Amazing Race 20 - April 29th Episode Recap

I Need Hair to Be Pretty (Cochin, India)

The episode opened with a recap of Mark & Bopper's second save by a non-elimination leg (and I got choked up again, sheesh.)

As we get underway in this second to last episode of the season (I know!), the racers continue in India and Dave & Rachel are the first to head to get their clue at 6:53am - They must make their way to a specific temple and remove their shoes before approaching the priest to get their next clue.  Rachel says they are their own worst enemy (basically) they have to communicate better and work together if they hope to win.
-Big Brother is the next team to head out at 7:20am - they see Dave & Rachel as their biggest competition and they just hate Vanessa & Ralph and Art & JJ (and really, who can blame them? Haters be hatin'.)
-Art & JJ head out right behind them at 7:28am - JJ is complaining that he's caught a cold and it's affected his sharpness (Art, can you call my mom?... I shouldn't talk ill of the boys, they are my team after all - so suck it up buttercup!)  They are trying to ask directions and no one seems to know where they need to go - the other two teams got in rickshaw cabs no problem.
-Vanessa & Ralph head out next at 7:32am - they race each leg like they're in last place - which Vanessa acknowledges is usually the case... Ralph then makes fun of her age and athletic ability... nice. They get a cab no problem.
-Art & JJ finally get a rickshaw to stop for them... is it the two guy thing? Could be, they are just too intimidating.

We look in on Mark & Bopper in the hotel and Mark is suffering heat stroke from the Bollywood challenge - he's got an IV and is prostrate on the bed... that doesn't bode well for our hapless Kentucky boys.

-Dave & Rachel arrive at the temple and receive the next clue - which includes a Fast Forward which they cannot complete because they already did one (remember the hay stacking?) - so they read the clue to head a Mats & Netting business.

-Big Brother arrives at the temple and they are definitely in for the Fast Forward - it just tells them to head to another temple and find the priests... (oh we know what's coming though...)

-Vanessa & Ralph arrive at the temple and get the clues - they read them standing in front of three guys wearing tiger masks and body paint on their pot bellies... (what the?  They say nothing and don't acknowledge them - how random.)  They decide to play it safe and not try for the Fast Forward, they head to the Mats & Netting place too.

-Art & JJ aren't eligible for the FF either - they head to the mats & netting place.

-Dave & Rachel's rickshaw driving had to stop for gas... they hope everyone has transportation problems and this doesn't put them behind.

-Brendon & Rachel have just read that in order to win the Fast Forward each of them must shave their heads...   Phil reminds us that this Fast Forward did appear in the race once before and the team that completed it (which included a woman) went on to win the Race (I can't remember their names... but I'll look it up.) 
-And, here comes the waterworks and whining - I don't want to shave my head.  I paid $500 for extensions. I'd be so sad.   And he says nothing... often better than saying what I'm sure he wants to but come on, do you want to win the Million dollars?   She whines she doesn't want to shave her head and he says fine, it's your decision let's just go and stop wasting time.  "Do you want me to shave my head?" He says no but OF COURSE HE DOES!  And she's just trying to shift responsibility to him.  (I get it, I'm a girl, I spend too much money on my hair too - but come on, it's just hair.)

-Vanessa & Ralph are the first team to arrive at the mats & netting place and they get the clue to the ROADBLOCK - Who's at the end of their rope?
-One team member must use the coconut husk fibers to spin 40m of rope then they must spool 4 large bundles of rope onto one spindle and get the thumbs up to get the next clue.  Ralph is going to to do this for them.  He starts it off and says it seems easy... then drops the material - uh oh.
-Dave & Rachel arrive at the Roadblock and it's Dave's turn as well... it's funny, this seems like a job that women traditionally perform and all the guys are going to be doing it.
-Art & JJ get there and it's Art's turn to spin some rope.
-Ralph's rope is a mess - the other guys are doing a bit better.
-Brendon & Rachel arrive at the rope place and Brendon is making rope (see, all the boys.)  JJ asks Rachel why they didn't do the FF and she says she doesn't want to talk about it. (Haha... oh, then she shows how insecure she is by saying she knows a skinny pretty girl did it before, but she needs hair to be pretty... and it made me feel bad for her... damn you emotions!)
-JJ is mad, if Mark & Bopper get the Fast Forward then they're all fighting not to be in last place, that takes away their insurance that one team is way behind. "Why can't anyone play strategically?" Basically calling Rachel stupid within her hearing - what a prince.
-Oh yeah, and ropes are breaking all over the place - making rope by hand this way is hard.  It's spinning yarn but with rough husk material - I don't envy them having to do this one.

-We've checked in with Mark & Bopper and he's sitting up looking a little better, and they say they are ready to get going - they owe too much to their families and county to give up.

-Dave is the first guy to successfully spin his 40m of rope and he gets to move on to the spooling of the 4 bundles.  Art is next to join him and then Ralph finally - the spooling isn't much easier - they have to use a hand crank which was a nail that starting ripping up Dave's hand and Art was complaining how the stooping over to do the crank was hurting his back, oh and his hand too.
-Brendon finishes the rope spinning and moves on to the spooling, he did it pretty fast, the other teams are still there.  Rachel hopes they don't get eliminated because she didn't shave her head, "I'd feel really bad." (D'think?)

-Ralph is a master spooler - he is the first to finish.  Blond Rachel yells encouragement to Dave, "You're almost done, babe." And he snaps he doesn't need positive re-enforcement, "I appreciate silence."  (OMG! Seriously?  He is so asking for the silent treatment.  And she just smiles, I wonder if that's a, "I'm so leaving you when this is over" smile, or if she just really is such a trooper.)
-Ralph & Vanessa get the clue to head out and find a barber working under an ancient tree...(uh okay - is he going to shave all their heads?  That would be hilarious!)  As they are running to find a rickshaw, Vanessa trips and lands on her face - full pack on her back - and she's grabbing her foot and yelling for Ralph.  Ouch, her shoulder is raw... She says it's her ankle.

-Dave is finished and he's being his charming self to the woman trying to show him where to put the spool as well - they get the clue.

-Vanessa gets her pack off and stands up and decides she's just twisted her ankle - she's tougher than she looks (she tells us) and they take off again for the rickshaw.

-JJ starts working on Big Brother Rachel, she tells him they didn't do the FF because she's have to shave her head.  JJ wants her and Brandon to go back and do it so Mark & Bopper can't so he soothes her, "That's a big deal for a woman, I get it.  But, if Mark & Bopper do it, it's you and Brendon on the bubble."  JJ says Rachel is a really nice girl but she's gullible and if he can manipulate her for his own ends, he's going to do it.  Art finishes and they take off.
-Brendon also finishes not far behind.  Rachel feels bad that they are in last place... but vanity wins the day.

-Mark & Bopper are finally heading out at 10:38am - they are known for the comeback - if they can get their foot in the door they are going to push right through.

-Dave & Rachel and Ralph & Vanessa find the barber and get the clue to the DETOUR: Pachyderm or Pack a Box.
-In Pachyderm (is that really how you spell it?): they must successfully dress an elephant with bells and headdress (following a sample elephant) then they'll have to shovel and transport 15 wheelbarrows of elephant dung to a nearby truck (really? gross.)
-In Pack a Box - they must pack 10 boxes with dried ginger root, seal and stencil them for shipping then deliver them to the shipping depot. (I'd root for this one...get it?)

-Blond Rachel & Dave and Vanessa & Ralph both decide to do the elephant... I'm guessing it doesn't mention poo in the clue. (Hey, I'm a poet.)
-Brendon & Rachel get to the barber before Art & JJ (but not by much) Big Brother is doing the elephant and Art & JJ, not afraid of manual labour, are going to Pack a Box. (I think they'll be happy with their choice.)

-Mark & Bopper get to the temple and find their Speed Bump - and it's the tiger dancers!  OH, I knew they had to be there for some reason.  Mark & Bopper have to paint the tiger face on the belly of one of the dancers to prepare him for the dance. - Awesome!  If you didn't see the episode, I can't do the dancers justice, they bounce and shake their bellies so joyfully - they just make me smile.
-Mark & Bopper jump right in painting the guy.

-Dave & Rachel and Ralph & Vanessa are choosing their elephants - the girls get on top ;) and they start putting the decorations around the head.  Vanessa loves elephants, Best Task Ever! for her ... at this point (haha.)

-Art & JJ get to the ginger co and decide to stencil the boxes first - Art wishes they could have done the FF today and JJ goes off about the rest of the people on the race (big brother) are lazy and no good - giving up a pass to the end because you don't want to cut your hair... We'll see if Kentucky has half a brain. (JJ just needs to stop worrying about everyone else and focus on what they are doing.)

-Dave & Rachel get the thumbs up on their elephant decorating and jump right into the pile of manure.  One thing he does appreciate about his wife is her mid-west work ethic - she rakes out the sh*t, he shovels and dumps it... Oh, but she is encouraging him, I'm sure he'd prefer silence.
-Ralph & Vanessa get the thumbs up and start the poopy task.
-Brendon & Rachel also get the go ahead - holy manure, here they come.

-Art & JJ are realizing how tedious the task is, they have to first sift the ginger then pack the boxes, weigh them and package them... they're going to be there a while. (Okay, maybe I was wrong, the poo seems to be going faster.)

-Speaking of... Brendon has experience wheelbarrowing (whatever) and they are going fast - Vanessa, as usual, is worried about what Big Brother is doing more than what she's doing and thinks they are lying about their number of loads dumped (yeah, like the show's not counting.)  Rachel asks maybe they want to go try the FF...

-Mark & Bopper are done the belly painting - and Bopper belly shakes along with them - they get the clue to the FF and can't believe no one else did it - they have nothing to lose at this point so they are going to try the FF.

-Dave & Rachel finish the poo dumping and they get the clue to the Pit Stop. They have to take a ferry and check in by the big fishing nets.
-Vanessa & Rachel finish right behind them and Brendon & Rachel are right on their heels.  Blond Rachel hopes they don't all end up on the same ferry or it'll be a foot race to the end.
-Dave & Rachel are on the ferry and so anxious to get it going he offer the guy money to take off... and it works - they are the only team on the first ferry, they leave Big Brother and Vanessa & Ralph on the dock.

