Survivor Worlds Apart - April 29/15 Episode Recap

Survivor Russian Roulette

Last week Mike overheard a plot to take him out and in his horrible attempt to reveal and mitigate the threat, ended up turning everyone against him.  Dan won the pick a rock tie breaker at the auction to win himself the advantage of a second vote at Tribal Council, Will proved he wasn't such a nice guy by verbally attacking Shirin and Jenn ended up the next member of the jury.

Merica - Day 28
-Dan & Sierra are talking about how they almost felt bad for Mike but they still aren't about to turn for him and/or Shirin.  Dan tells the camera it may appear that he's on the bottom of his alliance but his seemingly passive game play doesn't mean he doesn't have schemes a-brewing.

-Shirin is still feeling the effects of, what she terms, Will's assault on her and when Dan comes over to see if she's okay she is wondering what is wrong with Will that he doesn't realize he's verbally assaulting a human being - is he really that mean or just that dumb?  She concludes he's just that stupid and then laments to the camera that his behaviour, unfortunately, makes him a great candidate to take to the end because no one is going to vote for him to win.
-Dan is trying to seem sincere when he tells Shirin he is truly sorry about what happened at tribal council to make her cry... then he tells the camera he may feel bad for her having violence in her past but that being said, she is a drama queen, a two-faced liar and she looooves to play the victim.  Dan also thinks she's a hypocrite - Will may have gone overboard but when she calls him names and has no gratitude or appreciation, he'd call what happened karma. (And I bet a lot of them feel that way - Shirin should know trying to play the sympathy card gets you nowhere in Survivor.  Criers Never Win.)

REWARD CHALLENGE
-They will be divided into two teams of four - they will have four barrels, two planks and a piece of rope with which they will
have to transport all four team members across three sections from one end of the field to the other - if somebody falls off or a plank touches the ground, they have to go back to the start of the section they're in - first four to make it to the other side will win Reward of: An afternoon sailing along the coast in a catamaran, eating bacon cheeseburgers and pie.

Teams:
Blue: Mike, Shirin, Sierra & Rodney
Red: Tyler, Dan, Carolyn and Will
-Blue - Mike starts by knocking the barrels on their sides and getting everyone across to one they keep standing up... then he rolls the barrels with his body takes the planks, gets everyone forward again and does it again - this can't go on, he's exhausted after the first section.
-Red takes the more traditional approach of keeping the barrels standing up and walking the planks between them - slower but in the long run, probably something they can sustain going through the sections.  Dan is a man possessed, he loves cheeseburgers!
-In the third section, Blue is discussing their strategy and Mike, just not thinking, puts the planks in the dirt - they have to go back to section two and start section three again (they had just started that section - but still, puts them behind.)  Sierra decides to just start barrel rolling, and encourages the rest to try the same go for broke method - but Mike and Shirin fall and there is no coming back.  Red team wins the Reward!

-Jeff remarks that the Red team seems subdued and Dan says he feels bad, Rodney hasn't been on any rewards... Jeff calls him on his BS, "Well, you could give your spot to Rodney." (I could feel Dan's panic through the TV) Rodney lets him off by saying he'll get his, and Dan is super relieved (Ha, Dan, fakey McFakerson - almost had to put his money where his mouth is.)
-Carolyn feels Dan is a loose cannon and she wants to make sure he's reassured so he doesn't get the inkling to go back to Mike, she can't be more pleased than to go on this reward with him.

Merica - Day 28
-The four challenge losers return to camp and make a meal of the last chicken.  Mike tells the camera the challenge was him doing all the work while everyone stood around and watched and that proved to be the losing strategy, but everyone is already mad at him so it doesn't really matter if he takes the blame, things can't get much worse for him anyway.

-Rodney is actually pretty p*ssed that he hasn't won a reward yet - he hasn't had one chance to get off that beach (well, you've actually had a lot of chances, you have just never won.) He starts going on about how he's dirty and hungry and miserable - he just needs some Rodney time. (What a princess, he's got an itchy beard and his nails are nasty - you can take all the spa-time you want after to win - so suck it up, Buttercup!)

-Sierra starts working on Rodney telling him that he better watch out for Tyler, if things keep going as they are: Tyler winning immunity and the way he's been playing, he'll get jury votes - he's going to win.   Rodney says they'll get Tyler out, he's got faith.  But she points out Shirin will vote for whoever they say, they can use her vote to take Tyler out and it makes her nervous that Rodney doesn't seem willing to do that.
-Rodney isn't buying what she is selling because she's saying Tyler is a threat when they should realize that Rodney is the one running the show, he's got the numbers, he's got the relationships (he's got the ego that's going to get him booted) - his plan is still to take out Shirin and Mike, get to the strong six and then Rodney will work his magic. (Right.  I think he's looking too far ahead and not giving everyone else sufficient credit... but we'll see.)

REWARD
They're on a boat!  Dan makes the the announcement that they won this challenge because there is no Mike in Team... (ugh, Dan just thinks he's so clever... get over yourself already.)  He's so glad he got to go on the Reward with these people, because they are his alliance right now and they all agree they can pause the game because there is no Mike or Shirin there.  Dan is ready to take Mike out - and basically tells them he didn't believe that they had planned to vote Mike out and had Rodney turned - so Tyler plays into Dan's hubris and confirms for him that Mike was being paranoid, they hadn't plotted against him... Tyler tells the camera his goal is to keep Dan focused on the flippers, those that don't
belong so he doesn't question their motives.  Dan is playing short sighted, he doesn't see past top six and that's the perfect place for him to exit the game in Tyler's opinion.

IMMUNITY CHALLENGE - Day 29
-They will have to hold onto a rope handle attached to 25% of their body weight - as time goes on and the weight becomes too much, the rope will unspool and if the weight hits the ground, it will tip a bucket of water to douse the survivor and take them out of the challenge - for today's challenge, the last man AND woman standing wins Immunity.  Shirin's jaw drops, this could be a game changer if both Mike and Shirin are able to win... what would they do?  (Of course, I don't see Shirin being able to do this...)
-They start and Jeff keeps talking... he informs them they are holding 25% of their body weight from day one... and today is day 29 so it's more than that now.
-15 minutes in and Sierra's rope is on it's last inch... she is the first one out.   Not long after, Tyler drops out.  Dan and Rodney have been struggling to spool their rope back in and succeeding... but it's Will who is out next, followed not long after by Dan, who apologizes that he gave it everything (whatever dude.)  Shirin says her fingers are numb (stop thinking about it... sheesh).
-We're down to Mike vs Rodney and Carolyn vs Shirin...  and Shirin can't hold on so Carolyn wins Immunity (darn it!)
-Dan is beside Rodney and he keeps talking to him, encouragingly but still - shut up, can't you see he's in pain?  Dan's telling him he's got it and Mike's twitching... so Rodney looks over at Mike (who still has a lot of rope spooled on his handle) and Rodney's break in focus nearly knocked him out (stop listening to Dan.)  And he digs back in... but it's not enough, Mike wins Immunity again! (and I think it'll be goodnight Shirin.)
-She knows it too - Shirin wished she could have held on and won so they could watch the 'axis of evil' scramble all day but now, it's she who will have to scramble to stay in it tonight.

Merica - Day 29
-Carolyn hugs Rodney and kind of whispers to him, "Can you imagine if they both had won?" (It would have been awesome for us to watch...) He's still beating himself up about losing to Mike again... but Carolyn is so happy, not just to have won immunity but that Shirin didn't win it.

-Mike & Shirin are away from camp and the rest just agree it'll be the easy vote tonight, no more discussion needed - they won't split the votes because then they'd have to vote for one of their own, doesn't make any sense - it's Shirin all the way.

-But then Shirin pulls Dan aside and lays it out as he expects her to do - she thinks they'd be extremely stupid to vote her out, she's not a threat in challenges, she's not going to win this game and yet they have real threats out there, namely Tyler...
-Dan, after rudely spitting out a mouthful of water (yeah, you really seem to be listening respectfully you goof) tells her he agrees with her...  And she cuts in, "If you had any power in this game, if you were truly strategic, you would figure out a way to not vote me out." (I don't think that will cut it, telling him he's powerless may rankle a little but he doesn't respect her opinion enough for that to spur him to action.)

-Next Shirin's working on Sierra and she takes a different tack with her - she tells her she has nothing, she is literally with her to the end, she's begging her to try and keep her there and take out Tyler tonight.  Sierra knows Shirin should be who they want to take to the end because she won't win and if she had two people backing her on her alliance, she would vote for Tyler tonight (but they just don't have the numbers to get it done, I fear.)

-Tyler knows that Dan has an advantage and he wants to find out what it is - so he steals Dan's bag... grabs it, takes it away to rifle through and bring back later (and that just rubs me the wrong way - I know nothing is sacred in Survivor but I still think going through people's personal things is really low.)
-Tyler reads the advantage and tells Carolyn what Dan's advantage is and then tells us he knows if Dan & Sierra woke up and realized how dangerous the alliance of four was, they could join Mike & Shirin and use the advantage to take Tyler out.

-Next we see Mike talking to Dan, asking how he feels - Dan says not good - they could easily whip out an idol, protect both of themselves and take Dan out... Mike says, yes, we could (and he
could! I forgot he has a hidden idol... but he won't waste it on Shirin.)  They get to the water hole and Dan has a filthy stinky sock on his shoulder (ewww) while Mike asks what if tonight is his last chance to take Tyler out? If Dan goes to the end with Tyler, he's not going to win.  Dan doesn't disagree with that... but then he just starts babbling and we get Mike's voice over that he's sad that Dan used to be his biggest ally and now he's not willing to give Mike a chance, he's disappointed Dan isn't the type of man he thought he was. (What a blowhard?  He's still that... a blind follower - maybe not so much.)
-Mike is starting to think his best strategy may be to give Shirin the hidden immunity idol tonight and shake things up.  "Let the chips fall where they may and maybe some of them will fall in his direction."

TRIBAL COUNCIL
-Jeff starts with Shirin sharing her personal history last tribal and she gets into it again, how she has no family because of the domestic violence in her childhood and Dan pipes up, "Not to take anything away from Shirin..." But he was an adopted child so he doesn't have a real family either, just his mother and his wife and all his family... Jeff asks if there was violence in his past and he repeats, "I was an adopted child..." like it's the same thing.  Jeff calls him on it though (love it) "Not to split hairs, but that is a very different thing."
-Shirin goes on that they don't seem to realize how very wrong Will's verbal assault of her was and Jeff asks Dan if that is just the way it goes when there is a million dollars on the line?
-Dan says, no, but he also wasn't there when it all went down and he apologized to her... but Shirin won't let it go - Notice nobody says that what he did was wrong and he's made no apology.
-Will says he's not going to apologize because it wouldn't be sincere.

-Shirin finally moves them along by telling Jeff he's going to see the stupidest thing tonight in her going home when they all know she's not a threat, yet they have someone here [Tyler] who has won an immunity challenge, who comes close every challenge [Tyler] and who will win a million dollars because everyone here is too afraid to make a move and it will cost them a million dollars.
-Tyler says, "At the end of the day, my alliance knows that I stand strong with them and without them I would be over there" [on the jury.] (That's it?)
-Sierra says Shirin's argument is 100% valid but she's only one vote... And Shirin's relentless:  if you don't have the power to change a few people's minds, perhaps you're not in the strong position in your alliance you thought you were in. (Jeez Shirin, she was on your side-ish, she's definitely not going to want to keep you around now.)
-Carolyn says they do have a six strong alliance but timing is everything in this game, if you try to make a move too soon, you could make the worst decision in your life (that certainly sounded like a threat to me - from the lady with the immunity necklace around her neck.)

