Sunday, November 26, 2006

Amazing Race Episode 11 Recap (From Finland to Morocco)

Live Blogged from the Eastern Feed (5:00pm PT/8:00pm ET)

The Models are the first out of the gate, reading the clue they discover they need to drive to the airport then fly from Kiev, Ukraine to Morocco.

The BQs beat the Models to the ticket booth and book the first flight to Casablanca, then later book the remaining trip to their actual city destination. The Models are a little miffed because they are told the flight the BQs just booked, is full.

Rob & Kimberly discover another flight to Casablanca via Paris and the other teams book as well, all being on the same flight, behind the BQs who need to make their connection although they arrived late at the airport.

Bama is now on a 3 hour layover in Paris, Rob & Kimberly and the Models are on their way to their destination. The BQs are still stuck.

They finally arrive at the airport where the other teams are waiting and hop on the plane. They other teams are upset that their risk, taking different connecting flights, didn't pay off since they're ALL (including the BQs) are all on the same flight.

Seems like the "trick" this season is to pay to follow a taxi. Since the instructions are very specific about driving yourself, following a taxi (if you have enough money) seems to really pay off. In this leg, however, the BQ's driver is now looking for directions. Meanwhile, Bama got themselve a map earlier on and are the first to get to the clue where they all pick up a "good luck charm" to carry to the mat at the end of this leg.

They're now on their way to Atlas Studios and are warned that there is a yield ahead.

Models are parked behind the BQ's - watching them AND their cab driver get directions. Bama breezes past them all and picks up a local to help with directions.

The BQ's are soon mobbed by local mean who swarm their vehicle while they're asking everyone for directions. Harmless, really but everyone seems a lil scared. Nevertheless the BQ's have taken in a passenger to help with directions.

Rob & Kimberly, and the Models get to the clue and since there's only one clue left they all think the BQ's are ahead. They're wrong, it's Bama who's way out in front while the BQ's are getting lost even with their passenger.

Racing toward the yield, the BQ's finally get to the clue and are puzzled as to how Bama took the lead.... "What goes around comes around".

(Commercial Break)

"I can't believe that the BAMA beat us, that's a curveball," the teams are puzzled but they all seem kinda giddy. The Models have expressed how "evil" they think the BQ's are - just because they're fierce competitors. All teams are in line with each other since the gate to the studio doesn't open til morning.

There's a footrace through the gates first thing in the morning and Bama arrives last - the BQ's chose to YIELD them. "They're gonna hate us!"

ROADBLOCK : Who wants to be a gladiator?

One team member must ride a chariot through a course. "We already hated them," Bama discussed their feelings about the BQ's. Rob, Dustin and James all take to their chariots, where the horses seem to be less than cooperative.

Along the course, there were screaming crowds and flags that they needed to grab. With two of them they would complete the task. Dustin grabbed two flags first and stopped racing. Rob and James kept racing their chariots because they both still needed a flag.

Bama is still waiting at the yield as the BQ's leave, and they flip them off as them pass.

They now need to drive to a nearby town and find a cafe for their next clue. BQ's ask Rob and Kim if they want to work together as they both leave the Road Block - "The Beauty Queens are not to be trusted, but we CAN use them from time to time," says Rob as they pair up.

The Models complete the task and take off in their car, passing Rob & Kim and the BQ's since they were stopped, asking for directions. Bama flies through the Road Block with ease and hits the road. The Models are now in the lead and the BQ's decide to follow them instead.

Rob and Kim are driving on a flat tire, which the BQ's notice but don't tell them. Do they not have the WORST luck with cars?

"Bama is good with directions," so the BQ's want to make sure they beat them to the next challenge.

"We're not evil blonds, we're just competitive," while they're passing them on the highway, the BQ's finally lean out the window and alert Rob and Kim of their tire situation. The car they're in has no jack - Bama breeze by them on the road. They comment on how Rob and Kim always have car trouble. Rob throws his hands in the air (as he usually does, maybe he thinks that helps?) and we cut to commercial.

(Commercial Break)

There is a jack but Rob can't get it out. A car stops to help. The Models and BQ's make it to the cafe and grab the next clue: DETOUR.

Throw it or Grind it.

Throw it: Throw two pots on a potter's wheel at a local artisan's shop.

Grind it: The North Africa horse farm. Crush olives and fill pressing sleeves.

At both places, there are only 3 workstations so that means if everyone decides to do the same task, someone will have to wait.

