Survivor Second Chance - Oct 28/15 Episode Recap

Bunking With the Devil

Last week we saw the first true blindside of the season when Bayon made their first trip to Tribal Council and Monica was voted out based mostly because Kimmi didn't like her.

Ta Keo - Night 13
(Huh, that's weird, usually we open with the tribe returning from Tribal council...)

A boat is coming into the beach in the dead of night and Jeff Probst jumps off and goes to wake Terry Dietz (uh oh) Jeff tells him that his son is in the hospital and his wife and the doctors think he should come home - of course he's going home, no question. (And I had a little cry with Kass, how devastating would that be?  I couldn't even imagine.)  They didn't tell us what was going on with the son, it almost seemed like it was a known condition though because there was no asking what had happened really. 

But that puts into perspective the inanity of my nights activities... oh well, let's get back to our silly little competition show.

REWARD CHALLENGE
Angkor and Bayon show up.. and then there is the surprise of Ta Keo showing up without Terry and more tears as all the players, that are parents especially, get really emotional about the situation (man, why am I crying?) 

Anyway, Ta Keo is going to soldier on and bring it home for Terry.  The other tribes are also tight and ready to continue winning... but Jeff tells them this is the perfect time to switch it up, "Drop your buffs." (Again?)
-Savage is euphoric, those are the three most beautiful words in the world to him.

They will be shuffling back into two tribes of Ta Keo and Bayon - everyone gets a little box and the new tribes are:
Ta Keo: Kass, Woo, Savage, Ciera, Savage, Abi, Spencer and Wiglesworth. 
Woo is happy to still be with Savage. Kass right away calls out Spencer as her former nemesis, and Spencer's not happy with the cluster-[expletive] that all the shuffles have created in terms of alliances and relationships.
Bayon: Jeremy, Kimmi, Keith, Wentworth, Joe, Tasha and Stephen
I can't remember who was on which tribe at the beginning anymore but Jeff points out that Kelley Wentworth is the only original Ta Keo on the new Bayon tribe... (she was screwed once Terry left anyway.) Stephen tells us the switch went perfect for him, for now - with Kelley being the obvious target, but he's still threatened by the Alpha guys on his tribe [Jeremy & Joe] (really? You've got to get over that if you want to get anywhere out there.)

Oh yeah, and it's time for the Reward Challenge:
One person from each tribe will go at a time, sliding on a slip and slide, picking up a ring and then tossing it at the end onto a post with pegs.  First person to get their ring on the post wins a point, first tribe to three points wins reward of a Survivor picnic delivered to their camp: fried chicken, mac & cheese and brownies (they are freaking out.)

Off we go:
-Savage vs Jeremy - they are all oiled up (hello!?) - but Jeremy gets his ring on the peg a split second sooner and wins the point for Bayon.
-Kass vs Stephen - they didn't slide very far, then it's a slow foot race to the ring - and Stephen is as awkward as ever and cannot throw, allowing Kass to even up the score.
-Abi vs Kimmi - slip sliding along - Kimmi gets her ring on but it bounces right off, Abi starts to leave figuring she got the point but gets yelled at to go back and she ends up taking the point - Ta Keo is up 2 to 1.
-Woo vs Joe - and I think it was Kelley Wentworth, "Oil up Joe." (Really? They even put in fairy dust sound effects... come on.)  They are pretty even but Woo just throws the ring that much too hard and it bounced off, letting Joe win the point.  We're tied again.
Sudden Death:
Wiglesworth vs Wentworth - Wiglesworth first shot misses... Wentworth had to wait for her to get out of the way, takes her shot... and misses!  Wiglesworth ends up winning the Point and REWARD for Ta Keo!  

Savage is happy to still be with Abi and Woo, after what they went through at Angkor they are pretty solid, and if he can regroup with his former Bayon tribemates, Kass and Ciera, he feels like he'll be golden.

Ta Keo - Day 14
-They return to camp and the picnic is waiting!  Spencer is trying to interact with Kass like a normal person but he's leery of her. 
-Savage is just thankful to be out of the hell hole that was Angkor and, even though he likes Spencer, he knows Kass doesn't and getting back his Bayon peeps is more important.
-Savage talks to Kass and they make the pact of the three Angkor with Kass & Ciera and they'll target Spencer.  When they fill in the other three, Savage says they'll tell Spencer it's Ciera and then totally blindside him.
-I would have reacted like Ciera did, "Hold the phone, why me?" Total mis-step on Savage's part, you have to finesse Ciera before throwing her name under the bus like that - she doesn't trust him and I think this five may be in trouble.  She says she wants to be a team player and she may be willing to take one for the team once in a while, but this is not one of those times.

Bayon - Day 14
-Keith is trying to cook something over the fire on a stick, Kimmi takes it from him and he tells her not to drop it in, as she is saying she's not going to drop it... she drops it in the fire. (What the? Why did she take the stick in the first place?)

-Joe and Kelley Wentworth are talking in the hammocks.  He's telling her she's going to have to do some work - she's the only original Ta Keo so the obvious first choice to go, but Joe made an alliance with her and Kass & Ciera at Ta Keo so he wants to keep all of them there for the merge.  He thinks Kelley is stronger than Kimmi and Stephen so that may have to be her pitch to stay.
-She is happy to have Joe try to protect her, one thing he doesn't know is that she does have a hidden immunity idol but if she can hide behind him, she's going to do that as long as she can.

- Tasha, Joe & Stephen are talking about how the first vote should go, do they stay original Bayon and make it easy... Joe says he thinks Kimmi is weaker... and Stephen is not happy that Joe is already trying to break up the original Bayon (umm, you did vote off Monica last week...) But that was different apparently. 

-Stephen runs to Jeremy and tells him that Joe wants to vote Kimmi, in his mind Joe has flipped on the Bayon alliance - Stephen sees his chance to try and get rid of Joe.  He tells Jeremy he doesn't trust Joe and he'd be happy to lose him immediately.
-Jeremy doesn't want Joe to go first because he needs a shield, he does not want to be the biggest guy out there. (Operation Man-Bun Shield!)

-Stephen is trying to take Jeremy's advice yelled at him at the challenge and have confidence in himself - it may not manifest in challenges but Stephen knows he's good at the other aspects of the game, making strategic moves, knowing who to target and when to take them out.
-Stephen then talks to Tasha and makes his pitch to take out Joe with her, she sees where he is coming from but thinks it may be too early to make that move.

-Stephen then cries to the camera (and he's mortified that he's crying about it) but he has spent so many years obsessing about how much he put into the game last time and he still came up short - he doesn't want that to happen again because they wait too long to get rid of the golden boy again. (What I'm learning from watching this season, is that a lot of these people have spent a lot of years regretting and obsessing about this show... it's a little scary and sad, actually.)  Stephen knows taking control of the game while he has the chance and voting out Joe now, would be THE move that set the tenor for the whole season.

IMMUNITY CHALLENGE
-Uh oh, I think this is the gross eating challenge.  Yup, they will race to get down local Cambodian delicacies - first to do so wins a point for their tribe, first to four points wins immunity.
Wiglesworth, Kimmi, Savage and Ciera have all had to participate in this challenge previously... It's a perennial favourite (if you could call it that.)

-First round they have to put up two tribe members so we have:
Tasha & Kimmi vs Spencer & Woo - and they have to eat two dead tarantulas... (gross, that's just going to be my comment on all of them, gross.)  The boys win that point but not by much - I think Kimmi may be over the militant vegetarian phase of her life.
 -Round two - Jeremy & Keith vs Savage & Ciera - they have to eat two giant water beetles (yuck!) but Ciera can't get it down quick enough and Bayon gets the next point.
-Round three - Fishbach & Wentworth vs Kass & Abi - it's a pig snout (actually this one seems less gross-ish) but Kass just can't do it - 2nd point to Bayon.
-Round four - first individual match up - Joe vs Wiglesworth and it's a deep fried frog... complete with everything - she just shoves the whole thing in her mouth and beats him handily - you go! 
Tied 2-2
-Round five - Woo vs Kimmi - pig's brain (they did that on purpose, Kimmi refused to eat brains in her last season too) and she doesn't disappoint, she says she hasn't eaten pig in 30 years and to jump into brains is too extreme, her gift is to let Woo eat some brain. (Joe and Stephen looked pissed at her, for sure, and I guess I spoke too soon about the vegetarian thing.)  Woo just eats it, easy peasy and Ta Keo is up 3-2
-Round six - Ciera vs Wentworth - great big scorpion.  If Ciera can get it down, she will win it, but she can't and instead Kelley ties it up again.
-Final round - winner take all - Tasha vs Kass - and of course it's the balute.  Duck embryo... Kass is unable to get any of it down and Tasha wins immunity for Bayon!  (I think Bayon means those with the iron stomachs... Jeremy even comes up and takes a little bite of the balute Kass couldn't eat - he's hungry Jeff.)

-Kass will be more than happy to write Spencer's name down with a little frowny face - "Spencer Bledsoe, 0% chance of winning this game." (That's a call back to one of his swipes at her when they last played together.)

Ta Keo - Day 16
-They return to camp and it's a go with the plan to vote for Spencer.  Woo confirms it's a lock with Savage and Ciera - they have to tell Spencer it's Ciera but Savage tells her not to sweat it and then tells them not to be seen talking to Ciera (yeah, that's a recipe for her to freak out for sure.)
-Woo is so Woo, in his mind it's decided and everything is rainbows and lollipops.

-Savage talks to Spencer and tells him it's got to be Ciera tonight - Spencer has wanted to play with Savage the whole time so he's excited to be in with him.  Savage tells the camera he feels bad
putting up Spencer like that but nothing is getting in the way of his second chance. (Well, then you shouldn't have underestimated the little girl you casually threw out as the goat.)

-Because you bet Ciera is over talking to Kass and Abi about how uncomfortable she is to be the one Savage named as the decoy, "Who does he think he is?"  She also tells the camera this is her second chance, may be her last chance, so she doesn't want to screw it up either.
-Ciera thinks they would be stupid to keep Woo over Spencer (what has Woo ever done to you? Nothing, he just isn't Bayon.)
 
-Kass has never wanted to play with Spencer again, she was happy to be without him this whole time and to get rid of him would be fine by her but if Ciera wants to vote Woo, she's got to step back and see if Spencer may have a better use to her for now.
-So, Kass talks to Spencer and fills him in that Savage has put his name up as going and they were to tell him it's Ciera - this shatters Spencer's little bubble of hero worship, he's left with wondering where he has to run - and he realizes he may have to bunk with the devil tonight and vote off Woo with Kass, Ciera and Abi.

