Amazing Race 13 recap 8: Kazakhstan makes Bizarre Foods look tame

by Jamie Rhein on

India was easy compared to Kazakhstan–sort of. This week’s Amazing Race 13 was a glance into some of the more unusual aspects of Kazakh culture. As teams sped through the streets of Almaty, even though much of the city looked western and urban with architecture that reflects its former Soviet Union ties, the teams experienced more of Kazakhstan’s agricultural tradition than perhaps is apparent in Almaty daily life.

I’m not sure how much more I learned about Kazakhstan, but I do know what not to order in a restaurant. Plus, Borat made this country famous, something the teams referred to when they found out this is where they were heading.

Travel Tips:

  • If you’re a vegetarian don’t attempt to eat the rear end of a sheep
  • If you make a mistake, the quicker you admit it, the faster you can make up time
  • If you ask people directly for help, you’ll have much better luck than just randomly shouting out, “Can someone give us directions?”

Cultural traditions and Recap: If you find yourself in Delhi and want to head to Kazakhstan, there are three options: through Frankfurt; through Dubai; and through Moscow. In the Amazing Race, it doesn’t matter which flight you are on because when your team shows up to the Alel Agro Chicken Factory in the middle of the night, you’ll have to hang out until 7:30 a.m. when it opens. That means the team that went through Dubai (Andrew & Dan) had time to get there by the time the gate opened. As a bonus, the sunrise over a chicken farm was lovely.

Once the gate opened, the first task of the day was the mad dash to the clue box. Nick, in true competitive spirit, snatched a clue right out of Andrew’s hand, thus propelling Nick & Starr towards the Fast Forward with Terrence & Sarah close behind.

While these two teams tried to down soup made from the butt end of a sheep as belly dancers danced, the other teams donned white jumpsuits, masks, shoe coverings and gloves in order to find one of seven golden eggs among the 30,000 chickens that were milling about the chicken shack.

As the chickens clucked and pecked, one person from each team cajoled the chickens to move in order to find one of the prized eggs. As the team members searched, the other team members clutched their masks to their faces and shouted encouragement. Although I wondered about the stench, I’d rather have done this then the Fast Forward.

Downing the soup was a dreadful process that probably Andrew Zimmern of Bizarre Foods would have had trouble with. Both Nick and Starr tried not to barf with each bite while Terrence tried not to barf as soon as he eyed the guy eating the sheep’s head. Terrence, a vegetarian hadn’t eaten meat for 15 years.

Sarah gamely scarfed her gross looking soup down, but it was too much for Terrence. Why they didn’t give up sooner? I have no idea. Instead, they watched Nick and Starr almost make it to the last bite before they headed back to the chicken factory to look for their golden egg. I was curious about what else the restaurant served. Here’s a link to other food descriptions that sound much better, except I would not want to eat sheep’s head.

As soon as each team found their golden egg, they hopped into a giant crane truck with a driver who was to take them through the city to Koktobe Arch at the foothills of the Tienshan Mountains.

Dallas & Toni were off to the foothills first, while Dan & Andrew had the worst luck–again. Their driver had no idea where to go, and in their resulting miffed state, the guys had a hard time attracting positive energy and someone to give them directions. Instead they thought that the Kazakhs were the “worst people,” even though people in this country have a reputation for their great hospitality.

Toni and Dallas made it up the mountain first. There they were met by Mongol warriors dressed in traditional warrior attire riding on horseback. One of the warriors was a falconer who waited with them for a falcon to sweep in with the next clue held in its claws. That was cool. And, there was a brief glimpse of the beauty of the surrounding mountains. No time to linger, though.

Once teams got their next clue from the falcon, it was off to either dress up in a two person cow suit to find a glass of milk while walking through Almaty mooing at people, or to learn how to play a simple tune on two Kazakh instruments. Each team picked dressing up like a cow –even Sarah & Terrence once they backtracked from their failed attempt at the Fast Forward.

The cow costumes were part of a children’s puppet theater troupe. Dallas & Toni had a great time with their mooing and met with many laughs and smiles from the people they passed. Andrew & Dan, growing weary of each other, had a hard time getting people to help them with directions by continuing their poor tactic of yelling out something like, “Can someone help us?” It took awhile for them to attract help.

