Ali Baba In A Suit
On this leg of the Amazing Race the teams were starting out from St Petersburg, Russia - Nat & Kat were the first to head out at 1:06am. The clue tells them to fly to the city of Muscat, Oman - when they land they must make their way to Burj Al Mubkharah (a fort) where they must find a man who will give them an ingot inscribed with the time when they may climb the fort to get the next clue.
-Nat has been managing her diabetes quite well on the Race, hasn't seemed to be an issue for them. They head for a travel agency to book tickets to Oman.
-Brook & Claire are the next out at 1:28am, they also head to the travel agency. Claire knows she'll never be as fast as Brook (because she has ADD... or is at least hyper active) but she is pushing herself hard, trying not to disappoint her. (Hey, you took a watermelon in the face - I think you've earned the right to not have to make excuses.)
-Nick & Vicki head out at 1:29am - Nick is constantly stressed out - he doesn't really want to make new friends (Ah, the reality show mantra... I'm not here to make friends) She can't wait for him to watch the show (do you really think it'll make any difference in his behaviour?)
-Nat & Kat get to the travel agency and are told the best way to Oman is a connection through Amsterdam that will get them there at 8:55pm - that is the earliest arrival and they go for it.
-Mallory & Gary head out at 1:46am - they've been having such a wonderful time - she has 3 other siblings so she's relishing the time alone with her Dad (aww.) They head for the travel agency.
-Brook & Claire and Nick & Vicki get to the travel agency - Nat & Kat don't look happy that everyone showed up there (it's 2am - I doubt the show had more than one agency open for them.)
-Thomas & Jill heading out at 1:53am - Thomas not happy to be at the back of the pack but they catch up to everyone at the travel agency and ask... Have you seen Chad & Stephanie?...
-Chad & Stephanie were supposed to depart at 2:45am... but they weren't there - Snoring is heard from inside their hotel room. (Uh oh, that doesn't bode well for my team.)
-Nat & Kat and Brook & Claire get the last seats on the Amsterdam connection arriving at 8:55pm. Nick & Vicki, Thomas & Jill and Gary & Mallory get the news that their flight will get them to Oman at 10:35pm...
Chad & Stephanie are still sleeping.
-Two hours after their slotted departure time, they finally wake up - it was like everyone's worst nightmare on the Race - to oversleep. They are so fed up with themselves. Stephanie feels like the Race has taken a toll on their relationship - Chad feels like no one has actually beat them - they just haven't been playing up to their potential. They get to the travel agent and are able to get a flight that will get them to Oman at 10:45pm - just 10 minutes after the majority of the teams... hopefully they'll be able to catch up.
-First flight arrives and they get cabs - Kat says it's 90degrees and very, very humid, she can just imagine what it's like in the daytime.
-Second flight arrives and they're on a shuttle bus complaining about the heat and wondering where Chad & Stephanie are... Speak of the devil - third flight arrived early and there are Chad & Stephanie, caught up to them in the airport.
-First two teams get to the Fort and get their ingots: 7:30am- they lay down to get some sleep.
-Jill & Thomas get there and see the teams sleeping... they get their ingot - 7:45am.
-Gary & Mallory, Nick & Vicki and Chad & Stephanie all get to the Fort at the same time... but Chad & Stephanie made it to the man first - they got the 2nd 7:45am - the last 2 teams get 8:00am. Everyone hunkers down to sleep.
-6:00am - everyone is stirring and getting ready for the day - Chad & Stephanie go for a walk and he feels the time is right, he gets down on one knee and with his dearly departed mother's ring he asks Stephanie to marry him...(awww) all the women say "awww" - Thomas congratulates him - Nick looks like he thinks he's a sucker. We'll see if this takes Stephanie's head right out of the game or if it'll help him focus.
-7:30am - Doctor's and Home Shopping girls head up the Fort - teams must now drive themselves to Jebel Shams - the tallest mountain in Oman. At the base of the mountain a safety driver will take them the rest of the way up due to treacherous conditions (Oh Sweet Jebus.)
-Brook & Claire immediately want to ask directions - the doctor's have a map and figure their own way.
-7:45am - Chad & Stephanie and Jill & Thomas get the clue - Chad & Stephanie ask someone and get directions easily. Jill & Thomas bickering already - ask a cabbie who gives them directions - they were impressed with how nice the people are even though they were being pushy Americans.
-8:00am - Gary & Mallory and Nick & Vicki get the clue - Gary & Mallory have a map but Nick doesn't want to follow them - thinks it's a safer bet to ask a local who will for sure know exactly where they need to go (you hope.)