-Kass, meanwhile, now has her pick of voting for Spencer with Wiglesworth, Woo and Savage or bringing out Chaos Kass and voting out Woo with Ciera, Abi and Spencer.  (You know they want you to bring the drama.)

TRIBAL COUNCIL
This is Kass & Ciera's first time to tribal council this season - they get their fire.

-Savage says he's been working on his personal game this time- developing deep, deep relationships (was two deeps necessary?) identifying the folks that are trustworthy and loyal and I've done pretty well doing that. (If he does say so himself.)
-Spencer says his second chance has been coming into this game and seeing these people as that - people. This is the hardest environment to do that, but also the most important.
-Woo says he learned from the first time when Tony was able to manipulate him into a million dollar mistake that he will need to be a little more cut-throat, and he's at peace with that.
-Kass says it's really hard to keep track of all the relationships with the original Bayon, old relationships from past seasons and new alliances in this last switch - who's really tight with who, and why?  It's a lot of fun.  She tells Jeff she doesn't know which Kass is here tonight, the new Kass or Chaos Kass.
-Savage isn't unnerved by that - he was with Kass at the original Bayon and he hasn't seen Chaos Kass (so maybe it's about time you got introduced.)
-Ciera says navigating people is one of her strengths - she was with Savage from the beginning but then he grew tight with Woo... (why would you bring that up?) It's all about the battle between your heart and your gut and your mind (and your mouth, obviously.)
-Savage isn't uncomfortable hearing his name in any context at Tribal because he has no doubts about tonight.  His judgement is his judgement, if he blows it, it's on him. (Oh, they have to vote out Woo now just to take Savage down a peg.)
-Ciera says they are all second time players and they all have plans - somebody's plan is not working out tonight.

Time to Vote:
Savage votes for Spencer - because he's too good at this game.
Spencer votes Woo - he thinks tonight lies in the hands of Chaos Kass, "God help me."

Tallying the votes:
No one has or plays a hidden idol.

Votes:
Spencer - 1
Woo - 1
Spencer - 2, 3
Woo - 2, 3
Last vote is for WOO!  He seems kinda psyched about the "blindside!" Savage just shrugs, he had no clue... (that's what you get when you think she's just a girl and she'll do as she's told. Boom!)

And with Woo leaving us tonight, that takes Drew C., Susan H., and Lindsay J. out of the pool.

Woo's last thoughts - difficult way to leave the game but an amazing run.  This game is the toughest both mentally and physically so win or lose it was an achievement of a lifetime and he's stoked to be a part of this Survivor family. (Aww, I like Woo. He seems too nice to play this game... or maybe just to nice to win it.)

Next week: The Merge is coming and the game is on.  Also, Chaos Kass is back - they've unleashed the beast.

There was also a little blurb with Terry Dietz and his son Danny - Danny needed a heart transplant and one became available so the actual second chance survivor is Danny. (Aww, sniffle - what's wrong with me?)
Oh yeah, and with Terry leaving, that also took Kevin R., Shira C., and Shelley A. out of the pool.

Have a great weekend everyone,

Coleen

The Amazing Race 27 - Oct 23/15 Episode Recap

King of the Jungle

Last week Team Texas got everyone on board to U-Turn and eliminate The Green Team but it totally backfired on them when they burned the Express Pass on the Roadblock, and the Detour was the next day.  To make matters worse, they had to be nice to the Green Team so they wouldn't get U-Turned... and they were still racing at the mat so Phil made them choose who they were giving the Express Pass to immediately...

This episode started with Team Texas deciding they were going to give the Express Pass to Team Alabama (Denise and James Earl) because they were no threat to them always trailing behind... (I bet the Reporters are gonna be pissed.)  The clue tells them to make their way to the Lookout Cafe to search for their next clue.
-In the cab Josh & Tanner said they didn't want to give the Express Pass to either of the two all-girl teams because they'll likely be at the back and they didn't want to give either team an advantage (so only a team with a guy on it is a threat is that what you're saying? That really burns my bacon... especially since these girl teams are usually at the back, pick it up ladies!)

-Green Team is ahead by a minute or so, they agree that team Texas are actually nice guys but they are also their main competition.
-Team Texas also has new found respect for Justin (didn't mention Diana at all... there is another member of that team) for honouring their agreement (about not U-Turning each other) but they still plan on trying to U-turn them again in the future.

Detour
-We still have a bunch of teams staining and polishing giraffes - Team Chacattack, Team Paparazzi, Team Track Stars and Team Cheerleaders finish one after the other and head for the Pit Stop.

Team Alabama (Mom & Son) killed the Coquet Detour and are the next team to the mat - where Phil tells them that Josh & Tanner decided to give them the Express Pass and they both are so happy, James Earl starts jumping around like he's on an invisible pogo stick.
Then Phil tells them they are still racing and hands them the next clue.
 As they take off they talk about having to use the Express Pass this leg... so the next Detour. (That's right, you use it on the DETOUR!)

-The Reporters are the next team to show up as Denise & James Earl are leaving.  Joey sees no one was U-Turned and figures out there is going to be another clue.  They don't U-Turn anyone either.

Batoka Gorge
-ROADBLOCK - Who wants to gorge themselves?  This is the first challenge that was ever performed in the first season of the Amazing Race - taking a death-defying swing over the Zambezi river.
-Justin is doing this one... and I hope they provide adult diapers with that harness because this is crazy.  They will free-fall 70m then swing out over the river before they pull them back up... OMG!
-Josh is doing it for Team Texas because Tanner is afraid of heights... but you'd have to be insane not to be scared of this - Come on!
-Once Justin comes back up, Josh shakes his hand and thanks him for honouring his word (again, said nothing to Diana at all) Justin says he's going to honour his word through the whole race (oh really?)

-Justin & Diana get the next clue to the DETOUR: Crocs or Canoes
Crocs:  Phil is underwater in a protective cage as he explains this side of the Detour - they will scuba dive in a protective cage and feed the crocodiles raw meat, on a stick, through the bars - to get their next clue.
Canoe: they have to paddle across the Zambezi river, then one team member has to hoist the other up into a tree to retrieve their next clue out of a vultures nest.
-Justin & Diana choose Paddle (so Canoe I guess).

The Reporters and Mom/Son show up at the Roadblock - Kelsey and James Earl are going to be swinging.
-Meanwhile, it's Josh's turn to swing and he just asks God not to let him scream like a little girl (sigh) but of course, he does anyway :)
-Denise gives Tanner a little hug (for the Express Pass) and asks if the Green Team saw them do it (give them the Express Pass, I guess.) Tanner shakes his head, no.

-Once Josh is back up, Team Texas gets the clue to the Detour and they choose Canoe, figuring they can paddle faster than the Green team.
-James Earl speculates with Joey if the bottom four will feel the heat and start U-turning each other.

U-Turn board
-Chacattack decides not to U-Turn anybody... Team Paparazzi comes flying in, Logan babbles that they can't think about the U-Turn right now, they are not U-Turning anyone then at the mat Chris makes a big display of the huge donation he's making of $20... when Phil asks how much they have left he says $150... and Phil charity shames him into donating all of it, "just so you know, everyone else donated everything." Logan tells him to donate it all and he still hesitated (they give you all the money you need - that is a dedicated cheapskate right there.)
-And Phil tells them they are still racing and hands over the next clues... Paparazzi grabs and runs still right behind Chacattack.  In the car Chris is second guessing their flustered decision not to U-Turn anybody, saying maybe they should have thought about it, they could have been safe there.  Apparently this is their usual state of affairs, they live and work together and as Paparazzi they have to try to anticipate what the celebrities will do, so when Chris makes a bad decision, there is usually hell to pay (from Logan, it sounds like.)
-Team Track Stars don't U-Turn anyone and head out for the Roadblock - they say if they had known this was a virtual Pit Stop and they would still be racing, they would have U-Turned the Cheerleaders to give themselves a cushion (coulda, woulda, shoulda.)
-The Cheerleaders get to the U-Turn board and Krista thinks they should U-Turn the Green Team because they said they would, even though they were probably there already... so they do and then Phil tells them they are the last team to arrive, but they have the reprieve of still racing and they head for the Roadblock...Krista is crying in the cab about being in last place again (suck it up!)

Swing! - Kelsey is the next to go and she has not problem - I think everyone is just so glad to be alive afterward that it seemed fun ;)
-The Roporters choose to Feed the Crocs.
-James Earl is next on the Swing and to his credit, he did not scream at all (like a little girl or otherwise!) He just said I love you mom (aw) and she replied, "Now get your ass back up here!" (Ha! Gotta love Denise.)

Detour
-Green Team get to the canoes and there is an elephant standing right near the boats - Diana just wants to go touch it but they focus and grab their canoe.  There are signs by the river to beware of crocodiles and they know hippos could also attack them on the water (great).
-Josh & Tanner get in the water right behind them and the boys are again confident that they can paddle faster... of course in their haste they are all over the place and Justin isn't worried, he & Diana know the proper technique having rowing/canoeing experience.  Team Texas is literally rowing in circles (way to go boys.)

Roadblock
-The Paparazzi team is dangerous they are so amped up - they nearly knock each other over running to the cluebox trying to beat Chacattack - then when it's decided that Cindy and Chris are going to "gorge themselves" (which Cindy thinks means it's an eating challenge) these teams jump back in their cabs to leave... (the swing is right there you idiots!  Take a breath and look around.)

-The Track Stars drive in past Chacattack and Paparazzi - when they read the clue finally Danielle is going this Roadblock and they walk over to the swing area (see, was that hard? Finally my team isn't the one making the boneheaded move.)

-Finally Chacattack's taxi driver figures out they needed to be where they just left so he turns around and Team Paparazzi, who is just following them blindly, hopes they are right or they will be messed up (you can't win the race by just following other teams - I predict these guys don't last much longer - they are too frenetic.)

-The Cheerleaders get to the Roadblock and Tiffany is doing this one since Krista is still crying about being last "why do little things keep happening to us?" (I just want to smack her.)  They still think they're last until Jazmine tells them the Doctors and Paparazzi took off in their cabs... so now these teams are ahead.
-Speak of the devils, here come Team Chacattack who are still happy and kissing each other - followed by the eternally bickering Paparazzi - calling themselves "stupid, this is what we get for following, why didn't we look around, wow, we really messed up..."(I won't be sorry to see the last of them, they're awful.)

-Danielle makes her swing and that is what screaming like a little girl sounds like (sorry Danielle, but you know it's true... and I would have done the same, I can't lie.)  The Track Stars decide to feed the Crocs.
-Paparazzi finally pull themselves out of the negativity spiral and Chris says he's going to just enjoy the swing and they have to focus going forward. (But it doesn't happen.)