-Art & JJ, by the 5th box were realizing that they may have chosen the wrong task - it was exhausting work, JJ felt like he was going to pass out but they were that far in, you might as well finish it now.  To amuse themselves they decide to pretend to be Dave & Rachel... well, JJ pretends to be Dave by berating and belittling 'Rachel'.  (Oh yeah, Race karma is going to totally bite these two in the butts.)
-Loading the boxes on the cart JJ cuts his finger and that just improves his mood 100 fold.  Bicker, bicker, bicker as they transport the boxes to the shipping depot.  Art, "I'm never having ginger with my sushi again."

-Mark & Bopper get to the Fast Forward and it's a no-brainer for Mark, who's head is already shaved... Bopper looks like it's given him pause... but then, "Staying in the Race, BABY!" Let the shaving commence!  Bopper - "Life saving money for my kid, I don't car... he could cut my leg off while he's at it." 

-Art & JJ get the clue to the Pit stop.  They get stuck in traffic.
-Mark and the freshly shorn Bopper get the clue to the Pit Stop and take off for the ferry.

Here's How They Finished:
1) Rachel & Dave - they won a $10,000 each!  This is their sixth first place victory, one off the record.  They plan on being first to the end and breaking that record as well as winning the Race.
2) Brendon & Rachel - just steps ahead of...
3) Vanessa & Ralph - and Phil stirs it up by saying hopefully I don't have to hand out any penalties... Vanessa says, "well, I think they miscounted wheelbarrows..." (Wow, what a b*tch...) they two ladies start warring with words -you said this, well you said that - then fake apologies all around... And I'm not enjoying the mean girl drama, makes them both look petty and fake.
4) Art & JJ - dejectedly step on the mat and JJ is choked up, no matter how hard you try, it's hard to take when you fail.  Art, you didn't fail man.  Phil tells them, they are team # 4, they're still in it!  Then he bugs JJ for crying (I love Phil) JJ, "I wasn't crying!" (Oh yes you were.)
5) Mark & Bopper - Last team to arrive and Phil is genuinely sorry to tell them they have been **ELIMINATED** from the Race. (Aw)  Bopper, "We gave it everything we had, right down to my har."  They are proud of themselves - they had an amazing time on the amazing race - everything about it was amazing.  And with Mark & Bopper: Ian Gariepy, Ozzy Rodrigues, Elaine Reiffer, Shelley Aven and Jessica Chavarria are out of the pool - unfortunately having the most well liked team doesn't usually pay in the pool - but they were fun to watch :)

Next week: 2 hour finale of the Amazing Race 20 - tempers flare as the Rachels both are yelling at their partners... and the first team to arrive at the finish line is told they didn't complete the Roadblock and has to go back and do it before Phil can check them in... Whaaaat?  I can't wait!

Have a great week everyone,

Coleen

Survivor One World - April 25th Episode Recap

Never Say Die

Last week they voted out Leif despite Troyzan's laying out the idea of taking out Kim at Tribal Council and the episode opened at:

Tikiano - Night 27
-Tarzan knows the odds are not in his favour, especially with only two guys remaining so he's going to do whatever the girls want and try not to be associated with Troyzan in a bid to stay in the game.
-Kim was thrown a little by being made a target at Tribal but she feels like that Tribal Council solidified the women's alliance, they are now all completely committed to keeping the women together.
-Troyzan is well aware he is an island - bring it on.

Tikiano - Day 28
-They get tree mail and it says something like their power of perception will help them get away... and for some reason that makes them think they'll be picking people to go on reward (? I don't get it.)
-Anyway, Kat thinks it's time for her to go on a reward and she wants Kim to pick her and vice versa - Kim says the only people she doesn't want left alone together are Troy, Alicia and Christina so she'd go for Kat, Kim and Alicia... (Oh you know this is not going to end well.)

Reward Challenge
-There are voodoo dolls and fire... what the heck?
-They have to answer a series of questions about their tribemates - Jeff will tally the answers and then the challenge will be to try and guess what the consensus was in the group.  Whenever they get an answer right, they get the chance to cut the rope holding up the voodoo dolls - three chops and the doll swings into the fire and that person is out of the challenge.  Last person left standing (or hanging in this case) will win a helicopter ride to an island where they will have a picnic.

First question: Who does not deserve to still be here - answer: Christina (burn) - 3 got it right and each cut a different rope.
2nd - who would you trust with your life? - Kim : most of the girls got it right and they burned Troyzan.
3rd - who most needs a wake up call in life? - Kat :everyone got it right but Kat and they burn Tarzan and Chelsea.
4th - Who is the biggest poser? Troyzan - no one burned
5th - Who does the least for the tribe - Sabrina - They burn Kat and she's pissed.  Sabrina also burns.
6th - Who would you most like to be stranded with on an island? - Only people left standing are Kim, Alicia and Christina and the answer was Kim and Kim & Alicia got it right - Christina burns.
7the - Who do you hope to never see again? (Man, these questions are brutal) both said Troyzan and the answer was Troyzan - Alicia burns and Kim wins Reward.  (This challenge is always very telling - and often predicts how voting will go.)
Kim chooses Alicia to go on the Reward and when Jeff says she can choose one more, she chooses... CHELSEA!  Ha haha... I smelt that one coming.  Kat, "Are you serious?"
Troy takes the opportunity to stir it up again - "This is very telling, Kim, Chelsea and Alicia are the top dogs and the rest are on the bottom."  He's going to use every chance he can to play with their minds.

Helicopter - Picnic Reward
-Kim can't really enjoy the reward - she's scared that everyone's mad at her - she's worried Troyzan is going to be able to turn the tide on her game.

Back at camp:
-Kat is bitter and complaining that Kim made a comment about Chelsea never getting to eat - Kat, "I'm hungry too." (They all are you idiot.)
-Troy says it's not about food - it was strategy - you need to wake up and smell the coffee. (He is totally playing with her little mind and it's working.) So Kat is mad at Kim and she's fed up having to listen to Troyzan... she breaks down and Sabrina tries to tell her that Kim left the girls there that she could trust... but I don't think it's sinking in - Kat's not smart.
-Sabrina knows Troy is still a threat and she wants to feel Christina out so she goes and talks to them together and Troy is telling her he's willing to be that vote they need to get Kim out and Sabrina is listening... and Christina is swaying (I'm wondering why she is still there... just luck at this point.)

-The Reward ladies come back and Kat is freezing Kim out - Kim asks to speak with her please (oh, Mom's mad) and Kat tells her she's furious and Kim turns it around, this is my worst day out here, I wish I didn't win, it's much easier being picked than doing the picking (wah!) 
-Kim tells the camera the decision not to take Kat was her first non-strategic move and she's paying for it. (She really needs to get over herself.)

Tikiano - Day 29
-It's raining and a pig walks into camp... huh?  A real pig... "We gotta kill it."  What? The girls get the axe and a rope... Sabrina says they're all thinking Ham and Bacon (you got a smoker and salt?) - then they wuss out and tell Troyzan to kill the pig.  Okay, them chasing a pig around in the rain was  hilarious... squeal squeal (that was the pig and the women.)  Kim saw the pig as a godsend - it broke the tension of the day and she felt the walls coming down.

IMMUNITY CHALLENGE
Two at a time they will slide on their stomachs down a slippery course (slip & slide) picking up rope rings along the way - once they get to the end they have to toss the rings onto hooks - first person to get the ring on a hook moves on to next round, last person left standing at the end wins Immunity.
-Chelsea and Alicia both have boobs they're afraid to flop on apparently - they don't do well - Chelsea moves on.
-Sabrina and Kat - Sabrina slides for it but can't stick the ring - Kat moves on.
-Troy and Tarzan - All the girls are rooting for Tarzan and they both keep missing the pegs... until Tarzan actually does knock Troyzan out. (Oh, he was so pissed... and all the ladies were happy.)
-Kim and Christina - No contest - Kim moves on.

2nd round
Troy is standing with his back to everything... Really? Having a good pout, little baby?
-Two rings this time: Kat vs Chelsea - Chelsea moves on to final.
-Tarzan vs Kim - (and I just have to say, why did they have the oiled up challenge after all the hot man bodies are gone?)  - Kim moves on.

Final - Kim vs Chelsea - 3 rings this time - KIM wins Immunity. (Troy deigns to glance over his shoulder... whatever.)

Tikiano - Day 30
They walk back to camp and the pig is hanging out in the shade... aw, he's waiting for them, pet pig.

Troy is trying not to get himself down - he knows to never say die in Survivor.  They think he has a hidden immunity idol so they're going to split the vote, maybe there is something he can do.

Kim is doing exactly as he thinks, in case Troyzan has an idol they are going to split the vote and throw a couple votes Christina's way (huh, I don't know if that means Tarzan is more of a girl than Christina or if Kim is going to take Tarzan to the end because she knows no one will vote for him... which could also backfire, because if that crazy old bastard makes it to the end, I would totally vote for him!)  Kim's reasoning is that Christina is used to seeing votes for herself and won't be as mad as someone else (really?)
-Kat is sick of being told what to do, everyone thinks that she's just a follower and can't make her own decisions.  "It's frustrating for me. I don't know what to do." (And she doesn't even see the irony.)
[close up of the pig] I'm starting to love the pig.
-Sabrina tells Christina they are splitting the votes between her and Troy - but don't freak out, you're not going home... Sabrina tells the camera I probably should have told her another name (ya think?)  But Christina doesn't freak out... she goes and confirms with Kim what Sabrina told her and Kim makes it sound like that was Sabrina's idea (she is a slippery one) and asks if Christina's okay.
-Alicia - If I got votes, all hell would break loose - but Christina's IQ is zero, if that even exists (doesn't she work with special needs kids?  Shouldn't she know about that stuff?) Oh, she says she handles Christina like one of her students so she'll do as she's told.

-Christina then talks to Troy and tells him she is willing to vote for Chelsea if he votes for her.
-Troy tells us that he doesn't think anyone else will vote for Chelsea so he has to figure out who they are splitting the vote with... and Christina offers it up - I heard my name bandied around. (Maybe Alicia is right, she's not that smart).  Boom, Troy is now voting for Christina.

