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Offline mswood

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Re: Racing Report Leg #10
« on: January 18, 2008, 10:08:31 PM »
Racing Report
Amazing Race
Season:  12, Episode #10
Title:  “Sorry, guys, I’m not happy to see you.” stated by Jennifer
Provided Funds:  $374.00 by Nicolas
Pit Stop:  36 hours, extended Pit Stop.

It’s the 28th

Teams leave the Pit Stop at Tempozan Park in the order they arrived:
1.  Ronald & Christina 7:02am
2.  Nathan & Jennifer 7:15am
3.  Nicolas & Donald 7:21am
and Phil wasn’t lying nearly 3 hours behind the next team
4.  Tk & Rachel 10:18am

Teams must travel by taxi across the city and find this building with a whole in it, the Umeda Sky Building.  When they arrive they must figure out that the floating garden is actually an observatory located on the roof where they will search for their next clue.

The first three teams arrive to discover it’s closed.  The Hours of Operation are 10:00am to 10:30pm.

Once it opens at 10:00am the teams go to the roof and find the clue box in the following order:
1.  Ronald & Christina
2.  Nathan & Jennifer
3.  Nicolas & Donald
and after all teams have departed
4.  Tk & Rachel – Who have trouble  figuring out that its in the building, and then have trouble finding the clue box as they pull a Fran & Barry and go right past it.

Teams must now travel over 1,000 miles to the Island of Taiwan and it’s capital Taipei.  When they land they will take a taxi to Taipei Main Station (a Train Station).  It’s there that they’ll find their next clue.

Route Info:
Fly to the city of Taipei, Taiwan.
When you land travel by taxi to the Taipei Main Station and search for your next clue.

Teams get to Kansai International Airport in the following order:
1.  Ronald & Christina
2.  Nathan & Jennifer
3.  Nicolas & Donald
4.  Tk & Rachel

Quote for the night:  “Jenn and I know nothing about Taiwan, except we think Thai food is pretty good”, spoken by Nathan.

At the Airport we get Ronald & Christina and Nathan & Jennifer trying to get tickets from EVA Air which departs at 1300 for Taipei.  Nicolas & Donald originally try JAL which as a 1335 departure time, before then going to China air which as a 1315 departure.

At EVA Air, Christina gets tickets for her team and tells the ticket agent to not let the other team on.  The agent laughs and walks over to Jennifer & Nathan and tells them the flight is full.  Jennifer argues that they can’t listen to Christina.  Christina lies and says she didn’t tell them.

Now I do find it unlikely that the agent refused a sale by listening to Christina that just has never happened on the race.  As to the agent’s laughter, she probably just thought it was funny.

Flight Info:  (And apologize if this isn’t accurate, I am just going off of airwise today.

Flight #1 (Ronald & Christina)
BR 2131 departs KIX at 1255 arrives in TPE at 1505

Flight #2 (Nicolas & Donald, Nathan & Jennifer, and TK & Rachel*)
CI0157 departs KIX at 1340 arrives in TPE at 1550**
•   This is due to reports from actually racers that Tk & Rachel were on the same China Air flight and were never seen by the other racers.
•   This is the closest China Air Flight I could find, but it doesn’t match the departure or arrival times given on the show, so take with a big grain of salt.

Tk & Rachel are spotted by Nicolas & Donald and Nathan & Jennifer at Immigration.

Teams into cabs outside Taiwan Taoyuan International in the following order:
1.  Ronald & Christina – 2:51pm
2.  Nathan & Jennifer – 3:05pm
3.  Tk & Rachel
4.  Nicolas & Donald

Teams get to the Taiwan Main Station and find their clue in the same order:
1.  Ronald & Christina
2.  Nathan & Jennifer
3.  Tk & Rachel
4.  Nicolas & Donald

Teams must now travel by high-speed rail to the city of Taichung, then they’ll travel by taxi to the town of Jiji and find this place, Acrobatics Jeep.  It’s here where they will find their next clue.

Train #1 (Ronald & Christina) departs at (estimate from schedule to fit episode) 1630 arriving in Taichung at 1730.  But there is more then one train, so I could be wrong.

Train #2 (Nathan & Jennifer, Tk & Rachel and Nicolas & Donald) departs at 1700 (due to clock reading of 1657 moments before departure when Nic & Don board) arriving in Taichung at 1752.

Teams get into cabs in the following order:
1.  Ronald & Christina (get used to this).
2.  Tk & Rachel
3.  Nicolas & Donald
4.  Nathan & Jennifer

Teams arrive at the route marker outside Acrobatics Jeep in the following order:
1.  Ronald & Christina
2.  Tk & Rachel
3.  Nathan & Jennifer
4.  Nicolas & Donald

Roadblock:  “Who’s ready to go for a tricky ride?”
RB:  Take a tricky ride

In this roadblock the team member is taken on what might be the wildest ride of their life.  First they must become passengers in this car which is driven by a profession stunt driver who will maneuver the vehicle onto a giant teeter-tooter (good I had to look up how to spell that) and then rock back and fourth precariously 25 feet above the ground.  Then team members will switch into this amphibious car, don a pair of goggles and while holding on as best they can, they will be driven underwater for 17 seconds.  They may not let go or exit the vehicle until it comes out.  If their still alive when it’s over they’ll receive their next clue.