Crocs
-Joey & Kelsey finally show up and get into their wetsuits... Joey's not overly impressed with the huge size of the crocs they'll be feeding.

Canoe
-Justin & Diana maintain their lead - they get to the other side first and then Diana is lighter so Justin's able to hoist her to the birds nest faster... and it's just driving Tanner & Josh crazy that they are not crushing them (I love it.)
-Justin & Diana are the first team to get the next clue, to make their way to the Lion Encounter. (ooh, lions) and they head back out to the canoes, where they are still killing it over Team Texas. (Which is just pissing the boys off and kind of warming my heart.)

Roadblock
-Cheerleaders do the swing and get the clue to the Detour, they choose Crocs - Krista, "We're going to feed crocodiles and we're not scared!" (Not being in last place has re-energized this one.)

Crocs
-Joey & Kelsey are just about to get in the cage when Denise & James Earl come up right behind them and tell the guy they are using their Express Pass - this was news to Kelsey & Joey but they tell the camera they are fine with the boys giving the other team the Express Pass, they're just glad they[the Express Passes] are all gone now and no other team can pull up beside them and use one to pass them.
-Cage goes in the water and the huge crocs know that means feeding time - this part is pretty simple - the crocs take the meat and it's done.

Roadblock
-Cindy does her swing and they choose to do Crocs.
-Chris & Logan are still calling themselves stupid, and he tells the guy to pull him up quickly when it's done... then he hesitates to go because it's just hit him that he's scared.  But he doesn't die.

Lion Encounter
-Justin & Diana are the first team to arrive and they read the clue that they have to walk with the lions to search for their next clue. (Literally, they will walk with lions, hmm, can't they smell fear?) Phil says, "fortunately, it's not dinner time." (Of, that's much better.)
-First rule of walking with lions, Do Not Run.  Second, no loud noises, don't want to excite them. Uh oh, Justin's in trouble.
-And here comes Denise & James Earl, she's another one with volume control issues. But the first thing they had to do was change their shirts, they can't wear bright colours around the lions.  Oh, and they have to make eye contact as well, or the lions think you're prey. (Holy, the size of their paws, so amazing.)
-The Reporters get to the Lion Encounter just ahead of Josh & Tanner who are still kicking themselves about the Express Pass, they could have jetted past everyone instead of following Justin all day (yup, that's the idea but you blew it.) And they're further put off when they're told they have to wait for the two teams that were out already to come back before they can go walk with the lions.

Crocs
-The Track Stars are in the cage. The Cheerleaders are waiting their turn.  Chacattack shows up and puts on their wetsuits and finally the Paparazzi get there.  Immediately Chris is flipping out, asking how many have done this? When he hears quite a few, he's telling Logan they have to go.  She tells him he's being irrational, does he think they can do the other one faster than waiting for this one?  (Maybe... but I don't know that I would chance it either.)  He keeps talking, like he's weighing it out and finally Logan just cuts to the chase, "Do you want to switch or not?" He says no so she tells him to just stop talking about it. (Exactly, shut it!)

-Cheerleaders are squealing in the cage (these two are kind of exhausting as well.)  And they let the crocs take the sticks so the guys in the cage have to step in (sigh.)

-Meanwhile Chris and Logan are changing back into their clothes to leave and they're yelling at each other - still debating if they should switch or not (OMG! Just make a decision already.)  And they put the wet suits back on (really?) Logan is going on again about how they screwed up at the swing thing (how is that going to help you now?)

Lion Encounter
-Diana spots the skull that has the clue in it - they head back and one of the lions starts to take an interest in them so the guide has to push it away (number one rule, don't run, don't run... just talking to myself here as I type and freak out for them.)
 
-James Earl also spots the skull and he's moving too fast for Mom, she yells at him to slow down and the guides calmly tell her to keep her voice down (she can't help herself.)

-Justin & Diana read the clue to make their way on foot to the Masuwe Safari Lodge there on the game reserve, the PIT STOP for this leg of the race.  And just to make things interesting, teams must bring two large fruit baskets to the mat - balanced on their heads. (ha! That's just mean.)  If they drop any fruit, they have to stop and replace it.  Justin says they're in trouble and Diana is telling him slow and steady... (listen to the voice of reason Justin.)

Crocs
-Chacattack is in the water feeding the crocs.  Paparazzi are still lamenting their stupidity.

Masuwe Lodge
-Justin & Diana get their heads wrapped and have to balance the fruit, Justin drops his basket immediately.
-Denise & James Earl are hoping for a first place finish - they get their heads wrapped and are slowly walking behind the women showing them how it's done.  James Earl, "This is the slowest foot race ever."

Crocs
-Chris says, "it might be the last thing we get to do," and Logan asks him to just please give her a moment of silence. (Exactly what I was thinking - just shut up and enjoy it!)

Slowest Foot Race Ever
-Denise & James Earl are out in front but then Mom drops some of her fruit... luckily they don't have to start over - but she has to stop and pick it up.
-Justin & Diana are excited Denise had to stop, but they are in no way catching up to them at the snails pace they're setting, either... and then Justin drops some fruit.

Lion Encounter
-Jazmine & Danielle are their own worst enemies again - their cab driver is taking them to the Lion Encounter when they say it's near the Masawe Safari Lodge so he detours them to the lodge (grrr!) And they get the fruit on their heads (NOOOOO! You have to go walk with Lions first!)

Masawe Lodge
-The Reporters get to the Lodge and Team Texas is right behind them.
-The Track Stars see Phil and know they've screwed up - they re-read the clue and ask "Is this the lion encounter?" (Sigh.)

Lion Encounter
-Cheerleaders get there, Track Stars, Chacattack...
-Cheerleaders find their clue in the skull - Track Stars are too busy telling themselves they have to stop making stupid mistakes and pay attention, that they miss their skull all together.
-Paparazzi are the last team to arrive and seem resigned now that they just won't be getting ahead of the other teams... (just you wait, my team has a gift for you.)

-Yeah, the Track Stars come back from walking with the lions so the Paparazzi gets to go out on the course and the guide asks them if they found the clue, "What?" Exactly, they have to wait for Chacattack to come back so they can go again. (I can't even...) They decide to read the whole clue because they didn't bother to do that before (you two deserve to go home... what's the first rule of the Race: READ THE CLUE!)

-Out on the range Cindy gets excited when they find the clue and moves a little two quickly, making a lion come after her and the guide had to take action (so scary!)

-Logan & Chris, despite bickering the whole time, also find the clue. And when they see the Track Stars still sitting when they get back they are rejuvenated! (I really don't like them though.)

-But they still face the fruit on the head and Cindy drops her basket and Logan drops her basket...

-Jazmine & Danielle find their clue and get back to the fruit on the head, coming up the rear in the third slowest foot race ever...

 Here's How They Finished:
1) Denise & James Earl - They won a trip for two to Slovakia.
2) Justin & Diana - he's upset with second, that's just first loser - it stings to be ahead all day then come in second because he couldn't balance fruit on his head (that's how this Race works, you know that.)
3) Josh & Tanner - Phil kind of needles them about their strategy to U-Turn the Green Team - but they know it could have end up much worse than 3rd place.
4) Kelsey & Joey - they are a strong team but still not the strongest.
5) Tiffany & Krista - last to arrive on the last leg but they made it up to 5th place! Way to go.
6) Logan & Chris - they definitely didn't make it look easy - they have to learn to calm down.
7) Rick & Cindy - also took a long time to get the fruit to the mat but still made it long before...
8) Jazmine & Danielle - ** ELIMINATED ** they're bummed out because they are athletic competitors but they are still so thankful for the experience and getting to run this race with their best friend.

So with the Cheerleaders pooping the bed; I'm out, and I'm bummed... but I'll get over it - with me is Sandy G., Philip K., Miranne D., and Susan H. (They had so much potential... sigh.)

Next episode: Tanner has to bungy jump, the Cheerleaders rap, Justin flies a bi-plane and Logan is crying... action and tears, what else can you ask for?

Have a great week everybody,

Coleen

Survivor Second Chance - Oct 21/15 Episode Recap

A Snake in the Grass

Last week the poor Angkor tribe went to Tribal Council again and Abi made a decision between winning challenges and loyalty - by keeping Woo and voting out Varner.

Angkor - Night 11
Woo thanks the others for believing in him but Abi makes it all about her, "That was really hard on me." Tasha and Savage are still having to suck up to her they sympathize and Savage says, "He's in a better place." (HA! Varner didn't die, you just voted him out.)
-Woo is hoping that he can make a difference for the tribe and keep them from going back to tribal again.
-Abi tells the camera she doesn't like having people owe her anything but if Woo writes her name down again, "he's dead to me."'
-Savage & Tasha can't believe what they've pulled off at this tribe, they've been working so hard and will continue to work as hard as they need to, to win this game.

Bayon - Day 12
-The girls are out crabbing and clamming and there is conflict between Monica, who wants to make sure they don't deplete all the big clams because she is planning on being there another 27 days - and Kimmi who just wants to eat - the ocean is not going to be depleted because 6 people eat some clams.  Wiglesworth stays out of it (smart girl.)
-Kimmi is b*tching to Stephen about Monica telling her to leave the clams in the ocean but she tells the camera she's trying to learn patience and not make waves, but she's not used to people giving their opinion when it's not welcome. (Holy first world problems as opposed to Angkor.)

REWARD CHALLENGE
Three members of each tribe will be tied together and the fourth member will be inside a barrel - on Jeff's go they will roll the barrels to a series of flagpoles, when they get to each flagpole, the person in the barrel must get out and retrieve a bag of balls then get back in the barrel - once they have all three bags of balls they will then race to roll the balls into a series of targets - first team to have a ball in each target wins comfort items - chairs with cushy pillows, blankets, hammock, and tarp plus refreshments at camp.  Second tribe to finish just wins a tarp and last tribe gets nothing!

Ta Keo sits out Deitz and Kass (they will have to participate in the Immunity challenge because you can't sit the same people in back to back challenges.)
Bayon sits out Stephen and Wiglesworth.

Off we go: with Woo, Monica and Wentworth in the barrels...
Angkor is last to the pole, Kelley is fast getting Ta Keo's balls, Woo is fast too - Monica puts Bayon behind on the ball retrieval and that is the story until they get to the ball rolling.
-Woo, Keith and Jeremy are rolling the balls and Woo & Keith keep tying up back and forth - Spencer taps in for Jeremy and brings them back in it... we're all tied up but it's KEITH winning for Ta Keo - Woo is able to bring second place to Angkor (a tarp is better than nothing) and it's finally Bayon losing something for once.