-Mike knows he has to keep winning to stay in it but if he does win immunity one more time, they have to start cannibalizing themselves.  He pleads for his former Blue Collars to vote for someone who's name starts with "T" tonight.
-Tyler finally shows some emotion by calling Mike out, "And they'd listen to you because your loyalty has been spot on." (It has actually, he just let them convince him he didn't hear what he actually heard.) Sometimes looking at an alliance they need to realize they have a guarantee to the top six and all they have to do is shut up, put blinders on and don't listen to the nonsense and just eliminate people.  We play ball with people who are smart enough, and patient enough to just sit back and wait...
-Jeff says, "Or, if somebody realizes they are in the bottom, they would make a move because going out at six makes no sense, this game is too hard."
-Rodney pipes in that before the strong six it was the strong seven with Mike included but he flipped and made himself a target, things could have worked out much differently (uh, when did Mike flip? On you, when you plotted against him?)
-Dan has drunk the Kool-Aid, he agrees with Rodney totally, Mike's actions were the start of everything and now he's answering for the consequences of his actions, and likewise so is Shirin.  They'll say anything at this point because that's what desperate people do. (And Shirin does an eye roll with the tongue sticking out - priceless.)

-Alright  Jeff gives the desperate people a chance for any last words and Mike makes it count.  He pulls the hidden immunity idol out of his sock and says he and Shirin are not going home tonight - Shirin's voting for Tyler and he's voting for one of the other four... all three of them have to do is vote for Tyler and they'll guarantee themselves a spot because it's only going to take four once he plays the hidden immunity idol.
The No Collars on the jury are loving this bold action, and Shirin of course, but everyone else looks like their dogs just died....
-Jeff says this really is Survivor Russian Roulette - they can't vote Mike or Carolyn, he's going to give Shirin immunity and she's going to vote for Tyler and Mike's voting for one of the other four - they have no idea who... this is going to make for a very interesting vote.

Time to Vote:
Shirin votes for Tyler, "Just sit there and look pretty." (Ha!)
They don't show who Tyler voted for but he tells the camera he hopes this works...

Tallying the votes:
Anyone want to play a hidden immunity idol - Mike took his time but finally got up... then tells Shirin, "I love you girl." AS HE PUTS IT BACK IN HIS POCKET!  (Oh, man - that's what Tyler meant, they are going to call his bluff.)

Votes:
Tyler - 1
Shirin - 1
Dan - 1
Tyler - 2
Shirin - 2
Dan - 2
Shirin - 3
Final vote is Shirin - and she is still voted out... and weirdly excited to have her flame snuffed.  Everyone seems happy about the outcome of the vote except Dan you got two votes and should now realize he's on the bottom.

So with Shirin finally getting the boot, Elaine R., Chandra K. and Coleen T (oh yeah! I forgot Shirin was mine, oops) are out of the pool.

Next week: The six strong start to crumble with Dan wanting to know who flipped when it was obvious Mike was bluffing, Tyler admits when it was his name being bandied about, his only thought was he had to vote Dan.  And Rodney reaches his limit telling them to vote him out, he wants to be next on the jury (what?)

Shirin - has no hard feelings towards Mike, thinks it would be dumb if he had played it for her - they actually got a couple people to flip and you know who in fact is on the bottom. (Oh, it was Tyler and Will who voted for Dan, interesting... the rest stayed the course.) Shirin knows Dan is a sensitive guy and he's going to be upset he got votes - she can't wait to be part of the jury and see how it all pans out.

Have a great weekend everybody (it's my Friday, off for the GCT this weekend, Yay!)

Coleen

The Amazing Race - April 24/15 Episode Recap

Can I Get a Hot Tub

Last week was the two hour Africa extravaganza that took out my Olympians... enough said.

We opened right after the Pit Stop when the teams find out they are tenting again - and Hayley whines at Blair to set up her tent for her... and then they gave us a montage of her annoying non-stop nagging.
-They even showed all the teams eating together in camp and Matt offhandedly saying to Jenny & Jelani that their U-Turning them was just part of the game... the lawyers have their poker faces on, "of course." But they tell the camera if you're going to U-Turn a team, you better make sure they go home."  Jenny says they [Matt & Ashley] used their one U-Turn and it didn't make any difference, we're still here. (Hmm, I beg to differ there, you had to use your Express Pass so it wasn't all for not.) Matt says he knows they'll get him back if they have the chance and they all laugh (cause it's so true.)

- Laura & Tyler are the first out the next day, reading the clue that they are heading to Amsterdam!  Once they touch down they must make their way to Jagershuis and look for their next clue (in a bicycle shaped like a wooden shoe!)  They can't believe they're going all the way back to Europe (I bet everyone's on the same flight.)  And they said they enjoyed teaming up with Matt & Ashley the last two legs but they are a very physical team and they kind of go nuts so the calmer and cooler Laura & Tyler think they can use that to their advantage.

-Matt & Ashley - he is growing a play-off Race beard - he's going to let it grow until he wins the million... and the beard is craving the cool breezes of Amsterdam.

-Blair is bugging Hayley that they are heading back to the airport where she fell in love with the hunky pilot... they seem to have fallen into a sibling kind of ribbing which is kind of sweet (oh, what's wrong with me.)
-They don't show Jelani & Jenny or Mike & Rochelle heading to the airport but they are all there - boarding the plane.

Amsterdam, Netherlands
-They are all in cabs heading to their next destination and speculating on what they'll be doing - Tyler is 0 for 100 predictions but he's saying they're going to be in boats as soon as they get there... we shall see.
Jagershuis - Jenny & Jelani are the first to arrive followed right behind by Tyler & Laura - they get the clue for the ROADBLOCK: Who's got a nice set of klompen?
-Klompen are the iconic yellow wooden shoes of the Dutch.  In this task they will have to search through hundreds of klompen in the cobbler shop to find one that is decorated identically to their sample.  Once they have the matching pair, they'll get their next clue.
-Jenny is doing this one, "Oh, and we got date night." (That'll be a waste, these two are not a love match.)
-Tyler decides he's going to do this one even though he has no idea what klompen are.
And when they get inside we find out they have to change into the provided costume! (Yay! You know I love it when they have to dress up.) Apparently I'm not the only one, Tyler also likes to dress up - he lists the costumes he's had to don - Leiderhosen, Lady boy and Prince in Monaco - see, it's fun.
-More teams show up and Matt and Rochelle are also going to be looking for the matching klompen.
-They were not allowed to make any notes, they could only look at the shoe and then go in the other room FULL of the yellow shoes... and they are all decorated similarly (oof.)

-Jenny proves to have the eye for detail and they are the first to get the next clue, to ride bikes along the Amstel river to the Munttoren.
Of course once on the bikes Jenny is her fake self acting like she's on a travel show, "This is the perfect way to be introduced to Amsterdam." (Ugh, I really don't like her.)
(Oh, and I just had a thought, what if someone doesn't know how to ride a bike?)

-Back in the shop, Blair has joined the costumed klompen searchers... Matt is denied... Tyler is the next person to find the right match and they head out for a lovely bike ride.
-Inside, Blair is trying to screw with the others, asking Rochelle if she's using the heel heights or what... "There are different heights?" (NO, but he has Matt looking at the heels too - what a rotter.)

-We cut to the bike riders having a great time, look a windmill - and they have to take a ferry across the river - so Tyler's boat prediction kind of came true.

-In the cobbler hut, Hayley really thinks she's shouting encouragement when she's shrilly telling Blair to hurry up, we've got to catch up... he tells us sarcastically later, "yeah, it was really sweet."
-Blair is the next to get the right match and they head out for a lovely bike ride.  He's pointing out the awesome windmill, Hayley,"Oh my god the smell - it smells like poop."  Blair, "It's an amazing day out." Hayley, "It's so cold." (Holy Debbie Downer!  I bet he wants to push her in the river.)

-Matt is way too A.D.D. for the detail oriented work of finding that shoe - he keeps trying and he keeps getting it wrong.  Ashley is thinking she should have done this one.
-Rochelle, meanwhile, is taking a slow and steady approach... and she gets the right shoe.  They take off to ride bikes.
-Ashley is trying to tell Matt to just take a minute, take a breath, but he's manic... and he picks up the right shoe - AND PUTS IT BACK DOWN!  Oh no, all is lost.

-The bike riding pairs are taking the ferry one at a time so they are pretty evenly staggered as they have to wait for the ferry between crossings.  But once on the other side of the river Jenny & Jelani asked a woman for directions who may have sent them the wrong way.  Tyler & Laura seem to have made it to civilization quicker.

-Blair & Hayley getting off the ferry see that Matt & Rochelle are right behind them so Hayley says they really have to book it out of there - and then proceeds to slowly ride her bike and whine at Blair to wait for her because she's so cold (ugh, do you even listen to yourself? How is that booking it out of there?)

-Meanwhile, Matt's in a panic and it's just getting worse in the klompen search.

-Laura & Tyler are the first team to find the next clue box, and get the clue to the DETOUR: Soak or Shuffle
-In Soak, they must drive an electric powered hot tub through the waterways spotting a series of symbols along the way - once they solve the rhebus (symbol puzzle) they'll get their next clue.
-In Shuffle, they must go back in time and play a dutch version of shuffle board called Sjoelen - if they can score 51 points with their pucks, they'll score their next clue (oh, do they have to dress up for that too? All the extras are in 15th century garb.)
-Laura & Tyler decide to do Soak (I don't blame them, hot tub!)

-Back on the bikes it's the familiar refrain of Hayley, "Blair, you have to wait for me. Blair! Blair! (you'll have to imagine the whine.) So he finally gives in to her and slows down to ride side by side with her "like a teammate" and the next words out of her mouth, "Hurry, Blair, Mike & Rochelle are right behind us." (OMG! I can't, I just... argh!)

-Matt still can't find the shoe and Ashley is telling him not to give up, just bring every single shoe out...

-Jenny & Jelani finally get to the clue box (they wen't some crazy route, don't always listen to the locals) and they are also going to be Soaking.
-Laura & Tyler get to the hot tubs and they have to change - she into a bathing suit and he's going in his underwear (black boxer briefs).  This really looks too cool - they're in a hot tub, floating down the river... and Tyler's having too much fun flexing for the ladies along the side to be looking for symbols (I hope they haven't missed any.)

-Blair & Hayley get to the Detour clue and also choose Soak.  Blair takes the time to ask someone for directions and she's just shrieking at him that they don't have time for this (You don't have time to find out where you're going?... I am actively starting to hate her.)  They take off and see Mike & Rochelle - Blair high fives Mike and tells them they're on the right track - Hayley just keeps shrieking for him to pay attention to what they're doing.

-Mike & Rochelle are the only team so far choosing shuffle and being a person of size myself, I get it - I'm not wearing a bathing suit on TV if I don't have to... though I still think I'd rather do the hot tub boats (They look so cool.)

-Back at the shoe shop... Matt is so disheartened he's finally calmed down and when he goes to look at the shoe he's trying to match, he finally sees the subtle differences... Sheesh.  He finally gets the right shoe on his 43rd attempt!  Hallelujah!  Time for a bike ride.

-Laura & Tyler start finding the symbols:
II
III  (? not sure what the I's mean)
(Skis - is) + (square root of 64) + (ring - r) = skating
R + Splat(ink) = rink

-Jenny & Jelani see Tyler & Laura in the boat and can't figure out how they got there so fast - they head in to change.

