Lyrics: “Home For a Rest”, Spirit of the West
Leaderboard:
Fast Forward
I think that we all knew that this was coming. Interestingly, this was the first task in a couple of seasons that involved eating a lot of food. Good job by BJ and Tyler to finish the insects and claim the Fast Forward.
Roadblock – Monkey business
A case was made on another message board to have a show based around Colin (TAR5), Jonathan (TAR6) and Joseph performing Roadblock-style tasks in the presence of monkeys. I don’t know about you, but that would be a helluva lot of fun to watch.
Detour – Move It or Altar It
MoJo made the correct decision in switching tasks, since they knew they were last and two teams were already Altaring It. The problem came when they tried to do too much at once, and didn’t think things through when trying to carry the clay pots. I can’t blame Monica for dropping pots left and right. After all, trying to carry pots on a board with all the weight on your forearms is asking for trouble – especially if you have to do it more than once. In the end though, switching tasks didn’t eliminate MoJo, but poor strategizing ensured that they didn’t get the chance to make it close.
There’s one two hour race to the Finish Line left. I’ll be here at 8pm for the conclusion of The Amazing Race 9, Episode 12 (Season Finale), 5 Continents… 10 Countries… And More Than 59 Thousand Miles
Previously on the Amazing Race, eleven teams started out from Denver, Colorado on a race around the world. Teams traveled to Brazil, Russia, Germany, Italy, Greece, Oman, Australia and Thailand, as one by one, teams were eliminated from the Race. Now, in Bangkok, Thailand, three teams are left – The fun-loving Hippies, B.J. and Tyler; The Long Distance Couple, Yolanda and Ray; and the female-obsessed Frat Boys, Eric and Jeremy. Which team will cross the Finish Line first and win… The (ninth) Amazing Race?
Opening Credits
We are in Bangkok, Thailand, and within the city lies the Marble Temple, a 19th century Buddhist shrine, the eleventh Pit Stop in a race around the world. Teams have arrived here for a mandatory rest period, but have no idea what’s in store for them. Although with three teams left, I’m sure they’re counting on two Roadblocks and two Detours before reaching the Finish Line.
Ray and Yolanda got to spend the night in luxury, and book their cruise around Australia.
, who were the first team to arrive at 11:18am, are the first to depart at 11:18pm. They’re told to travel 75 miles by taxi to Ayutala province and find the Royal Kraal and get a T-Mobile Sidekick. They realized that the game has changed
, 1:21am. They have $38 for this leg of the Race.
Hippies arrive and find out that the Elephant corral isn’t open until 4am.
, 1:28am.
Frats and Rolanda arrive at the corral.
4am. The teams enter and find their phones. They’re told to fly 7000miles to Tokyo, Japan, head to the Shibuya and look at the electronic billboards to find their next clue.
Teams are taxing taxis and heading to the airport. Tyler’s confident about finding his way around Japan.
Airport. Rolanda find a United flight arriving at 2:15pm. Frats find the same flight, as do the Frats.
Rolanda and Frats get tickets, while the Hippies find out that it’s full as we head to an
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The United Flight takes off, while the Hippies find a flight that arrives 90 minutes later.
Tokyo. Rolanda and Frats arrive and head to the designated hotel to find their marked cats. Frats stop and get directions first. Ray passes the Expressway and they have to double back.
Hippies arrive and get route info on the shuttle bus.
Ray’s still having trouble finding his way around.
Frats arrive at Shibuya and park their car. Rolanda are still looking around. Hippies are catching up.
Frats start looking at the video screens, and see the one that says “Find Hachiko”, a statue of a dog. There, a man will give them their next clue. They find the man easily and get a
Detour – Maiden or Messenger
Maiden – Carry a maiden 1/3 of a mile and participate in a tea ceremony.
Messenger – Travel on foot, assemble a bike and deliver two packages to marked addresses.
Frats go for Maiden.
