Racing Through Smelly, People-Packed Bangladesh

Five teams left! Who will get ever closer to the million dollar prize? Can an all-female team finally win this thing?

Muscat, Oman is the beginning point for this Leg of the Race. Chad & Stephanie will be leaving first (and they’re not oversleeping today, they leave at 11:10 a.m.). They must fly to Dhaka, Bangladesh (the world’s most densely populated city) and find the Sundarban Square Supermarket. They have to find a sugar cane press, fill a glass with sugar cane juice, and one team member has to drink the glass before getting their next clue. (I’m feeling queasy just thinking about drinking pure sugar right now! Ick!) The clue tells them that somewhere on the Leg there will be a Double U-Turn. Chad & Stephanie say that if given a chance, they’ll U-Turn Nat & Kat because they are big threats. Chad doesn’t want to lose “to a pair of girls.” Thomas & Jill mention that they might be a team that’s U-Turned by other teams. Nick & Vicki leave next, followed by Brook & Claire. Nat & Kat bring up the rear (obviously a big threat, eh?)

Chad & Stephanie find a flight landing tomorrow at 12:00 p.m. as Thomas & Jill show up at the travel agency and get the same tickets. Nick & Vicki get seats on that flight also, as do Brook & Claire. Nat & Kat go to Oman Air for their tickets. Chad decides that he wants a cheeseburger and Blizzard so he and Stephanie wander off as Thomas & Jill hang around hoping they can get an earlier-landing flight.

Nat & Kat decide to fly to Dubai and take their chances on getting a ticket to Bangladesh because they didn’t have time to get other connections before their flight left. This could either be a big mistake or big reward - we’ll wait and see! Thomas and Jill may be getting tickets that land at 5:00 a.m. and Brooke & Claire see them and decide to find out what they were doing. The agent booked Thomas & Jill on Qatar Airlines but Brook & Claire find out the flight is full. The shopping hosts tell Nick & Vicki, who wonder if Chad & Stephanie got the same flight - but they’re off eating. Nick & Vicki find out from another ticket agent that there is a flight that lands at 8:40 a.m. - but there’s only one seat. Somehow a seat frees up and they get the tickets - and Brook & Claire find out in the travel agency they’re at that the one seat is gone and realize that Nick & Vicki got it.

Brook & Claire run into Chad & Stephanie sitting and waiting for the flight and feel better that they’re not alone. Nat & Kat are in Dubai and find a flight that lands at noon in Bangladesh.

Thomas & Jill land and are amazed at the number of people in the city at 6:00 a.m. as well as the heat. Jill remarks that it’s a normal rush hour amount of people and traffic. They’re grinding away on the sugar cane, and Thomas downs the full glass and as they read their clue, Jill grabs a swig to taste it. The clue is a Detour concerning some time-tested traditions in Bangladesh: Balanced Meal or Balanced Brick. They must pick up a snack call a “tiffin” (which after a perfunctory search online, couldn’t find out what it was, exactly - and it looks like mush) which is held in interlocking containers (I did find some places where I could buy the containers). They must take them to a ship and load 30 containers, and bring back ten empties for their clue. For Balanced Brick, they must put a loaded basket on their heads and take it from a supply barge to a shop. They have to deliver 100 unbroken bricks for their next clue. (I can imagine the headaches now!)

Jill loses her first load of bricks off her head, and gets laughs from the locals. Thomas remarks at how the locals are taking twice as many bricks and barely breaking a sweat.

Nat & Kat get to their next connecting airport and see Brook & Claire and Chad & Stephanie sleeping in some seats. They feel better that there are two other teams with them.

Thomas & Jill get their 100 bricks delivered and their clue tells them to go to Dhaka River Port. Back at the airport, the teams wake up and see Nat & Kat. Thomas & Jill find the U-Turn and talk about Brook & Claire. The Double U-Turn means that two teams can be U-Turned to do both Detour tasks. Thomas & Jill decide to U-Turn the shopping hosts. The next clue tells them to take a bicycle rickshaw to Nazira Bazaar. On the plane, Brook & Claire have some ESP because they say “If they U-Turn us they’re the biggest idiots in the world.” (Creeps, maybe, but not idiots. You two are a team to be reckoned with!)

At the Bazaar, the clue is a Roadblock. They must go to a bicycle shop and assemble a rickshaw. When the rickshaw maker is happy, they will get their next clue. Obviously they didn’t teach building/mechanics/how to use tools at Notre Dame so Jill takes this task on. She mentions there are a “lot of nuts and bullets.”