-Blair & Hayley are lost as usual and of course it's all his fault according to her who doesn't listen or shut up long enough for him to listen... They turn around and he's to the point that he just laughs at her ridiculousness now. (Whatever you need to do to cope - he's going to have PTSD after this experience.)  She just doesn't stop, I can't even write it down, her constant barrage of negativity just makes me want to start rocking in a corner.

-Mike & Rochelle get to the shuffle board place and the old guys sit up, excited someone showed up I think.  This sjoelen game is sliding pucks along a shuffleboard which ends in four slots, 1, 2, 3, 4 - if they get a puck in each slot that's 20 points - they have to make it to 51 (ho boy, this could take a while).
-Rochelle goes first and she gets them 34 points (way to go), Mike's not so good at it but they had quite the cheering section, the guys watching were great.

-Matt & Ashley are riding to the ferry and he's just apologizing - she says it's okay we'll just have to try and catch up.

-Laura and Tyler are still trying to work out the symbols: I's lots of I's... I's - Ice, Tyler figures it out : Ice Skating Rink!  He's a smarty.  And they high five that the Olympians are gone if they have to go ice skating.
-Jenny & Jelani get in the hot tub and she keeps the robe on (seriously? I know it's cold outside but now you're in a sodden terry cloth robe, it's not going to keep you warmer.)  Let's see if the lawyers are as good at deciphering the symbols.
-Tyler & Laura get the correct answer to the puzzle, and the clue to the PIT STOP: Museumplein Ice Skating Rink.

-Mike & Rochelle get 50 points with their last puck! Oh, so close.  They have to try again (So it seems they both get to go and their total has to get to 51 points to get through - it resets when the first person goes again.)

-Matt & Ashley have just made it to the ferry (wow, they are soooo far behind.)

-Jenny & Jelani are figuring out the puzzle the same as Tyler & Laura... got the skating rink but what are the 5 I's?

-Blair & Hayley are finally at the hot tubs and she doesn't have a bathing suit, she's in a shirt and bathing suit and complaining about it of course.  They are gathering the clues - no one gets the I's.
-Jenny & Jelani get back to the dock and still don't know the first word, she thinks they should go again so they head back out to ask Hayley & Blair what they think it is.
-Hayley figures out it's Ice Skating Rink - so she can lord it over Blair some more that she's always right.

-Mike & Rochelle are enjoying the shuffle board, they're getting the hang of it - but still haven't reached the magic number.

-Blair & Hayley play dumb when Jenny & Jelani ask them what the 5 I's are - they say they don't know... (that's right, no help for you!)  They get the clue to the Pit Stop.
-Jelani suggests maybe it's Roman Skating Rink because of the Roman numerals and Jenny's on board (think about it people!)

-Matt & Ashley finally get to the Detour clue and choose Shuffle... hmmm, I don't think that's going to bring them back.
-Mike & Rochelle have finally hit the magic number and they get the clue to the Pit Stop.

-Matt & Ashley show up at the shuffle board place and Matt's a shark! He made 42 points all on his own... She only needed 9 points and with Matt's coaching she gets 6...

-Jenny & Jelani have finally gotten out of the hot tub but they don't know the answer - they start just putting down Skating Rink, then 5 I's skating rink... they are so over-thinking this.
-She wants to ask somebody on the street for the name of a skating rink around there... and the guy says, "An Ice Skating Rink?" Ice, Oh, Ice!  And they get the clue to the Pit Stop.

-Mike & Rochelle are pedaling blindly looking for Phil, they stop to ask someone for directions and find out they were heading in the wrong direction (Oh man!)

-Matt & Ashley finally make it to 51 points and get a rousing cheer from the crowd (oh, I love those 15th century shuffle enthusiasts!)
They head for the Pit Stop, knowing what's coming... but they've had the greatest time and will have stories to share with their kids, when they have them.

 Here's How They Finished:
1) Tyler & Laura - 2nd first place in a row.  They won a trip to Seoul, S. Korea.
2) Blair & Hayley - excited to be in 2nd place they do an awkward high-five hug thing... (they're getting it done even if she is the most annoying human on the planet.)
3) Jenny & Jelani - Phil points out that the first three teams to check in were all blind dating couples - how amazing is that?
4) Mike & Rochelle - They've been in the bottom since the beginning but they are going to keep fighting, "Everybody loves an underdog story."
5) Matt & Ashley - NON-ELIMINATION leg and they are not going home yet.  Ashley, "We're not having babies yet!"

Next episode: They head to Peru where they go to work at the Roadblock (looks like cutting down sugar cane with a machete) and come crashing down at the Detour (potatoes all over the ground.)  We're in store for more complaining and frustration, fun!

Have a great week everybody,

Coleen

Survivor Worlds Apart - April 22/15 Episode Recap

Pass the Popcorn

Last week, Shirin did some work to ingratiate herself with Mike & Sierra by voting with them and, even though Jenn wanted to go,  they took out super threat Joe.

Merica - Day 25
-We hear Rodney, "I have a really, solid plan..." then we see he's talking to Will, Carolyn and Tyler - and he proposes they take out Mike, right now, he'll never know it's coming... - except for the fact that Mike is hiding in the bushes and listening to them.
-Tyler basically tells Rodney to put a pin in it - they'll come back and revisit it... Tyler doesn't think it's a bad plan but he's also very cautious - (which means he's not going to win.)
-Mike now knows there has been a power shift, Rodney has flipped on his blue collar alliance and Mike has got a lot of work to do.

TRADER JEFF's
It's time for the Survivor Auction - they each have $500, bidding will be in increments of $20 - there is no sharing of items and the auction will end without warning - Let's begin.
-First item remains covered - Will wins it at $100, "It's probably grilled ass or something."  But it's actually a little scroll which he reads and it says, "You have just bought yourself out of this auction, pick up your stuff and go back to camp." (WHAT? That's so mean!  I bet he's wishing it was grilled ass instead of missing out on the fun all together. Sheesh.)
-Item two, it's fried chicken and waffles which Shirin gets for $300.  She said she didn't want to bid for an advantage and miss out so she just went for it.
-Sierra agrees that there are people that feel threatened who are probably going to hold out.  Jeff asks if anybody wants to admit they're not bidding on food - Mike, Dan and Carolyn put up their hands.
-Then Jeff brings up a fishbowl sized fruity drink with paper umbrellas and everything - Jenn gets it for $100.
-Sierra gets a plate of what looked like Maui ribs
-Rodney gets a steak (and they're not even showing them bid... I guess it's going to be all about the advantage.)
-Before they get to the advantage though, Jeff tempts them with one more thing... Love - notes from home to help get them through to the end and they close up on Dan who starts tearing up right away.
-Shirin tells them in the past whatever is bid, Jeff lets everyone else buy their letter for the same price so Sierra bids $20 bucks and Jeff tells them they all can buy their letters for $20... which puts Dan, Mike and Carolyn in an interesting position (someone should buy Will's letter for him...)
-Carolyn proposes they all agree to spend the $20 and still fight it out for the advantage, Dan begs Mike, PLEASE... and Mike says he'll do it but he insists that everyone go before him ... Dan is crying because he loves his wife like you read about (Oh, I bet she's proud of how you talk to, and about, women out there) and we see Mike contemplating making a huge dick move... and he actually does it, he didn't take his letter in order to keep the $20 - Even Jeff seems shocked, "Wow."

This was all before the opening (I know!)
Back from commercial..
-Dan and Carolyn are livid and she tries to give hers back but before Jeff can tell her no take backs, Mike can't go through with it and he stalks over and buys his letter saying he can't do it, it goes against who he is as a person... (if you were really such a great person, you'd buy Will's letter too.)
-Finally Jeff brings out the advantage and Dan, Carolyn and Mike all bid $480.  Jeff brings them all up, they all draw rocks... the winning rock is white and the advantage goes to: Dan. (Crap - I don't like that guy, even crying about his letter from home can't make me like him.)
-Dan tells the camera that Mike's little stunt broke his heart and he may have lost his trust.

-Now that the auction is over - we catch up with Will who is so upset that he spent $100 to get himself kicked out of the food auction.  He walked back to camp, devastated, but then he saw that there was a clue for him... He unrolls the scroll and it's a simple map with an X and the word "DIG".  So he follows the map and they've even put a stake in the ground where he's to dig... he finds a buried cooler inside is a stash of secret rations, enough to see him through to the end of the game (jar of electrolyte power, a jar of dried fruit and I'm not sure but the third one may be beef jerky.)  Without any hesitation, Will says it's better to give than to receive and he brings it all back to share with the tribe. (Aw, watch them vote him out anyway.)

-The rest of the tribe returns and Will does a big reveal with the rations and tells them to dip in - Dan tries to say no, it's his, but Will tells him he'll do what he wants to with his food.  You don't have to twist Dan's arm, he's in.

-Mike, meanwhile gravel-whispers to Sierra that Rodney flipped and that's why he almost didn't buy his letter - then he pulls Dan aside and says he's going to blow it up right now...
-Mike takes the floor and announces to everyone that he overheard conversations he wasn't supposed to hear and he knows that Rodney has flipped and there are going to be 4 votes against him at next tribal.. and he points to Tyler, Carolyn, and Will (none of whom will look him in the eye) then he quotes Dan's famous line, "Flippers - Never - Win."
-Rodney turns it around, "Who did I flip on?  You're still here!"  He tells him he's ruining their moments with their letter from home because he's going crazy right now, "You better relax, bro."
-Mike is still trying to talk but every word he says Rodney just keeps yelling, "you better relax," "You Better RELAX!"
-Mike, "I know what I know."
-Rodney, "You just lost you're damn mind."

They are all denying it like crazy and they are all mad at Mike for having the worst timing ever - he's ruined the crying episode!
-Mike apologizes for ruining the moment for everyone as he slinks off to read his letter on his own.  He tells the camera he's just hoping his strategy of outing the others works (what strategy is that?  You have a hidden idol, you could have let them vote for you and worked the numbers to take one of them out.)  I think Sierra was right, this was just a symptom of being exhausted and hungry and paranoid - if he was thinking straight, things would probably not have worked out this way.

-Rodney is now in damage control mode and he's going after Dan's vote while he's most vulnerable, blubbering over his letter from home.  Rodney says, "He almost didn't let you have this moment." (Oh, like you're not letting him have it right now.)  Dan agrees Mike's gone over the deep end, he seems to be buying Rodney's line of bull and he's hurt by Mike's ruining the moment (what? I think they've all gone wonky... If Rodney is able to beat them with his mind, you know all's not right in Denmark.)

Advantage - Dan then takes a moment to open his advantage and it tells him that he has bought himself an extra vote.  When he chooses to use the vote he must announce it at Tribal Council when Jeff says he's going to tally the votes - Dan will make his extra vote and it will count for that Tribal Council.
-He's flabbergasted, he thought it would be an advantage in the next immunity challenge but this is like the Willy Wonka Golden Ticket to him - Somehow Dan thinks he's in the know enough to make an extra vote count.

