Amazing "Crazy" Race
This is the two hour finale of the 23rd season of the Amazing Race and they give us a little recap of the four remaining couples:
Jason & Amy - dating couple, model of consistency coming in second on 5 legs of the Race, they never seemed to fight that much and they finally came in first solidifying their place in the final four.
Travis & Nicole - married doctors, power parents, Nicole has a tendency to crumble under pressure but they still sailed into the final four right behind Tim & Marie.
Marie & Tim - proving you don't have to like each other to be able to work together, they have continually fought throughout the race and have earned themselves a spot in the final four.
Jamal & Leo - loud and in your face, they have survived two U-turns only to almost be eliminated last leg - they have eked their way into the final four but will face a Speed Bump this leg.
Indonesia - Jason & Amy are the first team to head out at 1:25am - they get the clue to fly to Tokyo, Japan. Once they land they will have to make their way to a certain temple filled with traditional ceramic cats with one paw raised, which invites happiness - here they will find their next clue.
-They first jump on the internet and research which flights are available before heading to the travel agency. They have a couple options and are just going to make sure Travis & Nicole and everyone else takes the same flight so they stay together as a group.
-Tim & Marie - heading out at 2:25am - They believe they are the strongest team still there - Tim thinks they are not only athletic but also smart... (Aahh... I don't know if I'd go that far.)
-Travis & Nicole - 2:26am - Travis is one of those guys that's good at everything, he's athletic and smart and not always that patient with Nicole when she proves to be human (I find him a little sanctimonious, so he's not perfect... just a competitive, athletic doctor with musical ability - you can't help but hate him a little ;)
Travel agency: Jason & Amy get on the second best flight she found that will get them in to Tokyo at 6:20 am the following morning, there was a 6:10 flight but it was all full - though she's sure the Afghanimals will find a way to get on it. (Don't be a Debbie Downer.)
3:19am - Leo & Jamal are the last team to depart - they aren't too worried about the Speed Bump, they have survived two U-Turns in the race so far. They are also used to being the underdogs and on their own, this leg will be no different.
Travel agency: Jay & Amy, Travis & Nicole and Tim & Marie are all strategizing on how they are going to keep the Afghanimals from winning - Nicole makes a pitch for them all working as a team of six instead of teams of two... and Marie is very quiet (I think she'll go along if it helps her out but if not, you are all on your own with her.)
-All three of these teams booked the 6:20am flight. Almost hoping the boys take a chance on riskier flights to help them out.
-Leo & Jamal book the same flights as everyone else but they are going to try and find better connections along the way - and find the 6:10 arrival flight - they get that earlier flight much to the other teams dismay.
Tokyo: First flight lands at 6:12am - Leo & Jamal hit the ground running and jump in a cab for the cat temple.
Second flight lands at 6:17am - I'm thinking that 5 minute lead is not going to take them very far. The other three teams run for taxis but there are only two taxis Jason & Amy and Travis & Nicole are the first teams to the taxis but they don't know the address of where they are going. Tim & Marie are asking someone to call another taxi and she reveals that she has the address but she's not sharing it unless the other teams wait for them. Travis is having none of that, let's just go (so what happened to a team of six? I'm sure in his mind Marie should have helped them and let them go first to be a team player.)
-The two cabs will not leave until the third cab shows up anyway so they are still all together and Marie is loving how mad everyone is.
-Leo & Jamal are the first team to the cat temple and they get the clue to the DETOUR: Knock it Down or Call it Up.
This detour gives the teams a chance to become a human bowling ball or make a phone call from inside an aquarium. Leo & Jamal are dying to be on a Japanese game show and they decide on Knock it Down.
-The other three teams arrive at the temple and Jason & Amy and Marie & Tim are thinking Knock it Down - Travis & Nicole, always different, are doing Call it Up. However, their cab drivers don't know where anything is, Tim, "Unless it's written in symbols." (Uh, that's called Japanese) and the drivers don't want to separate from each other - which is a problem when you're in a race for a million dollars.
-Leo & Jamal arrive at Tokyo Media City - they have to grab four human sized bowling pins, dress up in pink kimonos with birthday cake helmets (I love me some silly costumes) and then slide down on an inner tube to try and knock down all the pins. Once they score a strike, they'll get their next clue (a strike? That could be a challenge.)
-Jamal is the first one down but he only gets a few pins - back up the slide he goes (which seems to be the hardest part) and they switch. Leo goes down next but they have speed bumps on the slide down, it's hard to figure out where they'll land at the bottom - he also takes out only one side. Yup, this could take a while.