Nick & Vicki land and Vicki loves the “little buggies” and hopes that they have to rent one. (You’ll have to build one, honey!) They interview that it smells bad in Bangladesh - “everyone has nasty body odor.” Vicki mentions that the sugar cane juice looks good but when Nick asks “do you want to drink it?” Vicki says no. Jill is still working - and sweating - on her rickshaw and making pretty good progress. Nick & Vicki are taking off for the Detour Balanced Meal and she remarks that she feels bad for their rickshaw driver, because their “bags weigh almost as much as we do.”

Jill thinks she is done with the rickshaw, but she’s forgotten the chain and gets a thumbs-down from the shop owner. Nick & Vicki have their tiffin containers loaded and are off in the boat. Chad & Stephanie are the first to leave the airport, followed by Nat & Kat, while Brook & Claire are still hanging around looking for a taxi. Brook mentions that the people are staring at them a lot, and Claire says “you stick out like a sore thumb.” Jill finally realizes that she’s missing the chain, puts it on and gets their clue. They must go to Lalbagh Fort, a 300-year-old castle, which is the Pit Stop for this Leg of the Race.

Nick & Vicki get to the ship to deliver the tiffin, and are hoisting ten canisters at a time and feeling that they’re “on their game” today. They do hate the smell of it, getting it all over them. Kat, Brook & Chad are the drinkers of the sugar juice and they all decide to do Balanced Meal. Chad & Stepanie take off in the opposite direction as the female teams, after asking their driver if he’s sure he knows where to go. Somebody is gonna be wrong!

Thomas & Jill get to the Fort and are greeted by a horrible military-style band. Phil tells them they are team number one, and have won a $15,000 gift card.

Vicki sees kids swimming in the water and mentions that she wouldn’t do it - “the water is brown.” They make short work of the task and are off to get their clue. They see that Brook & Claire were U-Turned, and say that they’re surprised considering that everyone was so far behind from Thomas & Jill. Nick wants to U-Turn Chad & Stephanie, but Vicki talks him out of it saying it’s pointless because they were behind them - and Nick says she’s too nice.

Chad & Stephanie have to stop to figure out where they’re going, as do Nat & Kat, and the local the doctors ask says he’ll help them and leads them on foot. They get their boat loaded and are off as Brook & Claire get to the shop, and Chad & Stephanie can’t find anyone who knows where to go. They finally find someone and off they go.

Nick decides to build the rickshaw (he built bikes as a kid) and Vicki thinks that Nick listening to her about not U-Turning anyone is a big deal. Nat & Kat packed some extra stuff, and used straps they brought to hoist the containers to the ship. Chad & Stephanie finally show up to the shop as Brook & Claire start hoisting their tiffin containers to the ship. Nick thinks he’s done with the rickshaw but he also forgot the chain, and is told he’s not done. Brook & Claire see Chad & Stephanie show up and remark that they can U-Turn them.

Nick is having problems trying to figure out what he missed. Vicki tells him to stay calm - good advice, because he finds the chain and they get their next clue.

Nat & Kat finish their task and get to the U-Turn, and decide to U-Turn Chad & Stephanie. (Ooh, Chad’s gonna bitch something fierce!) They’re happy that they’re not on the U-Turn station. Brook & Claire get to the clue box and find out that Thomas & Jill U-Turned them, and see that Chad & Stephanie are in the same boat, and get moving to finish the Balancing Bricks before Chad & Stephanie can catch up. Brook is the eternal cheerleader, yelling at Claire to keep moving, “no complaining.”

Nick & Vicki make it to the Mat in second place, getting their best finish, and Vicki tells Nick that him being nice pays off.

Brook & Claire are shuffling bricks and Brook keeps yelling “c’mon Claire!” She’s been a little more toned down but I can see how Claire would want to stuff Brook’s mouth with a sock right about now. She’s getting really tired and Brook tells her that she’ll take more bricks the next time. Nat & Kat get to the rickshaw building, and Nat will be doing this Roadblock. Nat mentions that she buys things from Ikea so she feels that she can put this together. (?)