Merica - Day 26
-Mike is talking to Jenn & Shirin on the beach questioning Will's magnanimous "gift" of the rations - if it was in a box like he said, where's the box? (I wondered why he didn't bring the box, but I think he might not have been able to get it out...) the girls agree that they think there was probably more. (Really you guys?)
-Jenn then goes back to camp and announces it like it's fact, that there was more food.
-Tyler tells Will that Jenn & Shirin were questioning about the food and he's mad!  He's already on nine because he didn't get a letter from home and then these ingrates question his integrity when he did a generous thing, "It's on!"
-But when he gets back to camp with the box to show there was nothing else in it, Shirin is the only one there and he just lights into her - she sits dumbfounded... and then he starts the personal attacks that no one likes her and he can guarantee there is no one at home missing her...
-Mike finally shows up and tries to take her out of there - no one else is saying a thing, they all have little smirks on their faces and Will goes way too far...
-Shirin reveals in voice over that her family was torn apart by domestic violence and she was verbally abused throughout her childhood so this got her very worked up.  Mike finally pulls her away and they go hide in the rocks somewhere so Shirin can have a good cry and they share with Jenn what happened. 
-Jenn can't believe Will went there - she tells the camera she's been wanting to go home but now, because these people suck so much, she thinks maybe she should stick around just to mess their games up as much as she can.
-Mike's going to keep working every angle he can until something breaks or he goes home.

IMMUNITY CHALLENGE - Day 27
Jeff asks how everyone is doing and they all give the perfunctory, 'pretty good' except Will who says, "Not good."  He tells Jeff that not getting his letter from home gutted him and he asks if he takes himself out of the challenge, risking being voted out and losing a million dollars, he'll do that if he could get his letters, because his family means more than the money. (Um, you're going to be going home to them, they're not being held captive like you're never going to see them again.) 
And they show Shirin's stony faced expression. 
Jeff says if everyone agrees that Will sits out of the challenge in exchange for the letters, he'll have them sent to camp for him... but every single person needs to agree.  He asks if anybody there objects... and Shirin raises her hand, "He bought what he bought at the auction, he missed out on the letters. That's how the game works." (And he acts affronted that she'd dare to do that, seriously dude, that's your own damn fault.)  And now we'll see if angry Will does any better at challenges than regular Will.

The Challenge - they will use a set of long metal tongs to carry a ball over a series of teeter totters - when they reach the end they'll place the ball on the stand and head back for the next ball.  If at any time they drop the ball or fall off the teeter-totter, they'll have to go back to the start.  First person to get all 6 balls on the stand wins Immunity.
-Off they go and we quickly see those tongs are not made for easy handling of the balls - they're very heavy and they are rounded steel so the ball slips out easily.  Will is the first one to head out but he drops the ball and everyone after him too... Tyler is the first one to get a ball across and then they all start to get a handle on it.
-It's Mike & Tyler...  and in the end MIKE Wins Immunity! Just when he needed it most  - and only Jenn & Shirin celebrate.
-Jeff says it's probably going to be an interesting afternoon, especially with Will and Shirin and Will's running his mouth again, "Bring the popcorn, baby.  It's going to be the best Tribal EVER."

Merica - Day 27
-Mike does the happy dance when he gets back to camp and Carolyn is rolling her eyes.
-Rodney's game plan is shot and he's talking to Will, should they take out Shirin - Will says no, make their lives miserable - Jenn is the bigger threat cause she's good at challenges.
-The whole group gets together and they're talking splitting their votes, three for Jenn and three for Shirin - and they do it over and over until one of them goes home.  Carolyn says it's Survivor 101, "They - Can't - Win."

-Mike asks Jenn & Shirin who they would rather vote out Carolyn or Tyler, the girls say Carolyn because they don't like her as much.  Mike is pretty sure that Sierra's not with him anymore, she won't even look at him but he's not so sure about Dan (don't trust Dan.)
-Jenn says she wants to stay in this game because she doesn't like those people and she wants to vote them out - but if it's going to work it's up to Dan, "Who is dumb as a box of rocks."  Her entire game is in dumbass' hands.

-Mike starts working on Dan - "you can't tell me you don't see those four as tight."  Dan says he saw them all as tight and now Mike has gone and aligned himself... Mike said he had no choice but he's only given his word to Dan & Sierra and he'd stay blue strong 1 million percent.

-Carolyn is worried that Mike still thinks he's got Dan.  Rodney says "they don't got Dan."  But the longer he's out talking with Mike, the more paranoid Carolyn and Tyler get.   Carolyn says Dan has not proven himself to be very smart in this game and if Mike's successful in getting to him, she might have to use her hidden immunity idol.

-Mike is laying it on Dan thick - do you trust Rodney, who all of a sudden is everyone's best friend, who Dan had called the most vile and disgusting person he'd ever met - or Will who attacked a 29 year old woman, coming into camp calling me [Mike] a b*tch (Oh yeah, Mike didn't like that, and Will did the "Did I stutter")... They don't have your back, man - I have your back.  They are just using you. We built this camp with our bare hands, I've sweated and bled with you. It comes down to who do you trust.  
-When he has Dan all broken down with his home truths, he asks if Dan would be willing to vote Carolyn tonight.

-Dan says Mike could be right and the other four are just going to sell them down the river - or Mike could have just lost his damn mind... but what upsets Dan the most is that he's the swing vote, the last thing he ever wanted to be.
-Dan is back in camp scaling some fish and the rest of them descend - literally they circle around him and Tyler tells him they were all questioning his loyalty today.  Dan, as usual, plays it horribly - and lashes out at them - saying that no one dictates his destiny to him, how he votes will be his choice. (I don't really blame him though, I'd probably have yelled at them to leave me alone too.)
Dan knows he's about to make a million dollar decision or a million dollar mistake.

TRIBAL COUNCIL
Jeff starts with Will since he promised a popcorn worthy Tribal.
-Will says he didn't get to eat and he didn't get his letters so he was upset but then he shared his secret stash and Shirin questioned his generosity it set him off and he blew up.
-Shirin pipes in that it went way beyond the incident of her questioning if there was more food Will didn't share - he started to personally attack her.
-Will - I didn't personally attack you.
-He said I had no family, no one likes me
-Will - that's true.
-That I have no soul and he has to pray for me
-Will - that's true. (Are you serious? He just needs to shut up.)
-Shirin who is full on crying by this point says why don't we talk about why I have no family - she brings up the domestic violence and how she was verbally abused - like yesterday when all these people just looked on like it was entertainment. (Ooh, good shaming there - but I think the rest of them really do dislike her enough that her tears mean nothing to them.
And I just gotta say - people who break down crying at Tribal Council never win - she should know that.)
-Jeff moves them along by asking Sierra how their different viewpoints have shaken out by day 27.
-She says they are worlds apart - what you have here is 9 individuals that are deprived, starving, wanting a million dollars and they are all fighting for themselves at this point.
-Dan says it's very tough thinking he may have to votes against blue collars - as a super fan you think you can put your emotions aside and play the game but that's crap (and that makes Tyler sigh very heavily) Dan continues - you get out here and you get to know these people and we bonded over a lifestyle. (That makes Rodney raise his eyebrows too.)
-Mike says he needed Immunity more today than ever because these people had decided he was a threat.  He says there is a four core alliance right now: Rodney, Mama C, Tyler and Will - those four will walk to the end of this game.  Sierra, Dan, you two are going home fifth and sixth.
-Rodney makes a 'you crazy' face - and he goes off that Mike almost made them not get their letters by taking his twenty dollars back (Mike -"they already had their letters") and then he ruined them reading the letters by going off at camp.  That's why he was on the chopping block, and they are all nodding because I'm keeping it real.
(Mike should have rebutted that he had overhead them scheming before the auction, but he let it go.)
-Shirin knows she and Jenn will be getting votes against them tonight because Mike has immunity.  She knows it's four plus two against three and Carolyn is shaking her head like none of this is true - when all of it is true.
-Carolyn says what they've established here is when you have a six strong alliance, and you're picking out the other alliance - it's a no brainer, you're not part of the six... (What did that even mean?)
-Dan says he'd be stupid not to listen to the pitches, you have to weigh out your options, it's not just about getting to the end of the game, it's how you get to the end of the game and who you put [on the jury.]

Time to Vote:
Carolyn votes Jenn
Rodney votes Shareen - just because you know every single season of Survivor doesn't mean you can play the game sister.

Tallying the Votes:
Anybody have a hidden immunity idol they'd like to play?  Carolyn looks over at the three but no one looks at her, so she doesn't play it... (oh please.)
-Jeff says he's going to read the votes and they showed Dan take a breath like he might ask for his extra vote... but no (psych!)

Votes:
Jenn - 1
Shirin - 1
Jenn - 2
Shirin - 2
Jenn- 3
Carolyn - 1
Shirin - 3
Jenn - 4... 5 and it's JENN voted out tonight.  (Damn it!  Those people really do suck.)

And with Jenn leaving us, Nenad M., Lee B. and Shelley A. are out of the pool.

Next week:  Mike is running out of allies as they show Dan telling him he's way more of a threat now and Tyler turns on Dan, going through his bag and reading his advantage - he shares with Carolyn that Dan gets an extra vote (I hate that so much - I wish they put in a rule about going through peoples personal things... but maybe I'm just too soft for Survivor.)

Jenn's final rant - a lot of people suck super hard - she thought Will was a nice person but he's shattered now - She really hates Mama C and Dan is so fake... (And I just have to put in an aside - why did Shirin and Mike vote for Jenn?)  She says she can't really wait to see the rest of this tribe destroy each other, she just hopes they're not on the jury soon so she doesn't have to see their faces. (Ha, tell us how you really feel :))

Have a great rest of your week,

Coleen

The Amazing Race - April 17/15 Episode(s) Recap

Back in Business

Last week the teams arrived in Monaco in style; Blair & Ashley proved that once they stopped fighting they could win a leg and Jeff & Jaclyn made a surprise exit.

This episode started by showing us Tyler & Laura's date night in Monaco (which is very pretty), they are genuinely having a great time together but their heads are still in winning the race.

-Blair & Ashley are the first team to head out at 12:35am - and they read the clue to head to Windhoek, Namibia.  Phil tells us after a 10hr flight to Namibia, they will sign up for a flight on a bush plane... heading for the desert.
-Blair teasing/warningly says to Ashley they are going to continue to race like they did last leg, right? Right, that was just a preview of what's to come.

-Steve & Aly 12:41am - They are hoping to improve on their transportation issues.  And  they realize that everyone is going to be on the same flight at 9:55am.  Once all the teams get to the airport, they all print their tickets and go look for a quiet place to sleep for the night.

Namibia - they land and run for the guys with the bush plane signs - they also happen to be the pilots.  Steve & Aly get number one... and Blair & Hayley get the last place #6 - and I think the honeymoon is over as she is berating and belittling him for choosing the more comfortable seats on the plane which had them disembarking last... he says the only saving grace is that Hayley has a crush on their handsome pilot so maybe that will shut her up (at least in his presence.) (Hayley could not hide her true colours for long it seems.)

Bush flight #1 - Steve & Aly - they're not sure what's in store, maybe a safari? 
Flight #2 - Jenny & Jelani - wow, that is a small plane - I'm pretty sure I would not fit in that backseat.
Flight #3 - Matt & Ashley - he just wants to see some lions.
Flight #4 - Laura & Tyler - she's a little scared of the small plane.
Flight #5 - Mike & Rochelle - ah, they don't fit on one seat together... see it's not just me, it's tight in there.
Flight #6 - Blair & Ashley - she's still excited about the hot pilot and is at her flirty best - Blair just wants to get racing (and I'm sure he's glad she's got something else to focus on so she'll leave him alone.)
Elephants! Giraffes... this is so cool. 