-Kim's plan is to have 5 votes for Troy and 2 for Christina - as long as everyone votes like they're supposed to, Troy will go home.  But you never can tell, Kim knows he's playing so hard, she won't believe he's out until Jeff snuffs his torch.

Tribal Council
So, started as men vs women - seems today it's still men vs women.  Troy are you in trouble because you don't have the necklace?
-Yeah, it's the girls and Tarzan against me - maybe the Survivor gods are out there, blah blah.  (He should have just answered - DUH!)
Sabrina, if there is men vs women, there are 6 of you [women] has there been talk about who's number 6? 5?
-I wouldn't say there's been talk among all 6 of us.
Christina, you know what that means right? (and apparently no, she doesn't) There hasn't been talk among all SIX of us...
-I know there's been talk (and you haven't been invited, do the math) but no one's been clear about who's top 5, 4, 3 (can she really not see it or is she just not wanting to give away too much? I'm not exactly sure, no one can be that clueless, surely?)
Chelsea, agree with that?
-No, I feel this game started so fast that people were thinking top 3 on day one.
Christina pipes in - but sometimes people get voted out, people flip flop, things change.
Troyzan - that sounds like the kind of answer you want to hear.
-Yeah, it does. That tells me she's not 100% on her alliance.
Christina, why are you here?
-Because I'm one lucky girl, that's why I'm here. (I don't think that's the answer he was looking for - but everyone agrees with her.)
Alicia, why are you laughing?
-I find it funny that was her answer because when we had that reward challenge the general consensus was that Christina doesn't deserve to be here.
Christina, what did that feel like? (Really Jeff?  That question was beneath you.)
-Ah, that really hurt my feelings but in the beginning no one really got to know me...
But this challenge was just two days ago
-Right, I get that...
Alicia - no one thinks you've had any strategy
Christina - I have strategy, I just don't talk about it because the game is about deception, outwit, outlast, outplay.
Troy loves hearing these women talk and not really say what's going on - Everyone knows Christina's in the bottom.
Let's talk about the Reward challenge. (ugh, do we have to)
Troy very vocal about calling out what was going on - (he doesn't care anymore, he's going to tell it like he sees it and stir it up)
Jeff asks Kim if she was worried being the one to have to choose people and we're back to polite veiled talk (snoozer) but she talks Troy up, says he's brilliant at getting into peoples heads.
Kat, you were heartbroken at not being chosen, why?
-Comment Troy made about Kim, Alicia and Chelsea being the top 3 and she started thinking "Am I a weak player, am I a follower?  Am I so far up Chelsea & Kim's butts that I can't see if I'm making the right decisions?  He got to me.
Troy loved hearing that and Kim not so happy.
Troy, it's pretty clear it was you or somebody else so it's been your job to make it somebody else - how you feeling right now?
-I feel pretty good.

Time to Vote:
Troy votes Christina - Hoping she gets lots of votes.
Christina votes Chelsea
Kim votes Troy - whispers "Please go home."

Tallying the votes:
No hidden immunity idol and they ladies are happy

Chelsea - 1
Troy - 1, 2, 3
Christina - 1, 2, 3
Troy - 4... and Troyzan has been ousted from his Island.  (He whispers to Kat to do it... trying to stir it up to the very end.)

And with Troyzan leaving that eliminates: Ritch G, Bernice R and Wendy E from the pool.

Next week: Tarzan is the last man standing but can the women keep it together - Kat and Sabrina seem to be the next two on the chopping block.

Troy - sad he didn't reach his goal of winning Survivor - the fans are going to love my game and I hope they appreciate it. (Oh yeah, he just wants to be famous.)

Have a great rest of the week everyone,

Coleen.

The Amazing Race 20 - April 22/12 Episode Recap

Bollywood Travolta (Cochin, India)

Mark & Bopper were the first team last leg but before they could carry on, Bopper had to have his knee examined by a doctor (who called him Bow-pah - so cute) and he was given the okay, as long as he wears a brace he can continue.  9:06pm, they are the first team to read the clue that tells them they are flying over 2000 miles to India. 
Once they land in Cochin, India, they must make their way to the bus station and then take a bus to the Sacred Heart College in Nevra, where they will receive their next clue.
-Dave & Rachel are heading out 1min later - their relationship with Art & JJ seems to be severed at this point because JJ is an idiot (oh, did I type that out loud?) and is mad they didn't U-Turn Big Brother.

The first two teams hit the travel agency and find out the first flight out doesn't leave until 7am the next day so everyone will be together.  Rachel is curious to see if Art & JJ ask them about their itinerary or not.

-9:32am - Art & JJ head out and Art is going on about how they were screwed over by Major Dave & Rachel (how do they figure that? The results would have been the same no matter who U-turned them... these two are coming off as whiny babies.)
-At the travel agency lots of heated looks but no actual speaking to each other occurs and Rachel busts out a reality show staple, "Doesn't matter, we're not here to make friends." (Love it.)
-Mark & Bopper in the cab heading to the airport say Art & JJ are just acting like babies (yup) and back in the travel agency JJ's proud they didn't speak a word to them (sigh) "If you don't have integrity, we don't need ya. We don't need them to win."

-Big Brother - 11:55pm - Rachel says last leg Art & JJ U-turned them but they are kinda over it - they survived it and proved they are a competitive team (who would have thought these two would be the bigger team?)

-1:35am - Vanessa & Ralph are the last team heading out -and they don't seem to be over being U-turned by Big Brother, aka Big Baby, Duck-billed Platypus (still, who would have thought Big Brother was the bigger team?)
At the travel agency, Vanessa finds a connecting flight through Nairobi that will get them in to Cochin earlier than the other teams - Oh ho - so they won't be all together.

Cochin, India - Vanessa & Ralph arrive first... but only by a heartbeat - the second flight with the rest of the teams shows up while they are still in the terminal asking for a bus schedule.  Major Dave & Rachel just run right out and hop on the first bus.  2nd bus is Art & JJ and Big Brother, 3rd bus Vanessa & Ralph and hobbling up behind is Mark & Bopper on the 4th bus.  Bopper just hopes there is a barf bag around (aw, these poor guys.)
-The traffic is crazy, very very busy, constantly on their horns... mental.

-Major Dave & Rachel are the first team to Sacred Heart College and they read the clue to the Roadblock - Bollywood Dance: they have to learn the Bollywood dance moves then perform with 30 extras for a Bollywood Director. (Fun! And another way for the show to get them dressed up :)
-Blond Rachel is doing the dancing - Dave is just glad the clue eluded to dancing (Who's got all the right moves?) and he didn't inadvertently select it for himself to do (but I'm sure that would have been more fun for us.)
-Art & JJ get to the college and JJ tries to make Art do the dance but he says no way he did the last dance (remember the bottle on the head thing?) - So JJ has no choice but to do it (and I Ralph Wiggum'd him - HA ha.) He'll look pretty in the blue.
-Big Brother Rachel is also going to be dancing and she chooses Green of course.  Blond Rachel was in dance all through school so she's picking it up pretty quickly... BB Rachel comes out in her sari... where is JJ?  Vanessa has also joined in the dancing now... still don't see JJ... oh finally.
-All the guys watching, except Art, are glad to have a woman on their team today.  JJ has no rhythm, says he feels like a fat Elvis (ha ha.)

-Mark & Bopper are still on the bus - Mark is trying not to puke, not just from his motion sickness but the smell of the place as well - "you stick your head out the window, it gets worse..." and cookies are tossed.

-It is the never ending dance routine, they think they've got it and then they teach them more...
-Mark & Bopper arrive and Bopper knows he won't be able to do it, feels like he's letting his partner down in the Race right here.

-JJ may have been the last one out there (besides Mark of course) but he's the first one to step up for the judging (I think he just wants to get it over with).
-Blue team takes the stage and JJ is front and centre and stinking up the place... Fail!
-Blond Rachel is the next to go and she nails it (I clapped) - Dave & Rachel get the next clue to take a rickshaw taxi to a coffee house to get their next clue.  Art & JJ have poopy diapers (their attitude is going to kill them in the race, for sure.)
-Mark is kinda useless with dancing - this could be ugly - He has to take a breather, he's still sick and getting dizzy (I think it's pretty hot there too... I'm sure it's more fun to watch than to try and do this.)
-Vanessa fails in her first attempt - she was just a bit slow and off from the rest.
-BB Rachel takes the stage and I thought she was doing alright but Nope - Director gives her a fail.
Hmm, I think Blond Rachel set the bar too high for the rest of them.

-Dave & Rachel get to the coffee house and get the clue to the DETOUR - Cricket or Clutch it
-In Cricket - each player must hit a cricket ball to the boundary at the end of the cricket pitch - once both players have hit the boundary (either along the ground or in the air) they'll get their next clue.
-In Clutch It - each team member must learn how to drive a rickshaw taxi and transport passengers around the rickshaw training course at the driving school - once they both pass, they'll get their next clue. (Hmm, the Detour seems a little bit tame.. I bet the realized the dancing was going to be difficult for most of them.)
-Dave & Rachel are going to do Clutch It - she doesn't feel like she'd do well with Cricket - as usual Dave is second guessing her - he feels he has skill & ability in every sport (and you know if the Clutch it goes badly he's going to blame her too.)
-Rachel is the first one trying the obstacle course and she's hitting things - Dave is being his usual supportive self (that was sarcastic) she tells him to go first then. (yeah, these two are never good with the driving... may not have been the best choice of tasks.)

-Back at Bollywood Dance School - JJ is failing again, Mark is about to pass out from dehydration and BB Rachel is attempting the dance again - and Failing again.  She then gets all pissed off, jumps off the stage and storms off in a huff.  Brendan was glad to have a girl on his team for this kind of stuff but then they also get so emotional (Jeez.)
-Art is being a jerk, says Rachel's like the girl who didn't make the cheerleader squad but kept trying and he's now lamenting that he didn't do this one... (You can't have it both ways bud.)

-Back at Rickshaw school, Rachel tells Dave it's harder than it seems and he says, "No it's not." (argh, why are all the men being jerks?)  Then he fails by hitting the last post - Rachel is just laughing at him - as he deserves.  He passes on his second attempt then it's her turn again - better watch out.