Ta Keo - Day 12
They come back to camp with their comfort items and there is chilled juice and a basket of fruit... they are flush on this tribe, Terry says all they have to do is hit the grocery store (being the sea) and catch some fish... which he takes off to do. Deitz is loving his time there, "This is great!"
- Little does he know, while he's out spear fishing alone, the rest of his tribe is strategizing to stay a strong final five.  Joe is leading the talk because he learned from his last time playing that he needs to gather as many people around him this time to avoid having everyone want to vote him off first - he still feels like he's the biggest threat so he wants to make sure these people want to keep him.
-Kelley has been pushing Terry under the bus since the change up because they were the only two from the other tribe - so she's very excited to be included in the five without Terry.  Kass says they have to keep Terry feeling good though - shouldn't be a problem, he's not expecting a thing.
-Keith likes to be included in the five as well because in his previous season he never hooked up with nobody - this is good cause two people git ya nowhere, five people git ya to the end.

Bayon - Day 12
Spencer and Jeremy take the circle boat out to fish - the boys are bonding and Spencer finally feels like he's not playing Survivor by proxy, he's actually out there spear fishing and doing it. (Is this tribe just really boring? This is what they show us?)

Angkor - Day 12
-Woo is thankful for those date nights at Chuck E Cheese playing Skee-ball... but their conversation quickly turns more serious when he tells the story of his mom - she had a massive heart attack and then had to have a heart transplant - Woo is playing this game for his mom because she taught him to never give up fighting for what you want.
We get the pretentious platitude from Savage, "La vie est belle" (Life is beautiful) Ugh, does he listen to himself?
-Woo leaves the other three in the shelter and Abi says her grandmother went through the same thing but didn't have the same luck, and she lost her auntie at a young age too.  She tells the camera she was annoyed by Woo, using that story to garner sympathy and sway people towards him.  "Hey, I had a tendon transplant on my knee, I have a piece of someone else inside me, too." (I'm gonna leave that one alone.)
-Tasha is exhausted by Abi, she says it takes work, working with Abi.  Woo, he'll take walking orders an hour before tribal and be chill, you can't do that with Abi.  She's a time bomb but she has kept Tasha in this game - Tasha doesn't want to make an emotional decision to cut her loose, but for her sanity, she might have to.

IMMUNITY CHALLENGE
They have to race up a series of obstacles to get to the top of the tower where they will then launch sandbags from a huge slingshot at a series of targets - first two tribes to hit all their targets win immunity.  This is Joe's second chance at this challenge since they played it his season, and he lost.
Ta Keo - sits out Ciera and Kelley
Bayon - sits out Jeremy and Monica

Off they go:
-It's Joe, Spencer and Savage - Spencer and Savage miss - Joe hits on his first try and Keith is on the course - once you score, you have to switch out, and everyone has to shoot at least once.
-Keith cannot hit a target, Woo hits, Wiglesworth hits... Stephen is on the Bayon tribe but mis-aims so badly he hits one of Angkor's targets and that will count for them (thank you for that.)
-Angkor - 4
-Ta Keo - 3
-Bayon - 2
With only one more to hit, it's Angkor that wins the first Immunity! (Way to go little underdog tribe!)
Now it's between Ta Keo and Bayon... but Ta Keo has a flag lead and they are the second tribe to get immunity!
-That means Bayon has broken it's golden streak, they will be heading to tribal council tonight.

-Monica hopes this will really make them stronger, they will see where their loyalties lie - there is nothing wrong with going to tribal council (said like someone who hasn't had to go yet this season.)

-Spencer knows it's between him and Wiglesworth being the odd men out from Ta Keo.

Bayon - Day 13
Back at camp, Jeremy tells the camera it's a matter of who he trusts more going forward, Spencer or Wiglesworth.
-Monica comes over and tells him she just hates going to tribal (that's not what you said to Jeff at the challenge, two faced much?)
Stephen has joined the discussion and they agree that they trust Wiglesworth more but Spencer needs them more - gun to their heads they say Kelly (to go, or stay? Go, I think.)

-Spencer goes to get water with Stephen and Jeremy and to check in, they tell him it's going to be Wiglesworth... (but what else would they tell him really?)  Spencer has to go against every instinct he has to check in, check in, check in and try to play it cool because calm and confident will get you farther than paranoid annoyance.

-Kimmi is all good with Kelly going home tonight but Monica wonders if keeping Kelly will be better for HER game and suggests to Kimmi that they may want to keep the girls numbers up since right now it's even... Kimmi doesn't understand why she would go against their built in majority of the four original Bayon, Kimmi sees her as a liability playing this game... and again vents to Stephen, calling Monica a 'snake in the grass'.  Monica is not playing for the Bayon tribe, Monica is playing for Monica.
-Kimmi runs to Jeremy and Stephen and tells them what Monica said about keeping the girls numbers up.  Jeremy didn't like the sounds of that - Kimmi says we got blindside Monica with Spencer voting with us.

-Stephen then talks to Jeremy saying he doesn't like the message this would send to the other Bayon - Monica would be the first Bayon voted out of this game and if  there were another swap or in the merge, it would be seen as a betrayal of old Bayon (I think he's over-thinking this... or is he?) He sees Kelly as having a lot of ties to old Ta Keo and Monica as a huge potential flipper... it's hard to gauge which one is more dangerous.

TRIBAL COUNCIL
Some of them have to get fire still... Bayon's first time at tribal council.

-Jeff asks Stephen if he agrees that Tribal Council can be a good thing for a tribe?  Stephen doesn't really answer, he says the game is about trust and there is no better way to show trust then with your vote at Tribal Council. (Boring political answer)
-Jeff asks if they are going with the obvious; keeping the four original Bayon strong and taking their pick between Spencer and Kelly.
-Monica pipes up while the other three shift around and look guilty, Monica thinks that's how they are voting tonight, it's a matter of who you feel you should be loyal to.
-Kelly agrees that the sense today was that it was between her and Spencer.  She says her actions from when they came together will hopefully carry her through until tomorrow morning.
-Jeremy agrees that Kelly is an old school player, what she said made sense but new school is more erratic, let me know if I'm in, what can I do to make sure I'm in.
-Spencer epitomizes the new school - student of the game - always playing hard - but he says this is the first time he's been on a tribe that has been unified - this is still a tribal game at this point and he feels like this is his group.
-Jeremy likes to hear that from Spencer, and he also knows that Kelly is loyal and a hard worker which is something they look for going forward in their group.  He says their vote tonight will be based on loyalty, trust, challenge strength...
Jeff says none of those things differentiate between Spencer and Kelly tonight... Jeremy: Well, we'll see then.
Everyone laughs, including Monica who I think should be trying to read the room better.
Kimmi - says their original Bayon ten was very cohesive so as long as it's one of the original Ta Keo, they're good.  Of course, no one else knows what goes on at camp.
Monica believes their vote tonight is locked in.
Kimmi says it stinks squashing someone's hopes and dreams but she's got to put the emotions aside in a vote - everyone came in there knowing it's a game so she's just going to keep going on the path that she's playing.
Stephen is running for office again - "strategy is based on emotion.  You have to build real bonds in order to build real alliances."

Time to Vote:
Monica votes for Kelly Wiglesworth
Kelly votes for Spencer
Spencer votes for Kelly - she invented the phrase, "I didn't come here to make friends" yet he thinks she has more than him on the other tribes.

Tallying the votes:
No one plays a hidden immunity idol

Votes:
Kelly - 1
Spencer - 1
Kelly - 2
Monica - 1 (and she looks like Whhhahhhaaat?)
Monica - 2 - now she's giving all her Bayon peeps the evil eye
Monica - 3 - and it's MONICA voted out.  Not a word was spoken, just an exasperated "uh" and open mouthed shock.  Kimmi gives her a little smirk as she silently has her torch snuffed and, shaking her head, walks away.  EPIC BLINDSIDE - hahaha, so fun to watch.

Spencer and Kelly are kind of in the same boat though because obviously they were not included in the planning of that vote.

Next week: Stephen is wanting to make another big move and someone's time in the game comes to an end on Ta Keo... with Jeff Probst coming to the beach in the middle of the night (Medical evac? Family emergency? What happens????)

Monica's final thoughts: She says she's a little shocked but she's okay - she thought she would be in the game a lot longer but you can officially say she got blindsided.  Her second chance was a bit of a disappointment but she's got to pick herself up like you do after you get [epically] voted out.

So that was fun :)  Oh, and with Monica leaving, that takes Lee B., Robert L., and Sunnie C. out of the pool.

Til next time,

Coleen

The Amazing Race 27 - Oct 16/15 Episode Recap

Good Old Fashion Spit in the Face

Team Texas has hatched a plan to leverage their Express Pass to get other teams to agree to U-Turn the Green Team because Justin is a huge threat and, let's be honest, just really annoying.
-They talked to Joey & Kelsey on the train and again at the Pit Stop asking them to spread the word.  Joey & Kelsey are in, they want that Express Pass for themselves.

-Team Texas is the first team to depart at 3:47pm - they read the clue to fly to Livingstone, Zambia - where they'll visit Victoria Falls.
-All teams head for travel agencies, there are only two flights with four spots available on each.

-Team Texas and the Reporters are the first two teams on the first flight. Justin & Diana can't seem to find the travel agency.  The Paparazzi are again arguing, he's taking off half-cocked, she's trying to slow him down so they can read the whole clue and find the travel agency - they even tell the camera they knew in high stress situations they are like a box with things just flying out in all directions - they know they have to work on that.
-The Track Stars are the third team on the first flight and finally Justin & Diana find the agency to squeak the 4th spot on the first flight which will get these teams in to Zambia at 12:30pm the next day.

-Logan & Chris are the first team on the second flight which was disappointing for them, until the travel agent said there was only a 15 minute difference between the flights - so hopefully it won't be too bad.
-Mom & Son, Chacattack and finally the Cheerleaders are the final teams on the 2nd flight out.  All the teams are talking about the strategy to take out Justin & Diana this leg... (and I almost feel bad for them, it's like they are being singled out to be picked on by the douchebag bullies.)

-All teams are on their way to Livingstone, Zambia - once they land they must make their way to the Mukuni Village which dates back almost a thousand years - they will get a traditional welcome.

First flight lands and Tanner is still hobbling with his hamstring injury, allowing the Reporters to get ahead of Team Texas, but they're alright with that because they are aligned with them, as long as it's not the Green Team.  Team Texas is planning on using their Express Pass this leg regardlesss, in order to get ahead of the other teams and U-Turn Green.  Justin's only focus is getting to the U-Turn before Team Texas.