-Nick makes Vicki ask at the gas station and Brook & Claire show up too - Vicki tells Brook what the guy told her and Nick starts yelling at her to shut up, "Seriously, shut the hell up..." (I'd like to shut him up) "...I'm going home the next time you give someone advice..." (Promise?) "... they're probably laughing at you dumb ass right now." (I seriously dislike this guy.)
-Chad & Stephanie are the first team to arrive at the safety drivers - (Engaged luck? Or, he was stressed about the proposal and now that it's done he can relax and concentrate on the Race... it's a theory, we'll see.)
Chad says to the driver he'll get them there nice and safe - and the driver says "God Willing" - (Oh man, good think that wasn't in English, that'd freak me out.)
-Gary is nervous that Mallory's directed them the wrong way- she's sure she's read the map right - but he thinks they've make a mistake.
-Chad & Stephanie get to the clue box - ROADBLOCK - Who wants to add a little magic to their life?
-One team member must rappel 500ft down a rock face to a narrow ledge then search among hundreds of lamps for one containing Aladdin's ring (Nat's not going to be able to do that.) Once they deliver the ring to the guy, they'll get the next clue.
-Chad is going to do it - normally he has no issues with heights but this was the Grand Canyon of Oman, it was quite majestic and terrifying.
-Thomas & Jill arrive and she's going to do the 'rap-il', he corrects her pronunciation - it's 'ra-pell' - at least she laughs about it, until she has to actually do it - Just don't... look... down... She's freaking out a little.
-Chad gets to the bottom and starts searching through the lamps, realizing this may not be that easy...
-Meanwhile, Nat & Kat and Gary & Mallory (the two teams relying on maps to find the mountain) are both lost.
-Chad finds a ring quite quickly - maybe it was easier than I thought - they get the clue to drive themselves to Nizwa and find the giant stack of books in the middle of a round-about to find the next clue.
-Jill finds a ring 5 minutes after Chad and they head out just as Nick & Vicki show up at the Roadblock.
-As Vicki is reading the clue a mountain goat starts to eat it... Uh, you may need that... Nick can't stand heights so Wonder Woman, Vicki, is doing the rappelling (she'll kill it and he'll belittle her... just a guess) She's not afraid of anything, except bugs (I'm with you there.)
-Brook & Claire get to the Roadblock too and Claire says she'll do the rappelling - Brook impressed with her stepping up ... I didn't see you volunteering to do it honey.
-Nat & Kat have stopped for directions... Hello sweaty workman... Gary & Mallory also ask directions - Gary says they have to give up on the damn map - local tells them, "This road, not good..." Mallory is literally praying they still have a chance.
-Vicki had a lot of fun with the rappelling (she's not normal) - starts looking through the lamps.
-Claire starts the rappel and did okay until she looked down... and her heart lodged in her throat...
-Chad & Stephanie get to the stack of books - DETOUR - Water Table or Wedding Table.
-In Water Table - they have to fill a water truck by pumping water out of the ground with a motorized pump, once full they have to direct the truck driver through the confusing streets to find the designated address for their water delivery - once they successfully deliver the water they'll get their next clue.
-In Wedding Table - they have to make their way to a market and buy 25 frozen chickens and all the rest of the ingredients to make a traditional wedding soup - when they have presented the bride and groom with the finished soup they'll get their next clue (they have to cook soup, really?)
-Chad decides on Water Table - (hmm, thought maybe they'd go with the wedding theme - but can't blame them.)
-Jill & Thomas are right behind them - she wants to do water - he's clueless in the kitchen (oh, come on, something the Great Thomas can't do?)
-Vicki finally finds a lamp with a ring in it and Claire finds one right behind her... They all head back to their vehicles and Nick notices they have a flat... Brook & Claire take off without missing a beat. (See Nick, if you were nicer maybe they'd have hesitated or tried to help you...) He, of course, has a tantrum - "Why does this happen to us?" (It's called Race Karma, Mr. Poopy-pants.) She's trying to calm him down as he tries to change the tire.
-Chad & Stephanie get to the water trucks - Jill & Thomas are right behind them - the trucks fill quickly and they get a driver but he can't help them find the delivery address - they have to direct him.
-Brook & Claire get to the big books and they do not cook so the obvious choice for them is the water table.
-Nat & Kat finally get to the Roadblock/Rappelling - Nat is terrified of heights so they agreed before the race that any heights related Roadblock, Kat would do for them. So it's Kat rappelling down the canyon and entranced by Oman.
-Gary & Mallory still haven't found the mountain - where are they?
-Chad & Stephanie haven't found anyone who can direct them yet. Jill & Thomas found a local who said he'd lead them - Jill thanks goodness for the very nice people of Oman (Huh, I just noticed there are no women on the streets - everyone they've talked to, all the locals are men, that'd be weird.)