-Travis & Nicole get to the Call it Up park and the other cabs have followed them - Jason & Amy figure if they are there it only makes sense to do whatever detour it is, but they don't want Tim & Marie to stay because only two teams can do either of the detours at a time. While the Doctors and Boston are milling around pretending they are lost, Marie asks some local where the Media centre is and they get their cab driver to take them there - leaving the other teams free to Call it Up.
-Marie wants to take the risk that they know where they're going and the other teams don't - as soon as they see them leave, the other teams take off running into the park. Tim is so confused (yeah, smart like rock that one.)
-Drs and Boston come upon the phone booths where they have to make their calls and see they are filled with water and goldfish - Jason, "How are we supposed to make a call when the phonebooth is full of water?"
-One team member has to jump in the phonebooth from the top and make a call - then relay the information they hear over the phone to their partner, who then must pass it on correctly to get the next clue (oh, so it's really a game of telephone.) Oh, and they also have to put on silly swimming costumes (just so no one's left out.) Skimpy speedo bikini for Amy and speedo for Travis, with a clownfish hat on their heads (what is that? HAahah!)
Leo & Jamal are still not getting any strikes. They try applying some strategy and straight down the middle is the way to go - they get a strike before Tim & Marie even show up... and they get the clue to make their way to a fountain in (someplace Japanese) to get their next clue. They decide to fold their costumes up hoping that whoever comes next won't know they've already been there (that's smart.)
Phone booths - Amy's first attempt at the task she didn't take a big enough breath and could only dial the number before she had to come up for air - she didn't have time to hear the message. (Yikes, this also looks really hard.) On her second attempt Amy gets the message, "Welcome to Tokyo. Wasabi taberu." She climbs out the top of the phone booth and falls right on her butt (ouch!) but she passes on the message. Travis gets the message too and Nicole passes it on - both teams get the next clue to head for the fountain. And they're psyched because it didn't take them very long at all.
Bowling - Tim & Marie show up at the game show and they see all the costumes still nicely folded so they assume Leo & Jamal had some sort of travel disaster (it totally worked) and haven't made it there yet.
-First attempt Tim almost launched Marie right off the tube so she has to put her feet down - doesn't count. Tim's first time he only gets one pin... I hope they have a fast learning curve or they're in trouble.
-Marie figures a way to bank Tim off the side and gets him going really fast - STRIKE! They are in last place but don't know it, heading for the fountain.
-Jamal & Leo get to the next location and find their Speed Bump, they have to join a crew of zookeepers and try to catch an escaped rhino with nets... the rhino if fake, with two people manning it - and Phil tells us, 'Believe it or not, this is a real drill." (Oh Japan, you so crazy.)
-Leo & Jamal jump in and try to take over but they are supposed to be following the other zookeepers - it's just silly.
-Travis & Nicole and Jason & Amy get to the fountain and see that the Afghanimals are there - and they are excited, now they know where everyone stands. They read the clue to the ROADBLOCK: Pipe up or go home. They have large pieces of pipe that they have to assemble into a robot form. The example is 4 inches high, their robot is 10x that size. And it's the ladies doing this one (oh no, we all know Nicole is not good at these sorts of things.)
-Travis suggests that maybe they try to do it together... and Amy agrees (I see what he did there.)
Meanwhile, Leo & Jamal have completed the speed bump and Leo is joining the robot build. The girls are building both of them together, put a piece on one, a piece on the other. Leo is on his own but he's a puzzle kinda guy - he's doing alright. And finally Marie & Tim show up and she's not too happy to see the Afghanimals there - Marie has to do this one.
-In typical Marie fashion, she can't figure out where the example model is and starts demanding they tell her where it is, the girls ignore her but Leo tells her where the model is... (oh Leo, I think he just wanted to shut her up.) Marie is an animal with the model build, she catches up and passes Nicole & Amy, much to Jay and Travis' frustration.
-Leo is the first one who thinks he's finished- but he gets a fail because the buttons on the body were one the back not the front.
-They judge Nicole and Amy's too and they are wrong as well, they have the shoulder and hips pieces switched - that's going to mean a lot of tearing apart (oof.)
-Marie is the first person to get her robot right and gets the clue to find the roaming vending machine amid the hustle and bustle of the super crazy scramble intersection in the middle of Tokyo.
-Marie & Tim take off and Jason & Travis start bad mouthing their women - (you know, these two just need to shut their pie holes - they figure they would have had it knocked out in no time but the girls are useless - grr, that makes me angry.)