-Everyone is impressed with Zambia... and they drive on the left side of the road there, which the Reporters found interesting (hopefully they won't have to drive, that can be confusing.)
-The Reporters are the first team to the village and they are blessed by a local woman, who spits water on them. Joey, "For me that was a first." (Ha, I bet.)
-Team Texas gets the water spit right in their faces, they thought it was hilarious - quite the welcome, "A good ol' fashion spit in the face,  welcome."
-Green Team, Justin has to be dancing because he has "look at me" disease... (yeah, he really is so annoying) Diana didn't seem overly impressed with the water spit in her face.

-The Reporters get the clue to make their way to Batroka Aerodrome to find their next clue (what is an Aerodrome?)
-Team Texas, Green Team head out right on top of each other - Team Track Stars is also right behind them and they are feeling the power of being in Africa - the welcome at the village was amazing.

Second flight lands and these teams are trying to make up time- Chacattack, Mom/Son, Cheerleaders and finally the Paparazzi is the order they leave the airport - and they are wanting to go fast!

First flight teams are getting to the next clue and it's the ROADBLOCK: Who wants to rise above the smoke that thunders?
In this Roadblock, one team member will fly over Victoria Falls in an microlight (essentially a motorbike with wings) - during the flight they must spot their next clue (a big yellow & red flag, hanging off a bridge) among the mist of the falls.
-Kelsey is going to do this one for the Reporters.

-Tanner & Josh choose to use their Express Pass to bypass this task and get ahead of everyone as the first part of their grand plan to take out the Green Team. (Huh?) The boys do seem a little bummed not to be doing this one though (it does look pretty cool.)
-For the Green Team - Diana is going to be doing this one.
-Tanner & Josh hand in the Express Pass and get the clue to take a cab over the border to the town of Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, once there they have to go to the Shoestring Backpackers Lodge to get their next clue.

-Joey & Justin are speculating to the camera that Tanner & Josh used the Express Pass to get to the U-Turn board first - Justin says, if they want to use it early, it's going to bite them in the ass, I promise. (Justin is absolutely certain that he and Diana are not going anywhere.) History of the Race has proven if you choose to U-Turn a team that is right behind you right off the top, it never works out.  Tanner & Josh will be making an enemy and they won't have the Express Pass to save them.

-Josh is kind of upset to be burning the Express Pass on a task that he could have done easily... (I'm kind of excited to see if Justin's prediction will come true or if Team Texas can pull this off.)

-Kelsey is the first person up in the microlight and she's loving it.  Diana is a little afraid of heights but Justin says, "what better way to get over that than seeing one of the seven wonders of the world?" (I'm not sure it works that way, but whatever, Justin just likes to talk like he knows everything.)

-Josh & Tanner are a little worried they will not be as far ahead as they had hoped by skipping that Roadblock, they feel like they may only be an hour ahead. (If that.)

-Back at the Roadblock, while the girls are up in the microlights, Justin asks Joey how he'd feel about an alliance with them.  Joey says he'd be okay with it especially since Justin & Diana are a stronger team that's been kicking everyone's butts. (Justin would never suspect if you keep stroking that huge ego.)
-Joey tells the camera that they are playing both sides right now, being in a secret alliance with Justin & Diana which he has no trouble breaking and then their agreement with Team Texas to get the Express Pass.  Joey says they're #Puppetmastering right now.

-The Track Stars get to the Roadblock and, again, Jazmine is doing this one (Ummm, they know the same person can't do every Roadblock right?)

-2nd flight teams start arriving at the village - Chacattack is the first team to be blessed, followed by Denise & James Earl - in both these cases the guys laughed after getting water spit in their faces and the girls looked mildly shocked.  Chris & Logan both laughed and the Cheerleader both shock and laughter followed by hoping it really will bring them good luck (these two are bringing up the rear again.)

-Victoria Falls is amazing, the flyers are seeing elephants, hippos, the amazing falls... and then the slight panic sets in that they have to spot the flag before the flight ends or they'll have to go again.
-Kelsey is worried until they go around a bend and she finally spots the flag hanging off the bridge.  Diana also spots the flag and Jazmine spots it as well, despite screaming and wahooing (which I'm sure the pilot loved hearing over the microphone.)

-Team Texas is at the border and have to get their passports checked.

-Kelsey & Joey are the first team heading off from The Roadblock to the suspension bridge where they saw the flag - Joey is super excited by baboons in the street - Kelsey tells him to settle down.
-Justin & Diana jump in a cab and he tells her that he cemented an alliance with the Reporters which she's happy about - No one plays this game better than Justin (in his mind.)

-Chacattack arrives at the Roadblock and Cindy volun-tells Rick he's doing this one.
-Cindy goes and talks to Danielle (the track star waiting for her partner) and they are both a little confused why Team Texas used their Express Pass on the Roadblock instead of the Detour (me too.)

-Team Texas is freaking out because the taxi ride from the Roadblock to Zimbabwe is taking forever - they feel like their lead is slipping away.

-Jazmine gets back and tells Danielle she saw the flag near a pink building hanging between two blue buildings... (Huh, What?! Oh man, is she talking about the right place?)
-The Paparazzi gets to the Roadblock and Logan is doing this one by mutual agreement.  James Earl & Denise are right behind them and Mom's going up.
-Cindy fills Chris and James Earl in, that Team Texas used the Express Pass on the 20 minute Roadblock instead of the Detour which usually takes an hour to an hour and a half.  They all agree that was a mistake.
-Cheerleaders get there and Krista is going up... lots more screaming... her poor pilot.

-Victoria falls - Kelsey & Joey and Justin & Diana get to the area where the suspension bridge is, they have to walk in and walk across the bridge, getting soaked by the spray of the falls - to get to the cluebox.  This clue is the one telling them to go to the Shoestrings Backpackers Lodge in Zimbabwe.
-The Track Stars are telling the cab driver they have to go to Victoria Falls bridge... he thought it was Knife's edge bridge... I still don't know which one was right (eek! This is my team, don't mess up girls.)

-Up in the microlights, Rick, Logan and Denise see the flag,

-The Track Stars are at the border and they have to get their passports stamped before they can cross - wait... they didn't get the clue yet (Oh Man!)  Once the girls are in a cab in Zimbabwe they see the flag hanging on the other bridge again and tell the guy they have to go back to that bridge.  So back to the border they go.

-Everyone comes in off their microlight flights totally exhilarated - Denise, "Oh my gosh, I almost p*ssed my pants." (Ha, this woman has no filter.)
-In the cab, Cindy tells Rick that Team Texas used their Express Pass on the Roadblock, "Nooooo." It may mess up their entire plan to get rid of Justin.

-Tanner & Josh think their plan is flawless, they will U-Turn Justin & Diana then Kelsey & Joey will U-Turn Team Texas knowing they are already passed so Justin & Diana can't U-Turn anyone else... they just hope they can rely on the other teams to have their backs.

-Then they get to Shoestrings and find... the Detour won't be until the next day - they have to grab a key with a time attached, first two are 8am, next two 8:10am, etc. (Ohhhh, did they ever screw up!  What a waste of a perfectly good Express Pass.)
-Especially when it's Justin & Diana that get to Shoestrings next and also grab an 8am departure time.  Justin says to Joey (when they get the 8:10am key) about Team Texas wasting the Express Pass, "When you don't know the game you make mistakes and they just made a crucial one." (Justin is just insufferable, they all know the game, Team Texas just happens to not be the best strategists.)

-Rest of the teams are getting the clue at the suspension bridge - Chacattack, Paparazzi, Denise & James Earl, The Track Stars (made it back) and then finally the Cheerleaders... (Come on Track Stars, I still have faith in you... but it's waning.)

-Team Texas has retreated to their room probably because they are embarrassed to face the other teams - they hope the Reporters will be right behind them tomorrow and they can still make the plan work.
-Justin however is glorying in their failure - He says he's not going to be cocky but he's extremely confident, then he dances around like an idiot (do you know what being cocky is?)
-The rest of the teams can't believe Team Texas miscalculated so disastrously.

8:00am the next day - Justin & Diana tell Team Texas they are not planning on U-Turning them today and Team Texas say they don't plan on U-turning them either... but Justin tells the camera, you never know, it is life changing money...
-It looks like Team Texas really has decided not to U-Turn the Green Team today because Tanner tells the camera the next time there is a U-Turn they will definitely do it. (I do see some tails between the legs with these two today.)

DETOUR: Co-op or Croquet
Wood/Co-op - wooden carvings of giraffes are hand made by a co-operative of local artists, in Co-op, teams will finish painting the carved animal, once it's ready for market, they'll receive their next clue.
Croquet - at the Victoria Falls Hotel they will play croquet on the grounds.  If they can score 5 points against a local player, they'll receive their next clue.
-Both Team Texas and the Green Team choose Croquet.
-Now Team Texas is saying instead of giving the Express Pass to the team that U-Turns Justin & Diana, they are thinking to give it to the next team that comes in after them, to try to be fair.

-8:10am - Chacattack chooses Co-op because they don't really even know what Croquet is.  Kelsey & Joey choose Croquet, thinking this will be much quicker than painting a giraffe. (I guess it depends on how good you are at Croquet - personally, I think painting the giraffe will likely be quicker.)

-The last 4 teams all have 8:20am -Paparazzi, Cheerleaders and Track Stars all chose Co-op and Mom & Son are going to do Croquet. (So it was a pretty even split between the Detours, interesting.)

Croquet - first thing, of course, is putting on the outfit: Guys, white shirts, black trousers and vests and a straw hat. Girls have white blouses, longs skirts and straw hats as well - very turn of the century garden party.
-Hmm, just getting the ball through a wicket seems to count as a point, not having to hit the final stake (croquet for dummies.)

-Chacattack get to the Big Five Coop and find out they have to stain the figure using a toothbrush - once they get it completely stained, they then have to polish it as well.  Cindy is a dentist so she has excellent toothbrush skills - hopefully that will help them with this task.
-Paparazzi, Track Stars and Cheerleaders also show up and choose their giraffes - Chris thinks bigger is better, where Logan would have used her head and chosen the smallest giraffe so it would go faster. They have to wait for the stain to dry before they can polish, Chacattack is starting to wonder if they chose the longer task.