-Back at Bollywoodland - Mark wants to try the dancing before he passes out... that doesn't sound promising.  Brendan is trying to get Rachel to focus and not be emotional and she says, "But I'm a girl, of course I'm going to be emotional." (Oh man, she's just as bad!)  Art looks over at JJ, "Aw, look at him, he's like a gorilla in a chiffon suit.  He's trying his ass off though." (Ha ha, that was totally what he looked like.)
-Mark was doing well until they turned... then it all went wrong.  Fail
-Vanessa passes on her next attempt - they head out for the coffee house.
-BB Rachel passes on her her 4th attempt - and Big Brother heads out.
JJ: Chicks 3, Dudes nothing.  Why did I do this?  And Mark feels like he's going to throw up again.
-JJ finally passes on his 4th attempt - Art, "You're the Bollywood Travolta!"
-Mark tries it again but he's just so spent, despite Bopper's constant encouragement, he's failed again.

-Over at the Rickshaw driving school Dave asks if Rachel will listen to him when he tells her to turn, she says she will if he is nice about it - he's relatively nice but then keeps yelling, "See, Listen to Your Husband!" (How obnoxious - I wouldn't want to listen to that either, sheesh.)
-Rachel passes the course and they get the clue to the Pit Stop - Bolgatty Palace.

-Vanessa & Ralph get to the Coffee house and get the clue to the Detour - they also choose to do the rickshaws - they thought it sounded like the simpler task - even though Vanessa failed drivers ed... she has apparently hit a few things driving in Texas... Oh, this should be fun.

-Big Brother and Art & JJ get the Detour clue and they both decide to try their hands at Cricket.  They quickly learn it's nothing like baseball and hitting the ball isn't that easy.

-Mark is on his 7th attempt at the dancing and Bopper is worried about him - he tries to stop him but Mark says he's got to give it everything he has... (just don't die trying.)

-Back at the detours - Vanessa has hit a marker (not surprising)
-JJ is talking smack to the bowler - "Throwing curve balls!  I'm in your head right now." He does get a hit but a guy catches it before it gets to the boundary.  Still no point.
-Brendon is the first one to get a hit to the boards, and I think it's because he hasn't pissed anyone off that they let it go through. 
-JJ does get it to the barrier on his next hit and he's even talking smack to Art, "If I can dance, you can at least hit a ball."  (Chill out dude.) "Rachel's never going to get this." (Shut up already.)

-Mark fails again and has to sit in the shade - Bopper wants to take the penalty and not complete the task but Mark says he's got to do it or die trying... Bopper says he'd rather have his buddy than the money (and I got a little choked up, not gonna lie... And it's not because I'm a woman! Okay, maybe.)

-Vanessa passes her rickshaw driving course and now it's Ralph's turn.

-Rachel and Art are the two left hitting... Art hits one but it doesn't make it to the barrier... Rachel actually makes it to the boundary before him.  She says it feels good that they got beat by a girl.
-And of course JJ points out that Rachel hitting the boundary first stripped Art of all his manhood... whatever - he passed on the next go and they head for the Pit Stop.
-Ralph passes the rickshaw course and they head for the Pit Stop.

-Mark is still in Bollywood Hell - after failing his 11th attempt Bopper is telling him, "Let's go home.  We did the best we could, we came friends, we'll leave friends. Forget the money, let's just go home."  Mark finally decided it wasn't worth his health to keep going in that heat, he wants to be there for his kids, it's not worth the money.  And he's done. 
Mark's dance instructor tries to talk him into one more attempt but he says no, he's going home to his kids - Both Mark and Bopper are crying (oh man, I'm verklempt.)  Now Bopper is also trying to talk him into one more attempt... And he's a trooper - he does it one more time and gets the pity pass.
-They also do the rickshaw driving and are so grateful for the opportunity this Race has given them to see the world.

Here's How They Finished:
1) Rachel & Dave - they won a trip for 2 to St Lucia (ohh, so jealous).
2) Brendon & Rachel - Woohoo - team #2
3) Art & JJ - very happy to be third, they weren't sure where they were coming in.
4) Vanessa & Ralph
5) Bopper & Mark - they are the last team to arrive... they say their teary good-byes and Phil tells them they are going to have to muster their strength because this is a NON-ELIMINATION leg and they are still in the Race!  (Oh, if only the same happened for the Canucks.)  This is the second time they've been saved by a non-elimination leg... and I've got to say, I'm happy the Kentucky boys are still in the Race!

 Next week: Big Brother Rachel faces having to shave her head - and cries about paying $500 for extensions and Vanessa falls face first in the dirt and starts screaming about hearing her ankle pop... What a tease! 

Have a great week everyone,

Coleen

Survivor One World - April 18th Episode Recap

I'm No Dummy

Last week the women voted out Jay leaving Troyzan without an alliance... (because really, are you going to hang your hopes on Tarzan and Leif?)

Tikiano - Night 25
Returning from Tribal Council Troy is pissed off because he knows he's going to be the next one to go and he starts in on Christina for not voting with him since she's the one farthest on the outs with the women.  Then Alicia jumps in to deflect him and it gets a little loud.  Troyzan feels like it's now him against everyone else, no more team player.  The women feel like he's just digging his own grave.

Tikiano - Day 26
Troy's mood carries over into the next day and he's telling Chelsea he deserves to stay longer than some of the useless people there.  She's telling him it's just a game (basically, you're screwed, bud, leave me alone.)  And he rants on to the camera that he's not going to pretend like everything's okay.
-Chelsea brings up that he needs to take it more like Jonas, he took it like a man. (oh snap)
-Troy feels like he has a right to be angry (I'll give him that) then he says these girls are acting like women in real life (uh) they get their house and their food and when they're satisfied, they don't need the man anymore (oh, no, he went there.  Who hurt you?  Sounds like a bitter divorce in his past.)

Tree Mail
-The all get a wallet with money ($500) for the Survivor Auction!  Troy's ready to blow it all on a leg up in the game.

Auction:
-The bidding has to be in $20 increments, they cannot pool their money and they cannot share the items
1) Three donuts and an iced coffee - $160 to Chelsea
2) Nacho chips, guacamole and a margarita - $400 to Sabrina
3) Protein shake with bananas - $100 to Leif
4) Survivor shower with shampoo & soap - $40 to Kim (no one bid it up because they want food)
5) BLT, chips and an iced tea - $180 to Kat (obviously didn't know what a BLT was, surprised by bacon on it - does she have to remind herself to breath?)
6) Bowl of peanut butter and two chocolate bars - $240 to Kim from the shower - Alicia is too cheap to bid that much - You have $500! 
Jeff asks Tarzan if he's going to bid and he says he's keeping the money to fix the shocks on his truck (really?  You're a freakin' plastic surgeon, you need this $500 to fix your car?  And do they really get to keep the money if they don't spend it?  I doubt it.)
7) Letters from home - Alicia bids $500 straight out and gets her letter - then we have to listen to her read and cry... blah, blah, blah... it's killing everyone though, they're all crying.
Jeff tells them the price of the letters has been set by Alicia, anyone else with $500 can buy theirs and Tarzan bites - to the collective "aww" of the ladies.  He's not sharing the letter though.
Troy says he feels completely alone after last night and while a letter from home would be comforting it's not going to keep him there.
8) Advantage in the next Immunity Challenge - Troy bids $300 (why not $500? What are you saving it for?)  The women all urge Christina to snatch it since she hasn't bought anything so they start bidding back and forth (seriously? Someone go all in and it's yours!) Christina lets it go to Troyzan for $420.  And he's still pissed off that no one is happy for him and they were urging Christina to take it for the team. (Wow, Mr Ego cannot handle not being top dog.)
-Kat says, "I've still got money, let's go."  Oh, I thought it'd be over.
9) Mystery item with a note - $160 to Kat (again, Christina let it go - she's going to lose out.) The mystery item is a whole CAKE (and she can't share it?? I predict Kat throwing up later today) Oh, then the note tells her she bought the cake for the whole tribe and they have 60 seconds to eat it - everyone grabs a handful of cake and the Auction is over.

Tikiano - Day 26
Back at camp Troy goes off to read his advantage - at the next immunity challenge he will advance directly to the 2nd stage of the challenge - increasing his chances of winning from 1 in 9 to 1 in 4.  He believes that he has the rest of the tribe a little scared - "You put fear in people's hearts and that can scramble them a little bit. Then he decides he's going to start looking for another idol, if there is one out there, he's just going to start looking right out in the open.
-This does not go unnoticed by the women and Kim tries to rally the troops to go out looking for something that they don't know exists. (So, Troy is a genius.) Kim keeps an eye on him and he pretends like he found an idol, stuffs something in his pocket and walks away.
-So now the girls are worried, if he wins immunity and he just found immunity, they may not be able to take him out. (But I don't think they'll panic - it'll be okay.)

IMMUNITY CHALLENGE-It is a mixture of 3 things they've done before - First round, they will race to untangle knotted ropes and release a ring - the first 4 to finish will advance to the next round where they will have to race up a stack of crates and bounce coconuts off a trampoline to break out 3 targets - first 2 to breaks the targets will move on to the final round where they must use a slingshot to shoot coconuts at a wall and break out a row of tiles. First one to break out a row will win Immunity.
-Jeff then tells Troyzan to read his advantage - he gets to sit out the first round and will start at round 2.  So only 3 people can now advance.

Off they go - And Tarzan is the first one done - Kim and Christina also join him.
2nd round - Troyzan, Tarzan, Kim and Christina - Troyzan is the first one done and he rubs it in their faces - "This is my Island - you can't beat me."  Sabrina is disgusted - "Please knock this fool out!"
Tarzan joins Troyzan in the final round.
Troyzan wins Immunity!  And the adrenaline overrides all common sense and takes over his mouth - he points a finger at the Sabrina (I think) and says "Don't bleep with me."  Chelsea tells him to bring it on and he goes off - "I've been going 50%, I'm going to keep going like this, you're scared to death, you want to keep scrambling..."  They rest of them just walk off - Whatever, dude.
Hmm, so Leif or Tarzan?