"We have to make the pots dude, it's not actually throwing them," say the Models. Bama arrives at the clue box and the Models decide to head to the detour the BQ's chose - Grow it (the olive task).

Bama decides to do the olive task at the detour as well, "I used to be an art major, that's gonna be tough."

The BQ's just drove by Rob and Kim on their way out of town "we cannot trust these girls," Rob reacts as the BQ's pass RIGHT by. The Models stop and tell them how much further they need to go.

Rob and Kim contemplate going to Throw It, but decide on the olive task at Grow It. All teams are now headed to the same Detour.

The BQ's decide to wing it, but finally ask for directions. They overshot the farm, while Bama and the Models find it right away. As the task is first come, first serve, Rob & Kim and the BQ's are getting a little scared as they're still on the road.

The two teams at the Detour get to grinding the olives. Rob & Kim overshot the farm as well but Kim suggests they head back as she recognized the cars as they passed. 3 teams are working while BQ's arrive last and have to wait. Karma's a bitch eh?

(Commercial Break)

"We yielded them and they're ahead of us, we're in trouble," note the BQ's. The Models and Bama are done their grinding and now have to fill bags with the ground olives. "Let me do this I've done wheelbarrows," says one of the BQ's as they take over the Models' workstation. Bama and the Models now race to a Nomadic Berber camp, which is the next pitstop for this leg of the race.

The Models are notorious for getting lost and Bama is eagle-eyed with their directions as of late. They race along the road discussing the level of evil that is the BQ's. Rob & Kim finish the detour and take off. "How stoked were you when we saw them come in," says Kim as they pass the BQ's who are left behind at the Detour.

The Models race up a desert road toward the mat but drop their "good luck charm". They had already run so far up the path, so they ran BACK down passing Bama, and then BACK to the mat to meet Phil and come in first. Bama is about 30 seconds behind them. They came in second despite being yielded.

"There's no bad karma in a game, you're here to win." The BQ's try to justify their actions while Rob and Kim stop for directions. Both teams are on the road but Rob and Kim reach the location first. They head the WRONG way down the path - away from the mat!

Rob and Kim correct their course and arrive at the mat "duh". They're team number 3. The BQ's run up to the mat, "I feel so numb, I don't even feel like crying." Phil tells them they're having a good day BECAUSE....

...IT'S A NON-ELIMINATION LEG!

They're now marked for elimination and we know the drill - they must arrive first on the next leg. They bask in a fact that everyone is pissed off at them. They yielded someone, they didn't stop when a team had a flat tire... and they love it. They're using it to propel them in the race, no matter who gets hurt. (I can just sense Laura's head exploding at the fact this was non-elimination right now).

13 Comments:

At 11/26/2006 7:15 PM, Blogger Laurabeth said...

YOu are totally awesome... Missed the show but had to know what was going on... (and didn't want to stay up to watch it late) reading through your blog is just like watching the show... THanks so much...

And yeah it totally sucks that it was non elim... However, I am not fond of Bama even though they are the underdogs... And I am really hoping that the models or the bq's win it... Although... Bama has kids... and that would change their worlds completely... THanks again... ~L

 
At 11/26/2006 8:58 PM, Blogger Reid said...

Ditto laurabeth's thanks. Had a TiVo user error tonight and missed the last 30 minutes. I appreciate the head start on the recap...

 
At 11/26/2006 10:17 PM, Blogger Gus said...

UGH a Non-illmination leg! UGH! And here I was cheering seeing the BQ's last.

Bama had the best leg this time, they had no errors and played fantastic. I think if they could have just run faster they would have been able to Yield the BQ's as well as win this leg.

Let's go Bama, though I doubt they will win, let's hope you make it to the top 3!!!

 
At 11/26/2006 11:41 PM, Blogger Miss 604 said...

I'm stoked there's TWO all-female teams in the top 4. Although that was supposed to be my sister and I *sigh* stupid American passport requirements :p

 
At 11/27/2006 5:13 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Well now this past episode turned out to be rather interesting. I was right in saying that none of the teams had any concern about the 'Bama ladies, and I have to admit that as much as I dont like them they raced much better this time around than they have in the whole of the season so far. If they had raced like this from the get go I think they would have had more of the teams giving them some respect. I still dont like them as they dont practice what they preach trying to say karma is helping them, when they blatantly try to screw other teams ... ugh ...