Croquet - okay, they have to get the ball through the wicket before the pro in order to get the point, so if the pro goes through first, it's a dead wicket.  I get it.  Josh & Tanner have two points.  Kelsey doesn't have the greatest mallet skills, they have one point.  Justin & Diana are blazing along with four points. (oh boy)
-Team Texas catches up with four points and the Reporters came up with the strategy of having Kelsey knock the pros ball out of line so Joey could come behind and make the point - they start to get some points that way.
-Justin & Diana are the first team to get five points and they get the clue to the PIT STOP: Rose of Charity Orphanage.
-Tanner & Josh are finished right behind them.
-Kelsey & Joey are still playing and Denise & James Earl have just started.

-Back at the Co-op, the teams are starting to finish the staining, then they have to wait for the figure to dry.  Chacattack is fanning the giraffe, Paparazzi starts copying them.
-Cheerleaders don't get a pass, the judge tells them they're only 90% stained and Krista starts demanding he show her where it needs more (he's not going to do that dummy). 
-These teams are definitely thinking they should have done the other task instead (and someone might still get the chance.)

-Green Team is the first team in a taxi, they hope Team Texas would be true to their word but regardless, they hope to get to the U-Turn board first so they can't be U-Turned.
-Team Texas is right behind them and still kicking themselves for not saving their Express Pass for the Detour (yup, and you'll be kicking yourself about it for years to come, I'm thinking.)

-Denise & James Earl have mad croquet skills apparently and they fly through this task, getting five points before Kelsey & Joey who were there before them.  Joey's not too happy about being passed - but they finish right behind them.
-Denise runs away holding her skirt up around her waist (WHOA! Family show, lady - she was wearing tights, but still a little propriety is called for, especially in the period garb.)

-Justin & Diana are the first team to the U-Turn board, which is right at the Pit Stop (that's different) and they stayed true to their word and did not U-Turn anybody.  Justin says they will let [Team Texas] fail on their own.  But he does plan to U-Turn them at the next opportunity.
-Josh & Tanner get to the U-Turn board and are relieved to see they're not U-Turned, they even have some grudging respect for Justin & Diana because they did have the opportunity to U-turn the strong team behind them and didn't.  However, Team Texas still plans on U-Turning them at their next opportunity as well.

 Here's How They Finished:
1) Justin & Diana (Green Team) - part of the Pit Stop was making a donation to the orphanage and they chose to donate every dollar they had - Phil tells them they are still racing and hands them their next clue.  It tells them to make their way to a specific café and they have $65 for this leg of the race.
2) Josh & Tanner (Team Texas) - They donate everything they have as well and then Phil tells them, because they used the Express Pass and they are still racing, they have to tell him right now who they are going to give the Express Pass to so Phil can give it to them when they get to the mat... the boys have no idea because they haven't correctly anticipated anything that's happened this leg...

TO BE CONTINUED (What!???!)

Next week: Justin & Diana walk with lions... and one seems to think they look tasty (eek), Kelsey & Joey go cage diving with crocodiles (ew) and Tiffany takes the plunge (is that bungee jumping or swinging? Either way it looks terrifying!)

So, no one eliminated unless you count Team Texas' Express Pass :)

Have a great week everyone,

Coleen

Survivor Second Chance - Oct 14/15 Episode Recap

What's the Beef?

Last week there was a surprise switch and we went from two tribes to three tribes.  The new Angkor tribe had to start over building shelter, etc. and the minority of Tasha & Savage were able to take over because Abi & PG could not get along and Varner lost his cool.
PG went home and Abi seems to have set her sites on Woo.

Angkor - Night 9
-Jeff is so thankful to still be there but now he's indebted to these people and it makes him sick... but it's his second chance so he's going to do what he needs to do.
-Tasha is telling Woo that Varner should have gone home, not PG, what Jeff did at the challenge (freaking out about her calling him a rat?) was not cool - he's a snake.  She thinks that Varner is the source of all contention and drama - she assures Woo he's not going anywhere. 
But Abi is watching and not happy...
-Abi confronts Tasha immediately - says she's not comfortable with Tasha taking someone who just voted for her (Abi) aside and talking to him alone.  Tasha says she didn't lie to her, she didn't blindside her, so what's the beef? (The beef is Abi is so paranoid any perceived slight sends her off the deep end.)
-Abi starts picking at Woo too, telling him he's been plotting to get her out for a long time - it's starting to feel personal.  She says to the camera, if it was up to her, Woo would be the next one going home.
-Woo just mumbles he's sorry he voted for her... but there's no telling her anything, you are dead to her Woo - Dead!

Bayon - Day 10
Jeremy can finally go off by himself and check out his hidden immunity idol... it's a thing of beauty and he's giddy.
-Next shot he's by the watering hole with Stephen who asks him if he's had any luck with the idol.  Jeremy says 'no' and even suggests they have to start climbing the trees like Mike last season (oh, you're mean - trying to get poor Stephen climbing trees.)  Jeremy is not sharing his idol with anyone, so misdirection is the name of the game.

Angkor - Day 10
-Savage thinks their beach is in a dead cove - there are no resources, nothing there.  He went from the Survivor Shangrala to the Survivor Ghetto... He tried some spear fishing and nothing - just one snail.

-Tree mail - says something about feasting... and they are very excited at the prospect of food - Woo just hopes they have enough in their tanks to actually pull this off.

REWARD CHALLENGE
No one seemed to care that PG was gone (aw).

The challenge - they will race out into the water and grab a sandbag off a platform then race back - they will then put the sandbag on one end of a levered plank, jump on the other end to launch the sandbag into a net.  The first two people to get all three of their bags into the net wins Reward.
1st place: Survivor bbq set - grill, wok, sausages, peppers, utensils
2nd place: smaller set- wok, some peppers, oil
3rd place: nothing

-Each tribe has to choose one person to represent the whole tribe for this challenge.
Angkor chooses Savage
Bayon chooses Jeremy
Ta Keo chooses Dietz
-Off they go and it's actually quite a ways out into the water they have to run, and the water isn't really deep enough to swim it - Dietz is the first one back and he gets his sandbag in the net the first try, he heads back out.  Jeremy misses the net and Savage overshoots... Dietz is back out getting his next sandbag.  Jeremy gets his sandbag on the second try, Savage has to try 3 times... they get back with their second bags - Dietz forgets what he did and it takes him 3 tries, Jeremy takes a couple tries again, Savage makes it in one try this time and takes over the lead.
-Third sandbag - Savage vs Dietz - Dietz overshoots and Savage gets it - Winning the big Reward for Angkor!
-Second place now between Dietz and Jeremy - Jeremy overshoots and Dietz wins the smaller reward for Ta Keo.
-Tasha is crying, they haven't eaten in four days and Andrew did this for love of his tribe. (Sure, that's it.)
-Andrew says he had always wondered if he did enough his first time around to carry his weight - this victory feels like vindication.

Angkor - Night 10
-They get back to camp and feast thanks to the legend that is Andrew Savage... well Woo kept calling him a legend for this... but they are all drunk on greasy sausage and Abi says they are so winning immunity after this.
-Savage hopes they do see that they can win against these big horses on the other tribes and it makes a difference.

Ta Keo - Day 11
-Kass is the only one up and she's cutting beads off their torches... she tells the camera she learned from losing Survivor the first time that she didn't play a good social game so she read the book How to Win Friends and Influence People and is applying those methods.
(I'm not sure exactly what she's doing with the beads though.)
-Kelley wakes up and sees Kass gathering the beads and acting kind of fertively - she doesn't trust her one bit, she named herself Chaos Kass - why would she?  Kelley thinks she's making a fake idol and tries to take a peak but Kass shoos her away.
-Then Kass gives Kelley a birthday present, the bracelet/necklace she made as a good luck charm for the day.  Kelley tells her she thought she was making an idol and Kass knew they would but she trumped them by actually doing something nice instead.

Bayon - Day 11
Jeremy asks Spencer what's his relationship with Wiggles?  He tells Jeremy & Stephen that she voted for him, he was going to be the next to go... Spencer tells the camera with he and Wiglesworth being the minority at the new Bayon, in order to improve his position, he's got to throw her under the bus (oh, first reality show trope of the episode.) Spencer tells them she's in very tight with Terry, Woo and Varner so she would run right back to them given the chance.
-Next Spencer is giving the same song and dance to Monica but she's not buying it - she would rather keep the girl count up and subsequently keep the boy count down - she doesn't really trust a thing Spencer tells her. (Good for you.)  Monica thinks Spencer should go first but to him, she's all agreeing and fist-bumping.

IMMUNITY CHALLENGE
There are big puzzle pieces all over the beach.  Oh Yeah! It's a blindfolded challenge - they will have one caller per tribe and two blindfolded pairs stumbling around trying to collect the huge puzzle pieces and return them to their mat.  Once a tribe collects all their puzzle pieces they can drop the blindfolds and start working on assembling the pieces into one huge cube.  First two tribes to finish win immunity - third tribe is going to tribal council.
-Bayon sits Monica and Ta Keo sits Ciera (again?)

Angkor caller is Jeff Varner.
Bayon is Kimmi.
Ta Keo is Kass.
-Pieces start coming in fast and furious but it soon becomes apparent that Ta Keo can't hear Kass yelling at them... at least Keith and Terry seem Kass deaf and are wandering aimlessly.
-Wiglesworth can't really hear Kimmi that well either - maybe Angkor had the better plan choosing a guy with a lower register voice, easier to hear long distances, as their caller.

-Joe is keeping Ta Keo in this by picking up pieces all by himself because his tribemates Terry and Keith are apparently deaf to Kass as well as blind.  Angkor has a couple piece lead but there are 16 pieces - that's a lot of hauling and they are starting to become completely exhausted. (Que montage of walking into pieces, falling over pieces, being hit in the head/hands/groin with pieces...
-Ta Keo has their pieces first, followed by Angkor, and finally Bayon has all 16 pieces and they rip off their blindfolds and try to get the puzzles together.
-Bayon seems to be making the most progress on the puzzle... and with Spencer at the helm, Bayon is the first winner of immunity.
-Angkor seems to have given up, they are pretty much just draped over pieces waiting for Ta Keo to finish so they can stop pretending to work on the puzzle and that's what happens - Ta Keo gets the second immunity and it's going to be Angkor heading to Tribal Council again.

-Jeff asks Angkor if they just gave up but Savage tells him they gave all they had but they have no more. All choked up, he says he played college football and he's never been in this state, he's ready to fall over, he can't think, it's scary.  Jeff says he wishes he could say there was something for them at camp [but, oh well].  (I think the show should be giving Angkor some rice or something, they really did get the sh*t end of the stick in the switch up.)

Angkor - Day 11
-Varner hobbles back into camp, he dropped one of the puzzle pieces on his pinkie toe - so it's gonna hurt for a couple days - and he tells them he is no threat to them whatsoever. (No physical threat maybe.)
-Savage says they started out the challenge on the highest of highs after winning the reward but then they got thumped and they are feeling the lowest of lows.
-Tasha tells us that it's thanks to Abi that she and Savage were able to go from the bottom to the top at Angkor but Abi is so unpredictable... they have to make sure Jeff doesn't have the opportunity to talk to her because they feel it has to be Jeff tonight.

-Jeff is talking to Woo and tells him it looks like it's one of these two tonight and Jeff thinks it's going to be him because no one is telling him anything.
-Jeff tells the camera, the one thing he does have going for him is that he's never voted for Abi, never lied to Abi, so if she's the one making the calls here, he might just squeak by another one.

-Woo tries to make his pitch to Abi, that they came into Angkor with the numbers but now look at them.  She says she went where she was wanted and they [Tasha & Savage] make her feel so comfortable - Woo warns her not to get too comfortable and then proposes they vote for Varner (why not target Tasha, then Abi would be their queen - I bet she'd like that.)  But Abi has no interest in anything Woo has to say, he voted for her twice, no hard feelings ... (but, I don't think she understands what that means because she has hard feelings and is not voting with Woo.)
-Woo knows he could be looking at trouble at tribal tonight.

-Abi then talks to Tasha saying that Woo worries her and Tasha tries to talk her down... Who do you think we will lose immunity with, Woo or Varner?  That gets Abi thinking but she's still fixated on the fact that Woo wrote her name down twice and Jeff has been loyal to her and protected her. 
-Tasha tells the camera she wants Jeff out because he's very manipulative and he could work his magic and she'll lose Abi. (She doesn't tell Abi any of that of course.)
-Tasha had good reason to worry - Jeff nearly does take Abi back right in front of her when he tells Abi he misses her, they don't talk and cut up like they used to - he misses his #Abitime. (Really?) But it totally works on Abi, she is so needy and Jeff totally has her number.
-Tasha knows that Abi is the pivotal piece to this puzzle and they may have to do whatever she wants, otherwise, Abi's gonna be pissed!

-Abi has a huge decision between winning challenges and trust & loyalty, "and I hate being the decision maker." (You do not, you love it.)

TRIBAL COUNCIL
-Varner hobbles in with a cane and explains he dropped one of the puzzle pieces on his foot, and it's purple and painful... but he's just never felt like this: to be so drained, not able to put two thoughts together, not be able to walk to the bathroom... then a huge flying beasty of some kind tries to attack them... and things like that are so exhausting - but he keeps thinking of the people that voted him here and he keeps going.
-Woo knows Jeff's injury makes him an easy target - but it's all about being able to outlast each other.  Unfortunately Woo & Varner are on the bottom, but Woo says he can outlast him, for sure.
-Abi agrees it's Woo or Varner tonight, "but she hasn't made her mind yet" - Varner has been loyal to her throughout the game, but she wants to win challenges.
-Savage agrees that Varner hasn't been very helpful in challenges but you also have to look ahead, when a merge happens, Woo's a stud, do you really want to go up against him one on one? (But you have to make it to the merge before you worry about that.)
-Woo immediately jumps on that - a merge is not going to happen anytime soon... Varner starts talking over him, "You don't know that." Woo says, "there will be a lot of immunity challenges and I will be an asset to you, Jeff will not."
-Varner says Woo is going to be their nemesis, a physical threat to anybody.
-Woo tells them he is a pivotal player that will ride and die for his alliance...
-Jeff interrupts him again, "but you haven't been in this alliance - you voted against it."
-Jeff asks if he can make his pitch, tells Tasha she's been closed off to him because she sees him as a crafty person but he's loyal to her.  He tells Savage that he is also loyal to him, they have a lot in common, they're both Old School.  Finally Abi-z he's been loyal to her since day one, I adore you (she's eating this up with a spoon) - I hope you repay that to me.
Jeff Probst - Wow, that was a good pitch.
-Abi says she still doesn't know... (Oh, you know.)
-Tasha was unmoved - all I know is that in order to win, we need strong people, that's Woo.  Loyalty vs Strength.
-Woo tells them he's loyal, they just have to give him a chance, yes he voted Abi but he's willing to cut all ties and devote himself to this tribe.
-Varner says he's already proven his loyalty to these people... blah, blah, blah... (I think Varner's quick wit is showing them even more reason to get rid of him, he can outwit where Woo, maybe a little easier to beat in that respect.)
-Jeff P. says he loves the fight, no one is ready to give up.
-Varner is over it, "Can we just vote?"
-Jeff announces time to vote and Woo makes one last plea, "Abi, I will remain loyal, you have my word. Please don't vote me out."

-And as he walks to the voting area she calls out to him, "Make sure you don't vote Abi." (OMG, he totally should vote for her, that would be hilarious!)

Woo votes for Jeff
Jeff votes Woo

Tallying the votes:
No one has a hidden immunity idol.

Votes:
Jeff - 1
Woo- 1
Jeff - 2, 3... And it's Varner voted out. (Wow, Abi actually showed some strategy.)
I had to laugh though, Varner hugged Abi and as he kissed her cheek said, "You little bitch."  (Hahaha!)
And with Varner's departure that takes Christine L., Shelly P., and Philip K. out of the pool.

Next week: Woo is still on shaky ground with Abi, Kimmi is talking about a snake in the grass and Keith knows he can go all the way to the end with a five person alliance (or all the way to fifth place anyway.)

Varner's final thoughts: he had a passion that's been cooking for 15 years and all of a sudden this opportunity popped up and it came flying out in all directions.  But in terms of the adventure and the charge to move forward on the second half of his life, he absolutely got what he needed. He's very grateful.

Have a great almost weekend everyone,

Coleen

The Amazing Race 27 - Oct 9/15 Episode Recap

Where My Dogs At?

Last week the teams were in Argentina, where they had to pick up cardboard and dance the tango on the wall - Justin & Diana managed to make enemies of Team Texas... and Alex & Adam came up a little short (I couldn't resist) and were eliminated.

Oh yeah... Team Texas made a totally unnecessary sprint for the mat and Tanner pulled his hamstring - we open with them discussing his injury and their plan: pray on it really hard (oh boy.)

Justin & Diana are the first team out at 5:45am the next day - they read the clue to travel by bus to San Antonio De Areco, a rural town also in Argentina - once there they will choose a pick up truck and be driven to their next clue.
-Justin is a bona fide super fan - he's watched every season at least three times, studied why teams were eliminated, how they've won, and he's positive that no one is as prepared as they are... (and yet, they almost got eliminated the first leg, huh.)

-Tanner & Josh second out at 6:12am - Tanner seems to be walking okay, but they didn't really show much of them.

-Denise & James Earl, 6:13am, she's yelling at the cab driver, "BUS, YOU KNOW BUS STATION?" (Speaking louder will not make him understand English...) and James Earl is also not happy with her taking out her frustration about the cab drivers on him.  (Yeah, they haven't spent a lot of time together in recent years, I get that.)

-Chacattack leaves at 6:21am and their goal is not to make any mistakes today... but they also laugh about it, (yeah, good luck with that.)
-Cheerleaders 6:28am are also hoping repeating the word bus over and over will make the cab driver understand.
-The Reporters are very polite to their driver and find out the station is very close... I don't know if they just lucked out on finding a driver that speaks more English, or if you catch more flies with honey.

Bus Station
-Team Texas is the first team to arrive (Justin & Diana took a city bus to the bus station, obviously that took longer) the Texas boys buy tickets for a bus that is ready to leave right away... and Tanner is hobbling along as he tries to run to the platform.
-The Reporters, despite leaving 6th are the second team to the bus station and are able to race through the station and get the same bus that Team Texas caught, much to their dismay.

-2nd bus out: Mom & Son, Chacattack, the Cheerleaders, the Paparazzi and the Track Stars.

Ernest & Jin are the last team to start the leg at 7:16am and they know they have to bring their A-game today.

-Justin & Diana get to the bus station and it's a different station than the other teams all left from (oh ho...)

-On the first bus, Team Texas is telling the Reports how Justin really gets on their nerves, so their plan is to give the Express Pass to whichever team U-Turns Justin & Diana.  They want to make it every team against the Green Team.
-No sooner had they had this discussion when who should get on the bus?, you got it - Justin & Diana (speak-of-the-Devil moment if ever there was one.)

First bus arrives in San Antonio De Areco and Tanner's leg has stiffened up being on the bus, they jump out and Justin is yelling right away, Rapido!  They have to pile in the backs of pick up trucks (that's so dangerous!) and they are driven to the ROADBLOCK: Who's Smoking Hot? Gaucho Grill.  One team member will have to properly hang meat on stakes with wire and skewers to be cooked by the open fire pits.  Bones should be facing out, the animal must be right side up and it must be skewered properly - if the gaucho approves their work, they will given a cooked rack of lamb and their next clue.

Justin, Josh and Joey are going to be wrestling the meat. (J J J) 
-Josh is being careful to study the examples, he just wants to beat Justin, Joey seems to be doing alright... but he's got the lamb backwards.

Teams on the 2nd bus are wondering where the Dancers are, no has seen the brothers at all today. Ernest & Jin have just arrived at the bus station - hopefully they can make up some time at some point.

-Joey gets his meat checked and he hasn't done the bones facing out on any of them... oops.

-The 2nd bus arrives and teams are scrambling to jump in the backs of those pick up trucks - the little Cheerleader (Krista) ends up like a turtle on her back in the bed of the truck because of her heavy backpack (ha ha, she's the same one that wiped out while doing to cardboard thing, graceful much?)
-Mom & James Earl pinky promise not to argue anymore today - he checks with the cameraman to make sure he got that on camera so he can hold her to it.

-Justin gets his meat checked and he's trying to bro-it up with the gaucho - but it's a no - his ribs were not facing the right way. "What do you mean no?" (What part of 'no' don't you understand?)
-Josh gets his checked and he's got one of the skewers wrong still... he said no, he means no.
Then the rest of the teams arrive and the first bus is not happy that their lead has disappeared.

-From the second bus; Paparazzi Chris, Dr. Rick, James Earl, Track star Jazmine, and taller Cheerleader (Tiffany) are schlepping the meat out to the fires - Tiffany is just dragging hers over - no one wants to eat that meat.

-Josh figures out the correct skewering and Team Texas is the first team to get the next clue.  They have to get a roasted lamb and take it to the judges at the Plaza Principal to get their next clue.  Tanner said the strangest part is he just said a prayer and then Josh got it. (I don't think God cares if you win the Amazing Race, I think he would be more concerned with your poor attitude towards the Green Team - do unto others and all that - just saying.)