-Nick & Vicki got to the big books and also decide on Water Table.
-Chad & Stephanie go to a house and ask the guy to lead them to the right place, he will. They see Jill & Thomas have arrived at their delivery (turns out the guy they asked to direct them is the cousin of the guy they have to delivery water to - Holy, lucky.) They deliver the water and get the next clue, Thomas tries to hi-5 the guy and he doesn't know what to do so he ends up giving him a man-hug (Awkward...)
-The clue tells Jill & Thomas to make their way to Muttrah Souq in Muscat - it's a market - Once there they must get frankincense from a marked vendor then search for the famous Ali Baba and trade the frankincense for their next clue.
-Chad & Stephanie are frustrated they lost the lead - but do their delivery and get the next clue.
-Nick & Vicki and Brook & Claire get to the water trucks and fill them.
-Kat is looking for the ring in the lamps.
-Gary & Mallory finally get to the Roadblock after NINE hours of driving around lost (OMG!)
-Kat finally finds a ring in a lamp - Hallelujah! They pass Gary & Mallory as they're leaving which gives them hope they're still in this thing. Mallory is doing the rappelling for them.
-Jill & Thomas get to the market.
-Chad & Stephanie are right behind them.
-They both get their frankincense and look for Ali Baba.
-Brook & Claire go to a house and ask the woman there to show them their delivery address.
-Nick & Vicki also get someone to show them where to go.
-All are pumping their water.
-Nat & Kat get to the Big Books and decide to do the Water Table (I'm sure Kat, the vegetarian, doesn't want to cook chicken soup.)
-Mallory finds a ring in a lamp and, as the sun is setting, they head out for the stock of books.
-Jill & Thomas find Ali Bab and get the clue to the Pit Stop - Al Alum Palace. Chad & Stephanie get it right behind them - Thomas asks a cab driver to lead them to the palace and he'll pay.
-Nat & Kat fill their water truck - they are having fun with it.
-Brook & Claire trying to get to the market and Brook turns the wrong way up a one way street causing a huge back drop and bringing the Popo (police) down on them... Turn it around ladies.
-Nick & Vicki get to the Souq (market) and get their frankincense - the guy tells them to, "Take it to Ali Baba in the souq." Vicki, "Take it to Ali Baba in the suit?" Nick, "Ali Baba in the suit?" (I'm not making this stuff up folks.)
-They do find Ali Baba in the souq regardless of their cluelessness - and see Brook & Claire are right behind them. The Shopping Girls get the Pit Stop clue too.
-Gary & Mallory get to the Books and choose to do the water (No wedding today). Mallory says it took her three years to win Miss Kentucky and she finally made it on her last year of competing - just proved to her you should never give up. They fill the truck and head to the delivery.
-Nat & Kat delivering the water - Kat gets doused and says it's the best shower she's had in days (eww.) They get the clue and head for the Souq/market.
-Mallory & Gary see Nat & Kat in the water truck - they're still in it... By the time these teams get to the souq, all the shops are closed except for the two they need so it's a bit less challenging...
-Heading for the Pit Stop, Kat is looking at the map again (didn't you learn from earlier today?) and Gary & Mallory are just heading for what looks like a palace in the distance...
Here's How They Finished:
1) Jill & Thomas - First team to arrive... however - they got a 30 minute penalty because they were not allowed to pay a cab to lead them... Thomas takes full responsibility for that - they're just so mad to have lost first.
1) Chad & Stephanie - Whoo! They win a trip for 2 to Belize... that's make a nice honeymoon - Stephanie says this was the perfect day, couldn't have gone any better.
2) Jill & Thomas - (Ha ha.)
3) Nick & Vicki - she cries every time they're not last... oh, and when they were last and had no penalty too.
4) Brook & Claire - there is lots of squealing and Claire attacks Phil - he recoils like she's diseased but she gets a hug in anyway.
5) Nat & Kat - so relieved to still be in it. (They went from first to last this leg - not a good day for the good doctors.)
6) Gary & Mallory - ***ELIMINATED*** It was such a special experience for them - She learned to go for your dreams and to live life full out from her Dad. (I'll miss these two - they were a solid team.)
So, with Dad & Daughter leaving this week - Pat T, Jeff T, Laurie T, Janine S and Kim A are all out of the pool (wow, that took out half my family.)
Next week they are in Bangladesh - and there will be a double U-Turn. Looks like my least favourite teams, Jill & Thomas and Nick & Vicki both U-Turn other teams (Curses!)
Have a great week everyone,
Coleen
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment