Amazing Race Fodder

Amazing Race Goes to Vietnam

I have always thought that the The Amazing Race has been educational as well as entertaining. Yes, I said educational! Tonight's episode was no different. The teams left from the Hillside Pavilion in the same order in which they checked in. The first clue told them they were flying 2300 miles to Hanoi, Vietnam. The teams were to go to the Genghis Khan Hotel where they would go to the Air Market and Travel company to purchase their tickets. Each of the teams were given $0.00 for this leg of the race. Yep, that's right NADA. For some that was not a problem, they had saved money from previous legs, for others this was a problem. Duke & Lauren were down to their last $11.00. They were not allowed to beg or sell anything for money. I wonder if they would have penalized Sarah if she decided to do her "show" again?

Once the teams arrive in Vietnam, they are to make their way to Hoa Lo (translation fiery furnace) prison, aka the Hanoi Hilton. If you are interested in reading a bit about this place, you can visit the Wikepedia site here. Once again, the teams race as quickly as they can once they get their first clue in the hopes that they will actually have a time advantage. However, as usually happens, when they arrive at the Genghis Khan hotel, the travel agency does not open until 9:00 am. There was a bit of drama as the Beauty Queens jumped ahead of Tom & Terry at the travel agency, in all fairness Tom & Terry were kind of walking around and looking at everyone else, bypassing the agent at the counter, so I can't blame the Dustin & Kandice. They were all on the same flight too, so there was no advantage gained anyway. All of the teams got on a flight from Ulaanbaatar to Hanoi via Beijing.

Once off the plane, the teams run like chickens with their heads cut off trying to get taxis. While on the plane, Duke & Lauren met up with this woman they got to help them. She takes them to the taxis and tells them to wait for her there. What? Wait? Aren't they in a race? Well, Lauren certainly was not happy about waiting, but in deference to her Dad, she did. Their mysterious helper gets in the cab with them, bags in tow. As they are riding along an interesting exchange takes place between Duke and the woman -- it went something like this:
Duke: We're going to the prison, right?
Woman: He is taking me to my brother's house and then he will take you to the prison.
D: How long will that take?
W: 30 minutes
D: After we get to your brother's house?
W: Yes.
Needless to say if looks could kill, Lauren would have killed both of them. They drop off the remora, ok maybe not a remora, as they did get to there, and make way to the prison. On the way Duke shows her how much money they have and ask if it will be enough, she said NO! It costs $20 to get there. Well, Duke & Lauren are not rotting away in a Vietnam prison, their driver agreed to take the money they had left in exchange for the ride. The other teams had a small snafu on the way to the prison in that there was an upturned truck on the road, but they all got through it just fine.

Once at the Hanoi Hilton, they found that they were all caught up again as the doors did not open until the following morning. The teams just camped out in front overnight. Once the doors opened and they got their clue, it sent them on a hunt throughout the prison for the flight suit of Senator John McCain, who spent over five years as a prisoner there, where they would get their next clue. The Hanoi is used now as a museum, and there were many uniforms as well as some rather disturbing statues chained together or locked in the cells. Erwin and Godwin very respectfully had a moment of silence once they had found the flight suit and received their clue for all the service men not only that went to Vietnam, but that are fighting everywhere, even though it put them a bit behind everyone else.

This clue sent them 1.5 miles to Hanoi's old quarter to the Hang Luoc intersection where they would find a marked flower shop and their next clue. The teams that had money took a taxi to the intersection, Duke & Lauren had to walk. The teams arrived to find a ROADBLOCK (a task that only once team member may complete). Phil says in this Roadblock the person has to figure out how to charm the people and turn a profit on the streets of Vietnam. No, you dirty minded person, not like THAT! They had to get a bike and basket and sell flowers to get 80,000 Vietnamese Dong (about $5 USD). Whatever money they earn here they are allowed to keep. Some took off on the bicycles provided only to come back and sell right in front of the shop. I am guessing that the prices they were willing to sell flowers for was incredibly cheap as there were literally flocks of women trying to buy their flowers. Ah, the ignorance of foreigners once more benefits the indigenous people.

The clue they receive send them to the bus station to catch a bus to the village of Vac. Peter and Sarah were first at the station, but they got on the wrong bus! Luckily for them the found out not too far into the ride and were able to get off the bus and wait at the next bus stop for the #22 bus to Vac.

As the teams are dropped off in Vac, they need to find a huge town square to get their next clue. The first team to arrive is Erwin & Godwin. They asked some people on the street for help, which they received. These helpers also asked if they wanted a ride on their motorbikes to get there. Politely, they refused by saying they couldn't. Hmmmm....we then hear Phil's voice over the action saying, "For safety reasons, teams are strictly forbidden to operate or ride a motorbike while in Vietnam". Well, hearing this you just know that at least one team will be riding on some motorbikes, but who?

The next clue is found in a town square called Din Vac where there are dancers, players and numerous Chinese Dragons wildly gyrating around the clue box. The clue inside reveals a DETOUR. In this detour, the teams must choose between Fuel or Fowl. In Fuel, the teams must travel on foot to a workstation and take wet coal from a communal pile and use a traditional press to make 30 coal bricks. In Fowl, teams must travel on foot to a courtyard where they must use traditional materials and local methods to build one birdcage. No one willingly chose Fowl, however, Duke & Lauren got separated and lost from their group and could not find the Fuel workstation. They eventually came across the Fowl courtyard and decided to make the cage since they could actually find this place.

On the way to the Fuel workstation, Tom & Terry get help from and are escorted via motorbike -yep, they broke the rules- to the station. This does not bode well for them, as things have been a bit shaken up this time around with Bilal and Saeed getting eliminated before they even reached a Pit Stop.

Once teams correctly finish their projects they are given the next clue which sends them on foot a short distance to Canh Dong Dia an extremely large rice paddy that is the Pit Stop for this leg of the race.

The first ones to arrive here are Erwin & Godwin. For winning this leg of the race, they won a state of the art home entertainment system to enjoy when the race is over. I bet they were thrilled with that -- well, maybe not as much as say winning money, but every little bit helps. The second team to arrive is Tom & Terry. As they hop onto the Pit Stop mat, Phil tells them that they are the second team to arrive. They are ecstatic! Until he says "You did not follow your clue correctly. For safety reasons, you were not allowed to travel by motorcycle in Vietnam, but you did just that when you traveled the short distance from the bus to the Detour clue box and for that you have incurred a 30 minute penalty". Yikes! They had to wait right next to Phil and watch the following teams come in ahead of them:

2.Tyler & James
3. Rob & Kimberly
4. Dustin & Kandice
5. Peter & Sarah
6. Lyn & Karlyn
7. David & Mary
There is only one more team still out there, but luckily for Tom & Terry after much worrying, crying and kvetching, their time penalty is up and they can check in at the 8th slot.

Duke & Lauren finally arrive at the Pit Stop to find out that they are the last teams to check in and have been eliminated from the race. They did make a lovely bird cage, however.

This leg of the race was difficult for Dave, as his father served in Vietnam during the war, and Mary had to keep reminding him that they needed to hurry as they were in a race. Rob & Kimberly were pretty civil to each other. I was disappointed; there is nothing more entertaining than seeing exhausted people argue in the middle of the race. (Hey, be honest that is one of the reasons you watch too). It will be interesting to see if the Brothers can maintain their lead with Tyler & James right on their tail. Will Peter & Sarah be able to keep up as her leg is still leaking hydraulic fluid and is becoming less and less movable? Will Mary's ankle heal well enough to let them move up in the standings? We will find out next week!

Wendy


Web	TV Fodder