Brook mentions to Claire that she’s surprised that they haven’t seen Chad & Stephanie yet. That’s because they’re wandering around looking for the clue box. Their rickshaw driver offered to drive them, but the clue told them to go on foot - you’d figure they’d at least find out where they had to go from him! Chad is pretty ticked and they find someone who speaks English, and find out they’re in the right direction. They finally find the clue box, and Chad sees Brook & Claire have been U-Turned, but then notices that they are also. As they take off for the bricks, Brook & Claire finish the task and Claire pleads with Brook to just “speed walk” instead of running. “I’m not going to be a very good teammate if I’m passed out.”

Chad & Stephanie are lugging bricks and Chad is being positive again (not!) and yelling at Stephanie to keep moving. She finally tells him to “shut the hell up.” Brook & Claire get to the clue box and take off to the Roadblock, bickering a bit as they go. Claire tells Brook “I don’t run marathons like you. If you wanted a partner like that you should have picked someone different.” Brook interviews later that in the moment, it’s hard to be empathetic but later realizes that it’s really hard. They get to the clue box and see that Nat & Kat are still there building their rickshaw. Chad is being better and telling Stephanie to keep pushing, and not take so many bricks the next time.

Brook will build the rickshaw, and she’s pretty happy that after doing both Detours, they’ve caught up with Nat & Kat. Chad & Stephanie finish and walk off holding hands, with Stephanie apologizing and Chad telling her “don’t be sorry. You busted your ass.” (Good boy.)

Kat interviews that it took her forever to put the rickshaw together, and she gets a “no” from the shop owner because she forgot something on the wheels. As she goes back to check, Chad & Stephanie show up and Stephanie will do the task. (Two of our remaining three guys neglected to do this one. I’m a bit surprised). Chad gets snarky with the doctors after being U-Turned, yelling that Nat should be better with her PhD, and “big, smart doctor can’t put a bicycle together.” She tells Chad that it wasn’t personal, they were the only team behind them. Chad figures he’s trying to help by getting in someone else’s head. He yells to Stephanie that she’s doing great and they can pass Nat & Kat. Nat tells Chad “I love you” which doesn’t impress Chad. Brook is kicking butt and Claire says she’s proud of Brook. Nat finishes, and they take off telling the other teams good luck, and especially mentioning Chad, saying “no hard feelings.” Stephanie is having problems with the back seat and Brook is getting nowhere putting the bell on.

Have I ever mentioned how much I love TiVo and being able to blast through the commercials?

Brook manages to get the bell on the handlebars and gets her clue. She hugs the guy (what, no kiss?) Stephanie finishes shortly after and they ask where the Fort is. Brook & Claire see Chad & Stephanie right behind them and decide to run faster.

Nat & Kat get to the Mat (sounds like a Dr. Seuss book) and they tell Phil they have no regrets about using the U-Turn. It’s now dark as we see Brook & Claire and Chad & Stephanie running around looking for the Fort, and Brook & Claire make it to the Mat in fourth. Brook tells Phil she can’t believe that “two little girls” got U-Turned and Phil laughs. “Don’t tell me that you’re not a threat!” Chad & Stephanie finally show up, and Phil tells them they are eliminated from the Race. Chad says he wasn’t really surprised that they were U-Turned, being the last team there. He says he still feels rich because he has Stephanie. Awwwww!

Here are our standings:
1 - Thomas & Jill
2 - Nick & Vicki
3 - Nat & Kat
4 - Brook & Claire
5 - Chad & Stephanie (eliminated)

So two out of the four remaining teams are female. And our rocket scientists are still in this! After such a nice working-together week, the previews show Nick being a butthead and making Vicki cry so maybe this will be their undoing. When will teams learn, that the better they get along and work together, the better they finish? Tsk!

Gorilla!! Tiger!! And Down She Goes!

Mel & Mike was probably one of the most-liked teams this season - by viewers and other teams, too - but they went down in flames because they trusted their cab driver to know where a giant gorilla was. Unfortunately, they couldn’t make up the time and ended up eliminated.

Our teams find out they are flying to Phuket, Thailand and the only clue as to their destination is a photo of a giant gorilla statue. This should be interesting! They are going to have to find someone in Thailand who can tell them where the gorilla is. I can just see Cara & Jamie running around trying to speak English to people who don’t speak English and getting ticked because they don’t speak English in Thailand! In their interview at the beginning of the show they admit that they don’t have the most patience and the language barrier is a major part of that impatience. I think it comes off more as bitchiness, actually, and these two are really starting to bug me. They really give the "ugly American" idea some credence. Then you turn around and see Kisha & Jen feeling so bad for the starving kids as they leave India that they give some kids money.