-Amy finally figures out the shoulder and hips issue and she rebuilds her robot but it looks like Nicole is a useless as usual, her's is all apart and Amy stays to help her much to Jay's further annoyance. And Leo still can't figure out his body is backwards.
Scramble crossing - Tim & Marie arrive and she's the loud mouth American, "Does anyone speak English?" "Where is the roaming vending machine?!" Tim just looks around and sees it - they run over and the machine dispenses their next clue. They have to make their way on foot to an ancient shrine - it's a Pit Stop, last team to arrive will be eliminated.
Here's How They Finished:
1) Tim & Marie - they won a trip for two to Aruba... since this was their second trip they are going to each get one trip.
2) Jason & Amy - sixth 2nd place finish - but they are in the final!
3) Travis & Nicole - he berated her horribly in the cab for not knowing how to do things (grr) they made it to the finals.
4) Leo & Jamal - **ELIMINATED** they were really disappointed but they had the best time of their lives and wouldn't change it for anything. "The Amazing Crazy Race."
And with the Afghanimals ousted, that also dashes the pool hopes of: Drew C., Michelle L., Lynne B., Heather G., and Kim A.
Final Leg: Tim & Marie are the first team heading out at 6:08am - they get the clue to fly to Juneau, Alaska - once there they have to take a marked boat to Grizzly Bar to find their next clue. (They're all going to be on the same flights.)
-We find out that before they started the race Marie had a contract made up for Tim to sign giving her a 60% share of any and all prizes won on the race. He doesn't really have a problem with that, you can't put a price on the experience of racing around the world and she says they are not a couple wanting to enjoy the experience together, they are there to win the Race!
-Jason & Amy - 6:15am - Jason is delusional, he says they are one of the best teams to ever run the Amazing Race... their second place finish record tied someone else... (doesn't make you the best dude.) Amy is feeling good that she had to help Nicole with the past couple challenges because now on the last leg, without help, how well are they going to do.
-Travis & Nicole - 6:22am - they know the agreement was every team for themselves on the final leg and they are visualizing themselves being the team that is celebrated as they cross that finish line first.
They are all on the same flight to Juneau - and when they land there is a mad scramble for taxis. The first one they see is taken but Amy asks him to call one cab for Jay & Amy only. Next cab they see, Nicole snatches it out of Marie's hands and then the one cab arrives for Jay & Amy... then Tim & Marie do get a cab right behind them.
-All teams get to the boats and they are racing on the water - they hit the beach and get the clue to the ROADBLOCK: simulate a supply drop from a bush plane. They will go up in the little plane and drop a bag of flour to hit a target on the ground - once they hit the target they'll get their next clue - if they miss is, they have to try again.
-All the girls are doing this one, Nicole is the first to drop and she misses the target (surprise) but not by much. Amy is next and she is way off. Marie is third she is also just a little short.
Nicole - 2nd attempt - way too late. Even she says, "What the hell was that?"
Amy - 2nd attempt - Bullseye! She gets the clue to 'put themselves on ice.' They will take a helicopter to a glacier and join an ice expedition, once on the glacier they must search for their next clue in the ice- once they find it they have to chip it out using an ice axe.
Marie - 2nd attempt - still way off.
Nicole - 3rd try - just a little late. Travis is more supportive today, he doesn't understand why she's struggled so much in the past couple roadblocks but the race is about teams and they are a team (oh, she had words with him last night I bet.)
Nicole and Marie keep trying, and they keep missing.
Jason & Amy have arrived at the ice expedition and when she sees they have to cross a deep crevasse, she's a little frightened (yeah, that's a little crazy.) Jason goes first and talks her through it, she basically tells him to zip it, "Let me concentrate baby."
Back in the bush planes: Marie finally hits the target and they get the clue to head for the glacier.
-15th attempt - Nicole still can't hit the darn target. Travis can't handle not being successful, and he's being swarmed by gnats!
18th attempt - Travis is feeling the million dollars dwindling away.
On the glacier - Amy's made her way across the crevasse and they are moving on going through an ice tunnel.
-Tim & Marie have arrived and they are ready to play catch up.
21st attempt - Nicole took a deep breath and finally let it go right in the bullseye! She says, "We have a lot of time to make up but you never know on the race" - Travis doesn't say anything, he can't even look at her.
-Tim is across the crevasse and Marie is climbing up the other side when Travis & Nicole arrive - they are all on the glacier but staggered - I don't know how much making up time there will be.