Tina & Ken found the milk stand fairly quickly, Tina downed a glass she found on the counter even though it was warm. Unfortunately, she didn’t notice the clue on the bottom of the glass. Off this pair went, searching for another milk stand before they figured out their mistake. Back to the stand they went to get their glass. Then they made the mistake of taking off their cow suit at the puppet theater before heading to the meat stall in the Zelyoniy Bazaar, even though, Toni & Dallas, seeing them, told them they needed the cow suit. The meat market person wouldn’t give them Tina & Ken the clue, so back they went to change into the cow suit once more.

By this time, Toni & Dallas had already found their last clue and were heading to the Pit Stop at Old Square where they came in second behind Nick & Starr.

By the end of the episode excitement ensued as Dan & Andrew messed up and took a cab to the Pit Stop from the meat market. Phil sent them back so they could return to the Pit Stop on foot. He told them to hurry. They hustled. The hustling paid off.

Who was eliminated?: Sarah & Terrence. Despite Sarah & Terrence’s success with each task once they gave up in the Fast Forward, it wasn’t enough for them to edge out Andrew & Dan. Andrew & Dan were ecstatic to find out they were still in the game.

Although disappointed, this couple who uses endearments for each other in about every sentence took the loss in stride. Terrence just can’t eat meat. It’s as simple as that.

Words of Travel Wisdom: Saying things like “Good job my love,” makes difficulties easier to take. Even if you don’t win a million dollars, traveling with the person you want in your life can give you great things and make a relationship stronger. Money can’t buy happiness. (It could help though, don’t you think?)

What Nick and Starr won: Horsepower wave runners. This is the first time a team has arrived at the Pit Stop in first place four times in a row.

Personally, I’d like another team to come in first once in awhile. I was also sad to see Terrence & Sarah go. I’ll miss hearing their endearments.

Amazing Race 13 episode 7: Delhi, India where karma can get you

by Jamie Rhein on

After last week’s dash in Delhi that ended at the Baha’i House, Starr & Nick were the first ones to head out again into Delhi’s traffic for episode 7 of Amazing Race 13. This week’s episode was one traffic jam after another and a mix of what makes life in Delhi so darned interesting. Colorful. Literally. It was also an episode where people who are snide don’t come out ahead. It’s karma, baby, karma.

Travel Tips from this episode:

  • Working with others can benefit everyone. Don’t be a loner all the time
  • The bigger vehicle is not the best one to take through a traffic jam
  • When stuck in traffic, get out of the vehicle and direct the flow to give yourself a pathway to move forward
  • Be observant. When one way of doing a task is not working, don’t keep repeating yourself. Try something else.

Recap and cultural highlights:

If this was Holi in Delhi, the timing couldn’t have been better for an authentic cultural experience with some Amazing Race craziness mixed in, however as a person who has been to a Holi celebration, the volume of this episode’s depiction was turned up several notches.

When each team arrived for the first task at Deshbandu Apartments where a Holi celebration was taking place, one of the team members was to run through the crowd of celebrating people and up a ladder-like tower where dozens of Amazing Race colored envelopes hung. Six of the envelopes had the next clue. The others said “Try again.” As each person ran to the tower and up it to search through the envelopes, the crowd pelted him or her with colorful powder and sprayed water to make a real mess.

In the typical Indian version of Holi, people throw colored powder on each other in fun, but not in the thick clouds as shown in the episode. The idea–sort of–is to celebrate the rejuvenation of spring with colors. People often come wearing white, and have control over how covered in colors they want to be–mostly.

When I went to a Holi celebration, my face was smudged a bit, but I hung back. Kids go nuts. As with any Indian holiday, food is also an important part, and all ages are included.

Unfortunately, the teams in the Amazing Race had no idea what the celebration signifies–and as with any cultural experience that’s not your own, personalities show through. Plus, their version of Holi was not totally accurate.

Christy & Kelly had the hardest time. Personally, I think it’s because they’re so busy making fun of people and thinking that they’re the greatest thing since sliced bread, that they miss details. Tasks come hard to them. Last episode they made fun of Dallas. This week, they were making swipes at Andrew & Dan.

This episode showed Holi as payback. Each time Kelly grabbed the wrong clue and had to run once more into the fray of revelers, I looked for a sympathetic twinge in my heart and couldn’t find one. When she tripped and fell, oh well.

Dallas & Toni caught onto the essence of Holi even though they didn’t know it. Later in the episode, when Dallas, still tinted pink, was running down the road in the midst of pack of kids, Toni brimmed with love at the joy she saw in his face.