All the teams get on the same flight and land together in Phuket. Mark & Michael get moving first while Mel & Mike can’t get a taxi and end up leaving the airport in last place. The taxi they finally do get ends up being their downfall, because the taxi driver told them the gorilla was at Patong Beach. All the other teams end up stopping in the same part of the city to ask locals if they know where the statue is, showing the photo and yelling, "Gorilla? Gorilla?" Finding out it was the Phuket Zoo, the teams took off in their cabs as Mel & Mike passed them in their cab. Mike noticed the other teams going in the opposite direction, and realizes that one way is wrong: "We’re either going to get behind or get ahead." (What else can they get? Oh, a Thai massage, like Mel suggested they do if they end up totally lost and out of the Race).

The teams at the Zoo start racing around looking for the giant gorilla. Cara & Jamie are the first team there and although they try and sneak the clue away from the location, Mark & Michael see them and find the gorilla as well. The clue told the teams they had to "first take a picture with Esso the tiger. Then, they had to take part in a typical Thai performance, in which they had to lie on the ground while elephants stepped and squatted over them." (Oh yeah, just wait for the squatting!) They would then have to go back to the Tiger and get their developed photo along with their next clue. Mark & Michael go dashing off, yelling "Tiger? Tiger?" to anyone who would listen for help finding the tiger. When they got there, they see that the tiger handler has only one arm and are understandably nervous, but I’m jealous of the photos with the tiger. It must have been neat (once they got over the paranoia!) Kisha & Jen laughed that "If the tiger didn’t eat Mark & Michael, he won’t eat us," saying that the stunt brothers are "bite-sized." The teams raced off to find the elephants. They ended up lying on a mat on the ground on their stomachs while an elephant put his foot on their butts, walked over them, and then squatted over the person on the ground, looking like a) they were about to drown in elephant pee; b) they would be buried by elephant poo; or c) they would wish they were in prison, because Bubba wouldn’t do half as much to them as the elephant would have!!! I’m sorry, but simply walking over them and patting them on the butt was all I wanted to see the elephant do. It really was kinda - weird.

Mel & Mike, meanwhile, are wandering around the beach looking for the giant gorilla. They show the photo to a local, who tells them to go to the Phuket Zoo, and Mel says, "no, that’s not right" and goes off to find someone else to help him. After he hears this a couple more times he decides that maybe they’re right after all, and they leave for the Zoo.

The clue from the Zoo told the teams to find an herb shop where there would be 99 drawers, six of which held their next clue. They were to "ask the shopkeeper to open one of the 99 herb drawers in search of a clue. If they chose incorrectly, teams would have to keep guessing until they found their next clue." On the way to the herb shop, Cara & Jamie let us know that their nickname for the stunt guys is "the Tweedles," as in Tweedledee and Tweedledum, because "they talk and talk, like animated cartoon guys." (My nickname for Cara & Jamie is "Obnoxious Redheads" because they’re snotty to everyone who doesn’t speak English. So there!) Cara & Jamie reach the herb shop first and have the guy open one drawer before Mark & Michael show up. The shopkeeper motions that they will take turns picking drawers. Cara & Jamie start getting frustrated with the shopkeeper "because I don’t really think he spoke a lick of English." (Imagine! What nerve!) Mark & Michael get their clue and dash off, frustrating Jamie even more. At this point, they’re being so snotty to the Thai non-English-speaking shopkeeper that I’m happy to watch Tammy & Victor, Kisha & Jen, and Margie & Luke get in and get their clue before the Redheads, who have taken to yelling at the shopkeeper (yes, girls, that will really help!)

By this time, Mel & Mike have found the gorilla and are working their way to trying to catch up, knowing they’re hopelessly behind. At the herb shop, as the shopkeeper opens each drawer and they see it has no clue, they laugh and say, "no-o-o-o!" and direct him to the next drawer. It was really fun to watch, and a total contrast to the Obnoxious Redheads. Hopefully it helped the shopkeeper’s view of Americans!

The next clue was a Detour: 100 Barrels or 2 Miles. "In 100 Barrels, teams had to travel to a nearby harbor and work to prepare a fishing shop for ten days at sea. They needed to fill 47 barrels with enough drinking water to last the trip, and they had to move 53 of the empty fish barrels from the bottom deck to the roof arranging them properly for the journey. In 2 Miles, teams had to travel to a nearby temple and choose a rickshaw. In the event of a flat tire, pumps were provided for the teams. Then, while one team member sat in back, the other pulled the rickshaw and found their way two miles through the streets of Phuket to King Rama IX Park."
Mark & Michael decide to go for the rickshaws and when they get there, they see the tire pumps laying there by the rickshaws and fill up their flat tire. Then Mark grabs up all the tire pumps and puts them in the box nearby, making it not as obvious and hoping to delay the other teams with flats. I thought it wasn’t a bad idea - but stay tuned.....