-Steve & Aly land on a dirt strip in the middle of nowhere... but there happen to be a line of Ford vehicles waiting - and they get the clue to drive themselves to the Bushmen Village, along the way they have to pick up a salt lick.  They go to get in the truck and it's a right-hand drive... so they have to remember to drive on the opposite side of the road as well (which could be an issue if there were actual roads.)
-All the planes are landing and the teams are heading out in the trucks.  Matt looks a little freaked out to be driving on the wrong side of the car.  Tyler & Laura get the date night again, it's their third time, Laura says they're going to be sick of date night soon (really?)
-Steve & Aly find the pile of salt licks by the side of the road, he jumps out to pick one up and it's really heavy (cinder block sized block of salt) and they try to scramble away from there before another team comes.
-Jenny & Jelani (who are wearing matching pink bandana's around their heads - how adorable) find the bricks of salt - she runs out and just picks up a broken piece of one (hmm.)
-Matt & Ashley find the pile and she picks a small one too - he's not sure if that's enough but she says it's fine.
-Tyler & Laura aren't sure what salt licks look like and it appears they missed the huge pile by the road.

Steve & Aly get to the Bushmen Village and their ROADBLOCK clue is written on the side of an ostrich egg, "Who's Feeling Grassy?"
-Aly's turn to do the roadblock so she smashes open the hollow egg and reads the instructions inside - she has to help a bushman build a grass hut to earn her next clue.  Aly's not very happy about having to do this task but the decision has been made (suck it up.)
-Jelani is doing this one... and Aly's still complaining.
-Matt is also doing it... Aly, still mad and making it known (wow, has she been taking some lessons from Hayley - she's not a role model!)

-Mike & Rochelle's bush plane lands and they have another stick shift to drive, this time on the wrong side too - and Mike can't even get the truck started.
-Blair & Hayley are the last team to land and they have no trouble getting their truck going... they drive away leaving Mike & Rochelle behind... she finally takes over and gets the truck started, but still leaves it to him to drive (I don't get it, she's totally capable, just lacking confidence, it seems to me, but whatever, I'm not their shrink.)

-Back at the grass hut building - Aly is still complaining at Steve and he's taking it - I think someone needs a nap or a Snickers, it's just not like Aly to be such a pill.
-Jenny is yelling at Jelani to hurry up - no surprise there.
-Ashley is in awe watching the bushmen build their hut, Matt is ADD as ever stabbing the ground to make a hole (he's a bit of a spaz).
-Laura & Tyler get to the village and he's going to do the building.

-Blair & Ashley get to the Bushmen Village without a salt lick so they ask Steve if the salt lick was before this and he tells them it was right near the beginning - so they take off heading back for the salt.
-Tyler is starting his digging and he tells Laura to find out if they should have picked up the salt lick already - so she goes and asks helpful Steve (who is probably just happy not to be listening to Aly complaining for 2 seconds) and he tells her they should already have the salt lick. So Tyler & Laura pack it up and take off looking for the salt too.

-Blair & Hayley pick up their licks and have now passed Tyler & Laura who get there right behind them.  Hayley's always glad when they're back in business due to someone else's error.

-Mike & Rochelle finally show up at the Roadblock and she's going to do the building.

-Jelani & Matt are already starting to bend the sticks and get the structure together while Aly is still digging holes and complaining - this is not her finest hour - if she would just shut up about it and get it done, people wouldn't be passing her.
-Tyler is the first one to finish his house (wow, that was quick!) and they get the clue to drive themselves to the Ranger HQ and look for the head ranger to get their next clue.
-Matt, Jelani, Aly - are the next teams out.

-Tyler & Laura are the first team to drop off their salt lick and get the clue for the DETOUR: Track or Pack
In Track - they must use telemetric technology to track an elephant - once they find the pachyderm, the field guide will hand them their next clue.
In Pack - they must prepare a bucket full of wildebeest meat then drive out into the wilderness and feed it to a pack of hungry wild painted dogs.
-Tyler & Laura are doing Pack.  Matt & Ashley, also doing pack.
-Jenny & Jelani decide on Pack as well and for a minute he thinks of using their Express Pass but then decided against it, they're doing well.
-Then we get to see them all hacking up sides of meat (mmm, I bet that smells special.)

-Steve & Aly get to the Ranger station with their huge salt lick and Aly seems to be back to her good natured self, laughing at their huge block - the Ranger tells them there are no Pack spots left so they have to do Track.

-Back at the hut building - Blair finishes his hut and they leave Mike & Rochelle in the dust.  She's saying this is really hard on her hands, (Wah! Get it done.)

-At the Ranger station Blair & Hayley want to do Pack but, no more room, so they are doing Track... and Hayley is back to her old self - "Are you sure you can do this?", he says yes. 
Are you really sure?
I've said it a few times. 
You don't have to pull an attitude, I'm really serious... (OMG!)

-Steve & Aly may have gotten a bead on their elephant - and they saw a giraffe in the meantime.

-Back at Pack - everyone is still cutting up meat but they finally get full buckets and start heading out to feed the dogs.

-Rochelle is still building the hut but she's finally on to the grass - and the rest of the tribe came over to dance and cheer her on - that was nice - she was okay with the sympathy cheer.  Finally they get the clue and head for the ranger hq.

-Out on the safari, Aly gets distracted watching zebras instead of watching the elephant tracker... and they bicker a bit (this has been a hard leg for Aly.)

-Pack - Laura & Tyler are the first team to arrive at the dogs and they just start chucking meat into the dirt.  Matt & Ashley are right behind them and Matt asks what would happen if he jumped down - the guide says they'd eat him right up (okay, good to know, just stay in the truck.)  Looks like Jenny just wants to dump the bucket over the side and go but they do have to throw it by hand (leave it to the lawyer to look for the loophole.)
-Tyler & Laura and Matt & Ashley are neck and neck getting the clue to the Pit Stop - Spitzkoppe - red rocky outcroppings.

-Mike & Rochelle drop off their salt lick and choose Pack.  They are able to do it because the other teams are all gone.  And they start hacking up some meat. Rochelle is vegetarian so this is grossing her out - Mike says it looks delicious (ha!)

-Track - Steve & Aly are still bickering and needless to say, Hayley is yapping at Blair to let her do something and he's trying to ignore her, which only makes her talk more... sigh. (We had one leg of peace.)

-Teams driving to the Pit Stop are following the signs to Spitzkoppe which say 215km... is it really that far?  This could be a car race to the mat.

-Mike & Rochelle are feeding the dogs and she at least found it worth cutting the meat to see the dogs.  They get the clue to the Pit Stop.

-Steve & Aly, finally working together, they find their elephant and get the clue to the Pit stop.

-Mike & Rochelle get back to the trucks and see there are still vehicles there - so they know they're not last and take off to try and keep it that way.

-Blair & Hayley finally find the elephant as well - with him at the controls and her shutting the heck up.  They get the clue to the Pit Stop.

-On the road to the Pit Stop, Matt & Ashley are leading the way when Tyler & Laura pull over to look at the map and make sure they know where they're going - this sends everyone into a tizzy - Matt & Ashley, who are in the lead, think they missed something and try to reverse back, then get out of the car to find out what's going on... Tyler & Laura just laugh and Matt's mad that he second guessed himself (JUST GO!)

-Steve & Aly are on their way and she's saying how disheartened she is to be at the back of the pack then she tells Steve he's driving too close to the side of the road - he's had enough of her attitude today and says she's welcome to drive... as he hits something and blows a tire.  Harpy Aly takes the opportunity to basically say "I told you so." (Why are my Olympians falling apart?)  They get out to try and change the tire and Blair & Hayley pass them (Damn it!)

-Convoy to the Pit Stop - Matt & Ashley stopped to ask directions and Tyler & Laura passed them.  Jenny is telling Jelani he doesn't need to follow them, she thinks they should turn but everyone else went straight.
Mike is just driving, he has no idea where he is or where he needs to go and Rochelle is no help, "Uh, I don't know."

-Meanwhile, Steve is still changing the tire - they added a challenge to the Race - Aly thinks it's only fair since she had to build the hut (Wow, she really needs to let that go.)

-Blair & Hayley are hoping at least one other team isn't as good at navigating as they are so they can make up some time - he's sure at least one team isn't as good as they are. (Ah, there's the doctor ego.)
-Jenny & Jelani are lost, they didn't follow the other cars.
-Tyler & Laura are the first team to see the sign to Spitzkoppe 30kms, and Matt & Ashley are right on their tails.  Once they get to the rocks, they can see Phil up on the rocks but no one's sure how to get up to him... Tyler is ready to do some rock climbing but Laura holds him back and...

Here's How They Finished:
1) Matt & Ashley - they were the more daring rock climbers and won $5000 each.
2) Tyler & Laura - she was looking for the stairs - but at least they have the date night again.
3) Hayley & Blair - he thought it was awesome, her flirting with the pilot, anything to keep her from screaming at him... which she denied she did.
4) Jenny & Jelani - They were amazed to not be last.
5) Mike & Rochelle - Also so surprised to not be last.
6) Aly & Steve - they went from first to last but Phil didn't say the word... that's right it is a Non-Elimination round (Oh thank Godupus!)

It was two hours... so there is more: Look At Those Guns
They slept in tents at Spitzkoppe so they were already out in the bush for the next leg. 
-6:47am - Matt & Ashley read the clue and Phil tells us that Germany colonized Namibia centuries ago so some of the locals still speak the language - they will be driven out of the back country to the town of Swakopmund - once there they must find the bookstore, pick up a local paper and search the German text for their next clue.  Caution U-Turn Ahead. (oooh)
-Matt & Ashley want to work together with Tyler & Laura this leg to U-Turn Jenny & Jelani for that time she ditched them (couple legs back.)
-Hayley & Blair they say they have more trust in each other, knowing they'll both work hard to get the tasks done. 
-Jenny & Jelani - are not happy to see there is a U-Turn ahead, she's sure Matt & Ashley would U-Turn them in a second... maybe time to bust out their Express Pass this leg.
-Mike & Rochelle- this experience has changed their lives and they want to keep going.
-Steve & Aly are leaving last but they're optimistic - they had a tough leg last time and they're looking to turn things around today.

Bookstore - Matt & Ashley and Tyler & Laura are looking through the paper - Laura spots the red and yellow flag in a picture of a bush plane but the text is in German so they head to the nearby hotel to see if someone can read it for them - all passing the guy right by the door who is reading the same paper (think maybe you could ask him?)
-Blair & Hayley get the paper, find the ad and ask the guy reading the paper to translate (there ya go.)

-At the hotel, the first two teams find out they're heading to a skydiving club... then Blair & Hayley find out too and it seems everyone is excited to be jumping out of airplanes.

-Jenny & Jelani get to the bookstore and have a lady inside read the clue to them.
-Mike & Rochelle overhear and ask the same lady to help them with the translation.  Steve & Aly get there right behind them - it's a German off.

-Skydiving place?  They get to where they were directed to drive and find a clue box - ROADBLOCK - Who's Always Wanted a Skybox?
-The Travelocity Roaming Gnome is going to oversee the dropping of a supply box into the desert then tandem skydive to wait for the team members on a rocky hill - the team members must track the box to find where it landed (over a mile away in the rocky desert) and when reunited with their partners, they can open the box to get their next clue.
-Laura & Ashley are going to do this one.  Laura thought she was going to get to jump out of a plane but instead it's running through the desert.  Ashley doesn't look too happy about it either.
-Hayley was also excited to skydive... but they see the boxes coming down as they drive up and more crushing disappointment.
-All the guys are laughing that they were trying to make the girls happy and let them skydive, and then it's actually running in the desert... They are so bad, but it is kinda funny - if you're not the one out looking for a box in the desert.

