Many thanks to Matt Romanada for pinch hitting for me last week. Check out this week’s “In Hindsight” for details about my trip.
Anyways, I’ve finally given up, and I’ll start calling Monica and Joseph “Mojo”. I’ve resisted up until now because a) I really don’t think that they have any, b) it’s a stupid name and c) it always reminds me of this:
As you can tell by the man-boobs, this is Frank Cho artwork
Not as hot as Monica, I gotta say.
Leaderboard:
This season has actually been an interesting experiment so far, because there haven’t been too many bunch-ups, BUT there have been a lot of needle-in-a-haystack tasks. However, the last leg gave us the first Roadblock of that type, and as you may have noticed, it’s significantly harder than a two-person Detour and has been the downfall of more than one team in the past (the Gaghans and Lena/Kristy to name two). Luckily for us (or unluckily for some viewers) the Hippies are still around, and in fact are the likely speakers of this week’s show title. Let’s hope that this is the last Roadblock of it’s kind this season.
And now, it’s time for LIVE coverage of:
The Amazing Race 9, Episode 9, Do You Know How Much Running I Did Today, Phil?
Last time, teams traveled from Greece to Oman. Fran and Barry finished first, and the Hippies arrived last, but were not eliminated. Who will be Philiminated… next?
Opening Credits
We are in Nizwa in the country of Oman, and at Jabreen Castle is the seventh Pit Stop in a race around the world. Teams arrived here for a mandatory rest period, and for once neither the Frat Boys or the Hippies will be the first team to depart.
, who were the first team to arrive, will be the first team to depart at 5:35pm. They’re told to travel over 9000 miles to Perth, Australia. They drop off some money in the Hippies’ car. That’s nice of them.
. Monica hopes that the Hippies get Philiminated. They leave the Hippies nothing because BJ and Tyler said that they’d Yield them regardless.
There’s a traffic jam because the King is coming through, and there’s no way into the airport.
, 6:26pm. Yolanda notes that they have to calm down.
, 6:47pm. They’ve got $107, and give the Hippies a $100 IOU.
The King has passed by and Mojo and Fran/Barry can go now.
, 8:21pm. They don’t think they’ll get more serious.
Airport, and Mojo arrives. Emirates Airlines through Dubai is the earliest flight to depart. Fran and Barry, Yolanda and Ray and the Frat Boys arrive.
The Hippies pick up Abdul Hamid to take them to the airport.
Fran and Barry, Yolanda and Ray and the Frat Boys get tickets. The Hippies stop for gas. And Snickers. Which I’m sure they’ve used to satisfy their hunger in the past.
The plane is boarding, and the Hippies may not make it. But they get the tickets and run for the plane. They just sneak on, and we’ll see how pissed the other teams are after the
Ad Break
Ray notes that everyone looked like they saw a ghost when the Hippies got on the plane. They start begging.
In Australia, they must taxi to King’s Park and find the Australian War Memorial.
Mojo, Frats, Rolanda, Hippies and Fran/Berry head out of the airport in that order.
The Hippies made $300 on the plane. Fran and Berry are hitting all the red lights. Frats are first to the cluebox and are told to travel to Freemantle and head by Ferry to Rottenest Island. It’s about a 90 minute ride, and Rolanda and the Hippies teams are taking charters there.
Frats and Mojo arrive, but they find that the ferry doesn’t open until 7:30am. They (along with Fran and Barry) head to a Hostel. Fran and Barry accidentally enter the “Pleasure Dome”. The charter bus arrives, and Hippies and Rolanda find a hotel.
Morning. On the Island, teams are told to take tandem bikes and ride 3 miles to a lighthouse to get their next clue.
Frats are first to the lighthouse and find a
Detour – Sand or Sea
x – Teams must drag 40 large branches 40 yards across the sand.
y – Teams must dive and look through 30 crayfish traps to retrieve one crayfish each.
In both cases teams must ride to a beach.
Frats decide on Sea. Mojo choose Sea. Hippies, Fran and Barry and Rolanda choose Sand.
Hippies and Frats are first to the beach. Mojo are lost. Fran and Barry arrive at the beach. Frats find one crayfish. Hippies and Fran/Barry are doing well. Frats find another crayfish. They get their clue, pass Mojo and are told to head back to the mainland and find Freemantle Prison.
Hippies finish the detour. Mojo go snorkeling. They find a trap and only get one. Rolanda arrive and start dragging. Mojo find out they need to get a second trap.
Frankenberry finish the Detour. Monica has trouble grabbing a crayfish. She and Joseph argue as we head to an
Ad Break
Back, and Monica does indeed grab a crustacean.
Rolanda finish the task.
Frat Boys get on the 9:15am ferry.
Hippies arrive and take a 9:25am ferry to Hillary and head to Freemantle from there.
Fran and Barry arrange for a taxi at the ferry port. Mojo and Rolanada are on the same ferry.
Frats and Hippies land and head to Freemantle Prison.
Frats arrive and find a
Roadblock – Who’s ready for a great escape.
Team member must find a flashlight in number four division and search a tunnel system for their next clue. Jeremy takes it. He finds the flashlight but can’t find the tunnels.
Hippies are stuck in traffic.
The ferry arrives and Mojo grab their taxi. Fran and Barry’s taxi didn’t arrive, and they and Rolanda are stuck looking for one. Fran recites her “we’re doomed” line once again.
Ad Break
Fran and Barry manage to take a bus to the prison. Jeremy is frustrated because he can’t find the hole. Mojo arrive at the prison. Joseph takes the Roadblock. Hippies arrive and Tyler takes it.
Jeremy finally finds the hole and heads in. Tyler tries to work with Joseph but no dice. Both find flashlights though.
Rolanda arrive and Yolanda takes it. Fran and Barry arrive and Fran takes it. Jeremy finds a clue and heads out. They’re told to travel 1.5 miles to the Freemantle Sailing Club and the Pit Stop. They walk down.
Joseph finds a clue. Yolanda finds a flashlight. Fran finds a flashlight. Tyler is still looking for a tunnel.
Joseph is out and they take their taxi. It’s feet versus cars, and it’s a footrace.
Team number one are…
That’s number five for those of you that are counting. They’ve won a trip to Hong Kong!
Team number two – 
Tyler and Yolanda find the tunnels. Fran finds the tunnels. Tyler finds a clue. The Hippies head out.
Yolanda and Fran find clues. Yolanda and Ray are out first. Fran and Barry are close behind.
Team number three are…
!!
Tension. Red lights. Misdirection. And team number four are…
are the last team to arrive, and they’ve been Philiminated. Good Race by these two.
Next time, teams wade into crocodile infested waters, and the rivalry heats up between the Hippies and Mojo.
