Amazing Race Fodder

The Amazing Race Teams Get Stuck at the Airport

This week on TAR, some teams get stuck behind waiting for connecting flights. But, let's get into the review. Teams leave in the order that they arrived, as usual. The first clue sends the teams 400 miles to Dar Es Salaam the largest city in Tanzania. They will travel 10 miles by taxi to a harbor where they will get on one of four traditional sailing crafts that will take the to their next destination. The teams were given $124 for this leg of the race. Charla & Mirna are the first out and can I just say that they are the worst back seat drivers ever. I know that the teams try to egg the drivers on to get there faster, but I really don't think it is necessary to tell them not to hit any people on the way there. Maybe they are just getting on my nerves. Hmmm.

Teams arrive at the airport to find out that the earliest ticket agent opens at 5:00 am. Most teams are at the airport by 11:00 pm. Teri & Ian and Joe & Bill decide to spend the night while the other teams go back to their hotels. Teri is not too happy about it, but Ian is adamant that going back to the hotel will cost them in the long run. OK so the next morning, the teams are trying to get on the early flight, but it is full. There is another flight to Johannesburg with a connecting flight to Dar Es Salaam, but the connecting flight is booked. The only team brave enough to get on that first flight is Charla & Mirna. Turns out it is the best decision that they have made. Back at the airport, the second flight is also full. The ticket agents send them to a different airline to get on a later flight The other teams are none to pleased. Teri & Ian and Bill & Joe wait by the South African Airline door to be first in line. Eric & Danielle, Danny & Oswald, Dustin & Kandice and Uchenna & Joyce go in search of another ticketing agent to get on the standby list.

The smart teams that went in search of another booth are rewarded with tickets to Johannesburg as well as their names on the standby list for the connecting flight to Dar Es Salaam. Teri & Ian and Joe & Bill are also on standby, but their names are further down the list. As all the teams run pell-mell to try and get the connecting flight, they find out that some of the do get on the flight. Oswald & Danny, Uchenna & Joyce, Dustin & Kandice and Eric & Danielle are all given boarding passes and board the flight. The other teams make their way to the plane. Ironically, Eric says on the way "I can't believe that it actually happened. I'm still waiting for someone to come running behind us to tell us to stop." Be careful what you wish for......one of the airline employees goes to find Eric & Danielle and tells them there has been a mistake. They were accidentally given someone else's tickets and they must now leave the plane. Well if that ain't a kick in the pants! Needless to say they were noticeably and understandably upset. Danielle throws a bit of a hissy fit. They are now on priority standby for the 9:55 am flight tomorrow. Now they are a day behind. Yikes.

Meanwhile, Charla & Mirna have made their way to Dar Es Salaam and are searching for the dhows. They find the dhows, but they find out due to the bad weather, the boats will not be able to depart until the next morning at 5:30 am. At least they will be on the first dhow out. Danny & Oswald manage to get the other place on the first boat. Do those two teams are on the first dhow to Zanzibar. I am sorry to say that I cannot hear the name Zanzibar with out thinking of Tenacious D. If you know the song, you know what I am thinking. Enough said.

Three teams are still back at the airport in Johannesburg, remember them? Eric & Danielle manage to get on the first flight out in the morning. Teri, Ian, Joe & Bill are yet again left behind. They do eventually manage to get on a flight via Air Malawi. Praise the Lord (in the words of Ian)

The clue that Charla & Mirna & Danny & Oswald get is a Detour. The teams can choose between Solve it or Schlep It. In Solve It, teams make their way 1/3 of a mile to a hotel where they must put together a 62-piece puzzle recreating a popular art style. Once they complete the puzzle, they will receive the next clue. IN Schlep It, teams must travel 1 mile to Kiszanwani Lumber yard where they must load two 50 lb logs on to a cart, once loaded, they must walk them about a mile to a shipyard where they logs will be used to build a ship. No, not by them! Charla, Mirna, Danny & Oswald all choose Solve It. The puzzle is tricky as both sides of the pieces are painted, but they manage to do it before any other teams arrive. Danny & Oswald leave first but in a Garfield sized Snack Attack, they decide to stop and get some fruit along the way. Of course enabling Charla & Mirna to catch up. Once the other teams arrive, Dustin & Kandice decided to Schlep It, while all of the other teams choose Solve It. Teri & Ian and Joe & Bill arrive very late and both choose to Solve It so that they can keep an eye on each other.

The clue they receive next sends them to Kikungwa home to the Massai tribe 15 miles away. Upon arrival here, the clue they receive is a ROADBLOCK that asks them "Who is on Target". In this roadblock one team member must learn how to hunt using a traditional wooden weapon called a rungu. They must throw the rungu 65 feet and destroy a clay mask to get the clue inside. It appears to be much harder than it looks. Of Course, I have never thrown a rungu or used an atlatl or anything like that, so I really have no basis of comparison. Some teams do well; others take quite a while to master the skill.

When all is said and done, the clue they receive send them to Stone Town and find Old Fort, an 18th century fortress, which is the Pit Stop for this leg of the race. The teams arrive in the following order:
1. Charla & Mirna who each won a 12 and a half-foot jeweled sailing boat
2. Danny & Oswald
3. Uchenna & Joyce - yes, even with the 30-minute penalty
4. Dustin & Kandice
5. Eric & Danielle
6. Joe & Bill
7. Teri & Ian who were eliminated from the race.

Honestly, I am kind of glad that they are gone. Ian was really beginning to annoy me. I think that I am now rooting for Danny & Oswald. They are funny and nice. I can't wait to see what next week brings.


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