-Jenny & Jelani get a flat tire - there's a nail in it - they stop at a gas station to have someone else fix the tire for them (figures).  She knows the other teams want to U-Turn them so she's riding the poor guys to fix the tire fast (maybe try being nice to people for a change, just a thought.)

-Aly is whining at Steve again that he wrote the directions in a confusing way, she's not sure if it's straight or turn - so they stay straight (uh oh - pull it together you two!)

-Laura and Ashley find their cases and head to the top of the hill to pick up their gnomes...then they run back to the boys.  Hayley gets her case and heads for the hill.

-Ashley is the first back and the clue tells them to head to Snake Bend Pan to search for their next clue - Matt is already putting up pictures at the U-Turn in his head.
-Tyler & Laura are right behind them and make effort to hide the fact that they are working together - this makes Blair a little anxious - he thinks everyone is on the same page to U-Turn Jenny & Jelani but you never know.
-Everyone is driving away when they see Mike & Rochelle driving in - which is exciting because they left after Jenny & Jelani.

-Roadblock - Mike is going to do this one.
-Jenny & Jelani get there right after and wonder if they should use the Express Pass - they figure other teams have already left, they should do this one and save the Express Pass in case they get U-Turned so they would still only have to do one task.
-Jelani finds his box before Mike... poor Mike is struggling up the hill to get the gnome.

-Steve & Aly get there and find their Speed Bump - they need to make a toy airplane out of repurposed soda cans.  Luckily there are kids there to help Aly figure it out.

-Matt & Ashley, followed closely by Tyler & Laura, are the first teams to the DETOUR clue - Work or Play
-In Work - they have to drag 5 huge tires behind their vehicle to smooth out the ruts in 5 miles of road - once the foreman deems it travel worthy, they'll get their next clue.
-In Play - they get to cross-country sand ski (what? Craziness!) they get a crash course from a world class sand skier, then they have to follow a marked path up over and around the dunes then sled down to get their next clue.
-Matt & Ashley are going to have some fun and do the sand skiing.
- Laura has skied once in her life (more than me... I know, I know) but they are going to do Work.
-Hayley doesn't like skiing at all, so she crushes Blair's dreams and they go to do Work.

-Matt & Ashley are having fun with the sand skiing in the beginning... but it soon becomes pretty hard to go up the dune.

Work - They have to first unstack the huge tires and chain them together, then attach them to their vehicle - this task definitely is work.
-Tyler is able to move the tires on his own and Laura gets to chaining as the Bickersons arrive (that's what Laura called Blair & Hayley and it's perfect.)  The tires are a bit more challenging for Blair.

Roadblock -Mike nearly pukes and or passed out on his run back to Rochelle with the case but she is proud of him, he never gave up and she thinks she couldn't have a better partner on the race and/or in life - she thinks when they get home it may be time for him to meet her son (Wow, that was a lot to go through, I hope the kid is pretty special...)

Speed Bump - They finally get all the planes built and spending time with the kids put Aly in a better mood... But you better believe she made Steve do the running in the desert.
Unfortunately, Steve was too busy looking at the compass on his watch to pay attention to where the box actually dropped and he takes off running in a very wrong direction. (Oh man, this is my team and I was saying to someone I thought this could be my year... looks like I jinxed myself.)

-Matt & Ashley are finding the Sand Skiing is more work than fun - Ashley had a bit of trouble at one point but Matt talked her through it and they got to the top of the dunes - now they have to ski along it...

-Steve finally finds the case in the desert and picks up his gnome - but they are in a pretty deep hole, time-wise and Aly knows it.

-Tyler is having too much fun driving with the tires dragging behind the truck... while Blair is hating life as he's stuck in the truck listening to Hayley berating him for no reason other than she doesn't think he's a good driver.  Laura wonders if Hayley's yelling at Blair as they pass each other (they are leveling the same stretch of road) and Tyler says he hopes so... that can only be good for all the other teams if Blair & Hayley go home because he finally decides to kill her.

-Matt & Ashley ski along the top of the dune and are awestruck by the view... they come to the Roaming Gnome and a guy appears telling them to take off their skis and he shows them how to slide down the dune on a piece of cardboard - WHEE! Except Ashley got sand all up in her grill.  They are the first team to get the clue to make their way on foot down the road... to the U-Turn board. 
-Tyler & Laura are the next team to get the clue and run for the U-Turn board as well.

-Jenny & Jelani get to the Detour clue, choose Play but then hand their Express Pass to the ski guide and get the clue to head to the U-Turn Board.
(I was wondering if both the teams ahead of them U-Turn them, would they still need to do both sides of the Detour?  Probably a rule against that.)

U-Turn - Matt & Ashley U-Turn Jenny & Jelani because they had the Express Pass - and then they get the clue to the Pit Stop - to find Phil in the middle of the Goanikontes Oasis.
-Tyler & Laura get to the board and pull out Blair & Hayley's picture... but then decide to U-Turn Steve & Aly instead (WHY? They are so far behind already?! My poor team.)

-Jenny & Jelani get to the board and see they've been U-turned so they have to go do the Work side of the Detour.  Jenny can't be surprised but she's still mad.

-Pit Stop - Phil tells us, just or fun, they can choose an exotic animal to bring with them to the Pit Stop (just for fun? Bring along a zebra?)

Work - Mike & Rochelle are getting their tires together - Mike's glad he's got the strongest girl out there for this one.  Jenny & Jelani get there and she's her pushy self - Mike feels sorry for Jelani.

-On the way to the Pit Stop - Tyler & Laura choose a zebra to bring with them - and Matt & Ashley choose an Antelope/Ibex? (not sure exactly what it was) ... which proves to be more docile - the Zebra gets all riled up and tries to kick Tyler, yikes.

-Work - Mike & Rochelle get the clue to the Pit Stop followed closely by Jenny & Jelani - Mike & Rochelle don't want to be Matt & Ashley right now - Jenny can be mean.

-Steve & Aly get to the Detour and decide to do Play, they are both excited to be skiing (they are winter sport athletes after all) but it's sad for me because they are so going home.

-On the way to the Pit Stop - Mike & Rochelle choose a zebra not realizing what they're in for - it starts running and bucking and almost took away Mike's ability to have children.  They decide to switch animals.

-Jenny wanted to ride the camel in but she is only allowed to lead it, and it's named David, which is her father's name, so she's leading her dad to the Pit Stop.

-Instead of the zebra, Mike & Rochelle decide to bring a donkey - because that's a less stubborn animal - and they fall back a place.

-Steve & Aly get to the U-Turn board and get the bad news - off to Work they go. 

 Here's How They Finished:
1) Tyler & Laura - their first first place - they won a trip to New Zealand.
2) Matt & Ashley - they've been planning to U-turn Jelani & Jenny all along.
3) Blair & Hayley - they say today was pretty smooth sailing (oh no, he's getting used to it.) Oh and they brought a camel along.
4) Jenny & Jelani - she's gunning for Matt & Ashley now.
5) Mike & Rochelle - the donkey wasn't much better for them.
6) Steve & Aly - They brought a camel to their *** ELIMINATION ***  They had so much fun and wanted to go farther in the Race.  Aly thought they should have won the whole thing but they took themselves out, you're welcome [other teams.]

They slowly lead Dave (the camel) away into the desert. (well not quite, but that would have been a good visual.)
And with Steve & Aly's elimination, that took Heather G., Emily H., Donna P., Susan N., and Coleen T. out of the pool (Boo!)

Next week they head to Amsterdam - take a hot tub boat through the canals (what?) - have to dress up again, (I see wooden shoes) - and Hayley is yelling at Blair again (surprise).

Have a great week everybody,

Coleen

Survivor Worlds Apart - April 15/15 Episode Recap

Livin' on the Edge

Last week, Joe kept up his winning streak which kept him in the game and they teased us with the girls possibly teaming up to take out Dan but all for naught, Hali was the one to go home.

Merica - Night 22
They return from Tribal Council with Dan & Shirin still fighting, he's being his condescending self "I can't believe a super fan like you doesn't know the difference between flipping and a blindside" - Shirin,"you're so right, you know so much better than me."  Absolutely no love lost between these two.  Shirin says she's voting for Mike to win at the end and Dan says, "Yes, because you'll be on the jury." (Just shut up you donkey, didn't you learn when you piled on Sierra how that can come back to bite you?)
Shirin tells the camera she's just hoping that Blue starts to fracture sooner rather than later, if there is one willing to turn they have to capitalize on that....  cut to Rodney saying he doesn't agree with Dan that flippers never win, flippers win at the right time with the right blindside.  Rodney don't need no more friends, he needs zeros in his bank account... he's going to take out Mike, Dan & Sierra and they won't even know it's coming.
-Jen is talking like she's over this game, she says she's kinda stoked to be voted out.  Shirin totally understands where she's coming from but for selfish reasons she wants her to stay in the game because Shirin wants to stay in and she wants to go far.  Shirin says she's got to prove herself to try and gain a new alliance.

Merica - Day 23
-Shirin goes to Mike & Sierra - she tells them her numbers are done, her back's against a wall and she needs a new option, "I want to work with you guys."
-Mike says he'd be willing to entertain that thought but he'd have to be able to trust her.  He tells the camera no one would expect him to pull Shirin in so it could be to his benefit.
He asks her who her first target would be and she says Carolyn, she's got Will and Rodney in her pocket and Tyler is totally with her - Mike says he can see that and realizes Shirin is smart enough to see that there is a division within their group.  So, he's going to give her a name before next tribal and she's to write it down to prove she's with him.
-Shirin is willing to vote as they want her to vote for now, she's not in the drivers seat but she could be backseat driving.

REWARD CHALLENGE
They are out on the water for this one and will be divided into two teams of five.  On Jeff's go, one person per team will dive in the water and make their way through a series of obstacles - there's a balance beam, a net run, climbing up a big slide down... once the person gets to the end platform the next person will go.  Once all their team members reach the platform, one team mate will use a grappling hook to retrieve rings out in the water - first team to get all five rings wins reward: The Chocolate Cafe - Snickers, M & M's, Twix, Dove chocolate... I think some of them were actually crying. 
Then Jeff gives them each ONE M&M to whet their appetites.

Teams are: Blue: Mike, Shirin, Dan, Sierra and Tyler
vs: Red: Rodney, Carolyn, Will, Jenn & Joe

Off they go... Mike & Rodney start it off and they rip through it - Rodney takes a fall at the very end of the balance beam but made it - Next were Dan & Will - Dan slips and falls hard on the slide, Will kind of oozed over the top and slid down like a lifeless dummy... Dan makes it the rest of the way and Will takes his time before starting across the balance beam then slips and wipes out at the end... but makes it - out go Tyler and Carolyn he's got quite a lead but they both fall off the balance beam and have to start over, he makes it, she doesn't.  Blue has the lead but Shirin loses it for them on the balance beam (she has no balance that girl) and Jenn passes her easily.  Joe makes it at the same time as Shirin and Sierra is the last person for Blue. 
They both start grappling hooking the rings and it's back and forth... but it's BLUE winning the chocolate and they celebrate like fools.

Jenn has a little "whoa is me" moment and Joe basically tells her this is what we signed up for, suck it up buttercup. (Funny, because she was like that with deaf chick in the beginning, losing Hali seems to have taken all the wind out of Jenn's sails.)

REWARD
-They walk up to the chocolate bar and they are all just stuffing their faces with chocolate.  Mike has a nostalgic moment with his first snickers bar... and on a sugar high, Sierra says she loves them all.  Shirin tells the camera she is the luckiest person out there being on the reward and hopefully finding new life with Mike & Sierra.