They take off in their rickshaw, they spot their cab and figure they have to pay him anyway, so why not follow him to the Park? I thought that wasn’t a bad idea either - until Tammy & Victor get there and their driver offers to lead them and they read the clue better, which says they cannot hire someone to guide them. They have their driver draw them a map and then tell him to meet them at the Park. They did take off without their air pump, as did all the other teams, but no one got a flat anyway.

Margie & Luke are trying to find the 100 Barrels when they bump into Cara & Jamie, who are also lost. Cara & Jamie’s driver knows where the 2 Miles location is and they decide to switch tasks. Kisha & Jen aren’t doing great finding the Barrels either but stick with it and eventually find the location. In the meantime, Mark & Michael are cruising along in their rickshaw, trading places when the running brother gets tired and following their cab driver to the Park. Mel & Mike get through the drawers and decide to do 100 Barrels also. Victor pulls the rickshaw all they way, which is admirable, but then complains that his sister (his little sister, who is younger and smaller) was heavy. (Smack him once for me, Tammy!) Luke takes off in the rickshaw and Margie realizes that she can’t communicate with Luke, who is running in front of her and tipping the rickshaw so far up she’s almost falling out the back. Margie takes over for a little bit and I can only imagine how she feels (if I could actually run for any distance) in that Thailand heat. Cara is pulling Jamie in the rickshaw and Jamie is screeching at the locals for directions and none of them speak English either, damn them! (Methinks even if they did, they wouldn’t want to talk to her). Kisha & Jen decide to start with loading the empty barrels onto the roof and are almost done as Mel & Mike show up. Kisha then notices the hose with running water and realizes she could have been filling barrels while handing the empty ones up to Jen, which is what Mike does as he hands the barrels two at a time up to his dad on the roof of the boat. Victor & Tammy get to the park and drop their rickshaw at the entrance to the path, only to notice a sign down the way that tells them where to drop their rickshaws and have to go back to get it. Mark & Michael have finished their trek in the rickshaw and get to the Pit Stop, where Phil tells them yes, they are the first team to arrive but! They’ve incurred two 30-minute penalties: one for hiding the pumps and one for paying their cabbie to lead them to the Park. They sit over to the side and sulk, hoping no one shows up.

The teams finish their tasks and all start heading to the Pit Stop. Margie looks horrible in the cab, sweating and saying she has the chills, adding "this is the hottest place I’ve ever been" and "My hands are numb. I feel like I’m gonna pass out." Kisha gets a sneezing fit in the cab and Jen blesses her for the first two, then tells her to "shut up" after the third. (She had some funny noises while sneezing, too). As Mark & Michael have about 4 minutes left in their penalty, Victor & Tammy show up and are told they are the first place team and win a trip to Hawaii. Cara & Jamie show up shortly thereafter, grabbing second, and Mark & Michael end up in third, disappointed but happy to be in the top half of the finish. Margie & Luke show up and Phil tells her "the bionic woman has done it!" As they celebrate their finish, Margie gets wobbly on her legs and pretty much passes out. Phil and the crew members rush to bring her a chair and some water while poor Luke freaks out. They get her out of the sun and fan her a bit and give her water. Someone asks Margie if she wants an ambulance, and she tells them no - she’s embarrassed now. I’d get over that pretty quick after ending up okay! Phil mentions in his blog that "it must have been especially scary for Luke, because otherwise no one could communicate with him."

Kisha & Jen’s taxi dropped them off at the wrong location and they had to scramble for a ride. It looked as if they were sunk when they managed to hitch a ride in a van with other people and managed to get to the Mat before Mel & Mike, who were eliminated. Phil asks Mel "what’s special about your son?" and Mike groans "keep it together, Dad." They really did bond well on the Race and were one of the most likeable teams I’ve ever seen on the show. Too bad for them, really.

So! Now that the "good guys" are gone, who looks like they’ll make it? Will Jamie be murdered as she screams at more locals or will she actually find someone who speaks English and be happy? Will the stunt guys manage not to screw something up on the next leg? Stay tuned!