After the faux Holi celebration, it was off to the Jain Temple where the Charity Birds Hospital is housed. As with all temples in India, people must take their shoes off before entering. Nick wasn’t thrilled with the idea of walking around barefoot and had no idea why the birds were there. Were the birds sick or were they supposed to be therapy for sick people, he wondered. Seriously, Nick. Don’t you have any cultural know how? It says Charity Birds Hospital above the door, for heaven’s sake. The hospital was founded by the Jains in 1956 to take care of wounded or sick birds and is based on the Jain religious belief that has a high aversion to killing.

Sarah was the most in tuned to the plight of the sick and wounded birds as she and Terrence searched the cages for the next clue. I love the way these two keep calling each other “Babe.” It doesn’t matter what they’re doing. It’s endearing.

Before Tina & Ken could look for the next clue in the Charity Birds hospital, they had to perform their Speed Bump. Tina, now with green hair (and green is the worst for not coming out from blond hair) & Ken headed to the Sikh Temple where they helped give water to the throngs of worshipers. Here, Tina was back to being culturally sensitive after calling the fellows that doused her in green powder, “morons.”

This temple scene was a high point of the episode because of the authentic interactions. Tina, in particular, recognized that she was in a holy place and felt compelled to do a good job. Her “God bless yous” as she handed out glass after glass was rather touching.

After the visit to the Charity Birds Hospital came two Road Block choices: Bleary Eyed and Teary Eyed. In Bleary Eyed, the teams were to follow the small numbers of the electrical wires along a very narrow street in Delhi. Once they reached a man with a sewing machine, they were to give him the series of numbers they found. If they were right, he gave them the location of their next clue which would lead them to the Pit Stop at Humayun’s tomb, a complex of mausoleums built in the 16th Century.

This was an older section of the city, I imagine. As buildings are wired for electricity, the tangle increases. The numbers help keep the circuits straight. I can vouch that all of Delhi’s wiring is not like this, however it the wiring and the traffic indicate a city that is teaming with people.

In Teary Eyed, the teams were to head to a market, pick up two 40 pound bags of dried chilies (one each) and carry them to Sharwan Kumar & Sons, a spice business where they were to pulverize 35 ounces of it into powder by using a mortar and pestle. Sarah & Terrence are the only two who picked this option. In the middle of calling each other “Babe” and pounding away, they choked a bit on the chilies’ fiery fumes.

Nick & Starr and Dallas & Toni arrived at Nai Sarak Street for their number hunting in about the same time, and after they discovered the numbers, decided that if they worked together, they’d get finished faster. Both teams plugged in the Ganesha at the store the tailor sent them but, once they were in their Tuk-tuk taxis, skill had nothing to do with who would get to the Pit Stop first. Traffic means everything.

Traffic threatened to do Ken & Tina in after they completed their speed bump and were catching up, but Ken got out of the taxi to part traffic which worked like a charm.

Finding the numbers was a horrific task for Christy & Kelly and Andrew & Dan. It took them forever to find out what to look for. After Ken & Tina figured out the system, they pointed out a number to Dan & Andrew before they hopped back in their taxi they had wait for them. That’s the way to be nice.

Christy & Kelly who have not been nice to anyone on the whole trip arrived at the Pit Stop last. Ha! Yes!

Who won this episode? Nick and Starr–again. I’m growing weary of them winning all the time, but my impression of them went up a notch when they worked with Toni & Dallas and seemed to enjoy it. I do wish Starr would quit cavorting around in her running bra. It irks me. She’s not in Survivor.

What did they win?: A trip to Kauai, Hawaii

Christy & Kelly’s words of travel wisdom: Keep being each others support system. As much as these two bothered me because of their snide ways, I was impressed with how well they got along with each other. No matter how many problems they might have had, they didn’t snipe at each other once.

For recaps and videos from Amazing Race 13, check out the web site.

Amazing Race 13, episode 6: Delhi, India is hard work

by Jamie Rhein on

After a few lovely shots of Bayon Temple the teams were off in The Amazing Race 13, episode 6 to Delhi, India–my old stomping ground.

Although all teams scored the same flight from Siem Reap, Cambodia, the setting of episode 5, once they hit the airport in Delhi, the order in which each team left the temple was irrelevant. Ah, yes, as they dashed through the airport, there were the familar rows of uncomfortable chairs just outside customs in the main waiting area of the building.