Merica - Day 23
-Losers get back to camp and the boys have decided they're going to eat one of the chickens.  Well Joe and Rodney are talking about it and Jenn is sulking because she's made pets of the chickens and nobody asked her if they could kill a chicken.  She says this would suck less if the people sucked less.  None of this is fun, I've got nothing out here except for despair (wow, melodramatic a little?)
-They're all gathered around the fire and high on chicken it seems when Rodney breaks out his Mike impression and has them all laughing (he nailed it!  See, Jenn, you can still have some fun.) Joe sees this as an opportunity, part of Rodney does not like Mike and Joe's looking at how he can use that to his advantage.

Merica - Day 24
-They get tree mail that tells them they have to keep on their toes to win.  Joe's ready to go 4-0 but Jenn is ready to go home and she wants to take matters into her own hands to make sure that happens - she tells Joe if this challenge gets down to just the two of them, he should let her win so she can give him the necklace - It'll be hilarious! (It'll be hilarious if you don't give it to him.) He tells her he wishes she would change her mind, he doesn't want her to go... but he's totally willing to double his chances at the challenge if she's going to offer him immunity, he'll take it.

IMMUNITY CHALLENGE
-They have to balance on their toes with a block wedged between
their head and the top beam.  The longer the challenge goes, the more fatigued their legs become and if the block drops, you're out.  Last man standing, wins immunity.
-Off they go - they cannot touch the sides of the structure, it's just toes and head... and Joe is the first to wobble... but it's Carolyn who is the first to drop his block, followed quickly by Will and then Shirin.   Joe nearly lost the block again but he saved it... Rodney drops, Dan drops and makes a big show, not at all mindful of Jenn who is right beside him (Dan's an idiot)... Joe's in an awkward position but he's holding it... Sierra falls out... and Joe is out - Jeff has to rub it in, "Joe will be vulnerable for the first time at tribal tonight."  So we're down to White Collar Tyler, Blue Collar Mike and No Collar Jenn - Mike is the next to lose it and we're down to Tyler and Jenn who are both pretty solid.
-30 minutes in - they're both still there but getting a little wobbly - Tyler has a fly buzzing around his face but it's Jenn who loses the block and TYLER wins individual immunity.
-Jenn fought so hard to win her ticket out - but she's still got a plan to get herself sent home and screw up everybody else's game.

Merica - Day 24
-Joe knows he's livin' on the edge again - he knows he's on the chopping block but he's going to fight until the bitter end.
-Shirin is constantly running the numbers and she knows there are 7 on the one side and the three (Joe, Jenn & Shirin) on the outs - with a possible hidden idol in play the seven will split their votes probably four for Joe and three for Jenn, if Joe and Shirin vote for Jenn that will send Jenn home instead of Joe and screw everyone's game - Jenn looks all dreamy, "Could ya?" She knows it's wrong to want people to vote for you but she just doesn't care - she wants to go and if she can help Joe stay and screw with the others, that would be her perfect scenerio.
-Then we see the seven making exactly that plan - four for Joe and three for Jenn - Mike wants to make sure that 'the goat' (who would be Jenn in this instance) doesn't go home tonight, he's going to tell Shirin to vote for Joe.
-So Mike does tell Shirin to vote for Joe and she knows she's being tested -  she has to choose between voting for a friend who
wants to go or helping get rid of Joe, who is the bigger threat.  Shirin is just reveling in the fact that she could really rock the vote tonight.
-Joe's back up plan is to go make himself a fake idol.  He's socked away all the materials he needs and as a pretense to leave camp without everyone checking up on him he pulls Dan off with him to make his fake plea - Dan says there is nothing he can do and he walks away but as soon as he's out of sight Joe takes off running to his stash and, being a jewelry maker, he's fashioned a piece of wood, some beads and some twine into a passable necklace.
-Mike meets up with Dan and asks where Joe is - when they realize he's gone, the search is on... Mike not wanting anyone to know he found the hidden immunity idol has to pretend it's still out there and they don't want Joe to find it.
-Mike is the one to find Joe and Joe tries to make a deal with Mike saying he will give him the hidden immunity idol and vote for Jenn tonight if he will guarantee that the numbers will be in Joe's favour.  Mike says he'll have to have the hidden immunity idol before tribal but Joe says if Mike does switch his vote, he'll give him the idol tomorrow... (I'm pretty sure this is not going to fly.)  Mike has the idol to the clue that Joe got, but he's still not sure if there might have been another one that Joe might magically possess... If Joe gave him a hidden immunity idol, he would switch his vote... maybe.

TRIBAL COUNCIL
They sit down and Joe hands Mike his fake idol on the DL and whispers, "Here you go buddy." (Really? He's going that far with the fake? Look at the cojones on Joe.)
Then Hali comes in as the first member of the jury which makes Jenn light up (hmm.)
Jeff start with Jenn saying he's not sure if she's enjoying her time out there - can you want to be here and still not want to be here?
-Yes, definitely - there are so many things in this game - certain parts I don't enjoy but certain parts I really do.  She mentions that she didn't think much of Rodney but now she thinks he's the funniest guy out there.  She tells Jeff she tried really hard to win immunity because that would be a cool thing to win and if she had
won she would have given it to Joe, just to see the look on everyone else's faces. Because they'd all be so pissed.
Jeff asks her then, why not do the ultimate No Collar thing and just walk out?
-That would be quitting and I don't quit.
-Joe says he was rooting for her the whole time because he wants to play - he waited his whole life to be there and Jenn's already quit mentally, physically, and to think she'd stay and just get pulled along because someone wants to sit beside her at the end because she didn't even play the game and he loves the game too much to just not fight for it.  And yeah, he'd have to win the next nine immunity challenges to make it to that goal but at least he'd make it fun.
-Shirin says she totally understands why Jenn wants to go and she's been closer with Jenn than with Joe who is the bigger threat to her but then the fact that Jenn says she doesn't want to be there now makes the rest of them want to keep Jenn over Shirin (so I think she just said Jenn is actually a bigger threat to her now.)
Jeff's about to tell them it's time to vote when Mike pipes up with a question.  Jeff, can you verify something for me?  And he pulls out Joe's makeshift immunity idol and asks if this is a hidden immunity idol?
Jeff says he cannot verify that until he decides to play it.
-Mike says well it's the determining factor tonight if someone stays here or if they go home.

And with that it's time to vote.
Tyler votes for Jenn and whispers to the camera, "I have no idea what's going on." (That made me laugh.)
Rodney votes for Joe and says he has no idea what's going to happen tonight.
Joe votes for Jenn and says hopefully his idol play bought him one more vote and it's her and not him.

Tallying the votes:
Jeff asks if anyone has a hidden immunity idol and wants to play it, now is the time to do so.
Mike jumps right up and hands over the faux idol, saying he's playing it for Will.
-Jeff tells them, "This is...NOT a hidden immunity idol.  Any votes cast for Will will still count."

Votes:
Jenn - 1
Joe - 1
Jenn- 2
Joe - 2
Dan - 1 (That must have been Jenn)
Jenn- 3
Joe - 3
Jenn - 4
Joe - 4
Last vote is for...JOE.  Jenn says, "damn it!"
Shirin looks over and gives a smiling nod to Mike, then says to Jenn, "I still have you." (Jenn looks none too happy about that.)
Joe is classy to the end and says he loves them all and they seem to genuinely all respect him - but he still had to go.
And with Joe leaving, that takes: Ian G., Manny W. and Sue S. out of the pool.

Next week - Will blows up on Shirin, "All you do is run your mouth. Nobody even likes you." And he says to the camera, "Oh, it's on."
But it's Mike who may blow up the game when he accuses Rodney of flipping and Rodney goes off calling him a whack job and telling him he better relax (Frankie says so... and if you get that reference, you old.)

Joe's final thoughts: He tried to stay in the game as long as humanly possible.  It's hard to leave when he feels he still had so much game in him to play.  It's kind of an indirect compliment that they all wanted him out - it's bittersweet but he'd do it again in a heartbeat.

Have a great rest of your week,

Coleen

The Amazing Race - April 10/15 Episode Recap

Smells Like a Million Bucks

Last week the teams headed to Munich, Germany where Bergen & Kurt couldn't get it in gear (how could neither one of them drive a standard) and went home.

-Aly & Steve came in first and each won a 2015 Ford Focus.  They are also the first team heading out at 9:00am - they get the clue that they are heading to Monaco.  First they'll fly over the Alps and land in Nice, France where they'll be outfitted appropriately (in formal wear) for their helicopter arrival in Monaco.  They head for the airport.
-Matt & Ashley next out at 9:57am - they're going to be shooting for the win every leg so they can win themselves a honeymoon.

-At the airport Aly & Steve get a flight arriving at 5:05pm, Matt & Ashley's flight doesn't get them in until 6:15pm.

-Jackie & Jeff head out 10:38am - they may fight but they get it out and over with, Jackie says they really do like each other and are having a great time.
-Jelani & Jenny - 10:41am, Blair & Hayley - 10:47am, Tyler & Laura - 10:58am - they're all excited to be dressing up fancy and heading to Monaco.  These teams all get the same flight getting them in at 5:55pm (hmm, where did Matt & Ashley get their flight?)

-Mike & Rochelle are the last to leave at 1:03pm - she says they do well as underdogs, they're going to keep fighting and hopefully stay in it.  At the airport, they get a flight that gets them in at 8:45pm -  oof. 

-Steve & Aly are boarding their first flight out and Mike & Rochelle happen to see them and think, hey, let's see if somebody doesn't make this flight and they can squeeze us in... and it works - they are now on the first flight out with the Olympians! (Way to go TruckStopLove!)

-2nd flight heads out with four teams on it and they're all thinking that Mike & Rochelle are about 1.5hrs behind them... uh oh, I hope they don't race like they have a cushion, that could be a team's demise right there.

Laura & Tyler do know that Matt & Ashley booked the wrong flight and are getting in after them at 6:15pm.  (So, if they are not allowed to buy and return tickets to improve their flight, how were Mike & Rochelle allowed to standby...? I'm sure it's some loophole.)
-Last flight heads out with Matt & Ashley on board.

Nice, France
-Aly & Steve are the first off the plane but they all end up at the Westminster Hotel getting suited and gowned up for their arrival in Nice.  They try on the dresses and the guys get their suits measured then are given a ticket when they can pick up the clothes tomorrow (oh, so they'll all be together anyway.)
-2nd flight arrives at the hotel as first two teams are finished their fittings and everyone is shocked to see Mike & Rochelle.
-3rd flight lands and they are showing everyone getting dressed - all the girls are in black dresses so far except Jackie who they put in RED. 
-I think Blair looks like Ryan Gosling in his suit but Hayley laughs and says he looks like Pee Wee Herman (wow, these two really don't like each other.)  Her dress is nice but then she opens her mouth and she's not pretty anymore. 
-Laura & Tyler look fantastic together, she's in a black column dress with gold sequin sections up both sides and he's very dapper in his suit.
-Last team getting dressed and Ashley's also got a colour to her gown, it's aubergine (dark purple) but she says she hates the dress, "This is an 8th grade dinner date dress." (Wow, who were you going out for dinner with in 8th grade?... that dress would not be appropriate, let me just say.