-Jason & Amy get to the ice wall and start digging out clues - they all seem to say 'try again' (seriously!?)
-Tim & Marie are making their way through the tunnel.
-Travis is across the crevasse but not confident that Nicole will be able to do it quickly (if at all. Can't blame him considering her track record.)
-Jason & Amy finally find the clue just as Tim & Marie show up - they have to hike down to the shore and take a tandem kayak to the marked island to find their next clue.
-Nicole gets across the crevasse on the ladder bridge but she doesn't get the hand pick seated well in the ice and drops one while she's trying to climb up (oh man, they are doomed.) But she shows that she's made of sterner stuff and she makes it up the other side with one pick!
-Tim & Marie are chipping out try agains - but he finally finds the next clue and they head for the kayaks.
- Jason & Amy are now in the kayaks heading for the marked island.
-Travis & Nicole are making their way through the ice tunnel.
Kayaks - Jason & Amy have a good rhythm going, they work well together. Tim & Marie get in the boat and right away they are both paddling on the same side, they aren't communicating...
-Jason & Amy get to the island after a mile long paddle and get the clue to take the helicopter back to Juneau and find their next clue at Blueberry hill trail head.
-Travis & Nicole are chipping out 'try again' s.
-Tim & Marie have reached the island and are helicoptering back to Juneau.
-Jay & Amy land in Juneau and grab a cab, Jay asks the driver if she speaks English (OMG, you're in the States - sometimes he's not so smart.)
-Travis & Nicole finally find the next clue in the ice and head for the kayaks.
-Marie & Tim get to Juneau and jump in a cab for Blueberry Hill.
-Jason & Amy arrive at the Trail Head and find a pile of totem pole pieces. Phil tells us they will have to build a wall of totem poles spelling out the currency from each country they visited on the race, arranging them chronologically. Once their money is in order, they will get their final clue and race for the finish line.
-Amy has written down everything they've seen, done, smelled... except the currency.
-Tim & Marie get there and they also have no clue on the currencies (this could be the break Nicole & Travis needed.)
-Speaking of which, they are in the kayak and he's telling her she's useless at that too - so she just stops (I wonder if he'll realize he's part of the problem, she quits because he's so critical and then he just does it himself - I wonder if their kids can do anything or if he does everything for them too.) But they get to the island and jump in the copter heading for Juneau.
-Totem Poles - Tim and Marie seem to have more of a handle on the currencies, they remember all but Abu Dhabi so they're hoping when those are the only pieces left they can figure it out. Amy & Jason are just trying to get pieces that line up - that could work.
-Travis & Nicole jump in a cab heading for Blueberry Hill and Travis blames all their troubles on Nicole's poor performance in the challenges - (way to be a team player.) They get to the totem poles and jump in... again, everything is Nicole's fault... he's doing everything himself and she's useless (yeah, you don't deserve to win.)
-Jason & Amy are the first team to finish - they get the clue to the finish line and take off.
-Tim & Marie finish right behind them and take off for the finish line as well.
And the winners are: JASON & AMY! After six second place finishes they pulled it out in the end and came in first when it counted. (But I still think they were a boring team.)
-Jason says, "It wasn't about winning for us"...blah blah... it was about doing their best every leg. (See, they even win boringly.)
But not boring for the winners of our pool:
Ozzy R., Sharon R., Sandy G., Vikki M. and Lindsay J. Congratulations everyone!
Second place is Tim & Marie - Phil asks her why she came on the race with Tim and she says it was because when she looked up the info on applying, the deadline was that day and he happened to be right there. But he was an excellent partner on the race. Everyone starts chanting, "Timmy, Timmy!" (He wins hero points for putting up with her.) Phil also brings up the financial agreement they made - the 60-40 split and Tim says the experience was worth more than the money. Marie says in some weird-friend way, they love each other. (They just don't luurve each other.)
Third place - Travis & Nicole: not what they wanted but they should be very proud. Phil asks what they think their five (yes, five!) kids will think of their performance - and Nicole says she hopes they'll be proud - but then she starts crying and apologizes for disappointing Travis. He says it's okay... she calls him out for getting down on her and he says he'll always love her no matter what... but he does expect her to be better than she is apparently. Nicole says she just hopes her kids know that things don't always go well, but they should never give up. (Exactly - way to bring it back around to a positive mom.)
So again, congratulations to our winners! It was another great season!
They also gave us a sneak peak at the next season starting in February - it will be All-Stars. Who will be coming back, I wonder???
Hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season,
Coleen
This is the two hour finale of the 23rd season of the Amazing Race and they give us a little recap of the four remaining couples:
Jason & Amy - dating couple, model of consistency coming in second on 5 legs of the Race, they never seemed to fight that much and they finally came in first solidifying their place in the final four.
Travis & Nicole - married doctors, power parents, Nicole has a tendency to crumble under pressure but they still sailed into the final four right behind Tim & Marie.
Marie & Tim - proving you don't have to like each other to be able to work together, they have continually fought throughout the race and have earned themselves a spot in the final four.
Jamal & Leo - loud and in your face, they have survived two U-turns only to almost be eliminated last leg - they have eked their way into the final four but will face a Speed Bump this leg.
Indonesia - Jason & Amy are the first team to head out at 1:25am - they get the clue to fly to Tokyo, Japan. Once they land they will have to make their way to a certain temple filled with traditional ceramic cats with one paw raised, which invites happiness - here they will find their next clue.
-They first jump on the internet and research which flights are available before heading to the travel agency. They have a couple options and are just going to make sure Travis & Nicole and everyone else takes the same flight so they stay together as a group.
-Tim & Marie - heading out at 2:25am - They believe they are the strongest team still there - Tim thinks they are not only athletic but also smart... (Aahh... I don't know if I'd go that far.)
-Travis & Nicole - 2:26am - Travis is one of those guys that's good at everything, he's athletic and smart and not always that patient with Nicole when she proves to be human (I find him a little sanctimonious, so he's not perfect... just a competitive, athletic doctor with musical ability - you can't help but hate him a little ;)
Travel agency: Jason & Amy get on the second best flight she found that will get them in to Tokyo at 6:20 am the following morning, there was a 6:10 flight but it was all full - though she's sure the Afghanimals will find a way to get on it. (Don't be a Debbie Downer.)
3:19am - Leo & Jamal are the last team to depart - they aren't too worried about the Speed Bump, they have survived two U-Turns in the race so far. They are also used to being the underdogs and on their own, this leg will be no different.
Travel agency: Jay & Amy, Travis & Nicole and Tim & Marie are all strategizing on how they are going to keep the Afghanimals from winning - Nicole makes a pitch for them all working as a team of six instead of teams of two... and Marie is very quiet (I think she'll go along if it helps her out but if not, you are all on your own with her.)
-All three of these teams booked the 6:20am flight. Almost hoping the boys take a chance on riskier flights to help them out.
-Leo & Jamal book the same flights as everyone else but they are going to try and find better connections along the way - and find the 6:10 arrival flight - they get that earlier flight much to the other teams dismay.
Tokyo: First flight lands at 6:12am - Leo & Jamal hit the ground running and jump in a cab for the cat temple.
Second flight lands at 6:17am - I'm thinking that 5 minute lead is not going to take them very far. The other three teams run for taxis but there are only two taxis Jason & Amy and Travis & Nicole are the first teams to the taxis but they don't know the address of where they are going. Tim & Marie are asking someone to call another taxi and she reveals that she has the address but she's not sharing it unless the other teams wait for them. Travis is having none of that, let's just go (so what happened to a team of six? I'm sure in his mind Marie should have helped them and let them go first to be a team player.)
-The two cabs will not leave until the third cab shows up anyway so they are still all together and Marie is loving how mad everyone is.
-Leo & Jamal are the first team to the cat temple and they get the clue to the DETOUR: Knock it Down or Call it Up.
This detour gives the teams a chance to become a human bowling ball or make a phone call from inside an aquarium. Leo & Jamal are dying to be on a Japanese game show and they decide on Knock it Down.
-The other three teams arrive at the temple and Jason & Amy and Marie & Tim are thinking Knock it Down - Travis & Nicole, always different, are doing Call it Up. However, their cab drivers don't know where anything is, Tim, "Unless it's written in symbols." (Uh, that's called Japanese) and the drivers don't want to separate from each other - which is a problem when you're in a race for a million dollars.
-Leo & Jamal arrive at Tokyo Media City - they have to grab four human sized bowling pins, dress up in pink kimonos with birthday cake helmets (I love me some silly costumes) and then slide down on an inner tube to try and knock down all the pins. Once they score a strike, they'll get their next clue (a strike? That could be a challenge.)
-Jamal is the first one down but he only gets a few pins - back up the slide he goes (which seems to be the hardest part) and they switch. Leo goes down next but they have speed bumps on the slide down, it's hard to figure out where they'll land at the bottom - he also takes out only one side. Yup, this could take a while.