Nick’s predictions of “heat, confusion, and crowds” was exactly right. Delhi is that and more. Nick could have thrown in cows, cows and more cows for a more accurate picture. I was looking for an elephant, and later on in the episode–bingo.

Travel Tips:

  • Use the Internet at the airport to help you locate where you need to go at your destination.
  • Have a taxi driver wait for you when you are making a stop. It can save time later.
  • Ditch the taxi driver for another one if you continue to get lost, no matter if your driver is a nice person.
  • Use terms of endearment with your traveling partner like “Babe” to help diffuse tense situations.
  • If you’re female, don’t wear shorts and spaghetti strap tank tops in India. They’re culturally insensitive.

Cultural highlights and recap: First stop was the Moonlight Motors, a drive into downtown Delhi that made the Andrew & Dan team notice that, compared to India, “Cambodia was child’s play.” As the traffic choked the streets, hands flapped to create a breeze in the stifling heat.

The massive amounts of vehicles, cows and people that barely streaming forward gave Tina the idea that they had landed in Delhi at the wrong time for easy-going travel. How true.

Although traffic in Delhi can be overwhelming, there are hours when it’s not that bad. However, with their rush hour arrival time, I bet they were settled into their taxis by 5:30 or 6:00 p.m., one of the worst hours for going anywhere.

Getting to Moonlight Motors wasn’t easy for Terrence & Sarah, Kelly & Christy or Tina & Ken. Due to no fault of theirs, their taxi drivers had no idea where to go. Tina & Ken were still going in circles while Nick, Andrew & Dan, and Dallas & Toni were finishing their first task–painting the bottom half of auto-rickshaw taxis green.

There’s a movement in India to convert auto-rickshaw taxis’ engines so that they will run on CNG (compressed natural gas), a fuel that is more environmentally friendly. Taxis that have been switched are painted green at the bottom like the one in the photo taken by Avinash Meetoo. The top half remains yellow. The effort is working and air quality is gradually improving.

While the first three teams arrived at the taxi park when it was still daylight, the last three arrived after dark, an indication of just how long they were lost.

Painting the auto-rickshaw involved covering the parts not to be painted with newspaper, donning a paint mask and using a spray can to evenly spray on the paint–all arduous tasks that are exacerbated under pressure. If there are any indications that one should NOT direct the actions of the person who is your traveling companion, this segment was it.

The more Terrence and Tina cajoled and directed Sarah and Ken to paint faster and do the task a certain way, the more the two painters became frustrated. Ken stayed silent, but Sarah told Terrence several times to, in essence, “back off Babe.” The term of endearment kept her from going off her rocker, I imagine.

Andrew finished first, much to this team’s glee, but their lead was lost when they couldn’t find a taxi right away. That’s Delhi for you. Taxis, although plentiful at times, can be evasive when most needed.

Tina & Ken did the smart thing and told their driver to stay, however, their driver had no better sense of direction after Ken finished painting his taxi then he did before. Hopelessly lost, they finally ditched him for another driver.

Once the taxis were converted to green, the teams headed to the colonial style Ambassador Hotel to find the guard in the garden who held their clues with the choice of their Roadblock tasks, two more indications of how labor intensive India is. Pick a job, any job, and you’ll find someone doing it by hand.

The Roadblock four of the teams chose, Launder Clothes where the teams headed by taxi to dhobi ghat, a communal area where laundry workers called dhobis wash, dry and iron clothing in order to make a living. The irons are the old fashioned kind filled with hot coals.

As a cultural note, in India it is very common for people to hire a dhobi to do laundry, even people with a modest income. When we lived in Delhi, our dhobi did our laundry twice a week, although there was a regular laundry room with washers and dryers where we lived. Hiring people to do household tasks is one way to keep the Indian economy flowing.

Each team had to iron 20 articles of clothing that ranged from shirts to pants. Once all items passed inspection by the real female dhobis who supervised their work, the teams were handed their clues that led them to the Pit Stop.

The dhobi section was where the contrast between Western dress and traditional Indian dress for women was most apparent. The Indian women looked elegant and stately, even though they were traditional laborers. This photo by Meanest Woman is typical. The American women, except for Toni who consistently wears a T-shirt, are dressed totally inappropriately for Indian sensibilities of what is considered decent attire.

I kept thinking, Starr, Starr, Starr, I don’t care if you’re hot, put your shirt back on. Christy and Kelly have long ago lost a sense of where they are in the world and are wearing shorts. Even Andrew & Dan commented on their cultural gaffe. I’m not saying that these are decent women, they are clueless though when it comes to appropriate dress.

The other Roadblock, “Launder Money” lead to a fairly accurate excursion into an Indian wedding and the difficulty of finding correct change. The teams who picked this one had a complicated task of acquiring the right number of rupee notes in the right denominations in order to make a traditional groom’s necklace. The next step was to find a groom to give the necklace to.

The elephant in this episode was outside the wedding hall. It’s common for a groom to come riding to a wedding on an elephant. Horses are also used. Also present were horn playing and throngs of dancing people. The noise can be overwhelming, but the weddings I’ve been to are not this crowded. I bet this was a setting designed specifically for The Amazing Race. The elements were there though, including the dais where the bride and groom sits and what they wore.

What was missing from the Amazing Race scene were the tables laden with wonderful food.

Unlike traditional, typical American weddings, in a traditional Indian wedding, the bride and groom don’t get down on the dance floor with the guests, but sit at the edge overseeing the festivities. Both team Sarah & Terrence and Ken and Tina had a hard time locating the groom because the kept looking in the center of the crowd. Finally they found him.

(In this photo by Dahon, the groom is wearing a flower garland. He is waiting for the bride to show up. When she does, she’ll sit where the child is.)

While these two teams were searching for their groom, poor Andrew & Dan’s life as frat boys were haunting them. They had a heck of a time ironing. The dhobi wallah overseeing their efforts shook her head, almost woefully, but would not let up until their pile was perfect. A gust of wind blew half their clothes to the ground which didn’t help. Oh, I felt bad.

As the end came near with Ken & Tina, yet having another problem finding a taxi and getting chased by dogs, and Andrew & Dan finally finishing their last shirt, the suspense built as Phil waited for them at the Pit Stop at the Baha’i House the world headquarters of the Baha’i faith. Andrew & Dan came dashing in 5th place leaving Tina & Ken to pull up the rear.

Who won this round? Nick and Starr–again. Their lack of bickering and focus helps. Plus, I think they are used to winning. They’re wired to win. I still don’t want them to win. They are not underdogs enough for me.

What did they win? An electric car each. As Phil off-handedly pointed out, Delhi is certainly an indication that the world needs clean air.

Who was eliminated? NO ONE!

After how hard Andrew & Dan ironed, but not all that well, and how many times Tina & Don got lost because of their bum luck with taxi drivers, I would have been so sad if one of these teams was eliminated. This ending was one to tug at heartstrings.

Andrew & Dan were over the top, whooping it up joyous, and Ken was tearful, making the connection between the need for a comeback to win the Amazing Race, and a need for a boost to save his and Tina’s marriage. As he sat tearful, struggling to talk Tina gave him a tender rub on his cheek.

For the life of me, I can’t quite figure how why the two of them don’t seem to think they get along. Have they paid much attention to other married couples who are traveling together?

For their last place standing, they face a Speed Bump next week, a task only Tina & Ken have to do before catching up with the other teams.

I wondered why there wasn’t a shot of the Baha’i Temple. It’s shaped like a lotus flower and quite lovely.

Amazing Race, Season 13: Cambodia, boats, breakdowns and beauty is only skin deep

by Jamie Rhein on

After episode 4’s rest stop at Summerhill, that gorgeous sheep farm homestay in New Zealand, the teams barreling through the world in the Amazing Race were off to Cambodia.

This episode did a tidy drop of highlighting aspects of Cambodia’s culture and showcased its historical magnificence.

I’m still not sure which team I want to win. I do know which team I don’t.

Travel Tips from this episode:

  • If a travel agent says a flight is booked or closed, head to directly to the airline in case there might be room after all.
  • Don’t speed while driving in New Zealand. You could be stopped by the police.
  • If your boat breaks down in Siem Reap Harbor, if you use a stick for a row, you’ll eventually get somewhere.
  • Holding hands with your traveling companion can reduce stress.
  • Stay focused and calm, otherwise you’ll walk in circles and pass by the very place you’re trying to find.

Recap and Cultural Highlights

When Tina & Ken ripped open their destination details at 6:03 a.m., they were off lickety-split to Siem Reap, Cambodia, a place that evidently is not the easiest to get to from Auckland. There were only two flights left, both through Singapore. This separated couple, who seem to be getting along better by the hour, particularly as they won the last three legs, made it onto the first flight.

When Terrence & Sarah joined them, even after being slowed down by the who stopped Terrence for speeding 17 kilometers per hour above the speed limit, Tina & Ken took their presence in stride.

The rest of the gang, except for Ty and Aja who can’t seem to catch up, were close behind in plane two. Dan & Andrew squeaked onto this flight by heading to Emirates Airline’s ticket counter after they were told at the travel agent that the flight was closed. The ticket counter person, looking at their desperate, pleading faces, called down to the gate for the go-ahead.Their polite, but determined demeanor probably helped them score the ride. Ty and Aja weren’t so lucky and had to take a later flight. Which one? The next day perhaps? I have no idea.

Even though the flight to Cambodia went through Singapore, there wasn’t any mention of the slick polish of Changi Airport. I assume the teams had some time here because, according to Travelocity when I looked up possible schedules, flights from Auckland to New Zealand, average 34 hours or so. If you have any length of time to spend in an airport, Changi would not be the worst place.

Picking Cambodia as a backdrop for a leg of the Amazing Race, was a brilliant idea. It’s one of those countries where life is so different from the U.S., that senses pick up.

Whoever came up with the tasks the teams had to complete to get to the Pit Stop did a wonderful job using aspects of normal Cambodian life to create drama and provide interest. There didn’t seem to be the need to rely on gimmicks because the country is filled with unusual details, evident from the first task.

The first task was to take a taxi to a gas station in order to fill a truck’s gas tank with 25 liters of gas–five liters at a time. The only team to have trouble with hand-cranking gas, the typical method in Cambodia, were Dan & Andrew because they didn’t crank hard enough.

Once the tanks were filled, in a neck and neck pace, the teams climbed into their trucks to have the drivers take them to Siem Reap Harbor where they were to take traditional-style boats to the middle of the largest lake in S.E Asia to the floating Kho Andeth restaurant.

The truck ride was a mad dash as the teams at the front of the pack kept passing each other with whoops, hollers and High Fives. I enjoy watching this show the most when the teams seem to be enjoying each other and their surroundings. Tina & Ken, Terrence & Sarah, Andrew & Dan, and Dallas & Toni are those type of teams.

Sarah & Terrence certainly weren’t enjoying the process, though, when their boat broke down. The boats, similar to what you’d find in Vietnam or Thailand, were rickety, mostly wooden and equipped with buzzy motors. Each boat was big enough to carry a small group–although in this case carried passengers of two.

When their boat conked out, Terrence gamely started rowing, pushing on the lake’s bottom with a big pole. Sarah cheered him on as one by one, teams passed them. Neither of them took their misfortune out on the other which helped keep their moods from getting them down. Can do attitudes can work. At the restaurant, the driver was able to fix their boat quickly so off they went once more.

I would have liked to see a meal at this restaurant for future dining info in case I’m ever in Siem Reap, but there’s not time to dine on the Amazing Race. Have you noticed? What and when do teams eat?

From Kho Andeth Restaurant, it was off to do one of two tasks. “Village Life” or “Village Work” This was a fascinating segment since it focused on the life of a village that is totally set on water in a series of floating buildings, only accessible by boat. As Dallas said, “It’s like Waterworld.”

As Christy & Kelly made their way by boat, they kept noticing the poverty and wondered about children swimming on their own. As one of them said, “It breaks my heart.”

There isn’t a bigger eye opener when you travel than seeing the lifestyles of the world’s children. If one travels enough, so much of what might seem dangerous or poor seems normal. The vibrancy of life is what shines through.

Once the teams got busy with their tasks there wasn’t any more time to ponder.

For Village Life, teams went to three different locations to pick up three objects: a doll from the tailor; a pair of chattering false teeth from the dentist; and a basketball from a floating basketball court. To acquire the basketball, each team member had to shoot a basket first.

The funniest part here was when Christy & Kelly stepped into the dentist’s office, saw a woman with her mouth wide open and getting her teeth worked on by the dentist. At first, they thought, horrified, that the women’s teeth were the ones they were supposed to get.

For “Village Work,” the teams were to retrieve baskets filled with fish out of the lake, one basket for each team member. What a hard, totally not fun job. If I had picked this task, I’d have had hard time not whining and would want to change clothes afterwards double quick.