Tikiano - Day 26
Back at camp Tarzan asks if he can say something - he says to Troy, if you win, be noble, it looks bad.  Troy says he's a highly competitive person and he feels like everyone's against him so he couldn't help but scream when he won - he can't just change his personality (but you're also not helping your cause - even if you win every immunity from here on out, you still need votes at the end to win it all so stop being a jerk!)  Tarzan tells him, I'm your friend but I'm still going to try and beat you.  Troy says he hopes he would [try].

-Worst case scenerio has happened much to Troy's delight and the women's dismay.  The power couple of Kim and Chelsea pow wow and they decide to keep it simple, keep all the women while there are still men to eliminate - Leif or Tarzan tonight.

-Troy makes a move as well, he wants to get Leif, Tarzan, Christina and Alicia to vote with him to take out Kim and break up the 4 strong women and turn the tide for them all.  He gets easy support from Leif and Tarzan, Christina is wishy-washy as usual and Alicia is listening, she's always looking out for number one.

Tribal Council
Troyzan, a lot of animosity from you towards the women today
-That's just my competitive juices coming out (Ha, gross, I have such a dirty mind sometimes.) That's just the way I play.  No one was rooting for me...
Chelsea speaks up - What do you expect wh...
Troyzan - Excuse Me?
Chelsea - What do you expect when you yell in our faces "this is my island, no one can f'n beat me?"
And Sabrina joins in trying to tell him no matter how long he outplays, outwits, outlasts he still has to be somewhat likeable.
And he's just not listening - he throws everything back in their faces, calls them all liars and says he doesn't give a crap what they think.
[The guys on the jury are LOVING it... he'd get all the man votes right now.]
Chelsea, you've got to respect a guy that is playing so hard to survive.
-She says sure but she's thinking of the old Manono - Leif, Tarzan, Christina and Alicia and she thinks Troy's trying to get them on his side. (Yup, called him out - good for her.)
Troy breaks it down - Leif, Tarzan, Christina and Alicia will be the next to go - Kim, Chelsea, Sabrina and Kat - those 4 can do whatever they want - so I told these guys today, right now you have my vote tonight and can use me for immunities - right away you'll take yourself guaranteed to 5 if they vote with him and take Kim out. (Oh yeah... he laid it all out there!)
-Chelsea pipes up - what you are promising them will only work if you win every single immunity challenge and I beat you on the last one - You are beatable.
-Troy - That's not true - You get immunity, we vote Sabrina out, she gets immunity we vote Kat
-Chelsea - You don't win immunity, we vote you out.
-Troy - no, because we're 5 and you're only 4.  (Oh, I think the lightbulb went on.)
-Kim tries to take back the calm control - to me the fault with this logic is everyone is making a lot of assumptions - nobody knows who's with who and if it were that simple and Christina and Alicia were on the bottom that would be the obvious move[Kat, Sabrina and Kim pipe in], but that's not the case. (ORLY?)
Christina, walk me through what you have to weigh when you hear Troyzan's pitch.
-Well, it's basic math (okay, she went there) but it also puts her in an interesting position, does she trust her original alliance with the Salani tribe.  This game is about deception, it's about outwit, outlast, outplay so it's good to hear options that are out there. (Chelsea did not like that answer)
Alicia, what happens if someone flips?
-If someone flipped or we went to Troy, the girls would be screwed.
Troy - It's not going to me, it's for yourself.
Alicia - Right.  But I have the same doubts as Christina - do I all of a sudden trust somebody now?
It really comes down to that doesn't it, when do I make a move?
-Yeah, that's what I'm struggling with. (Kim is looking worried...uh oh.)

Time to Vote:
Troy votes for Kim - says she's a fantastic player and probably the best girl there.
Chelsea votes Leif - says he's wishy-washy and it makes them uneasy (whatever, why say anything?)

Tallying the Votes:
No hidden idol played
Leif - 1, 2, 3
Kim - 1, 2
Tarzan - 1, 2, 3
Leif - 4  - So it is the little person leaving tonight, they built us up when the ladies really had no intension of flipping - they even split their votes to make sure a guy would go...sneaky.

And with Leif leaving the game - Carol-Anne D, Brenda E and Tobi M are out of the pool.

Next week: The women are fighting (Kat & Kim get into it) and Troy is right there ready to swoop in... good luck with that.

Leif - he mumbles out this was something he always wanted to do... blah blah - it was more interesting seeing how everyone voted:
Tarzan voted for Leif! (What?)
Christina voted Tarzan
Alicia voted Tarzan
Sabrina voted Leif
Kat voted Leif
Kim voted Tarzan and Chelsea voted Leif
Troy and Leif voted Kim

Have a great end of the week everyone,

Coleen

Amazing Race 20 - April 15th Episode Recap

Let Them Drink Their Haterade (Lake Manyara, Tanzania)

Dave and Rachel are the first to leave at 6:03am - they get the clue to go on Safari... they drive through the Ngorongoro Crater (Africa's Garden of Eden) then go to a small village and search for Hilary Clinton (a roadside shop/stand) where they'll get their next clue.

-In the car Dave & Rachel discuss the double U-Turn on this leg.  They say if they arrive there before Art & JJ, they think they may U-Turn the green team (Big Brother Brendon & Rachel).

-Mark & Bopper are the next team out at 6:08am - on the last leg Bopper twisted his knee but before he lets this injury slow him down he'll have 'em cut it off and keep on truckin'.  They say they were huge underdogs coming in to this game but they think the other teams are now starting to realize they are a threat (hmm, not necessarily a good thing.  Oh, and Mark is in the back seat and not puking... yet.)

-Art & JJ next to head out at 6:23am - they made a pact earlier on in the Race with Dave & Rachel and the Federal agent/teachers that if they hit a U-Turn they will U-Turn Brendon & Rachel - they all want Big Brother out. "They are malcontents.  Git 'em out."

-Brendon & Rachel are heading out at 6:48am - they did not want to hear they'd be facing a U-Turn this leg since they know they are universally hated.  "The more the haters hate, the stronger Brendon & I gets." (Yes, that's what she said.) "Let them drink they're haterade and we'll be the ones that benefit from it." (Riight.)

-Vanessa & Ralph are heading out at 7:18am - they are happy for the U-Turn 'cause this team really hates Big Brother.

Riding through the Garden of Eden is gorgeous - they all take the time to appreciate the sites and check out all the animals - baboons, zebras, gazelles - Bopper, "We seen animals we didn't know what they was." (Ha, these two are the best.)
-The drivers were taking them on the tour, slowing down and stopping for them to see the animals - Art & JJ are the only team they showed that were wishing the guy would just keep going, "If we win the million we can come back here and enjoy it." (Party poopers!)
Lions, ostriches, elephants, hyenas, wildebeest - Brendon & Rachel were happy for the break in the game to regroup, not worry about any of the other people and take time out from the race.

-Dave & Rachel and Mark & Bopper arrive in the village and find the Hillary Clinton shop (beside the Barack Obama shop - somehow I don't think they got the rights to use those names... but I digress) they get the clue to the DETOUR: Water Supply or Air Supply (I'm all out of love, what am I without you... :) musical interlude.)
In Water Supply: The teams must pick up a cart of empty water containers, take them to the well, then wait their turn in line, fill the containers and deliver them to the homeowner with their next clue.
In Air Supply: The teams must work with the local bicycle mechanic and fix a bike tire puncture - they must learn to remove the inner tube without removing the whole tire, find the leak using water on the inner tube then patch the leak, reassemble the tire and pump it up for a test run - when the local kids give them the thumbs up, they'll get their next clue.

-Rachel & Dave and Mark & Bopper all decide they're going to patch the tires.
-Art & JJ arrive and find this Hillary Clinton isn't wearing a pant suit - they decide to do the water.

-Dave & Rachel watch the demonstration of what they need to do right through, Bopper sees they don't remove the whole tire and he's sure he knows the rest... they both get working on their tires.

-Art & JJ get their water jugs and are telling themselves they made the right choice of this simple task until they hit the line up and realize this is going to take some time.  Art is very methodical, he goes to the front to see how much they were filling the buckets and how long it took - 30-35sec per bucket and there were about 60 buckets ahead of them so they are looking at 35-40minutes before they make it the head of the line - they decide they are already there, they are going to stick with this task - made them appreciate what these people have to go through just for water everyday - it's their chore for the day.

-Brendon & Rachel ask the locals where to find Hillary Clinton and they tell them she's at the petrol station but as they walk up the road they come across the shop - and quickly decide the water will be too hard, they are going to do Air Supply.

-Vanessa & Ralph arrive and ask around for Hillary Clington (ah, yes, they put a 'g' in the last name - getting around the pesky rights laws) - No one helps them out - and they wander off in the wrong direction of the shops. (Race Karma perhaps?)

-Meanwhile at the bike shop - Bopper says their bike fix was, "like a Nascar pit stop, baby." They are getting their bike checked when Dave realizes their first patch didn't take - he blames Rachel and she tells him to stop being a jackass - he tells her they are supposed to be a team - (EXACTLY! So why would you try and place blame on her... you Jackass!) 

-Art & JJ are waiting in line - Fuming!  (I don't blame them - that was a miscalculation on their part.)

-Mark & Bopper's fix is good and they get the clue to make their way on foot to Jack Stetzers Pub - caution, double U-Turn ahead.   Mark asks one of the locals gathered around them how to get there and they don't speak English - no help there.
-Dave & Rachel - bicker, bicker, bicker.

-Brendon & Rachel arrive at the bike place just as Dave & Rachel get their next clue and head out for the pub.  Big Brother Rachel is pouting that Dave & Rachel are going to U-Turn them - Brendon tells her it's fine - just focus!  (It's going to happen anyway so you better just hurry up.)

Oh hey, forgot about these two - Jamie & Nary are the last team to head out at 9:21am (Wow, that is so far behind everyone... hopefully that U-Turn slows someone down enough for them to catch up.)
-They are going to fight for their chance to win the million dollars.

-Mark & Bopper get to the U-Turn and they don't U-Turn anybody (I didn't think they would... but they probably should have U-Turned Rachel & Dave - just sayin.)  Rachel & Dave get to the U-Turn and feel like success has been achieved either way, no reason to create more animosity so they don't U-Turn anyone either (Uh oh, I have a feeling this is not going to be good, they broke their word with Art & JJ... who are still standing in line to get water.)
-These teams jump in cabs to a gem & art gallery.