8:15am, next day - they're all decked out in their evening attire and getting on their helicopters to Monaco.
-Steve & Aly are first out and first to the ROADBLOCK - Who wants to treat their partner? 
-Roses & Chocolates - travelling by foot one team member will have to pick up Grace Kelly's favourite chocolates and a dozen roses named for her, then they'll have to find their partner on a luxury yacht in Monaco's harbour.
-Steve, Mike, Jenny, Laura, Hayley... are all doing this Roadblock and I think it was a bit more physical than expected.  Steve was the first out and he asks directions... and they point straight up and on the other side of the palace - yup, there is going to be lots of running up hills and own dale in this one... in suits and gowns.  Steve is used to running but poor Mike is dying, "Uh, it's pretty warm in this suit."
-Jenny & Laura decide to work together... since Jenny has a map she knows where they need to go... and they are running in their dresses, luckily they are in flats because doing this in heels would be torture.

-On the Yacht, Rochelle's on the look out for sweaty Mike, Aly can't wait to eat the chocolates, Jelani & Tyler are just sitting back and laughing that their girls are doing this one as they have some drinks.

-Back out on the street, Hayley is complaining to the camera that she's getting a blister... and there is no running - she tells us later in an interview with Blair that he's been carrying their team so she did this one to prove she could contribute too (yeah, right.)

-Steve's got the flowers and chocolates, now he's just got to find the yacht... which he did with no problem - they read the clue to head to the Casino de Monte Carlo.

-The rest of the teams arrive in Nice and Jackie and Matt are going to be doing the Roadblock as well.

-Mike's got the flowers and chocolates but he's not sure which area the yacht is in so he heads up to the look out to see if he can find the marked yacht (read the clue, it tells you where the boat's moored.)
-Laura & Jenny have the flowers and are picking the chocolates and Jenny tells us since she was doing all the work to gather the chocolates she picked all her favourites.
-Jackie did the same, picked her favourite chocolates.

-Mike finally makes a decision to head down to the boats and finds out he's at the wrong quay (see, if you read the clue, it tells you which marina - just shaking my head.)  He is the next one to find the yacht though and Rochelle thanks him for the gifts but he gets no hug - cause, so sweaty!

-Steve & Aly get to the Casino and it is beautiful inside... they head to the roulette table which will determine their DETOUR - if the pea lands on red they will have to do Don't Slack Off, if it lands on black, Win By A Nose.  Both tasks will require the teams to pick up a Ford Fiesta from the valet.
-Steve & Aly get black and Win By a Nose (we still don't know what that means.) They go pick up their car and have to drive to a church.

-Jenny & Laura finally show up at the yacht and Tyler & Jelani are bowing to them "We're not worthy" - Jenny plays it up, smacking him with the roses, "Here are your damn roses and chocolates." 

-Jackie's picking up the flowers and Matt's picking up the chocolates...

-Hayley gets to the yacht and you can tell she's trying to be nice - these two get along better apart for sure.

-Mike & Rochelle get to the casino which was another up-hill run (poor sweaty Mike) and they also get black and the Win By a Nose Detour.  They head out and pick up a car.

-Jenny & Jelani get red and Don't Slack Off. (Oh good, we can see what that one is too.)
-Tyler & Laura are also doing black - Win By a Nose... and as these two are heading out to pick up the car, Laura reveals that she has Jenny's map (oh no, asking for Race karma to get you there.)

-Mike & Rochelle's car is finally brought around but they don't know where they're going so they run over to a business to ask directions and we see that Mike's suit back is completely sweat soaked (yeah, I wouldn't want to hug that either.)  Back in the car Rochelle is enjoying the best chocolates she's ever had.

-Meanwhile, Jenny has realized she doesn't have the map and is blaming Jelani for losing it... this is while they are at the valet and Laura is behind them... just as it looks like she's about to offer the map back to Jenny, Tyler pulls her away.  And Jenny escalates her annoyance with Jelani to extend to them again trying to drive a standard - she takes over and he seems fine with that.
-Laura & Tyler get in their car and decide they should choose new boushy names to go with the boushiness of Monaco - so they go with their middle names: Magdelena and Haze do Monaco (and it totally works) - but please stop saying boushy.)

-Jackie finally makes it to the yacht with the roses and chocolates.  Matt is the last to the yacht... Ashley is so proud of him and she got roses and chocolate out of the deal (that makes it sound like they are going home.)

-Steve & Aly can't find the church and when they ask directions, they also can't understand what the woman was saying...

-Blair & Hayley also land on black - Another Win By A Nose.
-Jeff & Jackie get red to go with her dress and Don't Slack Off.

-Steve & Aly get stuck on a narrow road behind a police incident (of some kind, cop car blocking the way) so Steve runs back to the car behind them who tells them the church just up ahead is where they want to be - so he parks and they take off on foot (but Aly's not so sure.)  And for good reason - it's the wrong church, they head back to the car, "Why is this so hard?"
                                                           
-Matt & Ashley are the last at the Casino and they get Don't Slack Off.

-Aly & Steve decide to read the clue again and realize they should have headed to Eze (another town) which the woman had tried to tell them but Aly didn't understand... now they've wasted a lot of time and still have to drive to the other town.

-Mike & Rochelle are the first team to the courtyard of Notre Dame (which was another run up a big hill) - Mike's getting his work out today... and Phil tells us the task: In Win By A Nose - they must mix a bottle of signature cologne and perfume under the guidance of Fragonard perfumiere.  Using a recipe provided, they must try to mix the 12 essences exactly to match the scents - to get the next clue.
-They start and Mike's focused like he never was in chemistry class... Rochelle messes up her second measurement and admits that she never took chemistry (but you can do this, it's just measuring!)

-Jeff & Jackie stop to ask for directions and Matt & Ashley pass them on the road - oops.
-But it's Jenny & Jelani who are the first team to reach Don't Slack Off - and Phil tells us this requires the teams to be daredevils - zip-lining 2000ft above the city and then walking the slack-line back to get their next clue.
-Jenny says as long as they don't have to drive anymore, she's all in.
-Matt & Ashley get there and start suiting up just as Jenny starts her screaming zip-line across.

-Magdalena & Haze (aka Tyler & Laura) are the next to get to Win By A Nose.  Mike & Rochelle have been bickering, he's looking over her shoulder, she's telling him to just worry about his own... so this added pressure may not be good for them.
-Tyler & Laura decide instead of working on one each, she'll find all the essences and he will measure so they get them done together.

-Jelani has zip-lined over and Jenny is starting the walk back - it's a beautiful view but it's also very windy and not easy to walk a tightrope, even when you're tied off.

-Steve & Aly have finally arrived in Eze and if she could keep her shoes on they may actually make it to the perfumerie.
-Blair & Hayley have made it there before them and they are comfortable with this as they both minored in chemistry (whatever) she's going to tell him what they need and he's going to do the measuring (she's trying so hard not to be a harpy, it's awkward and uncomfortable to watch.)

-Mike & Rochelle are down to the mystery fragrances - some of the essences are just numbered and they have to smell them to find, vanilla, for example. (Oh, that makes this much more challenging.) Rochelle says it starts to give you a headache after a while and it's hard to differentiate the smells.
-Laura & Tyler have gotten down to the mystery essences too and they were tricky by putting those fragrances near the end of the recipe...
-Steve & Aly finally get to the By A Nose challenge and he's saying he's got an excellent sense of smell - we shall see.

-Don't Slack off - Jenny's so fake, I can't stand it.  She's giving us a commentary with no emotion, "This will go down as one of the craziest things I've ever done!" (ugh, I'm not buying her manufactured for the camera excitement.)
-Jackie on the other hand, I believe when she says she loves heights... Jeff is not so keen.
-Matt & Ashley do the zip-lining and there are a lot of "Oh yeah Baby!"'s coming from Matt.
-Once Jelani makes the slack line walk back they get the clue to the Pit Stop - Plage De Passable.

-By A Nose - there is still tension between Mike & Rochelle but Blair says it's so amazing if you dress up a woman she's in a good mood all day and even agreeing with him Hayley tries to talk over him (even when she's nice she's annoying.)  Steve is trying to figure out the mystery scents - he smells Cilantro (huh?) - Tyler smells coconut and Laura thinks it's caramel... yeah, after a while they're all going to smell the same.

-Ashley is walking the rope back with her eyes closed because every time she realized how high up she was, she almost threw up in her mouth... and it's so windy (that would be pretty scary.)
-Jeff is getting ready to do the zip-line and he's afraid but the quick across is the easy part.
-Ashley finally makes it back to land and hugs the first rock she sees - solid ground under her feet feels so good.

-Meanwhile, Mike & Rochelle are finally getting their perfume and cologne tested by the expert - Rochelle gets a pass on the perfume but his is not vanilla... darn it!
-Laura & Tyler are next up and he says it smells like a million bucks... but no, their sweet grass concoction is not correct.

-Matt & Jeff are both doing the slack-line walk across and Matt is not talking for once so he must be scared.  Jeff is shaking like a leaf and he full on admits it was scaring the bleep out of him.
-Matt makes it across and Jeff is not too far behind, he may have peed his pants, just a little. (HA!)  Jackie gets on the slack-line and just shuffled at mach speed across - she killed it cause she had no fear, it's amazing what the mind can do.

-All the perfumers are still at it, mixing their scents again and Laura asks Hayley which one is caramel and she tells her... what? 
-Steve & Aly are the first team to get the clue - on their first try, so if they had gotten there first, they could have... anyway, these things happen on the race.
-Laura & Tyler are the next team to complete their scents and get the clue to the pit stop.
-Hayley & Blair get a pass on their perfumes on the first try and head out.
-Which leaves Mike & Rochelle, first in, last out - but they finally get a pass and everyone is heading for the Pit Stop.

-Blair & Hayley are in a shop asking for directions. 
-Mike & Rochelle ask a lady on the street for directions. 
-Jenny tells Jelani to read their map and he sends them on their way towards Nice... hopefully (for his sake) that's the right way. 
-Matt & Ashley flag over a lady in the middle of seemingly nowhere to give them directions. 
-Steve & Aly are asking for directions. 
-Blair & Hayley are proud of how they did today, especially since they didn't really fight all day (and I'm ashamed to say it was boring.)
-And then we find out that Jelani did tell Jenny to turn the wrong way so he's in the dog house and they have to head back the way they came.
-Jeff & Jackie get to the Nice airport... hmm, don't think that's right.
-Jenny's still berating Jelani and he's just laughing at her - what else can he say, he thought he was giving her the right directions, she says they'll talk about this later and he laughs, "I'm sure we will."
-It boils down to every team hoping that the other teams got as lost as they did...

Here's How They Finished:
1) Blair & Hayley - they won a trip to South Africa - they figured if they had one leg without an argument they could win first place and they did it, so now she has no doubt they can win the whole thing. (We'll see if they can sustain the no arguing.)
2) Steve & Aly - They smelled so good.
3) Mike & Rochelle  - and he gets a kiss. 
4) Matt & Ashley - yes, we'll take it!
5) Jenny & Jelani - in the car he was saying he's not having fun, he's so over this, as she's blaming everything on him.
6) Tyler & Laura - so relieved to still be in it and they got date night again but they are not kissing and telling Phil anything.
7) Jeff & Jackie - ***ELIMINATED*** She was crying that she didn't want to go home but he said it was an experience like none other - they are actually one of the teams that like each other.  He got the most bad-ass girl out there and she says she couldn't have had a better partner to share this with, he's going to be in her life forever. "I'm going to give him my number." (Hahaha, so he wins after all?)
And with Jeff & Jackie leaving us this week, that takes Denise R., Katie L., Cindi C., Jasmina J. and Bernice R. out of the pool.

Next week: it's a 2 hour episode and they head to Namibia - they're going to have to deal with some wild animals and car troubles.

Have a wonderful week everyone,

Coleen