Hippies arrive at Shibuya and get their clue. They opt for Messenger.
Frats carry the Maiden and hope she’s hot. Hippies assemble the bikes and ride. Meanwhile, Ray and Yolanda are still looking for Shibuya and Yolanda thinks the Bong Squad are way ahead.
Ad Break
Back, and Rolanda get directions. Eric and Jeremy get to the tea house, and get their next clue. Their told to head to the Capsule Land Hotel to find their next clue.
Tyler yells “Crazy Foreigners coming through” in Japanese. They deliver their first package. Rolanda arrive at Shibuya.
Hippies deliver their second package and head back.
Rolanda get the Detour and choose Maiden.
Frats get a taxi driver to take them to the hotel. Hippies get their next clue with “Turning Japanese” in the background.
Rolanda start carrying the Maiden.
Frats arrive and get some bathrobes and a 9:00am departure time.
Ray and Yolanda run the carrier into a tree. They finish the Detour and head out.
Hippies arrive at the hotel and get a 9:15am departure time.
Yolanda and Ray get a 9:30am departure time.
Morning. Frats get their clue and are told to drive 90 miles to Fujikyu Highland – an amusement park – to find their next clue.
9:15am, the Hippies are off.
9:30, and Yolanda and Ray leave. They stop at a Denny’s to get directions. But no Grand Slams to go.
Frats hit the toll highway. We get some lovely shots of Mt. Fuji. Frats learn that you need to speak quickly for people to understand them, as they get some help getting to the amusement park.
Hippies catch up to the Frat Boys. “Thos Hippies and their damn… language knowing.”
Bong Squad find the clue and it’s a
Roadblock – Team member must take three separate thrill rides and look for a man holding a message. If they’re wrong they’ll have to do it again.
Tyler and Jeremy take it. They don’t see anything on the first ride.
Meanwhile, at the toll booth, Rolanda can’t find their ticket.
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Rolanda are pulled over and they simply pay the maximum.
Meanwhile, girls touch Tyler’s beard. He and Jeremy still don’t see anything. They head to the final ride, and they see the hint. They get their clues and are told to travel 7.5 miles to Lake Yamanaka and the Pit Stop on a Swan boat, which they have to paddle to. The last team to arrive MAY be eliminated, but that’s unlikely.
Rolanda arrive and are bickering. Ray can’t do any more Roadblocks so Yolanda takes it.
Yolanda sees the hint and she and Ray head off to get robbed by Phil.
Frats and Hippies are in a paddleboat race to the Pit Stop.
Team number one are:
. They’ve won T-Mobile Sidekicks. “You can now jump for joy.”
Team number two are:
.
There’s some words exchanged between the two teams, but pay it no mind – they’re friendly with each other and it’s just gamesmanship.
are the last team to arrive, and while Phil messes up his spiel, the upshot of it is that they’re robbed and will start the next leg with no money.
And that leg starts right after the
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We are in Lake Yamanaka, Japan, the Twelfth Pit Stop in a race around the world.
, who were the first team to arrive at 12:18pm, are the first to depart at 12:18am. They’re told to travel 9000 miles to Anchorage, Alaska and choose a marked car to find their next clue. They leave 2000 yen for Rolanda.
, 12:20am. They’ll be running full steam.
The teams diverge as they head to the airport.
, 3:01am. They, of course, have no money for this leg. Except for what the Hippies left them.
Hippies park their car first, but they find out that the first shuttle leaves at 6:10am. They head to the business centre to use the internet. BJ and Tyler tell the concierge not to tell the other teams about the internet. And it works when the Frats come in. They decide to use a phone instead.
Meanwhile, Yolanda and Ray beg for money, and it works because the Japanese men think she looks like Janet Jackson.
Hippies book a series of flights arriving at 10:00am. The Frats, meanwhile, book a flight arriving at 7:40am. They reunite and Jeremy notes that it’s “odd” that the hotel has no internet. They take the shuttle to the airport. Frats try to lose the Hippies.