Teams perform the roadblock in the following order:
1.  Ronald – It’s his 5th, Christina has completed 5.
2.  Rachel – It’s her 5th, Tk has completed 5.
3.  Nathan – It’s his 5th, Jennifer has completed 5.
4.  Donald – It’s his 4th, Nicolas has completed 5.

Speed Bump – Run through fireworks
In this Speed Bump, Tk and Rachel must make their was just over a mile (which apparently not..) to Hi-Ping.  Here, they’ll take part in a traditional Chinese ritual performed annually during the lantern festival.

First they must put on safety suits and make a harrowing dash through a gauntlet of fireworks which are being aimed right at them.   Then after the local custom at Jiji teams must be doused with water.  When the ritual has been finished they’ll be able to continue on the race.

Note:  They must return to Acrobatics Jeep before continuing with the race.

Teams must now travel by high-speed rail back to Taipei.  When they arrive they’ll make their way to this place, GK Tea House.  Once here they’ll order and drink a cup of tea.  Only by drinking the entire cup of tea will there next clue be revealed.

Teams return to Taichung and get to the rail station in the following order:
1.  Ronald & Christina – Take the train that departs at 7:16pm and arrives back in Taipei at 8:06pm (according to clock scene exiting the train.
2.  Nathan & Jennifer – arrive at 7:31 but are too late to take the 7:36pm train.  They must wait for the train that departs at 8:00pm and arrives back in Taipei near 9:oopm.
3.  Nicolas & Donald – Same circumstances as Nathan & Jennifer
4.  Tk & Rachel – Barely manage to arrive at Train station in able to board the 8:00pm train.

Teams get back into Taipei and get into cabs in the following order:
1.  Ronald & Christina – Who have at this time close to an hours lead.
2.  Nathan & Jennifer
3.  Tk & Rachel
4.  Nicolas & Donald

Teams get to the GK Tea House and drink their tea in the following order:
1.  Ronald & Christina
2.  Nicolas & Donald
3.  Tk & Rachel
4.  Nathan & Jennifer

Teams must now figure out tat the clue, which is printed in Chinese at the bottom of their cup, is sending them to N Cong Guan Night Market (though screen shots show it as Raohe St. Night Market) where they’ll find this clown who will hand them their next clue.

Teams get to the market and find the clown to retrieve their clue in the following order:
1.  Ronald & Christina
2.  Nicolas & Donald
3.  Tk & Rachel
4.  Nathan & Jennifer

Detour:  Fire or Earth

In this detour teams have to choose between two tasks rooted in the primal forces of nature.  The choice:  fire or earth.

In Fire NO teams make their way to Zhongzheng Park find this marked field and participate in a mythical Chinese ritual.  First they must write messages of luck, good or bad, on lanterns.  They must burn spirit money under the lanterns filling them with hot air that will lift the lanterns into the sky and carry their messages  to the spirits above.  Once a team has sent 20 sky lanterns into the air they’ll receive their next clue.

In Earth all teams make their way to this Youth Park find this marked area and participate in a local custom used to allegedly reduce stress (we obviously get proof it doesn’t work).  With their feet bare team members must walk down a 220 ft. path made of jagged stones, then they must turn around and walk back.  When both team members are finished they’ll receive their next clue. 

Route Info
Detour
Fire or Earth
Fire:  Make your way to Zhongzheng Park and follow the marked road to the marked field.  Once there, write messages on 20 sky lanterns.  Then, fill the lanterns with hot air by burning spirit money and watch them float away to receive your next clue.

Earth:  Make your way to Youth Park and find the marked stone path.  When you find it, both of you walk down and back along the stone path barefoot to receive your next clue.


Teams arrive at the detour in the following order:
1.  Ronald & Christina
2.  Nicolas & Donald
3.  Tk & Rachel
4.  Nathan & Jennifer – Who took a locals advise and took a subway and a bus to get here.   All others took cabs.

Teams finish the detour in the following order:
1.  Ronald & Christina
2.  Tk & Rachel
3.  Nicolas & Donald
4.  Nathan & Jennifer

Teams must now travel by taxi through the busy streets to this place, Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall Plaza.  This monument to the late President of the Republic of China is the 10th Pit Stop of the race.

Route Marker
Make your way to the next Pit Stop:  Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall Plaza.
Hurry:  The last team to check in may be eliminated.

