The Amazing Race: November 2007 Archives

Where did we leave off in The Amazing Race last week? Oh, that's right in Burkina Faso at the third pit stop. Because they arrived first in the last leg of the race, Azaria & Hendekea take off first at 7:58 AM. Teams will have to follow a marked path to a local village and find the tribal chief where they will receive a customary gift of generosity and their next clue. Azaria & Hendekea got to the tribal chief (before the second team even left) and received their clue as well as a chicken. After receiving their chicken, the teams would have to take a taxi approximately 100 miles to the town of Bouda Pelegtanga and search for their next clue. They must keep their chicken with them at all times and if they don't have their chicken at the mat with Phil, they won't get to check in.

While Azaria & Hendekea are on their way to Bouda Pelegtanga (and Azaria is on her case about moving too slow), the next batch of teams take off. Beginning at 8:13 AM TK & Rachel, Nathan & Jennifer, Kynt & Vyxsin, Ronald & Christina, and Nicolas & Donald all take off within one minute of each other and go to find the tribal chief. It doesn't take them long before they're off to Pelegtanga themselves while Jennifer & Shana have to wait until 8:38 AM to leave. As the blondes take off in their taxi, they decide to name their chicken Phil because the chicken looks like Phil and is cute like Phil. I'm sure Phil is ecstatic about that.

At Bouda Pelegtanga, teams receive a Detour. They can either decide to shake their pan or shake their booty. In "Shake Your Pan", teams have to mine one ounce of gold to receive their next clue. In "Shake Your Booty", teams must learn a traditional local dance and perform it for a judging panel made up of local celebrities. The catch to the booty task is that they have to also include some creative moves of their own before the judges will let them pass on and give them their next clue. Not enough creativity and that team would receive a ten minute penalty.

The front runners (Nathan & Jennifer, TK & Rachel, and Azaria & Hendekea) all choose to shake their booty and head on over to the dancing arena. Meanwhile, Lorena & Jason are finally allowed to begin this leg of the race (at 10:07 AM). Nathan & Jennifer shook their tailfeathers but it wasn't good enough for the judges and got a 10 minute penalty. While TK & Rachel were watching them, they decided there was no way they were going to do that so they changed their minds and went to pan gold. Azaria & Hendekea danced and were the first team to get the next clue.

Teams would now have to find Pelegtanga Market where they would have a chance to use a U-Turn on another team behind them. If they chose to use it, that team would have to backtrack and complete the other task in the detour that they didn't complete the first time around. Azaria & Hendekea chose not to use the U-Turn and Nathan & Jennifer chose not to use it as well. After that decision, teams have to travel by taxi to the outskirts of Ouagadougou to the Tampouy Goat Market where they would receive their next clue.

Meanwhile, Ronald & Christina shook their booties (and rubbed booties) but didn't score in the creativity department so had to wait 10 minutes to continue. Nicolas & Donald finished panning for gold and headed for the U-Turn in third place. Kynt & Vyxsin finished dancing and are in fourth place at the moment. One of the best "feel good" moments in the show had to have been Kynt & Vyxsin. Kynt says they must look like aliens that came from the sky to the West African people but that they've been so warm and kind to them. It was extremely touching the way he said that but the thing that was funny is that Vyxsin was right next to him cradling their chicken as though it were a baby. Hehehe.

After the blondes (Shana & Jennifer) finish their hips and boobs booty dance, they headed to the U-Turn in sixth place and chose to use it on Lorena & Jason. TK and Rachel (finally on their way to the market after falling behind switching tasks) thinks the blondes are making a mistake but Shana says that it's a competition and they're there to win the money. Lorena & Jason, in last place, are doing their booty dance while all of the other teams are on their way to the market.

