Amazing Race - 11.23.08

It's the final four, and I think it's a pretty good race. If Dan and Andrew get eliminated this week, as they should, it will be a really good Final 3.

The teams start out in Khazakhtstan, and Nick and Starr are the first to head out to Moscow. Once in Moscow, they have to get to a monastery, and enter the church and light a candle to get their next clue. It's Nick's birthday, and Starr made him a t-shirt that said "It's my Birthday!" They get a flight to Moscow that is at 6:05 AM. This gives them a whole night at the airport. That sucks.

To keep them company, Toni and Dallas (who's hair is kind of hilariously "finger stuck in a light socket" this week - more so than I've seen in the past) show up and get on the same flight. Dallas and Starr spent some of the down time flirting. Nick appreciates the prospect of the Dallas/Starr romance.

Arriving third at the airport are Ken and Tina, who get on the same flight. Dan and Andrew forgot their shoes at the last Detour and ended up wearing hotel slippers, and then had to haggle with the taxi driver to get the price down. And, in the end, they all get on the same flight.

Dan and Andrew checked out a 24-hour shoe store in the airport, and spent over $100 on two pairs of sneakers. I think it was probably the best bet, since they weren't going to get far in hotel slippers.

Off the plane in Moscow, Dan and Andrew used their new sneakers to run to the first taxi. Nick and Starr got a taxi driver who spoke no English, and they ended up behind Dallas and Toni and following them. Ken and Tina were also unsure if their driver knew where they were going, and he ended up stopping to ask for directions, along with Dan and Andrew.

Turns out the following was a good idea, and Starr and Nick and Dallas and Toni got to the monastery first. The women had to cover their heads and they all lit candles and got their clues.

They have to travel by taxi to a decommissioned military base at the outskirts of Moscow, to search for their next clue. Dallas and Toni worried about running out of money, and Nick and Starr worried about getting lost. Meanwhile, both of the other teams headed to the military base.

Dallas and Toni were the first to arrive at the military camp.

It's a Detour:

Don a traditional Russian military uniform, including foot wraps, and choose from:

Boots - learn a traditional parade march and march a lap of the parade grounds.

Borsht - serve borsht to 75 soldiers, and be clean about it.

Nick and Starr's taxi driver got very lost and everyone else got to the military base first. Dallas and Toni chose Boots, and were pretty uncoordinated at first. Tina was uncomfortable changing in front of everyone, but ended up sucking it up. Dan and Andrew thought they would be good for the Boots, because of years of marching band experience. Unfortunately, they had troubles getting the uniforms on. Toni and Dallas and Ken and Tina did a good job with their marching and got their next clues, just as Nick and Starr were arriving.

Somehow, Dan and Andrew thought they could get past the uniform by choosing Borsht, but they didn't seem to realize they needed uniforms for that, too. Way to read the clues, morons. Nick and Starr had no troubles getting into the uniforms, and began the marching.

Dan and Andrew read the clue again and realized they had to go back and do the uniform. Their ineptitude at dressing themselves sent them into last place, and then, even with "years" of Marching Band experience, they were truly embarrassing at the marching. They had band members heckling them. They really should have served soup. Dan was the offending party with the marching. He said "I'm not arts and music based, I'm sports and tv based." After several failures, they switched to Borsht.

Dallas and Toni reached the next clue first, and it's a Roadblock.

One team member must deliver 50 x 55 lb bags of flour to a bakery by placing them horizantally on the floor. Once delivered, they get the next clue.

Dallas did the Roadblock, and got reprimanded by the shop owner for not being neat, but managed to do a good job of it, and worked it out. Ken and Tina arrived second, and Ken did the task. Nick and Starr's taxi driver had a hard time finding the bakery. Dan and Andrew did a better job of serving and headed to the bakery.

Dallas finished the Roadblock first, and they headed to the Pit Stop, which is a park in the middle of the city. Ken made up a lot of time and they weren't far behind. They drove off as Nick and Starr headed into the Roadblock, and they dismissed their taxi driver, deciding they would find a new taxi driver if they needed it. Nick did the job, and was heckled by the bakery woman - who said "He is not fit." Still, they finished the task before Dan and Andrew showed up.

Nick and Starr did have a hard time finding a new taxi, and Dan did the Roadblock. He seemed to do an ok job with it.

The next clue sent them to the Pit Stop. Nick and Starr found another taxi, who also had no idea where the park was. They finally got a driver who knew his way around, as Dan and Andrew worried that they would not have enough money to pay their cabbie.

Toni and Dallas got to the Pit Stop first, and they were thrilled to win one. They won a trip for two to the Dominican Republic, including all sorts of kooshy things, like a helicopter ride, spa, and lobster dinner on the beach. Ken and Tina came in second. Nick and Starr finally got to the park, and had a hard time finding the pit stop. Dan and Andrew fought with the cabbie about money, and Dan even offered to sell his shoes, and finally offered what I think was money out of his own wallet.

Happily, Nick and Starr came in third. Dan and Andrew arrived last. Tragically, it is a non-elimination leg. They have to do a Speedbump during the next leg. I hope it trips them up.

I want to know what they gave the cabbie in the end! Did anyone catch it?

Next week looks insane. More fun from Rhythmically-Challenged Dan, and one team loses their passports and all their money! Any bets on who?