Wednesday, November 19, 2008

The Amazing Race Episode 8: Kazakhstan

It took 2 weeks, but on Sunday The Amazing Race finally got out of India and flew 1000 miles to Almaty, Kazakhstan. When the racers got to the former Soviet Republic they had to take a taxi and find the Alel Agro Chicken Factory.

But, before we got to the chickens we spent a lot of time fussing at the airport, which I've previously mentioned is my least favorite part of The Amazing Race.

Nick & Starr, who keep winning leg after leg, it must be some sort of record, got on the first flight with Toni & Dallas and Ken & Tina. We got to hear more about the budding romance between Dallas & Starr. They got to Almaty around midnight, all 3 teams getting to the chicken factory about the same time to find out it didn't open til 7:30am, meaning all the teams would be even again. Though Andrew & Dan were a close call.

When the chicken factory opened they found a Roadblock. One team member had to search for a Golden Egg to get their next clue. And then were faced with the first of two Fast Forwards. Nick & Starr and Terrence & Sarah went for the FF, while Tina, Toni and Andrew put on what looked like white space suits so they could wander through what appeared to be thousands of white chickens.

One by one they found their Golden Eggs and found out they had to ride a giant crane truck to something called Koktobe Arch near the foothills of the Tienshan Mountains and follow a marked path til they found a Mongol warrior.

Meanwhile back at the Fast Forward, vegetarian Terrence was mortified to find out the challenge consisted of eating a big platter of some foul mystery meat. He could not do it. So, he and Sarah bailed and went back to the chicken factory while Nick & Starr finished eating and made it first to the Pit Stop for their 4th first place win in a row.

Back at the Koktobe Arch we watch the teams find the Mongol Warrior then wait while an eagle lands on the warrior's arm with a clue stuck to its foot. The clue was a Detour. They could Play Like Mad or Act Like Fools.

In the Mad option teams had to travel by taxi to a musical museum where they had to learn a Kasakhstan tune using 2 traditional instruments. When their teacher thought they were good enough he'd send them to a park to play for tips. Once they got a buck and a half they'd get their next clue.

In the Fool option teams had to go by taxi to a theater where they'd find a cow costume in the wardrobe department. Then they had to wander the streets of Almaty to find a marked stall where they'd drink a glass of milk, with a clue printed on the bottom of the glass that told them go to Zelyoniy Bazaar and find a butcher for their next clue.

Toni & Dallas went with the cow option. They were well ahead of Andrew & Dan, while Terrence & Sarah narrowed the gap. Andrew & Dan had a lot of trouble finding the arch and the warrior.

Toni & Dallas were having too much fun and missed the butcher stall. This gave Ken & Tina a chance to catch up which they botched when they missed the clue on the bottom of the milk glass. Then they screwed up worse by thinking they had to return the cow costume before finding the butcher. It was painful to watch.

While Ken & Tina were figuring it out, Toni & Dallas came in 2nd place. Followed eventually by Ken & Tina. Andrew & Dan had more troubles once they got into their cow. They could get no one to give them directions til finally some local took pity on them. They finally made it to the glass of milk ahead of Terrence & Sarah. Andrew & Dan's helper then quickly led them to the butcher. But they once more didn't read the clue right and took a taxi to the Pitstop. They then had to return to the butcher and walk back.

I forgot to mention they had no shoes. For some reason Andrew & Dan thought it'd be easier to be cows with no shoes. Those boys are not very fit, which allowed the editing to make it seem as if the very fit Terrence & Sarah had a chance to beat them. But in the end time ran out and Terrence & Sarah were eliminated from the race. Sarah seemed like a nice girl. Terrence seemed like a tighly-wound piece of work.

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