-Vanessa & Ralph still haven't found Hillary Clinton and they stumble upon Brendon & Rachel working on the bike (oh, I should say Brendon working on the bike, Rachel is really just standing there like a bump on a log.)  Rachel spots them and they try to crouch a bit to hide but Ralph realizes they found the task without the clue - they still need to find the Detour clue.  Rachel, of course, is confused why they are just wandering around (she's not the sharpest tool in the shed.)
-Ralph & Vanessa - also not the brightest bulbs have no idea what to do now... (Go back into the village and find the clue dummies.)
-Vanessa & Ralph finally get a kid to show them the shop and they head back to the bike shop - very frustrated with themselves.

-Art & JJ finally make it to the head of the line and fill up their buckets - they are very careful not to spill too much, after what they had to go through to get the water, they realize how precious it is for these people.

-Dave & Rachel are the first team to the gem/art gallery which was just a house on the side of the road - they see Jamie & Nary's Speed Bump there (oh man, so they could be U-Turned before they even get to the Speed Bump - that would not be fair.)  Dave & Rachel get the clue to head on to find Margaret's Farm.
-Mark & Bopper are right behind Dave & Rachel and they urge their cabbie to pass them - Drag racing through Africa - bring it on!

-Art & JJ are delivering their water and have all the kids following them, wanting to help.  They get their next clue to the Pub and the U-Turn.  They see no one has been U-Turned and think they are in first place (because Dave & Rachel would have used it, of course) - they U-Turn Brendon & Rachel and head off for the gem/art gallery.
-In the car JJ says they are honoring their word to Dave & Rachel by U-Turning Big Brother, they just hope when Dave & Rachel get there they'll U-Turn the teachers - Art, "They're not teachers." (Who cares!  And they are already so far behind, why would you bother?)

-Mark & Bopper successfully pass Dave & Rachel and glory in being in first place! (for now)

-Brendon & Rachel finish their tire repair and head off for the Pub and U-Turn - Vanessa says to Ralph, "We better start thinking about the next task because you know they are going to U-Turn us" (couldn't happen to nicer people either.) Bicker, bicker, bicker.

-Art & JJ get to the Art Gallery and they realize they are actually in third place (by counting the clues) JJ can't believe Dave wouldn't have honoured his word (and now they're p*ssed.  Really?)

-Brendon & Rachel get to the Double U-Turn and are not surprised to see themselves on the board - they were pleasantly surprised though that Dave & Rachel and Mark & Bopper didn't U-Turn anyone so it gave them the opportunity to U-Turn their favourite people - Vanessa & Ralph.  They take off to find the Water task.

-Jamie & Nary arrive at Hillary Clington's shop and decide to do Air Supply.

-Vanessa & Ralph finish the tire and head off for the pub.  They see Jamie & Nary going to the bike shop as they head to the pub and find out they are U-Turned.  Ralph is so frustrated - "we're so getting eliminated." (You will with an attitude like that!  And really, what did you expect?  These people are unbelievable.)

-Mark & Bopper get to Margaret's Farm and get the clue to the ROADBLOCK - To Bee or Not to Bee. One person will have to suit up as a beekeeper and harvest 500g of honey from the hive while surrounded by thousands of bees. (No, thank you.)  Mark will be doing it because of Bopper's knee injury.
-Dave & Rachel arrive and to my surprise Dave is doing this one (it just seems he usually makes her do everything... not a big fan of Dave.)  Mark & Bopper share with them that Bopper has destroyed his knee (shouldn't he be trying to keep that to himself, now your competition has inside info they can exploit... but they're too nice to think that way I guess.)  Bopper apparently had knee surgery a few months ago and it's been fine but this Race is gruelling and he's buggered it up.
-The beekeeper tells Mark he has to be absolutely calm because these are African bees and they will attack  (OMG!)  But they seem to have no problems.

-Art & JJ are still going on about Dave & Rachel not keeping their word - (get over it already) then they laugh about Brendon & Rachel having to do the water...
-Speaking of which, Brendon & Rachel have filled the jugs and are taking the cart to the homeowner when Rachel knocks a couple off the cart and she totally freaks out - he tells her not to spill it and she slams the jugs back in the cart causing more spillage - and she's screaming at him like it's his fault (She is seriously unstable - what an idiot.)

-Nary & Jamie are working on the bike - slowly, as usual.

-Vanessa & Ralph get in line for water and are pretty sure they are in last place. (Too bad there is no prize for being right.)

-Mark collects 500g of honey and gets the clue to the Pit Stop - they have to make their way on foot to Lake Manyara, the loveliest lake in Africa according to Ernest Hemingway (uh oh, the 'on foot' could be an issue for Bopper.)  Last team to check in may be eliminated.

-Dave also finishes the honey and they get the clue to the Pit Stop - Rachel sees Art & JJ arriving and they're trying to get out of there before... JJ confronts them - Why didn't you U-Turn?  Rachel says the teachers are so far behind there was no reason to U-Turn anyone. Did you U-Turn?  JJ, "Yeah, we thought you might be behind us."  Dave & Rachel take off for the Pit Stop and JJ yells to Art, who is suiting up as a beekeeper that it's just them from now on.  JJ, "That chaps my ass."  (He just will not let it go. Get over it Nancy, it's a Race, they don't owe you anything.) Whine, whine, whine.

-Mark & Bopper are trying for their first place but Bopper can't run with his knee and Dave & Rachel are coming up behind them (not fast enough for Dave who is yelling at Rachel to pick it up, as usual)...

-Brendon & Rachel - Bicker, bicker, bicker - they get the clue to head back to the pub and there the clue to head for the Art gallery.
-Jamie & Nary finish the bike and pass Brendon & Rachel on their way out - Rachel tells them they got U-Turned and have U-Turned Vanessa & Ralph so they have a chance - she tells them how to find the pub.  In the cab Rachel starts crying again... as usual... I'm just exhausted (sigh.)
-Vanessa & Ralph have delivered their water and are heading back to the pub.  They get the clue to head to the Art Gallery and jump in a cab - just as Vanessa says they have such great luck with cabs - POP - flat tire... you were saying?  (Race karma is kicking their butts.)
-Nary & Jamie find the pub and head for the Art Gallery. Vanessa & Ralph's driver changes the tire very quickly and these two teams get to the art gallery at the same time.  Nary & Jamie are excited to have caught up... until they see their Speed Bump. Oh. Yeah.
Speed Bump - they must set up a display stand of the local art as depicted in a specific painting (so put things in the right place like in the picture.)  Shouldn't be too hard... but these two are always slow - I don't get it.

-Vanessa & Ralph take off the Margaret's Farm.

At the Farm - Big Brother Rachel suits up and collects honey - she also feels like Winnie the Pooh.
-Vanessa & Ralph get to the farm and neither of them really want to do the bees - finally Ralph does it.

-Jamie & Nary finish the Speed Bump and head on to the farm, where Nary does the bees.

Here's How They Finished:
1) Mark & Bopper!  Good for them!  Won a trip to Hawaii.
2) Rachel & Dave - they are at the mat right behind them and Phil calls them all up together - Rachel says she's excited but he's [Dave's] being a poor loser - Phil, Are you being a poor loser?
Dave - No, but we should have contributed more.
Phil - You have to give her props, she's been working so hard and you've had 4 first place finishes.
Mark - She's kicking it!
Dave grabs her by the neck and kisses her head - whatever buddy - just because you got called out for being a jerk you make that sorry show of solidarity - Pffsst!
3) Art & JJ - -Art loved collecting the honey - said he felt like Winnie the Pooh. (Aw, that's so cute.)JJ, on the other hand, goes off about Dave & Rachel not using the U-Turn - he said if he could jump in front of them and do it again, he'd U-Turn them - makes him sick to his stomach (Wow, like a dog with a bone this guy - I guess that mentality is good for the work he does but he's driving me nuts. Shut up about it already - you U-Turned them, what's the big deal?)
4) Brendon & Rachel - Thank Goodness - Double U-Turn That!
5) Ralph & Vanessa - Thank God!  How we're still here is just amazing.
6) Nary & Jamie - **ELIMINATED** They did so well today but they just couldn't rebound from their time deficit of last week.  They loved the experience, blah, blah, blah.
So this week Nenad M, Cheryl B, Roxanne S, Brenda E and Shane B were also eliminated from the pool  - tough break.

Next week: Art & JJ face off with Rachel & Dave and Mark has a Bollywood nightmare and breakdown - uh oh.

Have a great week everyone,

Coleen

Survivor One World - April 11/12 Episode Recap

Stanley Cup Playoffs Game One - Mini Recap (Yeah, I wanted to watch the Canucks game, so sue me.)

Going Out With a Bang

Last week the women made their move and got Michael voted out - this gives the women the numbers advantage and the men have taken notice.  Jay at least was nervous of the girls beforehand and Troy has now caught the paranoia (with good reason - Kim is running with the all-girl thing to the end!)  Tarzan tries to talk to Troy about the guys sticking together and they have a confused conversation, I don't think Troy is a math wizard - he goes on about how they can spin the numbers but it doesn't add up.  Tarzan - Uh, they still have more votes (yeah.)

DIY Reward Challenge
They get tree mail that included a pole with numbered lines, some numbered pegs and conkers (two balls at either end of a rope - for throwing).  The instructions tell them to pick teams (drawing coloured stones from a bag) then they have to throw the conkers at the pole and they get points based on which numbered peg they can hit and get the balls to wrap around.  Troy appoints himself Troyzan Probst, the host of the challenge... but he is no dimples :)
-Kat is the first person to get any points putting her team up 2, then Tarzan gets them 4 more.
-The other team gets 1 point leaving it up to Sabrina to as the final person to tie it up... but she can't.
-The team of Alicia, Kat, Tarzan, Jay & Troy get a boatride to an excluded beach where some locals prepare them a feast of fresh fish, crab, lobster... cooked right on the beach - cool.