-Joey still has his wrong - where is that reporter attention to detail? - he has one of the lamb upside down - just flip the pole over, sheesh.

-Dr. Rick is doing a pretty good job on the meat, he's attention detailed as a surgeon, and he's used to cutting through meat.
-Justin is still singing out for the Gaucho, "Mi Amigo!" and he's annoying Joey at this point too - but Justin still has his ribs backwards on the stake.

The Dancers are still on the bus.

-Justin figures it's his ribs that are wrong, but he's not sure what he's done... he calls himself a "stupido Americano" and says he's going to kick himself in the face for taking so long (there might be a line for the face kicking, I think.)
-Joey finally gets the pass on his meat and the Reporters head out with their rack of lamb.
-Dr. Rick gets his meat right on the first try and Chacattack is the third team to get the next clue. 
-Followed by the overly dramatic and annoying Justin who falls to his knees when he finally gets the pass (come on dude) Diana is just screaming at him to move!

Plaza Principal
-Josh & Tanner drop off the rack of lamb and get the clue to the DETOUR: Horse or Carriage
-Horse, in Argentina that means Polo - teams will have to choose a polo mallet, get into uniform and then properly equip a polo horse (it's a big fake horse).
-Carriage - they must select a buggy whip, detail a horse-drawn carriage, then drag it down the street to a specific tree to have it strapped to a team of horses (actual horses here.)
-Both Detours require the teams to deliver their horses and carriages to the local festival, where they dropped off the roast lamb, to get their next clues.

-Josh & Tanner have chosen Horse and they grab their polo mallet. A stray dog starts to follow them and he's got a bum back leg, Tanner, "He got hurt too." (Aw).
-Time to get into uniform boys - very tight white pants... hello!

-Joey & Kelsey deliver their roast lamb to the festival (there is local music, dancing, some judges at a table, some locals playing cards.) They decide they are going to do Horse as well, then they almost take off without their mallet... (read the clue completely before running off half cocked, sheesh.)

-Chacattack arrives and they decide to do carriage - but then take off without the whip because they were trying to leave before Justin & Diana got there. (Oh boy, remember what I said about attention to detail, apparently not in clue reading.)

-Justin & Diana; they choose Horse and Diana has to keep them on track as Justin hams it up for the camera, as usual, he is dancing with one of the women as Diana grabs the mallet and tells him to come on! (It must be opposites attracting with these two.)

-Chacattack are having a hard time finding the place, it seems to be really far away.
 
-Tanner & Josh are suited up and have to run off to another location to equip the horse... They pass Joey & Kelsey and tell them where the uniform place is.

-Tanner can't keep running, he's in pain... and then they realize, those are fake horses.  Tanner wishes it was a real horse so he could ride it back - and being from Texas they have some experience tacking horses so they're hoping to keep their small lead.

Back at the Roadblock - James Earl still has his bones facing in, Tiffany and Chris have the same issue, bones facing in.
-Mom Denise yells at James Earl to re-look at his big slab, that seemed to be the issue for the other teams and everyone took note of her tip - it worked for James Earl, and they get the next clue. (James Earl clapped his hands and jumped up and down... feeding in to the stereotype a little there.)
-Track Star Jazmine was the next one to get a pass.
-Cheerleaders and Paparazzi are just hoping the Dancers don't show up... but it looks like the third bus has finally arrived - maybe the boys can catch up if those teams are still there.
-Paparazzi Chris gets a pass on his meat finally...

Back at the Detour - Team Chacattack is wondering if they're lost, they seem to be heading out of town (is that right?)

-Horse - Team Texas is not happy when loud-mouth Justin shows up to start equipping their fake horse.  Josh & Tanner were so over-confident coming into the race, they thought they would just coast on their sheer awesomeness (that's not exactly what they said, but that was totally the subtext) - but Justin is competition and they have to get rid of him (plus he's super annoying.)
-Team Texas get their horse checked and it's wrong, because they have the saddle on backwards - Josh, "My dad will be so embarrassed."  They turn it around, but still get a no... now they're flummoxed.
-Green Team is working their fake horse and Kelsey & Joey are also there to equip a horse.

-Mom & Son and Track Stars deliver their lamb and both choose Horse.

-At the Roadblock: The Cheerleaders finally get a pass on their meat and Tiffany kisses the gaucho, causing his buddies to wish it was them? Or did she just cause him trouble at home later?

-Chacattack finally get to the estate for the Carriage and re-read their clue - realizing they forgot to grab the whip, they have to run all the way back to the festival (and it's far! I thought they were lost.) Rick, "Fudge!"  (One thing I noticed is there are a ton of dogs on the streets, following them all around - remember the days when dogs were allowed to roam? Seems so strange to me now.)

-Finally Ernest & Jin are in the pick up heading to the Roadblock and Ernest sounds like me telling Jin to hold on, "You sound like Mom." (Ha ha.)
-Ernest is doing the meat - they have no idea what the animals are... Jin says they're turkeys or something... city boys - lamb, it's lamb.

-Josh & Tanner finally get the bridle right and they are walking their horse back to the festival.

-Paparazzi finally deliver their lamb and choose to do Horse - and they grab the mallet.

-Justin & Diana get their horse checked and it's not right... and I just realized this is two detail challenges in a row, hardly seems fair.
-Track Stars and Denise & James Earl show up and get started equipping their horses.  Well James Earl gets started, looks like Denise is the supervisor, telling him what to do... but they're not fighting.

-Team Texas delivers their horse and gets the clue to the PIT STOP - they have to make their way on foot to: Museo Gauchesco (Gaucho Museum.)

-Justin & Diana get their horse approved and start dragging it back to the festival.

-Cindy & Rick finally get back to the festival and grab their whip... and take off again (I'd be tempted to switch instead of heading all he way back again, but then they don't know someone's finished already.)

-Back at the Roadblock - Jin & Ernest are feeling positive and Ernest actually gets a pass on his meat quickly (at least they only showed us the one check) and they head for the Detour.

-Kelsey & Joey get a pass on their fake horse and start pushing it back to the festival.
-Justin & Diana deliver their fake horse at the same time that the Cheerleaders show up delivering their roast lamb.  Justin is hoping they can pass Team Texas on the way to the Pit Stop (since it's far, they have to walk, and Tanner's got a bum leg.) 

-The Cheerleaders decide to do carriage, pause slightly when they think no one else is doing it but then go for it anyway since one whip is gone.

-Chacattack finally get back to the estate to start the carriage task (wow, they are really far behind now).

-Track Stars get a pass on their horse.
-Paparazzi show up in their uniforms to start equipping the horse.
-Denise & James Earl also get a pass and head out with their fake horse.

Carriage - Chacattack has their costumes on and they're ready to dust out their carriage, literally, with a feather duster and a rag.  They are done quickly and start dragging it out as the Cheerleaders arrive and have to go change.

-Denise & James Earl's pinkie swear lasted until they hit a curb and she was screeching that they couldn't pick it up, but then he tried to go around and it nearly tipped over... finally he does what he wanted to do originally and she acts like it was her idea (she's not quite Justin annoying, but I could see being frustrated with her if I was her kid.)
-As soon as they read the clue to the Pit Stop, she starts yelling "English?" trying to find someone to give them directions.

-The Track Stars drop off their horse and head for the Pit Stop.

-Paparazzi get a pass on their fake horse and start push/pulling it back to the festival.

-Chackattach is push/pulling their carriage down the street and they're getting so tired (it's been a lot of back and forth for this team.

-The Cheerleaders get the thumbs up on their cleaning job and start push/pulling their carriage out of there... but they've forgotten the whip back where they picked up the costumes (oh no, this task seems cursed, or the whips are.)

-Rick & Cindy are exhausted by the time they get their carriage to the tree but once it's strapped to the horses, they get a nice carriage ride - the best part of this whole leg for them so far.

-Ernest & Jin finally deliver their roast lamb and choose Carriage.

-Krista & Tiffany finally get the carriage to the hitching tree and are celebrating that they made it until the driver asks, "Do you have the whip?"  And they realize they have to go all the way back.  (Will they have to take the carriage back with them??) No, they get to just run back to retrieve it.

-Chacattack get back to the festival and head for the Pit Stop.

-While Ernest & Jin are putting on their costumes, the Cheerleaders run in, grab the whip and head out (at least that's how they edited it to look.)  Ernest thinks the outfits are kinda swag.

-Team Chacattack gets a bit lost on the way to the Pit Stop, they can see it but they're on the wrong side of a construction site...

-Cheerleaders get back with the whip.

-Ernest & Jin are running their carriage, being chased by some of the free roaming dogs; Ernest, "Where my dogs at?"

-Cheerleaders get stuck in the construction on the way to the Pit Stop...

 Here's How They Finished:
1) Josh & Tanner - They won a trip for two to Cambodia.
2) Justin & Diana - just behind them on the mat.  Phil tells these two teams that there will be a double U-turn on the next leg and would they be looking at taking each other out?  Josh says, "absolutely, they have pushed us to the limit every single leg." Justin says he knows the race and if they are going to U-turn somebody they better hope they go home.  Josh says, "We know you know the Race" (meaning, he does hope you go home, duh.)
3) Joey & Kelsey (the Reporters) - they feel like they are hitting their stride.
4) Jazmine & Danielle -so happy with 4th place.
[5] Denise & James Earl - Phil tells them they have a thirty minute penalty because Denise helped James Earl at the Roadblock by yelling to him to check the big slab - that's breaking the rules, only one person can do the Roadblock.
5) Chris & Logan - say sorry to Denise & James Earl who still have 16 minutes on their penalty.
6) Denise & James Earl - she's upset that she let him down and he tells her she has to quit yelling at him all day, direct some of that energy away from him...
7) Cindy & Rick - exhausted "yay," just happy to just have this leg over with I think.
8) Tiffany & Krista - 8 is better than being last!
9) Ernest & Jin - **ELIMINATED** They're not going to cry - they're survivors, they're fighters.  And then they dance with the locals - showing them how to do the worm!  I'm going to miss these two characters, it's like all the fun teams are dropping like flies.

And with Ernest & Jin leaving, that takes Hardeep G., Andria S., Shira C., Jeff T., and Chandra K. out of the pool.

Next week: The teams head to Africa and, with the double U-turn in play, Team Texas is hoping to leverage their Express Pass to get Justin & Diana U-turned and eliminated - Justin will then be their enemy. (I'm pretty sure they already see him that way and don't care.)

Have a great short week everybody,

Coleen