-Travis & Nicole get to the Call it Up park and the other cabs have followed them - Jason & Amy figure if they are there it only makes sense to do whatever detour it is, but they don't want Tim & Marie to stay because only two teams can do either of the detours at a time. While the Doctors and Boston are milling around pretending they are lost, Marie asks some local where the Media centre is and they get their cab driver to take them there - leaving the other teams free to Call it Up.
-Marie wants to take the risk that they know where they're going and the other teams don't - as soon as they see them leave, the other teams take off running into the park. Tim is so confused (yeah, smart like rock that one.)
-Drs and Boston come upon the phone booths where they have to make their calls and see they are filled with water and goldfish - Jason, "How are we supposed to make a call when the phonebooth is full of water?"
-One team member has to jump in the phonebooth from the top and make a call - then relay the information they hear over the phone to their partner, who then must pass it on correctly to get the next clue (oh, so it's really a game of telephone.) Oh, and they also have to put on silly swimming costumes (just so no one's left out.) Skimpy speedo bikini for Amy and speedo for Travis, with a clownfish hat on their heads (what is that? HAahah!)
Leo & Jamal are still not getting any strikes. They try applying some strategy and straight down the middle is the way to go - they get a strike before Tim & Marie even show up... and they get the clue to make their way to a fountain in (someplace Japanese) to get their next clue. They decide to fold their costumes up hoping that whoever comes next won't know they've already been there (that's smart.)
Phone booths - Amy's first attempt at the task she didn't take a big enough breath and could only dial the number before she had to come up for air - she didn't have time to hear the message. (Yikes, this also looks really hard.) On her second attempt Amy gets the message, "Welcome to Tokyo. Wasabi taberu." She climbs out the top of the phone booth and falls right on her butt (ouch!) but she passes on the message. Travis gets the message too and Nicole passes it on - both teams get the next clue to head for the fountain. And they're psyched because it didn't take them very long at all.
Bowling - Tim & Marie show up at the game show and they see all the costumes still nicely folded so they assume Leo & Jamal had some sort of travel disaster (it totally worked) and haven't made it there yet.
-First attempt Tim almost launched Marie right off the tube so she has to put her feet down - doesn't count. Tim's first time he only gets one pin... I hope they have a fast learning curve or they're in trouble.
-Marie figures a way to bank Tim off the side and gets him going really fast - STRIKE! They are in last place but don't know it, heading for the fountain.
-Jamal & Leo get to the next location and find their Speed Bump, they have to join a crew of zookeepers and try to catch an escaped rhino with nets... the rhino if fake, with two people manning it - and Phil tells us, 'Believe it or not, this is a real drill." (Oh Japan, you so crazy.)
-Leo & Jamal jump in and try to take over but they are supposed to be following the other zookeepers - it's just silly.
-Travis & Nicole and Jason & Amy get to the fountain and see that the Afghanimals are there - and they are excited, now they know where everyone stands. They read the clue to the ROADBLOCK: Pipe up or go home. They have large pieces of pipe that they have to assemble into a robot form. The example is 4 inches high, their robot is 10x that size. And it's the ladies doing this one (oh no, we all know Nicole is not good at these sorts of things.)
-Travis suggests that maybe they try to do it together... and Amy agrees (I see what he did there.)
Meanwhile, Leo & Jamal have completed the speed bump and Leo is joining the robot build. The girls are building both of them together, put a piece on one, a piece on the other. Leo is on his own but he's a puzzle kinda guy - he's doing alright. And finally Marie & Tim show up and she's not too happy to see the Afghanimals there - Marie has to do this one.
-In typical Marie fashion, she can't figure out where the example model is and starts demanding they tell her where it is, the girls ignore her but Leo tells her where the model is... (oh Leo, I think he just wanted to shut her up.) Marie is an animal with the model build, she catches up and passes Nicole & Amy, much to Jay and Travis' frustration.
-Leo is the first one who thinks he's finished- but he gets a fail because the buttons on the body were one the back not the front.
-They judge Nicole and Amy's too and they are wrong as well, they have the shoulder and hips pieces switched - that's going to mean a lot of tearing apart (oof.)
-Marie is the first person to get her robot right and gets the clue to find the roaming vending machine amid the hustle and bustle of the super crazy scramble intersection in the middle of Tokyo.
-Marie & Tim take off and Jason & Travis start bad mouthing their women - (you know, these two just need to shut their pie holes - they figure they would have had it knocked out in no time but the girls are useless - grr, that makes me angry.)
