Sunday, March 25, 2007

Amazing Race update - African airports amplify anger and angst

Just a recap from last week: Uchenna & Joyce finished last on a non-elimination leg, so they need to finish first tonight or incur a 30-minute penalty. Teams started out in Mozambique to head to Dar-es-Salaam in Tanzania, where they then need to find a boat to sail to Zanzibar. The earliest flight is the following morning and some teams debate whether to stay at the deserted airport or go back to a warm hotel. But the next flight is completely full and everybody scrambles for alternate routes. Charla & Mirna take a flight to Johannesburg in the hopes of catching a connecting flight, which they get, giving them a sizable lead to Tanzania. The other teams head to South African Airways and try to follow the same route that Charla & Mirna just made; Team Guido and Terry & Ian miss the connecting flight in Johannesburg. But then Eric & Danielle are also kicked off since they were erroneously given somebody else's seat. Oooh, that hurts.

Teams are seriously spread out now with Eric & Danielle, Joe & Bill, and Terry & Ian all in the rear while Charla & Mirna are already in Dar-es-Salaam. Unfortunately for them, the boat they need to take won't leave until the following morning so the middle teams all catch up with Gidget & the Midget. Eric & Danielle make their priority standby connection leaving Team Guido and Team Oldsters behind. They're now so far behind the other teams, it probably means that Uchenna & Joyce will not be eliminated, but one of them will.

After the cruise on the dhow, the other teams hit the Detour: Solve it or Schlep it. They may either put together a jigsaw puzzle or take two pieces of wood from a lumber yard to a shipyard a mile away. Danny & Oswald finish first and head to the next clue on Kukong Wi (?) where the Roadblock waits; teams must throw a "rungu" and break a target. But Charla & Mirna hit their target first and surge ahead to the Pit Stop at the Old Fort. OMG, they're going to finish first again? This is sheer insanity. Phil tells them they've each won a catamaran and they stare at him blankly: what is a "catamaran." Phil tells them it's a boat and they cheer unconvincingly.

Uchenna & Joyce arrive third and start to serve their 30-minute penalty, during which time no other teams arrive. Joe & Bill and Terry & Ian are bringing up the rear. Team Guido finishes the puzzle and heads to the Roadblock. They finish before Terry & Ian even arrive and Team Oldsters step on the mat last, despite the clever editing designed to give the impression it's a foot race.

Final standings:

#1 - Charla & Mirna - Prize: a catamaran (a what?)
#2 - Oswald & Danny
#3 - Uchenna & Joyce
#4 - Dustin & Kandace
#5 - Eric & Danielle
#6 - Joe & Bill
#7 - Terry & Ian - PHILIMINATED

Next week - A two-hour TAR special? Charla falls down.

Extra - Pat is still doing recaps so head over to Brainster for another perspective.

1 comment:

Pat said...

Dang, missed it this week for a radio appearance. I thought Innertube might have it, but they only have brief clips.