Rolanda arrive and take the shuttle to Narita. Frats get on their flight and head to Taipei for their Anchorage connections. Hippies, meanwhile, find a connection that will put them on the same flight to Anchorage as the Frats.
Rolanda arrive and use the internet to find the same flights. However, the flight to Taipei is closed and they could be in trouble. But first, an
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We’re back, and after lots of pleading, Rolanda get on the flight.
Taipei, and the Frats see both teams arrive. So we’re all bunched up heading to Anchorage. It’s snowing, and in the cars, teams are told to drive 30 miles to Mirror Lake.
Tyler: “It’s not so cold.”
Teams are all on the highway to the Lake. Frats pass the Hippies. Teams run to the cluebox and find a Detour – Drill It or Deliver It
Drill It – Drill ten holes and cover at least two with a shack, which they must push to the location.
Deliver it – Load a plane with medical supplies, find a location and take a 150 mile round trip and deliver the medical supplies.
Hippies opt to deliver, while the Frats drill. However, there’s a weather delay for flights so the Hippies switch tasks. Both teams are drilling. Meanwhile, Rolanda are still trying to find the lake.
Frats drill all their holes and start pushing the shacks. Hippies finish drilling and start pushing. Frats finish their task and they’re told to drive 26 miles to Kincaid Park, where they’ll put on snowshoes and hike to their next clue.
Hippies finish the Detour. Rolanda arrive and they choose to Drill. Yolanda notes that her legs are much stronger than her arms, which are tired from the drilling. They finish the Detour though, and are off.
Frats arrive at the park and start snowshoeing.
Hippies arrive but completely miss the snowshoes. Maybe they’re looking for the old school ones?
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We’re back, and the Hippies FINALLY see the snowshoes. Frats take a wrong turn, but find the next clue. They’re told to fly 3000 miles to Denver, Colorado. They’ll travel 30 miles by taxi to Clear Creek History Park in Golden for their next clue.
Hippies are still looking for their clue.
Frats take a taxi to the airport. Hippies find the clue and head out.
Rolanda arrive and start snowshoeing.
Frats take a late flight out of the airport. Hippies borrow a phone and book the same flight.
Rolanda find their clue and head out. Frats and Hippies engage in more games. Rolanda arrive at the airport and get the same flight.
Denver. All teams grab taxis. Frats arrive first and find their clue. They’re told to travel to Red Rocks Amphitheater (the starting point) to get their next clue.
Hippies arrive and find their clue. Rolanda arrive as the Hippies are leaving. They’re having trouble finding the clue. Looks like a race between the Frats and Hippies.
Ad Break
Hippies arrive and find the clue. It’s a Roadblock – Team member must run into a field of flags and pull the flags of all the countries they’ve visited, and put them in order. There’s a clue to help them, but there are extra flags. The other team member can help, but not physically.
Eric takes it.
Hippies arrive and B.J. takes it.
Lots of tension. Eric has mixed up Russia and German, while B.J. has missed Russia completely.
Eric has all the correct flags, but in the incorrect order. B.J. finds the Russian flag. Meanwhile, Eric is rushing around.
The Hippies get it right and head to the Finish Line. There’s Phil, and there are all the eliminated teams.
The first team to arrive are:
Phil congratulates them with his traditional spiel: “5 Continents … 10 Countries … More Than 59 Thousand Miles… B.J. and Tyler, you are the official winners of The Amazing Race!”
They feel that the world is a beautiful place and it was great to see it.
Team number two are:
.
“We didn’t know the last one would require brains… dammit”.
Phil asks them how they got the name Frat Boys, and Jeremy notes that they are indeed college dropouts.
Team number three are:
.
They’ve learned a lot about each other.
B.J. notes that their friendship got them through the Race, and Tyler was glad that they got to interact with so many different cultures.
We get one final shot of the teams, and that’s a wrap.