-Amy finally figures out the shoulder and hips issue and she rebuilds her robot but it looks like Nicole is a useless as usual, her's is all apart and Amy stays to help her much to Jay's further annoyance. And Leo still can't figure out his body is backwards.
Scramble crossing - Tim & Marie arrive and she's the loud mouth American, "Does anyone speak English?" "Where is the roaming vending machine?!" Tim just looks around and sees it - they run over and the machine dispenses their next clue. They have to make their way on foot to an ancient shrine - it's a Pit Stop, last team to arrive will be eliminated.
Here's How They Finished:
1) Tim & Marie - they won a trip for two to Aruba... since this was their second trip they are going to each get one trip.
2) Jason & Amy - sixth 2nd place finish - but they are in the final!
3) Travis & Nicole - he berated her horribly in the cab for not knowing how to do things (grr) they made it to the finals.
4) Leo & Jamal - **ELIMINATED** they were really disappointed but they had the best time of their lives and wouldn't change it for anything. "The Amazing Crazy Race."
And with the Afghanimals ousted, that also dashes the pool hopes of: Drew C., Michelle L., Lynne B., Heather G., and Kim A.
Final Leg: Tim & Marie are the first team heading out at 6:08am - they get the clue to fly to Juneau, Alaska - once there they have to take a marked boat to Grizzly Bar to find their next clue. (They're all going to be on the same flights.)
-We find out that before they started the race Marie had a contract made up for Tim to sign giving her a 60% share of any and all prizes won on the race. He doesn't really have a problem with that, you can't put a price on the experience of racing around the world and she says they are not a couple wanting to enjoy the experience together, they are there to win the Race!
-Jason & Amy - 6:15am - Jason is delusional, he says they are one of the best teams to ever run the Amazing Race... their second place finish record tied someone else... (doesn't make you the best dude.) Amy is feeling good that she had to help Nicole with the past couple challenges because now on the last leg, without help, how well are they going to do.
-Travis & Nicole - 6:22am - they know the agreement was every team for themselves on the final leg and they are visualizing themselves being the team that is celebrated as they cross that finish line first.
They are all on the same flight to Juneau - and when they land there is a mad scramble for taxis. The first one they see is taken but Amy asks him to call one cab for Jay & Amy only. Next cab they see, Nicole snatches it out of Marie's hands and then the one cab arrives for Jay & Amy... then Tim & Marie do get a cab right behind them.
-All teams get to the boats and they are racing on the water - they hit the beach and get the clue to the ROADBLOCK: simulate a supply drop from a bush plane. They will go up in the little plane and drop a bag of flour to hit a target on the ground - once they hit the target they'll get their next clue - if they miss is, they have to try again.
-All the girls are doing this one, Nicole is the first to drop and she misses the target (surprise) but not by much. Amy is next and she is way off. Marie is third she is also just a little short.
Nicole - 2nd attempt - way too late. Even she says, "What the hell was that?"
Amy - 2nd attempt - Bullseye! She gets the clue to 'put themselves on ice.' They will take a helicopter to a glacier and join an ice expedition, once on the glacier they must search for their next clue in the ice- once they find it they have to chip it out using an ice axe.
Marie - 2nd attempt - still way off.
Nicole - 3rd try - just a little late. Travis is more supportive today, he doesn't understand why she's struggled so much in the past couple roadblocks but the race is about teams and they are a team (oh, she had words with him last night I bet.)
Nicole and Marie keep trying, and they keep missing.
Jason & Amy have arrived at the ice expedition and when she sees they have to cross a deep crevasse, she's a little frightened (yeah, that's a little crazy.) Jason goes first and talks her through it, she basically tells him to zip it, "Let me concentrate baby."
Back in the bush planes: Marie finally hits the target and they get the clue to head for the glacier.
-15th attempt - Nicole still can't hit the darn target. Travis can't handle not being successful, and he's being swarmed by gnats!
18th attempt - Travis is feeling the million dollars dwindling away.
On the glacier - Amy's made her way across the crevasse and they are moving on going through an ice tunnel.
-Tim & Marie have arrived and they are ready to play catch up.
21st attempt - Nicole took a deep breath and finally let it go right in the bullseye! She says, "We have a lot of time to make up but you never know on the race" - Travis doesn't say anything, he can't even look at her.
-Tim is across the crevasse and Marie is climbing up the other side when Travis & Nicole arrive - they are all on the glacier but staggered - I don't know how much making up time there will be.