The BQ's made some serious mistakes this time out, they got to confident and it bit them in the ass big time. I think they are now the second team in AR history to have come in behind a team that they yielded, and in last place also. First team being the "hippies", the all time fav team of the wife and I, who were also saved by a non-elimination. I still think the BQ's will make the final three and I still hold to BQ's, Rob/Kim, and 'Bama as the final three teams. Either way we still have one more possible yield and we can almost guess how that will play out.

Speaking of the BQ's real quick, did anyone else notice that the editing of last nights show seemed odd? In one scene we see the BQ's failing to make the connecting flight, which sounded like it would seriously hurt them time wise, to the next scene where they are sitting on the plane before anyone else has made it?!?!?! Now either they edited out the BQ's making a new flight, or someone pulled some strings to get them on that original flight. I remember a couple seasons ago when something similar happen to another team (Chip/Kim I think it was) and a lot of people think that the show pulled some strings then also. Hard to say .. again could have just been some editing of stuff they though was boring.

 
At 11/27/2006 7:51 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Oh and as a side note ... must make a mental note to never get into a car with Rob and Kim EVER ...

 
At 11/27/2006 4:16 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hmmmm...

I'm rooting for the BQ's-Why does everyone hate 'em, as they said,
"We're not evil blondes, we're just competitive blondes."
I'd like to see Rob 'n Kim go. Rob Is too moody.:p Great round for the bamas-i'm against them but they don't pose as a threat to anyone, therefore they can do what they want and get though with out any dirty play.Althogh I heart there good mood, I expect the BQ's to go next. As after all non-elimataion rounds, there willl be a fast foward and mabey a intersection(that would change the leg soooo much!)the, models are my winning bet and as aaron said, never go in a car with rob.

 
At 11/27/2006 7:43 PM, Blogger Tina said...

Could Rob reeeeally not get that jack out of the car? Was it really stuck or is he just a wimp?

I'm sure the BQ's have pissed off the black community with their repeated "sista" comments. Do they realize how bad that sounded?

Do the producers chose last minute to pull the non-elimination card to keep things exciting?

I love reading your recap for all the details I manage to miss... Thanks! Until next week....

 
At 11/27/2006 10:35 PM, Blogger Miss 604 said...

Yeah, I've had enough of the mechanically-challenged verbally abusive Rob & Kim. They showed a preview of next week and it seems like Kim has a bit of a meltdown in a pile of tomatoes. (Rather amusing really, when I read that back...)

I can see the Fast Forward/Intersection twist coming up as well. I'm glad two all-female teams in the top four, no matter how dissimilar they are.

 
At 11/28/2006 5:44 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Yeah I was wondering about a second yield also ... they have used all of the non-elim rounds for this season, but the intersection came much earlier than the first yield usually does. I dont think they will have another yield, but I would like to see another intersection this late in the game. If you think about the total amount of bad blood going on right now, I think another intersection would make for some very interesting drama. What happens if you get to the intersection and the only team available to you is one that you dont like? Do you wait for another team or do you just move on with the team you hate? Could make for some serious fun for the viewers LOL ... I would love to see 'Bama and the BQ's working together.

Now myself I dont view the BQ's calling them "sista's" as being any worse then the BQ's being called "Barbie's". Both are terms that I am sure each side has used to describe themselves and others, so if you cant stand someone calling you something that you have called yourself or another member of your community then tough. This world is full of too many double standards and I am sick of it :) ... sorry I tend to speak my mind.

I am hoping the All-stars show doesnt kill it for the series. I really think this is one of the better reality shows out there and one of the few I will let my kids watch. I dont mind letting my kids watch a show where they then ask about the other locations that these people go to. My boys are 5 and 7 and they are both just starting to realize that there is a huge world out there and this show helps them to realize that and ask questions about other cultures. Not to mention I am trying really hard to save up vacation time to be on the show :), just got to find a partner for it.

 
At 11/28/2006 10:52 AM, Blogger Miss 604 said...

The "Return of the Racers" blog has been talking about All-Stars all season long. I think I'll look it up right now and make another post :p

 
At 11/28/2006 11:08 AM, Blogger Gus said...

Yeah Chip A. had mention that he was at the Miami airport and saw a few of the racers from the past, so definately it's an All-Star AR coming up next.

 
At 11/28/2006 2:35 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Bama considers themselves Christians and talk about their kids so much! HHHMMMM......how do they explain their bad behavior and using the finger. Not good examples for their kids. I hope they are watching and seeing how awful of women they are. I look for them to be out each week. The other three teams, anyone of them could win and I would be happy. I have to explain Bama's un-Christian behavior to my own kids. BAMA, shame on you!!!!!!

 

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