtown Taipei. They would then have to find a clown who would give them their next clue. Ron & Christina found the market (and the clown) quickly and found that the next clue was the Detour. Fire or Earth? In Fire, teams would have to find a marked field where they would participate in a mystical Chinese ritual. They would write messages of luck (good and/or bad) on the lanterns and then burn money underneath them. The hot air would cause the lanterns to lift up into the sky. After doing 20 lanterns, they would receive their next clue. In Earth, the teams would participate in a local custom used to release stress. They would have to walk down a 200-foot path made up of jagged stones on their bare feet and then turn around and walk back on the same stones before receiving the next clue.

Ron & Christina chose Earth. Meanwhile, Nicolas & Donald had reached the teahouse and were drinking their tea. They finished as TK & Rachel arrived at the teahouse. TK & Rachel were leaving the teahouse as Nathan & Jennifer were finally arriving (last place!). Ron & Christina finished up their Detour and received the next clue. Teams would now travel by taxi through the busy streets of Taipei to the Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Plaza. That would be the tenth pit stop of the race and one team would be eliminated.

Ron & Christina grabbed a taxi and were on their way to the Plaza. The other three teams were off finding their clowns in the park. All of the teams chose Earth (which is what I would have done) and began making their way to the stone path. However, TK & Rachel and Nicolas & Donald chose to take taxis while Nathan & Jennifer were told by a local that taking the subway and then a bus would be the quickest route for them because of the traffic. The whole time Nathan & Jennifer were fighting. They especially caused an ugly scene while waiting for the bus to pick them up. I actually felt bad for the locals because of their screaming at each other.

Ron & Christina, unsurprisingly, were the first team to arrive at the pit stop. They were guaranteed a spot in the final three and, as the winners of this leg of the race, won five-night trips for two to Curacao. Phil told them they were the happiest he'd ever seen them (and they looked very happy!) and they said it was because they'd finally come together as a team.

Meanwhile, Nicolas & Donald and TK & Rachel had arrived at the rock path and were making their barefoot way across it. They finished as Nathan & Jennifer finally arrived for their turn. After some English problems, Nicolas & Donald and TK & Rachel were now on their way to the pit stop. Nathan & Jennifer quickly (very quickly!) finished and grabbed a taxi as well.

TK & Rachel were the second team to meet with Phil and were ecstatic that they were able to make up so much time and would be participating in the million dollar finals.

Then we saw two shadowy features running to meet Phil and it was Nicolas & Donald (I swear I jumped up and down and hollered at this!) and they are the third team to arrive!!! They would be going on to the finals also and competing for the million dollars! Donald said later that he was so glad they weren't the first team out of the race and that his goal was for them to make it to the final three. Way to go!

Of course, this means that Nathan & Jennifer were the last team to arrive and they were most definitely eliminated. They were sad and told Phil that they'd fought a lot but that they'd really wanted to win. After that, Jennifer told Nathan (away from Phil) that he killed their relationship on this trip. He began crying and she hugged him. Boo freaking hoo. Get off my screen!

Next week on the season finale, TK & Rachel are feeling pinched at the Detour. Donald comes down on Nicolas over a mix-up (something about reading a clue wrong and that they're through). Ronald watches as his daugher hangs on for dear life (climbing some ice with hooks).

So, what did you think about this week's episode? Were you like me and thought TK & Rachel might have been really out of it when they were searching outside the building for the garden? Did you find it hilarious that Nathan & Jennifer weren't able to get on the first flight with Christina & Ronald? And what about them winning a leg of the race yet again? Were you as happy as I was when Nathan & Jennifer were eliminated? Finally, who do you want to win the million dollars? I can't wait for next week!