-Jason & Amy get to the ice wall and start digging out clues - they all seem to say 'try again' (seriously!?)
-Tim & Marie are making their way through the tunnel.
-Travis is across the crevasse but not confident that Nicole will be able to do it quickly (if at all. Can't blame him considering her track record.)
-Jason & Amy finally find the clue just as Tim & Marie show up - they have to hike down to the shore and take a tandem kayak to the marked island to find their next clue.
-Nicole gets across the crevasse on the ladder bridge but she doesn't get the hand pick seated well in the ice and drops one while she's trying to climb up (oh man, they are doomed.) But she shows that she's made of sterner stuff and she makes it up the other side with one pick!
-Tim & Marie are chipping out try agains - but he finally finds the next clue and they head for the kayaks.
- Jason & Amy are now in the kayaks heading for the marked island.
-Travis & Nicole are making their way through the ice tunnel.
Kayaks - Jason & Amy have a good rhythm going, they work well together. Tim & Marie get in the boat and right away they are both paddling on the same side, they aren't communicating...
-Jason & Amy get to the island after a mile long paddle and get the clue to take the helicopter back to Juneau and find their next clue at Blueberry hill trail head.
-Travis & Nicole are chipping out 'try again' s.
-Tim & Marie have reached the island and are helicoptering back to Juneau.
-Jay & Amy land in Juneau and grab a cab, Jay asks the driver if she speaks English (OMG, you're in the States - sometimes he's not so smart.)
-Travis & Nicole finally find the next clue in the ice and head for the kayaks.
-Marie & Tim get to Juneau and jump in a cab for Blueberry Hill.
-Jason & Amy arrive at the Trail Head and find a pile of totem pole pieces. Phil tells us they will have to build a wall of totem poles spelling out the currency from each country they visited on the race, arranging them chronologically. Once their money is in order, they will get their final clue and race for the finish line.
-Amy has written down everything they've seen, done, smelled... except the currency.
-Tim & Marie get there and they also have no clue on the currencies (this could be the break Nicole & Travis needed.)
-Speaking of which, they are in the kayak and he's telling her she's useless at that too - so she just stops (I wonder if he'll realize he's part of the problem, she quits because he's so critical and then he just does it himself - I wonder if their kids can do anything or if he does everything for them too.) But they get to the island and jump in the copter heading for Juneau.
-Totem Poles - Tim and Marie seem to have more of a handle on the currencies, they remember all but Abu Dhabi so they're hoping when those are the only pieces left they can figure it out. Amy & Jason are just trying to get pieces that line up - that could work.
-Travis & Nicole jump in a cab heading for Blueberry Hill and Travis blames all their troubles on Nicole's poor performance in the challenges - (way to be a team player.) They get to the totem poles and jump in... again, everything is Nicole's fault... he's doing everything himself and she's useless (yeah, you don't deserve to win.)
-Jason & Amy are the first team to finish - they get the clue to the finish line and take off.
-Tim & Marie finish right behind them and take off for the finish line as well.
And the winners are: JASON & AMY! After six second place finishes they pulled it out in the end and came in first when it counted. (But I still think they were a boring team.)
-Jason says, "It wasn't about winning for us"...blah blah... it was about doing their best every leg. (See, they even win boringly.)
But not boring for the winners of our pool:
Ozzy R., Sharon R., Sandy G., Vikki M. and Lindsay J. Congratulations everyone!
Second place is Tim & Marie - Phil asks her why she came on the race with Tim and she says it was because when she looked up the info on applying, the deadline was that day and he happened to be right there. But he was an excellent partner on the race. Everyone starts chanting, "Timmy, Timmy!" (He wins hero points for putting up with her.) Phil also brings up the financial agreement they made - the 60-40 split and Tim says the experience was worth more than the money. Marie says in some weird-friend way, they love each other. (They just don't luurve each other.)
Third place - Travis & Nicole: not what they wanted but they should be very proud. Phil asks what they think their five (yes, five!) kids will think of their performance - and Nicole says she hopes they'll be proud - but then she starts crying and apologizes for disappointing Travis. He says it's okay... she calls him out for getting down on her and he says he'll always love her no matter what... but he does expect her to be better than she is apparently. Nicole says she just hopes her kids know that things don't always go well, but they should never give up. (Exactly - way to bring it back around to a positive mom.)
So again, congratulations to our winners! It was another great season!
They also gave us a sneak peak at the next season starting in February - it will be All-Stars. Who will be coming back, I wonder???
Hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season,
Coleen
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