Is it just me, or are the TV Guide people the only ones online who dislike Rob and Amber/like Lynn and Alex? Somehow, those two hypocrites come off as saints, while Romber – who by no means are angelic, get the shaft.
They say that Romber have “changed the rules of the Race forever”, but I have trouble seeing how. They quit a challenge? Well, Hayden and Aaron did it first, in the previous edition of the Race. The difference there was that there were no other teams left, so their 4 hour penalty was taken from their arrival time. They help some teams, at the expense of others? We saw Colin and Christie do that to spite Mirna (and Charla, by extension).
Truth is, Rob and Amber have really done nothing that other teams haven’t done in the past. So change the rules forever? Hardly. They just did what other teams this Race didn’t do – think ahead and think smart, and they’ve done well because of it.
OK, rant over. I’m Kevin Wong, and this is the Live Amazing Race Recap.
Last week, teams traveled from Jodhpur, India. They traveled to Istanbul, Turkey, where they picked up some product placement, weighed people, unlocked a box, and stormed a fortress. Rob made Gretchen paranoid, the end result being that Meredith/Gretchen and Uchenna/Joyce got a flight to Istanbul 2 hours ahead of the other teams. When all was said and done, Ron and Kelly finished last, won a custom trip, and were robbed of their money and belongings. Four teams are left, who will be Philiminated tonight?
Standings after nine legs:
1) Uchenna (5) and Joyce (3) [FF] – Got a real shot of winning this
2) Meredith (5) and Gretchen (4) – Don’t know if their continued survival or Scott Savol’s is more surprising
3) Rob (5) and Amber (4) a.k.a. Romber – Yeah, I think they’ll finish second.
4) Ron (5) and Kelly (4) – I guess this is what Tara and Wil were like before they got married?
x5) Lynn (4) and Alex (4) a.k.a. Frick and Frack – Leg 8
x6) Brian (3) and Greg (3) a.k.a. The Dudes – Leg 7
x7) Ray (2) and Deana (2) – Leg 6 [FF]
x8) Susan (1) and Patrick (2) – Leg 4
x9) Debbie (1) and Bianca (1) – Leg 3
x10) Heidi (1) and Megan a.k.a. The Barbies – Leg 2
x11) Ryan and Chuck – Leg 1
We’re at Rumeli Hisari in historic Istanbul, Turkey, the ninth Pit Stop in a race around the world. Someone’s getting Philiminated. Will Ron and Kelly recover from being robbed? Have Rob and Amber learned their lesson? Will Uchenna and Joyce continue their hot streak? And will Meredith and Gretchen continue their good fortune?
Uchenna and Joyce, who were the first team to arrive at 10:53am, depart first at 10:53pm. They are told to make their way to Sirkeci Train Station, and enter a room full of whirling dervishes. They have $347 for this leg. They take a taxi, and head to the station. Entering the station, Uchenna is in awe of the whirlers. They get their clue, which tells them to fly 2000 miles to London, England, and find the zebra crossing made famous by the Beatles – Abbey Road.
Meredith and Gretchen, 11:57pm. Gretchen is thrilled to have made it this far. They head out, as Uchenna/Joyce arrive at the airport. They go to Turkish Airlines, and find a direct flight that leaves at 8:30am, arriving at 10:30am Greenwich.
Meredith/Gretchen arrive at the train station, and pick up their clue.
Rob and Amber, 12:37am. Amber admits to getting nervous, and has no idea what a dervish is. Meredith/Gretchen arrive at the airport.
Ron and Kelly, 12:53am. They get no money, of course. Ron thinks that Kelly is ready to rough it. Kelly isn’t sure that Ron is the One. They head around town to try and beg for money. They manage to scrape together 8 million lira, which is enough to get a taxi.
Rob is creeped out by the dervishes. They head to the airport, and use the internet to find a connecting flight through Frankfurt that gets to London at 9. The only problem is that the Frankfurt-London flight is full. Romber decide to risk it.
Ron/Kelly get their clue, and get a taxi for 2 million Lira. At the airport, Romber get direct tix for a misdirection ploy. Ron/Kelly get money from Meredith/Gretchen as payback for when they were robbed. Ron/Kelly get tix, and Kelly gets some lipstick as well. They’re told that they need to buy their standby tickets in Frankfurt.
Ron/Kelly find the Frankfurt flight, and also risk the connecting flight.
Uchenna is worried that he hasn’t seen Rob/Amber or Ron/Kelly. In Frankfurt, Ron/Kelly and Rob/Amber rush to the ticket counter.
Ad Break.
We’re back, and Romber get to the ticket counter first, and get on the flight!! After some waiting, Ron/Kelly get on as well! Meanwhile, Uchenna/Joyce and Meredith/Gretchen are board their direct fight. So we have a switcharoo from last week.
