<p>The tubes smelled gross judging by some spectator and contestant’s reactions. I was surprised every paddler stood at the end of the ping pong table. They might have had a chance had they backed up a few more feet. The girl was only 10 and she seemed to either get tired, or maybe she wanted to help them get their clue?</p>
<p>The first stage winners won’t be around at the end. They got lucky and happened to be good sprinters.</p>
<p>Only nine countries this season and 25,000 miles. Episode one sure enough had a team who didn’t remember to read the entire clue.</p>
<p>Initially I didn’t “like” the Chippendales, but by the end of the episode I was rooting for them! (secret between us, my D dressed as a Chippendale for Halloween when she was 18 months old…so I guess I have a soft spot for them! )</p>
<p>I kind of like the twins, but yes, one was extremely INTENSE during the ping pong challenge. I loved their spirit at the restaurant!</p>
<p>I kind of like the “goat farmers” too.</p>
<p>I doubt that the winners of this leg will be in the final. They really weren’t good players. And I screamed at the couple who gave them the directions to find the lady with the abuk…aback…obuckous…abacus! (I also wonder if the word “abacus” is so out of date)</p>
<p>My husband lived 22 yrs in that area of China and never, ever heard of anyone eating frog fallopian tubes btw - I think they just search out the oddest/more squeem-inducing potential food when they do these tasks not something that restaurant actually serves. Hey I may be wrong, but reality isn’t usually reality. </p>
<p>And yes those whining SriLankan twins need to zip it. </p>
<p>On the team running past to get first - I think usually karma comes back to haunt them, regardless. Usually it isn’t such a bad idea in early rounds to be cooperative with people. I know at the end, usually the gloves come off but at first, it pays off. I doubt they will get to the finale, frankly.</p>
<p>My prediction of next wks elimination - monster truck. I thought my tv was acting up until I realized, yep - his beard really IS green.</p>
<p>Last night a few teams didn’t handle it well when their cabdrivers got lost. They sat in the backseat moping and never attempted to figure out a solution to the problem.</p>
<p>Yellow beard must not have checked the times when he and his wife took the early flight, and then they waited four hours in an airport for their next flight.</p>
<p>It figures that the one team that handled all of the fish wins the leg and hugs Phil when he hands them the Free Pass. Teams that win the Free Passes often give them up at the first difficult task.</p>
<p>I wasn’t impressed with the challenges this time. The motorcycle/cow ‘race’ was a non-challenge - just a short ride with nothing for the contestants to do. The ice/fish one wasn’t a very big deal of a challenge either. I hope they ramp them up.</p>
<p>I think the substitute teachers (tall/short) probably won’t last that long since neither one seems very athletic, especially the tall one.</p>
<p>The Sri Lanka girls were kind of fun this time - they didn’t have the yelling at each other like last time.</p>
<p>I felt bad for the people who got the bad cabs - that seems to go with every season.</p>
<p>I still don’t have a favorite or a ‘must-leave’ team yet.</p>
<p>I think that this last episode had more fluff then stuff. There should be some sort of save when the contestants get screwed over by a taxi driver. It’s as if the drivers are themselves contestants. It’s one thing if the contestants can’t read a map or drive well, but it’s just not fair when they have a lame taxi driver.</p>
<p>I was also unimpressed with the challenges this episode. The cab rides were the most challenging thing the contestants had to overcome. To be eliminated because you had difficulty with a task or got lost while driving is one thing, but to get eliminated because your cab driver had no clue where to go is very frustrating.</p>
<p>Both the roadblock and the detour were pretty simple. I agree that the taxi issue can be a frustrating one but anyone who has watched TAR knows that it’s a distinct possibility at some point during the race, and that they should be prepared with strategies to overcome being lost. </p>
<p>Sorry to see Amy and Daniel go. I like the twins, James & Abba, the Chippendales, and the cute couple from Texas.</p>
<p>This was a giveaway episode. There seems to be one or two every season. I thought for sure Amy and Daniel would have been in for a few more weeks, maybe even to the end. The Texas couple are very sweet with one another. I’ve forgotten their “relationship”. I still like the Chippendales. </p>
<p>Man, I still so wish Amy and her dude didn’t get eliminated last week!!! On the other hand, at the end of the day, I was glad that they didn’t use an non-elim last night - I want it saved for a team I like to stay!! Each year there is a random blonde-blonde team and most years I don’t like them!!!</p>
<p>(exceptions - the California Barbie team a few years ago - liked them. And was the Myrna-Smyrna team both blonde?? I can only remember the dominate one - they were HILARIOUS!!!)</p>
<p>So anyway, a little bit of a dry leg…I would have picked the egg fried on my head thingy over that big heavy mask anyday - but it did seem the mask was quicker! Continue to really , really like the Chippendales - probably my favorite team - like the goat farmers, and the Texas couple (young and cute) are playing well too. </p>
<p>I cannot stand the tall guy especially in the tall-short guy combo. He seems SO rude to the short guy. Ugh. Also cannot stand the green haired monster truck guy - some of his facial expressions CREEP ME OUT!!!</p>
<p>Hope things get a little more exciting soon.</p>
<p>I also like the Chippendales. They are quite charming.</p>
<p>Am also waiting for a bit more excitement. Not thrilled at all the teams thinking they can pair up or group up. People keep forgetting this is not Survivor!</p>
<p>As the number of teams decreases, these loose alliances will fall by the wayside. The three hour wait for the second train really made a difference, especially for the twins who had the misfortune of a bad cabdriver this week. The teams on the first train were all at the pitstop before the second train even arrived. I was happy to see the blonde girls eliminated. Their ‘Ugly American’ moments were painful to watch.</p>
<p>Has anyone else noticed how they no longer coordinate the timing of arrival at the mat at the pitstop with the departure time the next day? </p>
<p>My guess is that Will and Gary will be the next to go.</p>
<p>I thought last night’s ending was thrilling. Will and Gary U-turn the wrong team, and they STILL win. I felt for the blondes and know it just prolonged the inevitable for ol’ Will and Gary.</p>
<p>I don’t really care for the shows that are determined by cab drivers or pedicab drivers. That just boils down to luck of the draw for the contestants and not their own capabilities. Once can argue that the contestants should figure out a way despite the bad taxi driver but really there’s only so much they can do. I think AR needs to design the challenges so they’re not so dependent on taxi drivers.</p>
<p>Did you catch the comment by one team that they were annoyed because these drivers IN A FOREIGN COUNTRY don’t speak English? That was a stupid comment. </p>
<p>I still don’t have a favorite or a must go team although I don’t see the tall/short team or the monster truckers lasting much longer. The only reason they’re still in it isn’t because of any particular better skill than the losing teams but rather, taxi drivers.</p>
<p>I would love to have the job of choosing which activities AR teams have to participate in. Visit a foreign city and check out a few customs and plan two challenges that should take about the same amount of time. Somebody ought to write a book about the stories behind some of them.</p>
<p>Who knew there is a custom where you fry eggs on top of your head?</p>
<p>I think Yellowbeard is about due for a meltdown. I found Java and Indonesia interesting but won’t be the highlights of the season. At least I hope not.</p>
<p>Yellowbeard is in the race, Orangebeard was a taxi driver, and Black and White Beard was just a bystander. The rock and roller and his brother get real lucky to get the Fast Forward. I think they would have had no problem eating one of the dead rats.</p>
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