From the lake, the teams were off to Angkor Wat, Cambodia’s former capital city and temple that was built in the 12th century during the reign of King Suryavarman II. One person from each team was to find a specific room in the massive complex where, if you beat your chest, the sound echoes.

This task, although not phyically hard, required a sense of direction, or the ability to entice a Cambodian to take you to where you want to go. Up and down stairs and through hallways upon hallways, the team members doing the task scurried looking for the right spot. The task was a great way to highlight the intricacies of Angkor Wat’s architicture and details without anyone directly talking about its magnificence.

Nick found the room first, hit his chest, picked up the tablet with the next clue and and hid it under his shirt so he wouldn’t tip off the other teams. I’m not too fond of Nick really. He’s one of those people who appears to be used to winning. Of course, he is one of those people who is on the winning end, so he has a point.

Tina had a heck of a time figuring out her way around the temple and even walked through the room she was to find, not once, but twice. On one pass through, she wondered out loud what she was missing. Ken, to his credit didn’t take her lack of direction out on her when she finally appeared after several teams passed them.

The next stop was Bayon Temple, another 12th century beauty. Here was the Pit Stop location.

Who won this round: Nick and Starr

Nick and Starr also won round one and now feel like they are back in fine from. They are not my favorite team. I was hoping another team would have a shot at a prize.

What they won: A trip to St. John, Virgin Islands where they will snorkel in Trunk Bay and have a catamaran ride.

Eliminated: Ty and Aja

Words of wisdom: Think that the person you’re traveling with is utterly amazing and hold hands often.

At the end of this episode they walked away holding hands after Ty vowed he would move to California where Aja lives.

Aja thinks he’s the most beautiful person she has ever seen and that when she’s near him she gets butterflies. I’d say she won’t mind having him closer.

Who I don’t want to win: Christy and Kelly. They made a snide comment about Dallas’ hair. They said it makie him look like Teen Wolf. What snots.

What’s wrong with Teen Wolf anyway?

Amazing Race 13: Brazil has crappy taxis, beautiful beaches and travel lessons worth learning

by Jamie Rhein on

This week’s Amazing Race dash from Salvador to Fortaleza, Brazil showed how much crappy taxis can affect travel, and pointed out how much mood and personality play into a person’s good time.

Travel lessons in episode 2:

  • Exchange money at the airport before you leave one destination for another in order to have money on hand when you need it.
  • If you are in a broken down taxi, find another one. Better yet, pick out taxis that look like they run.
  • If you are going to be making a quick stop in a remote location, have the taxi wait for you. This will save you from being stuck without a taxi and unable to easily find another one.
  • Write down names of the places where you want to go in order for someone to help you with directions. Showing people the names of places ensures that you will be understood, particularly when a location is hard to pronounce.
  • Don’t run-off willy nilly without paying attention to your surroundings and what other people are doing. Keen observers have a better chance at successful travel.
  • Knowing a bit of the local language can help make life easier.

Recap, observations and cultural highlights:

The before the crack of dawn start times of this game would just put me over the edge. The first team, bro and sis duo Nick & Starr, left the Pit Stop at 4:07 a.m. for the airport in a taxi with a thing for speed.

“He’s going a little fast. It’s making me a little nervous,” said Starr.

Yep, I’ve been in a taxi with that kind of driver–Nigeria, to name one place. White knuckles and heartfelt prayers of don’t let me die are not the best start before a morning cup of coffee. Close behind was the married, but separated pair, Ken & Tina.

After finding out that the next plane for Fortaleza was not until 11:30 a.m., the two couples refused to believe that nonsense and found a flight departing at 6:45 a.m. One catch though, there was only one seat left.

So what? Here’s a Travel 101 lesson that sometimes works. Refuse to leave the ticket counter and plead–or look flummoxed. A “no” can turn into a “yes.” I’ve looked flummoxed on a few occasions and it once put me on a Japan Airlines flight out of Tokyo when the Korean Airlines flight was sold out. I had a non-refundable, non-transferable Korean Airline ticket.

In the case of our Amazing Race friends, pleading worked like a charm. Tina’s perseverance led to a bigger plane so there was room for everyone. That included dating team, Anthony & Stephanie whose taxi belched smoke all the way to the airport, the first indication of woes to come. “Looks like you’re burning a little exhaust,” quipped Anthony.