London – Heathrow Airport, Rob/Amber and Ron/Kelly head to the Heathrow Express to Paddington Station. Rob/Amber get on the train, Ron/Kelly have to wait for the next one. They continue to beg for money, while Romber find a Fern named Stewart to help them around. He helps them navigate the Tube.
Ron/Kelly get to Paddington Station, and take a black cab to Abbey Road. Rob/Amber get to Abbey Road, and their clue says to head to the London Eye (Millenium Wheel), where they must search for a red and yellow flag to head to. Ron/Kelly get their clue, and head to the tube just as Rob/Amber get to the Eye.
Romber and Ron/Kelly start looking. Kelly wants an apology from Ron. For what, I’m not entirely sure. She’s kinda petty – maybe she wants an apology for her POW comment. At the top, Rob finally sees the flag, and now looks to see where Ron/Kelly are.
Romber get to the clue box. It’s a Detour – Brains or Brawn.
Brains – Use the Underground (Tube) to solve three riddles, leading them to 221B Baker Street – fictional home of Sherlock Holmes.
Brawn – travel 1.5 miles to fantasy park. Teams must transport 5 heavy boats 500 yds to a dock to get the next clue.
Romber take Brains, as do Ron/Kelly.
London – Heathrow Airport, Uchenna/Joyce and Meredith/Gretchen get on the Heathrow Express. Uchenna realizes that they’re behind as they head out.
Ad Break
Paddington Station, Uchenna/Joyce and Meredith/Gretchen take black cabs to Abbey Road. Romber are on their way to three naked men at Hammersmith, as Ron/Kelly get their first clue. Romber find a hammer and a pipe, and a clue to find the Baker Street station and a statue of Sherlock Holmes.
Uchenna/Joyce get to the cluebox first, followed closely by Meredith/Gretchen. Ron/Kelly reach the three naked men, and the clue to go to Baker Street. Romber find the statue, and are told to head to the Sherlock Museum. They’re greeted by an Ian McKellen lookalike, and are told to head to the Millenium Dome (a.k.a. London’s biggest eyesore). There’s Yield ahead, so Romber know they have to get there first. They say goodbye to Stewart, and head to the Dome.
Uchenna/Joyce find the clue. Ron/Kelly solve the riddle, and take a black cab to the Dome. Uchenna/Joyce take Brawn, as do Meredith/Gretchen.
Romber reach the Yield first, and decide to Yield Ron and Kelly. Rob says that they’re not going to be happy. They get to the cluebox – it’s a Roadblock. Racer must drive a double decker bus around a course without hitting any pylons. Rob takes it – that’s his last. His first try is not so successful.
At the docks, Uchenna/Joyce are blowing through the task, while Meredith/Gretchen are having problems. On his fourth try, Rob completes the Roadblock. They’re told to head to the Pit Stop across the Thames from the Tower of London.
Ron/Kelly reach the Yield box, and discover that they’re Yielded. “This is the nail in the coffin”. I hardly think so, Ron.
Uchenna/Joyce finish their fourth boat, and Uchenna even helps Meredith/Gretchen lift a boat out of the water. They complete their task, as Meredith/Gretchen finish their third. Uchenna/Joyce get some (wise) advice to take train to the Millenium Dome. Meredith/Gretchen finish the task, and decide to take a black cab to the Dome. Uchenna/Joyce are on the train platform, and are confused by the trains whizzing back and forth. I’m not surprised – the same thing happened to me when I was there.
Ad Break
Uchenna/Joyce realize that they need to take the Underground, not the train. Meredith/Gretchen encounter some traffic. The Yield is done, and Kelly takes the Roadblock. Rob/Amber arrive at the Pit Stop. They are team number one!! And they win a JVC home entertainment system!! Lucky bastards.
Uchenna/Joyce reach the Roadblock, and Joyce takes it. Meredith/Gretchen reach the Roadblock, and Meredith takes it. Looks like we’ve got a horse race to the finish. Hilarity (and road rage) follows. With some help from Ron, Kelly finally finishes, and they head to the Pit Stop. They take a black cab, and argue.
Joyce finishes, and they’re off to the Pit Stop. Meredith finally finishes, and it seems quite late compared to Uchenna/Joyce at the Underground station.
Ron/Kelly arrive as team number two.
Cab riding, offloading, wandering, Phil pointing, and it’s Uchenna/Joyce as team number three!!
Meredith/Gretchen are the last team to arrive, and they’ve been Philiminated. Good run for these two. They’re very happy to have gone this far.
Uchenna/Joyce likes the 1 in 3 odds. Rob/Amber decide that losing is not an option. Ron/Kelly think that they have the most integrity of the three. Uchenna/Joyce want to slide under the radar. Everyone thinks that they’re gonna win. “It’s on”.
Next time, on the two hour season finale of the Amazing Race, Ron/Kelly’s relationship hit rock bottom, Rob/Amber run afoul of the law, and Uchenna/Joyce see their hopes deflate. Who will win The Amazing Race?