Azaria & Hendekea are the first at the next clue box and it's a Roadblock. One person in each team must load up a bicycle with supplies and even a live goat and ride into the marketplace, find their specific vendor, and deliver their supplies. After doing that, they would get their next clue. Azaria and Jennifer (of Jennifer & Nathan) do the task for their teams and finish up in no time at all. Meanwhile, Lorena & Jason finish up their dance and get to the U-Turn and see that the blondes have done them in. They're pissed about it but go off to do the mining task. What else could they do?

After delivering their supplies to their vendor at the marketplace, teams must then travel by taxi to Ouagadougou where they must find the Hotel de Ville and the next pit stop. And they can't forget their chicken! The majority of teams are working on the marketplace task still as Nathan & Jennifer and Azaria & Hendekea race to the mat in front of Phil. Azaria & Hendekea beat Nathan & Jennifer by a split second and win first place again and motor scooters. Jennifer was frustrated at coming in second again -- the girl even had the nerve to yell out to Azaria & Hendekea as they were racing to the mat that they'd already come in first already and to basically let another team have a chance. Puh-lease Jennifer! Lorena & Jason were now on their way to the marketplace where many of the other teams were finishing up and leaving for the next pit stop.

Karma almost bit Shana & Jennifer in the ass when Jennifer couldn't find her vendor in the marketplace. Rachel was having a hard time of her own. She found her vendor quick enough but then got lost on the way out. Meanwhile, Ronald & Christina and Nicolas & Donald reached Phil to become the third and fourth teams to finish that leg of the race. In the second "feel good" moment of the evening Kynt & Vyxsin, on their way to the pit stop, became really emotional. Vyxsin said she that because they'd been in Africa so long she's had a chance to really take things in and remarks that the people are so wonderful but that because they have to live the way they do ... and then she breaks down and starts crying. I really am liking them.

Kynt & Vyxsin finished fifth, Shana & Jennifer finished sixth, and TK & Rachel finished seventh. Rachel was shocked that they weren't the last team to arrive. In the end, between their late start in this leg of the race and the U-Turn that was given to them by the blondes, it just was too much to recover from and Lorena & Jason were eliminated. When Phil asked her about their relationship, Lorena said that she wanted her and Jason to stay together. Then all three of them (Lorena, Jason, and the chicken) hugged and the credits rolled.

Next week, Ron takes a nasty spill at the Detour (it looked like it hurt) and trouble bares down on the blondes. Yikes! It looks like a bus is going to crash into them. What did you think about this week's episode? How did you feel about the blondes using the U-Turn and Lorena & Jason being eliminated? I don't know about you but after this episode, Kynt & Vyxsin are my new favorite team and TK & Rachel are my next favorite team. Who are your favorites after this week?

This week's episode of The Amazing Race began with us being told that Ronald had to be treated for a hernia he developed during the bike challenge in the previous leg. He decided to continue on in the race anyway even though he was in pain and would have difficulty in physical tasks. With that announcement out of the way, it was time for the nine remaining teams to leave Durgerdam, The Netherlands and begin the next leg of the race.

The teams have to catch a taxi to the Amsterdam airport where they would begin their 3,000-mile trek to Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso (please say that five times really fast) in West Africa. Once there, they would have to find the train station and then find the clue box. Lorena & Jason were the first team to leave with Nathan & Jennifer and Shana & Jennifer right behind them. You know how the teams read the card that tells them where they're going right before they take off? Well, it was a blast listening to them mangle the pronunciation of that city. I replayed that part a few times just to laugh at them over and over again. I could laugh though because I wasn't the one having to say it.

As the rest of the teams were still leaving the previous pit stop, the first pairs were arriving at the airport and beginning to purchase their tickets. There would be two planes (departing forty minutes apart) taking the teams to Paris where there was just one flight to Ouagadougou. If any of the teams missed that flight then they would be in a heap of trouble because there was just one flight to leave for Ouagadougou each day. The blondes and Lorena & Jason were able to get their ticket but Nathan & Jennifer had to go on a waiting list. Meanwhile, the other teams were getting to the airport and buying their tickets for the second plane to Paris. Fortunately for Nathan & Jennifer though, they were able to get on the first flight and off it went. The second flight was delayed due to mechanical problems and didn't take off until after the first flight had already landed so they were all worried they would miss the connecting flight and be 24 hours behind the first three teams.

Nathan & Jennifer were the first pair to score their tickets to Africa and it seemed they would be the only ones to make the flight. But you know how The Amazing Race goes; the other pairs on the first plane finally found the gate and the second plane landed in Paris in just enough time for them to make the flight. They're all even now.

Once in Africa, the teams grabbed taxis to take them to the train station so that they could get their next clue. The blondes got scammed by a taxi driver but then they were stupid to have given him a big bill and expect the correct change back. There went 1,000 francs down the drain. After listening to them make the crack about being sold for money while in the cab, you just had to chuckle when the taxi driver laughed evilly at them after arguing over the change. Nathan & Jennifer were the first pair to the clue box at the train station and learned that the teams would now have to take a train to Bingo (in the middle of the savannah) and find the next clue box that would tell them what to do. All of the teams arrived at the train station only to find that the ticket counter wouldn't be open until 6:00 AM so once again they were all caught up. The producers did treat us though to a clip from that night of Grandpa (Donald) remarking how hot Julia was and then Julia asking him to dance.

While on the train to Bingo, the blondes complained of the smell, the flies, and the trash while others took in the sites and were amazed that they were even in Africa. After getting off the train in the middle of nowhere (Bingo), the teams came upon the clue box which contained a Road Block. Who was ready to work up a thirst? One person in each pair had to milk a camel. That's right. They would have to fill a bowl to a certain line with camel's milk and then drink it to receive their next clue. If their camel ran dry while milking, they would have to wait until the other teams had finished milking their camel and then they would be able to use those camels. This will be fun!

Grandpa, TK, and Lorena begin the milking and almost immediately Lorena begins freaking out because she's afraid of the animal. It was absolutely hysterical! While TK, Donald, Christina, and Vyxsin finish up their tasks and leave, Lorena was losing her mind. Azaria and Nathan weren't doing too swell either but at least they were staying relatively calm. Lorena's camel would kick the bowl causing Lorena to spill the milk which would then cause Lorena to cry and scream. The pairs that were leaving had to now lead four camels along a path to waiting nomads who would give them their next clue.

Nathan finished up just when Lorena's camel ran out of milk. Julia and Jennifer (in the blonde team) had their camels run out of milk and then Azaria's ran out of milk too. Props, by the way, to the all of the camel-pooping clips. Thank goodness I hadn't eaten dinner yet. As they switch to camels that still had some milk left in them, the first teams were handing their four camels off to the nomads and getting their next clue. It's a Detour: Teach It or Learn It. The teams had to choose whether to teach a local child 10 English words for common items or to learn 10 Moré words for common items.

TK & Rachel (in 1st place) and Ronald & Christina (in 5th) chose to teach while Nathan & Jennifer (in 2nd), Kynt & Vyxsin (in 3rd), and Nicolas and Donald (in 4th) chose to learn it. As the teams were learning and teaching in the schoolhouses, the blondes and Azaria & Hendekea finished their camel-milking and caught up to the others in the Detour. Yes, Julia and Lorena are still milking. Azaria & Hendekea totally blew away the other pairs in the task and got their clue for the next pit stop. The teams would have to follow a marked path to a small tribal community outside of Bingo where they would meet Phil and find out their fates.

A major storm begins blowing through as the teams are trying to get their tasks done. Azaria & Hendekea are the first to meet Phil under an umbrella and win a fabulous five-night trip for two to the Elbow Beach Resort in Bermuda. Finally, Julia finishes milking her camel and Marianna and herself take off for the schools. Lorena's still fighting with her camel. Come on already Lorena! Y'all are in last place! Lorena switched to Julia's camel, gets her milk, gulps it down, and her and Jason take off in a run with their camels in tow.

Meanwhile, the teams at the school are finally finishing up and leaving for the pit stop. Five of the teams make a dash for Phil and arrive at Phil's mat at almost the same time. TK & Rachel finish in second; Nathan & Jennifer finish in third; Kynt & Vyxsin finish in fourth; Ronald & Christina finish in fifth; and Nicolas & Donald finish in sixth. Shana & Jennifer finish up at the school and come in seventh. They thought they were in last place and Jennifer began crying before Phil even told them they were safe. She's not ready to go home just yet.

Marianna & Julia and Lorena & Jason are in basically a tie at the school with both teams trying to learn their words as quickly as possible. Lorena & Jason barely finish before Marianna & Julia and both teams are running as fast as they could to get to Phil. Lorena & Jason won the foot race though and finished in eighth place. Marianna & Julia were the last time to arrive and were eliminated. The sisters told Phil the race was hard but they were glad they did it. They are now off to join the other eliminated pairs at the villa in Portugal.

Next week, the teams put their dancing skills to the test with some tough critics and Shana & Jennifer make a controversial decision. Whatever the blondes do seem to tick off Lorena & Jason who say they're going to screw over the blondes.

I really liked this week's episode. I was amazed that Ronald was able to do as good a job as he did with his hernia. I was also surprised to see Nicolas & Donald so close to the front for most of the race. I was kinda sad about Marianna & Julia going but I'd rather them go than Lorena & Jason. Nathan & Jennifer seem to be able to bounce back quickly enough but TK & Rachel are looking to be the team to beat. Of course, the scenes with Lorena breaking down at the milking were the best of the night! What did you think about this week's episode?

In this week's The Amazing Race, the ten remaining teams began the second leg of the race under the cover of darkness. They were to drive themselves to the local airport and fly ultimately to Amsterdam, The Netherlands where they then had to catch a train to Central Station and search the city for a bridge where they would find their next clue. Azaria & Hendekea were the first team to leave at 12:00 AM and Nathan & Jennifer were the last team to leave at 3:00 AM.

Donald & Nicolas got a flat tire thanks to one of those pesky curbs but were eventually able to make it to the airport where many other teams were waiting for the ticket counter to open. While most of the teams were focused more on getting to the airport, Ronald & Christina and Pat & Kate stopped at an inn on the way to use the internet to research the flights. This is where we began to see Ronald's overbearing side concerning Christina. I don't know if I would like him as a partner.

Everybody was able to make the first flight to Dublin except for Marianna & Julia. Once the flight landed in Dublin, teams that hadn't been able to secure tickets for the Dublin to Amsterdam flight scurried over to the gate to get on the standby list. Nicolas was a little short with his agent and Ronald, who was standing next to him and trying to get on standby himself, decided to take Nicolas to task for it. What nerve! Nicolas & Donald got lucky and were able to make the first flight to Amsterdam leaving the Ronald & Christine behind to catch the second flight along with Julia & Marianna and Pat & Kate.

Once in Amsterdam, the teams are getting tickets for the train so that they can find the bridge with the clue. The clue was a Detour: teams must choose between Hoisting It and Hunting It. In Hoisting It, teams must move five pieces of furniture up the side of a building using a rope and pulley system. In Hunting It, teams must hunt for a specially color-coded pair of bikes among thousands of other bikes.

Azaria & Hendekea were the only pair among the front runners to choose the bike task. When they had been in first place originally, they were knocked down to fifth place by the time they found their bikes. Some of the teams were having problems with the hoisting task too though. TK couldn't tie a knot to save his life and eventually he and Rachel switches places where she busted through the hoisting like a gangbuster.

Lorena & Jason were the first to finish the task and now they had to travel by bus to a rural village named Ransdorp, The Netherlands, and find their next clue in a field. Unfortunately though, they missed the first bus and by the time the next bus came along their lead had evaporated. Kynt & Vyxsin finish and begin looking for the bus stop only miss the ones the front runners had got on to. Meanwhile, the second plane was just now landing in Amsterdam. Those teams are way behind.

After the bus arrives in Ransdorp, the teams found their next clue. It was a road block that only one member of the team can do. It involved ditch vaulting and while some of the teams didn't have a problem with it there were those obligatory few teams who just couldn't get it done quick enough. Jason immediately was able to accomplish the task and got the next clue which told them to choose a Dutch cargo bike and ride it through the countryside looking for the dropoff point at the Durgerdam Yacht Club. That would be the pit stop for this leg of the race.

Lorena & Jason were the first team to arrive at the pit stop and won three-wheeled sport bikes (really?). Nathan & Jennifer were the second team to reach the pit stop and Shana & Jennifer were third. Meanwhile, Ronald & Christina are fighting with each other while trying to decide between hoisting and hunting and continue fighting while hunting for their bikes. That annoys Pat & Kate who are also hunting for bikes.

Kynt & Vyxsin are the fourth team to greet Phil. (It was hilarious when they went to high-five each other and he missed her hand and hit her in the face!) Donald is struggling with the ditch vaulting and has stripped down to his underwear to lighten the load. Azaria & Hendekea are the fifth team at the pit stop and TK & Rachel are the sixth team. Marianna & Julia were able to catch up during the ditch vaulting and finish this leg in the seventh spot. Donald finally clears the ditch and him and Nicolas arrive at the pit stop eighth.

Ronald was giving Christina a hard time at the ditch vaulting task but ultimately she got it and they arrived at the pit stop in ninth. We saw some footage of Kate (I think) doing the ditch task but they had to have been really behind the other teams. They were the last to arrive at the pit stop and Phil was, as always, sorry to tell them they'd been eliminated.

Next week, Ronald & Christina are still arguing and Lorena loses it during a task trying to milk a camel. Eeeks!

I loved the ditch vaulting task! Some of them took really nasty falls but thankfully they were all OK. It was just hilarious to watch. Ronald needs to get off Christina's back if they're going to have any chance at winning this thing. Nathan & Jennifer were still annoying and continue to get on my nerves. What did you think about this week's episode?

If the premiere episode of The Amazing Race didn't have you busting out laughing most of the time then you must be dead on the inside. Seriously, could donkeys be any funnier?

Phil the Fantastic starts us out in Los Angeles for this season's The Amazing Race. After a classic convertible ride and an introduction of the teams to the television audience, they arrived at Hugh Hefner's Playboy mansion where the race for a million dollars will start. There are 11 legs in this season's race and 8 of the pit stops are elimination points. (So there will be a few safe weeks after all!) On your mark, get set, go!!!

The first things the teams have to do is get out of the driveway and get their butts to LAX where they will then have to catch one of two planes to arrive ultimately in Shannon, Ireland. After Nicolas and Donald finished acclimating themselves to their surroundings (being in an SUV in L.A.) and finished counting their money ($400.00 something) they finally began moving which allowed all of the other teams behind them to begin the race.

Some turned left and some turned right from Sunset Boulevard to get to the 405. Turns out turning right was the right choice. Lorena & Jason were the first couple to get to LAX. Shana & Jennifer, Kate & Pat, Nathan & Jennifer, and Marianna and Julia were hot on their heels. The teams scrambled for the British Airways counter and were all able to get tickets on the first flight out. Unfortunately for Azaria and Hendekea, who were the next duo up for tickets, there were no more seats available. They were the first team of the remaining teams having to take the later flight on Aer Lingus. These things have a way of working themselves out though.

As luck would have it, the Aer Lingus flight actually arrived before the British Airways flight because of a flight delay. After arriving in Shannon, teams were to take a taxi to the Rosslare Ferryport where they would then take a ferry to Inishmore Island. From there the teams would have to walk/hike to the smallest church in the world, Teampall Bheanain, where they would then sign up for one of three ferries departing the next morning at either 8:00, 8:30, or 9:30 AM.

Lorena & Jason, TK & Rachel, and Kynt & Vyxsin arrived early enough to sign up for the first ferry. Ari & Staella, Nathan & Jennifer, and Azaria & Hendekea signed up for the second ferry. Shana & Jennifer, Kate & Pat, Marianna & Julia, Nicolas & Donald, and Ronald & Christina were all stuck on the last ferry. After an overnight stay at a bed & breakfast, the teams were off and running again. The teams were to now travel by ferry back to the mainland and choose a car where they would receive their next clue: to drive themselves 42 miles to Cleggan Farm and then ride a tandem bike along a muddy trail to find their next clue.

This is where Lorena & Jason's fighting was really stepped up a notch. She was yelling at him that they were going in the wrong direction and he wasn't listening to a word she was saying. Ultimately, he realized she was wrong and they corrected their path. Meanwhile, the chain broke on Kynt & Vyxsin's bicycle so they pushed the bike along the trail. TK & Rachel were ultimately the first to the road block and this is one that I would have loved to have done.

Pedal for your partner -- choose between one of two high-wire bikes and ride it across a ravine suspended 200 feet above the North Atlantic while their partner dangled 8 feet below them. TK & Rachel (currently in first) took off on their high-wire act while Shana & Jennifer were just finishing their ferry ride (currently in last place and not Nathan & Jennifer as the caption so wrongly pointed out). As Kynt & Vyxsin (or the freaks as Nathan and Jennifer call them) finished their high-wire stunt, we found out about the teams' next directive. The teams must choose a donkey and fill each one of its two baskets with 15 pieces of peat and then get the donkey to the entrance of the farm where they'll get their next clue.

This is where the hilarity really ensues. After initially having an easy time with their donkey, Nathan & Jennifer's donkey refuses to move on the path. They had it better than Ari & Staella though. Their donkey refused to cooperate with them since the start. While these teams were busy cursing, yelling, and crying at their donkeys, TK & Rachel complete the task and have to drive themselves 13 miles to the Connemara Heritage Center. This is the pit stop for this leg of the race.

Unfortunately for TK & Rachel they get lost on the way to the Center. Azaria & Hendekea are the first team to meet Phil and win a trip to a resort in Alberta, Canada. Kynt & Vyxsin arrive at the pit stop second and TK & Rachel had time to correct their path and arrived at the pit stop third.

While Nathan & Jennifer and Ari & Staella are still dealing with their uncooperative donkeys, the other teams are catching up and passing them. One by one and team by team, Nathan & Jennifer and Ari & Staella are falling to the rear of the field. Lorena & Jason are the fourth team at the pit stop. Nicolas & Donald and Shana & Jennifer (who had been in last place before the donkeys) are the fifth and sixth teams to meet Phil at the pit stop. Ooh, Jennifer decided to try pushing their donkey again and now their donkey is moving but they have to do a lot of catching up. Ronald & Christina and Kate & Pat check in with Phil as teams number seven and eight.

Marianna & Julie are the ninth team to meet Phil at the pit stop. Only two more teams left to go. Nathan & Jennifer are team number ten. Ari & Staella are the last team to arrive and Phil is sorry to tell them that they have been eliminated from the race. Woohoo! Easily the funniest line of the night was Ari's closing: "Karma came back and bit us in the ass." Get it? Karma (from taking the other team's cab) bit them in the ass (donkey). Teehee. I am easily amused.

Next week, Ronald and Christina realize they have a lot to figure out between them and Grandpa goes Tarzan.

What a great premiere of The Amazing Race! There was only one team that I truly couldn't stand and they're gone now. Nathan & Jennifer get on my nerves too but not like Ari & Staella. The other teams? So far, I like them all. The goths seem pretty cool too. What did you think about the premiere episode? Who are your early favorites after seeing them in action now?