Troy is worried about the women, but he has a hidden immunity idol (he does?  I totally don't remember that... huh, losing it) so he knows he's not going out tonight.  Jay thinks they just have to get reassurances from the girls.

Back at camp Kim is holding court with the ladies and solidifying that the women are in it together to the end - no matter what they have to make the men, especially Troy & Jay feel secure so they don't suspect that whichever one doesn't win immunity is going home tonight.  Chelsea is feeling uneasy with the lying - she says she doesn't want to know (really?  You're going to turn wishy washy now?  Gah! You knew what you signed up for honey, suck it up.)  She goes on about how she looked both Troy and Jay in the eye and swore they could trust her - she can't just look someone in the eye and lie... well, stop looking people in the eye, or get over it!

Kim, on the otherhand, does not have that issue at all.  Jay comes to talk to the women and tells them he wants to vote out Alicia tonight and Kim says, "Sure, we can do that."  Chelsea hides behind everyone else and is okay because she didn't have to look him in the eye (coward.)  Jay is completely mollified, they told him what he wanted to hear and he's good.

Kim talks to Alicia and reassures her, no matter what you hear, you don't have to worry - you're safe.  Good enough for Cavewoman (that hair!)
Troy takes note of this little pow wow and he's even more nervous - Kim goes and reassures him he's safe, he doesn't have to worry, he's safe, dont' worry, don't worry - and just the repeating of it makes him worry - he doesn't believe her.


IMMUNITY CHALLENGE

They do a classic challenge - standing barefoot on a narrow wooden perch with an arm raised in the air and tethered to a bucket - when the arm comes down, they get doused and are out of the challenge.  Last person standing dry, with their arm still raised wins immunity.
And they're of...f - Tarzan is out... didn't even last through the explanation it seemed.  Jeff starts with food temptations almost right away as well.  Sabrina jumps at cookies and milk, Kim jumps at cupcakes and milk, Alicia keeps saying she's going to take something and Jay tells her if she drops out for food, he's voting her out (oooh, she's not scared - but she should be trying to fake it shouldn't she?  Nope, not Alicia, she knows she's safe and she's going to rub it in their faces, can you tell I don't like her?)  Alicia also says something like she'd drop out so Chelsea could win, like she has control over that (just go away).  Alicia does take some food item (I don't care to remember) then Troy ends up dropping out with no food or anything so we're down to Jay, Chelsea and Leif... and Jay drops for pizza & beer...(Really buddy, you are the one guy that needs that necklace tonight... sigh, Jay just proved he really is just a pretty face.)  Chelsea starts working on Leif, tells him he'd make himself less of a threat if he dropped out and let her have immunity (that makes him go hmm) then Jeff sweetens the pot by offering up three hamburgers and potato chips and Leif drops his arm (and does a leprechaun jig over to the food - I know, that's not politically correct, but his happy dance was so cute!)   CHELSEA wins immunity.

So now the ladies have to decide which of the dumbasses - uh, strong men - they will vote out.  Kim wants to hedge their bets in case one of them has a hidden immunity idol so she has some people voting for Troy and some people voting for Jay.

Troy talks to Jay and tells him he thinks the women are going to vote out one of them (Jay or Troy) so he's going to play his hidden immunity idol tonight and he's voting for Kim. That was news to Jay (I'm not the only one that didn't know about the idol) - Jay tells him to just relax, they are going to vote out Alicia, it's going to be okay... Then Jay runs right to Kim and tells her that Troy has a hidden idol and he's going to play it. (What!?? Really? Just shaking my head.)

Tribal Council
Blah, blah, blah - who's nervous?
Troy, Jay and KIM (?) raise their hands - oh she is a wily one, still trying to make it look like she's not running things.
Blah, blah, blah - talk of hidden immunity idols? Who has one?
Blah, blah, blah - Alicia notices that the men are wearing different shorts and have lots of pockets.
Tarzan - The game is a foot!

And it's time to vote:
There does seem to be a little confusion - Troy and Jay don't even vote the same.

Tallying the votes:
Anyone want to play a hidden immunity idol, now is the time.
Troy jumps up and plays that baby, he's not going to be a chump to go home with immunity in his pocket.  So all votes for Troyzan do not count.

Troy - 1 (does not count), 2 (does not count)
Kim - 1
Jay - 1
Alicia - 1
Jay - 2
Alicia - 2
Jay - 3, 4 - and JAY is the next person voted out of Survivor One World.  And with Jay joining the jury: Andria S, Drew C and Kim A are out of the pool.

Next week: Troyzan fights back - Oh, there is triumphant yelling and he does Troy math again. 

Jay squeaks out - That's the game, you never know.  He felt a little uneasy going in tonight but didn't think he'd be going home.  Congrats to the girls, you got me.

So, we didn't win the first game but there are 6 more to go - Go Canucks Go!

Have a great week/weekend everyone,

Coleen

Amazing Race 20 - April 8th Episode Mess up

I Didn't Make Her Cry (Kilimanjaro, Tanzania)

Due to the channel I usually record totally skewing the start time of the episode on Sunday I only recorded the first 5 minutes of the show and got home in time to record the last 10 minutes so, I'm really sorry but I don't have a complete recap for you.  I will tell you what I saw and how they finished:

-The Teams find out they are heading to Tanzania, Africa.
-Art & JJ are sick of Big Brother following them around and vow not to let them ride their coat tails anymore.
-Art's figured out that Jamie & Nary aren't teachers - at the travel agency with Mark & Bopper and Big Brother he says they have to be in law enforcement of some kind - Jamie asked what kind of UC (under cover) operations they conduct as part of border patrol which tipped him off.
-Big Brother says it doesn't matter if they're FBI agents or police officers, they're still nicer than [Art & JJ.] Art & JJ are happy to stir the pot.
-Brendan tells Jamie and Nary that Art & JJ told them they were law enforcement and Jamie's face falls - but they tell her they don't care.
-Jamie tells the camera that the jig may be up but now they can prove their agency is better than Art & JJ's by kicking their butts.

By the previews I know that somewhere in there Art & JJ confront the ladies about their real occupation and Big Brother Rachel and Vanessa have a mean girl cat fight calling each other names and being all together nasty - Rachel calls Vanessa old and Vanessa calls Rachel ugly... I'm sure it made them both look pretty ugly.

And the last 10 minutes... Here's how they finished:
1) Blond Rach el & Major Dave - this is their 4th first place finish.
2) Mark & Bopper -  they are slowly walking it down.
3) Art & JJ - they say they are trying to minimize their involvment in the rift between the teams (oh? Dang it, I guess the fighting was major.)
4) Brendan & Rachel (Big Brother) - Phil says the game has taken a turn with nasty words being spoken back and forth - Rachel says they're not going to let anyone's negative personality affect us anymore.
5)Vanessa & Ralph - Phil says the same thing about the turn the race has taken and Vanessa says that most everybody is on the same page about the green team.  Phil asks if she wants to make up with them and she says no, she has no desire to speak with them and it's not necessary for them to be friends within this race.
6) Jamie & Nary - Last team to arrive - they say they have no regrets and they would love Phil not to eliminate them... Well, they are going to be very happy because this is a NON-ELIMINATION leg!  (I knew it!  Holiday weekend they never gas anyone.) So, Nenad Morovic, Cheryl Bennett, Roxanne Spear, Brenda Eastwood and Shane Boutillier are still in the pool for now - Nary & Jamie may come back but they will face a Speed Bump on the next leg.

Next week: They will face a double U-Turn - looks like Mark & Bopper (no!) and Big Brother (yes!) get U-Turned and the alliance of Art & JJ and Blond Rachel & Dave crashes and burns (that was inevitable, the two front running teams cannot work together forever when they all want to win.)

Hope everyone had a great Easter weekend and have a great rest of your week :)

Coleen

Survivor One World - April 4th Episode Recap

Just Annihilate Them

Quickly, last week the tribe merged with even numbers 6 men - 6 women - then Tarzan tried to get Chelsea to wash his poopy drawers and they voted out Jonas... this episode opened at:

Tikiano - Day 21 (and I just have to say, they either pre-made that sign or someone is quite the artiste)
-Troyzan is talking to Jay, disappointed that Jonas hadn't been on their Salani tribe so they could have kept him and voted out Mike.  Troy says when the tribe mix up happened, the three men on the new Salani agreed they would stick with that Salani tribe (dammit!  You still should have kept Jonas... come on!)  Troy hopes they didn't make a mistake.
-Jay finally realizes that they are outnumbered by the women now - he thinks the next person to go has to be a girl... (possibly a little late on that... the girls are now up 6 to 5 men and if they are smart, they'll try to keep that advantage.)  He just doesn't want to be overpowered by the women.

-They retrieve their Tree Mail and it's an old school 7up bottle with a note in it - it tells them if they win the cool crisp victory today they'll have relief from the stress they're facing.  They keep saying 7up - the un-cola baby... enough with the product placement (but I know it's just beginning.)

Reward Challenge
They will be divided up into two tribes again (so when Jeff said last time it was one time only he was lying!)  Anyway, they will race down a waterslide one at a time then run out into the water to retrieve large puzzle crates and bring them back - as more people come down the slide, more hands to retrieve the crates - once they have all 7 crates collected they have to solve the puzzle - first team to do that correctly gets the reward: 7Up Oasis - BBQ, steak, pie and as much clean, crisp refreshing 7Up they can drink... but first a taste - Jeff cracks a bottle for them all to pass around and share - Kat grabs it out of his hand before Christina (me,mememe) can get to it (ha!)   And it works, I now want a 7Up.

Two tribes are: (Blue) Jay, Kat, Troyzan, Alicia, Chelsea VS (Yellow) Michael, Kim, Sabrina, Christina and Leif 
Oh, and they did a schoolyard pick so Tarzan was the one person not picked (shocker), he doesn't get to participate at all.

Off they go: Jay and Mike head out - and they have to grunt the crate back on their own - they are heavy - Jay has a lead on Michael but as the rest of the tribe starts coming down and they are working together to bring in their crates, they are neck and neck  - Leif is launched off the slide - on the last crate Christina abandons helping bring in the crate and starts looking at the puzzle (really?  that  doesn't sit well.)
-They all start on the puzzle and it's the yellow tribe that wins the reward - They are all excited but Leif is chanting "BBQ, BBQ!" (Well, that's pretty obnoxious, let's just rub the fact that you're going to be eating into the other tribes faces.)