At this point, Terrence & Sarah were having the biggest travel dissonance. Terrence, an emotional train wreck, relies on Sarah to make life better for him with kisses, band-aids and apologies. He bumps his head, whines for a band-aid and she gets him one. My word, Terrence, you’ve hardly begun this journey to be falling apart so soon.

Once in Fortaleza, all headed pell mell via taxi to Plaza do Cumbuco and their first task. With a knack for picking out clunkers, Anthony & Stephanie’s taxi stalled. Determined, Anthony tried to get the driver to pop the clutch while he pushed. After dumping that taxi for another, he observed, “Everything is broken in this country.”

At Plaza do Cumbuco, the teams road along the beach in dune buggies, a happy task for all.

“I love Brazil,” cried out one of the South Carolina blonds as the wind whipped her hair. Even Terrence, who has had a hard time deciding if he’ll ever have fun or not–ever, was pleased with the ride and felt love was all around.

On the way to Plaza Cumbuco, Anthony & Stephanie looked at the run down houses and said, “Makes you appreciate what you have,” followed by Anthony’s, “If they learn how to fix a car, they’ll make it rich.”

Humorous, in a way, but there is a point he missed. Fixing items is often a money flow problem. Of all the couples, Anthony & Stephanie are the ones who were shown noticing a bit of Brazil’s economic issues. Perhaps, if their taxis hadn’t had issues, they would have sped by the signs of economic distress as well.

The next task was to “Beach It” or “Dock It.” With Beach It, the teams had to push a traditional boat with the help of a two-man crew a few hundred feet across the sand into the ocean, a process that used logs to roll the boat along.

This task also gave a nod to Brazil’s traditional fishing industry. The other task pointed out Brazil’s role in the shipping world. The teams who chose this task were to head to a shipping yard and look for a specific container out of hundreds that held their clue to the Pit Stop.

Finding the container involved scrolling through the computerized list of all the containers, finding the corresponding area on the dock that held their container, and then finding the number match. Of course, this was right up Mark & Bill’s brain brawn alley.

Southern Belles, Marisa & Brooke also wanted this task because neither of them see themselves as physically strong. Not brainy either, they made a mistake and ended up at the boats instead of the shipping yard. To their credit, instead of whining, they got busy giving their boat the mighty heave hos to get it in the water.

Moving a boat across the sand is not easy, but the logs worked like a charm if placed correctly at the bow–just in case you’re ever in the situation where you need to move a heavy boat.

During this segment, it was evident how maintaining calm and paying attention to details affect outcomes. Terrance & Sarah didn’t pay attention to their surroundings and missed the taxi stand which seriously put them towards the rear of the pack.

Divorcees Kelly & Christy got their tasks mixed up and dug around in the sand for a container after they finished moving their boat. Once they realized their mistake, they sped off to Parque de Vaquejada in Ceará for the next task and another mistake. They forgot to tell the taxi driver to stay at this place that does not have a taxi park.

Who hasn’t had one of those travel days where it’s one thing after another? Hmmmm? Be honest.

At Parque de Vaquejada, one person from each team searched a wall filled with Portuguese words, several of them ads, to find the name of the place of the next Pit Stop. When in doubt, write down every word that looks like a location. It works like a charm as each team eventually discovered.

The Pit Stop, Cidade da Criança was built in Fortalesa as an “oasis for children.” What is an “oasis for children” exactly. It’s a park.

Ken & Tina hoofed it to the oasis, running neck and neck with Mark & Bill, and landed on the mat first. No children were bowled over by the efforts.

What Ken & Tina won: Two off-road vehicles.

Why Mark & Bill don’t care they didn’t win this leg after all. They said that if Ken & Tina’s marriage could be saved, it’s worth two off-road vehicles. How sweet.

Eliminated: Anthony & Stephanie. I was sad to see them go since they seemed to be the two people who were getting the most out of international travel.

Their words of travel wisdom:

Be thankful for what you have at home.

Anthony ran down the list: house, people you love, your looks. You name it, be thankful was the basic message. In his case, I’m sure he’s thankful for having a car that runs.

Irritating behavior to never do while traveling:

Kiss people you don’t know on the cheek. Starr kissed each of the two men who were to help them push their boat into the water. Her reasoning was to give them extra motivation. Gaad.

Funniest part: When Terrence saw an ice-cream shop and wondered if they should stop to get one. Sarah said, “As if we are on a tour.”

For last week’s recap, click here.