Reward
The 7Up oasis looks so nice!  Beautiful rock pool, built in barbecue and Food, food, food... They pray (it was a nice prayer but I had Coach flash backs, don't take it there again please) and then they eat!  Kim fills up and leaves the table with Sabrina and they start talking strategy - they want to keep up the illusion that it's still the Salani tribe but they want all girls in the end.  They want to get rid of Mike, so Kim thinks she'll tell Troyzan that Mike was talking about getting rid of Troy so they can get Mike gone and then there will be 6 girls to 4 guys, "And then we can just annihilate them."

Tikiano - Day 21
The rest of the tribe is sitting around at camp trying to convince themselves that steak would have been too hard on their systems at this point (ha ha, yeah, that's it) when Chelsea suggests they discuss who should be next to go.  Troy says he was thinking Christina because no one likes her and Kat agrees that Christina is annoying but she's not a threat, she thinks they should take Mike out next.  Jay is automatically suspicious, he doesn't trust them girls.  Jay says he has to be like a teacher with his alliance, keep them in line, keep reminding them what they need to be doing.  He knows the numbers are not in their favour and they have to stick together.

The reward winners return with the chest of ice cold 7Up to share with the rest of them, (I wonder how much 7Up had to pay for this episode... It was the 7Up Survivor Hour).

-Troy was worried about the 6 that were away, what were they talking about, is there a new plan - he's going to keep an eye on these girls and make sure they are sticking with Salani to the very end (well, they are sticking with the ORIGINAL Salani anyway :)

Tikiano - Day 22
It is a stormy day, overcast, windy, huge waves... they lost part of their shelter to the wind the night before and are trying to shore it up again when Tarzan took a piece of bamboo that was part of the wall and cut it up for firewood - Chelsea asks why he would take part of the wall when they have ample firewood and he turns on her, "someone just laid it there, it wasn't a piece of the wall, I'm not that stupid."  She is so passive aggressive - "I'm not even talking about it anymore." But her expression says, you Are that stupid. She comments to Troy, "The most educated people have no common sense."
-Tarzan tells the camera that people can tell when they are an irritant to someone and he feels that Chelsea has been subliminally harassing him (is that even possible?  How do you do that?)
-Tarzan is on a grumpy old man tear now - he complains to Troyzan that he didn't like her accusation and he tells him to just let it go - but Tarzan cannot just let it go.
-He confronts Chelsea and says he senses her aggravation with him and doesn't know if it's because he's a plastic surgeon and she had a bad experience with her plastic surgeon (WHAT!?!!)  That's her internal reaction too - she tells the camera she can't believe he brought up her boob job (good for her for admitting it) He's crazy.  She assures him that has nothing to do with it (she doesn't like you because you're an annoying old codger, doesn't matter what you do for a living.)
-Chelsea says if it were up to her she'd get rid of Tarzan as soon as possible but she knows you have to play this game with your head and they need to get rid of the bigger threats first, like Mike.

Double Rainbow... What does it MEAN?!? (And if you don't get that reference, you have to Google Double Rainbow.)

-Kim takes her opportunity to play Troy - she tells him that Mike is planting the seed that Troy's going to win and they can't let him get to the end.  She says Mike could get Alicia and Christina to vote with him and if they take Troy out then they'll take all of them out.  She says Mike has to be the next to go but we have to make sure he's confident he's staying.
-Troy says that really pisses him off - It totally worked - he rants to the camera that he can't stand that guy, he does nothing around there - if he wants to vote me out he's got another think coming.

IMMUNITY CHALLENGE
-They will race along a ladder bridge while maneuvering a bag of puzzle pieces along a twisty rope snaking in among the ladder rungs - first 4 people to get their bag of puzzle pieces to the end move on to the next phase - using the pieces to complete a very complicated Survivor puzzle - and it is complicated.  First person to complete the puzzle, wins Immunity!

Off they go - and the rain starts - the first 4 to make it to the next phase - Jay, Kim, Troyzan and...Alicia (oh, that was a surprise - but we all know how good she is at puzzles.)

Puzzle phase : there are 60 pieces to the puzzle - they are all different blocks of wood but on angles on one end and flat on the top - they have to place the pieces correctly to make it flat across the top...
Kim gets to the last piece but it doesn't fit... Alicia also on last piece but it doesn't fit... Jay was way behind but ends up pulling it out at the end - Slow and steady won the race - JAY got immunity!

Tikiano - Day 22
Jay feels it's only right that they vote out a girl tonight to get the numbers even again - it's his plan to vote out Christina tonight and keep his Salani alliance together.
-Kim has another plan and she confirms that Troy is still blinded by his dislike of Mike and she will be able to use Troy to take out the big frat boy banker tonight.  She is trying to make sure Jay doesn't get wind of it because she knows he'll try to talk Troy out of it and she wants to keep her options open - she may need those boys for another vote or two.
-Chelsea obviously wasn't in on that part of the plan because she goes and asks him, "Jay, what do you think about getting rid of Mike tonight?" (Arghh! No, Chelsea, leave it alone!)  He says to be honest he's scared of the girls and if they send Mike home, they'll send him next.  Chelsea says that's not necessarily true - Jay,"Is that your promise?"  And no one says anything!  Plus, Alicia and Christina were right there too.  (Oh man, now you have to be reassuring, you've gone and kicked the hornets nest, you can't just stand there stupidly!  Sheesh.)
-Jay is shocked she said it in front of Alicia & Christina - he's afraid that if he doesn't go along with the girls plan to take out Mike that they'll turn on him next (I think the men's days may be numbered no matter what they do now. I almost feel sorry for them.)

-Chelsea tells Kim and Sabrina what Jay said and Kim can't believe Chelsea made such an asinine move as to bring it up to Jay in front of the Manono girls... Jay and Mike have gone off together and the girls hit full on panic mode - Kim takes off to do damage control.  She comes up to them and just starts talking, doesn't let Jay get a word in and lays it out that they should vote Christina tonight and just pick off the Manono tribe one by one.  Jay says he is not getting a good vibe from the girls but Mike buys it no problem.  He thinks Jays just a worrier - Kim wants Christina and he's up for a good blindside (oh, if only you knew.) He goes on to say "I guess my tribe could blindside me but I don't see that happening" (and yet, I really don't feel sorry for him - AT ALL.)

-Now Kim goes back to Sabrina and Kat and says they have to decide if they are going to go with the all girl thing or stick with their Salani alliance because Jay freaked out and if they start taking out the men in their alliance there is no going back.  They leave us hanging as they head out for...

TRIBAL COUNCIL
Jeff asks for a truthful response: Who here is worried that it is them going home tonight?
-Nobody puts up their hand.
Nobody thinks it's them tonight?  So there are a lot of alliances and they all feel very solid and very loyal.  Tarzan do you get a kick out of the fact that someone is going home but no one thinks it's them?
-It just means that someone is very good at deceiving Jeff.
So Troyzan, if you got blindsided by your alliance would it really blow you away?
-I didn't bring my bags, so yeah, I'd be shocked.
Kim, you feel the same way? (She's the mastermind Jeff)
-It would blow me away.
Chelsea - Same.
Christina - yes, same.
Mike, same question - Definitely blow me away.  It would be a complete surprise.
Kim, where is the confidence coming from that nobody tonight thinks it's them?
(I bet she's thinking, just leave it alone you dimpled freak! But she says:) I think there are people that think they're part of an alliance that they are not actually a part of and that's where the confusion is setting in.  We had our original alliances but then we had time to set up new relationships - I think you always have to keep your options open but then know when to stick with a plan too. (Okay, vague enough to make everyone nervous or safe... well said puppet master.)
Chelsea, that's a very carefully crafted answer.
-I think in a way you may want to be aligned with two groups, maybe more and just see who has more trust and keep yourself with the majority so maybe it's good to have more options. (Hmm, she's not so reassuring.)
Alicia, does that add a whole other dimension because now it's 11 people and anyone could be coming for me?
-I definitely agree - I feel like right now we still don't know who's on whose side and it's going to take a couple tribal councils to figure it out and to see who is loyal to who and who's going to be the one on top.
Christina, 6 women, 5 men - is there any talk that it still might be men vs women?
-I'm sure yeah, but there's also the new alliances that they built as the new Salani and Manono tribes - I think that's why no one's really sure if they are going or not.
Tarzan raises his hand - Well, I hate to say it Jeff, but we're all just playing it because we know how important tonight is.  One would think that the allegiances we made before we came here were not so wishy-washy - and if we reveal too much it would ruin the whole thing.  So the game is afoot and that's why we're being so ambiguous it's our best bet - and therefore, you're being played.
So, I'M being played tonight?
-You bet, you're being played - I'm sure you sense that.  [everyone laughs]
Kat, it's a million dollar game on the line, we're about to vote and everyone is laughing at Tarzan.
-She says they call his rantics being Tarzan'd and Jeff just got Tarzan'd. (I like the terms 'rantics' even better.) And Jeff still keeps it going - (COME ON! Let's just get to the vote.)
Mike, at least one person is getting played - Blah, blah - he thinks his alliance is strong.

Finally Time to vote:
They don't show us who anyone voted for.

Tallying the votes:
No one plays a hidden idol

Christina - 1, 2

Tarzan - 1, 2 (who voted for Tarzan?)

Mike - 1, 2, 3, 4... it's starting to sink in... 5 - It's Mike that was blindsided, much to his chagrin. And with Mike leaving Ryan H, Kim B and Corinne H are out of the pool.

Next week: The women are in control of the game but the men fight back - they tell Kim the next 4 votes are coming her way, Troy works Christina and Jay works Kat for their votes... oooh, this could get interesting.

Mike's final thoughts: Do we really care? Nope. He does say he came out of the gate too hot and had been back pedaling ever since (I can agree with that - I've hated him since he stole the axe on day one... and I apparently hold a grudge :)

Christina and Alicia voted for Tarzan, Tarzan and Mike voted for Christina - everyone else was on board with Mike.

Have a great Easter weekend everyone,

Coleen