Teams check into the Pit Stop in the following order:
1.  Ronald & Christina – and win a trip
2.  Tk & Rachel
3.  Nicolas & Donald
4.  Nathan & Jennifer – and are eliminated

Happy Birthday to Jennifer. :party: :boot: :partie:



Offline mswood

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Re: Racing Report Leg #10
« Reply #1 on: January 18, 2008, 10:36:54 PM »
Team Reports

Ronald & Christina:   Well at the start of this leg, Christina talks about how lucky Jennifer and Nathan were last episode.  When in fact it was being unlucky in being able to secure a cab that cost them first place.  But this week, Ron & Christina were the lucky team.  By securing that one flight and no other seats available this team manages to, baring any serious missteps, secure 1st place position.  With the roadblock being passive and of a set duration, and with teams depending on cab for travel back and fourth to the train station, it left little areas for errors on a teams part.  And once back in Taipei where your choices could have effects on the leg, they had managed to have a hour lead.  We really need to see when they check in to see how that section of the leg compares to the other teams. 

Now this leg did feature this team at its best, both in team work and ability to calmly relate to each other.  But is this due to Ron learning how to treat his daughter or was this leg fairly stress free for them since once they got on the first Train they new at that point and at every other one that they were in first place with a bit of a cushion.

And like last leg where thinks to Christina's being in Japan for some schooling, we learn that Ronald had spent time in Taiwan.  And it is here that he meet and courted his wife.  This certainly helps in getting directions and talking to locals.  But with the lead they had, it was less important then last episode.

Tk & Rachel:  Boy you two can hustle but you can be really, really unobservant at times.  Your performance before leaving Osaka was awful, out and out awful.  But your performance once you arrive in Taiwan was fairly strong.  You managed to make the most of your time.  Quite probably what saved this team was being 1st out of the 2nd group to perform the roadblock.  WHile the speed bump looked like it took less then twenty or thirty minutes, and based on arrival times back at the train station, you might have missed the returning train to Taiwan if you weren't first.  You were able to once in Taiwan to use your superior ability to run to pass Nicolas & Donald and to secure 2nd place.

Nicolas & Donald:  In a leg that really allowed little wiggle room you did fairly well.  But you weakness keeps slowing you down.  You were third at the Roadblock, but Nathan & Jennifer were close enough behind that they were able to beat you to the clue box.  Nicolas took a risk returning to Taipei by exiting in the opposite direction as the other two.  But while you took the risk of having no cabs to grab, you actually benefitted by less foot traffic and were able to overcome your slowness this put you into 2nd place and you keep that until Tk & Rachel were able to out run you to put you back into 3rd.

Nathan & Jennifer:  With the race getting down to the final three the pressure really got to Jennifer.  Instead of focusing on your own team (of which they are on average the best of the teams left) you let your focus on Tk & Rachel really distract you and make you loose your confidence.  This also increased your anger to Tk & Rachel and between each other.  While we don't know how far behind Nicolas & Donald you were, your choice to take a subway and a bus (I mean really) put you even further back and only something like Don having a stroke and dying would have allowed you to catch up since at this stage most of the race was down to transportation.

A comment about this team.  While we make fun of this team for its fighting, we have certainly seen racers who treated both each other, other teams and locals far, far worse.  What really turned me off is their (well more Jennifer's) poor sportsmenship.  Its one thing to want to win (hello every team wants that), but to make comments like a team doesn't need first because they have already been first and everyone should get a chance (which hello thats why you race, thats your chance), to dogging on another team for not even trying just pisses me off.

I will say the closing scene with them was one of the most touching personal moments of any team in the show's history.


Offline mswood

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Re: Racing Report Leg #10
« Reply #2 on: January 18, 2008, 10:44:55 PM »
Team Statistics

Well we set a few records.

Oldest racer with Don being nearly 69.  Hell even Ronald at 58 would have bet the old record of either the Guido's or Teri & Ian who were I believe just barely over 50 when they originally raced.

First parent/Child team to make final three.

And of course first Grandparent/Grandchild to make final three.

Pit Stop average as of leg 10. 
Tk & Rachel                3.40 - which is where teams like Reichen & Chip, Mojo and Uchenna & Joyce were at this leg.
Ronald & Christina       3.60 - which is between Brandon & Nicole and Chris & Alex at this leg.
Nathan & Jennifer        3.70 - which is where teams like Chris & Alex and Jon and Al were at this leg.
Nicolas & Donald          4.30 - which is where Kelly & Jon were at this leg of the race.



Offline TARAsia Fan

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Re: Re: Racing Report Leg #10
« Reply #3 on: January 18, 2008, 11:20:00 PM »
Great recap, mswood. I'm currently working on mine. Great stuff as always.  :tup: :tup: :tup: :tup:
Just here to visit.

Offline apskip

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Re: Racing Report Leg #10
« Reply #4 on: January 19, 2008, 05:38:42 AM »
mswood, not only is this well written as always but I have no corrections to offer (that shows how really well written it is).

Editor'S Note: Thanks to GMAN for his sharp eyes. Anyone that doesn't think I am the best speller around contact me personally. Anyone that thinks I am a lousy proofreader and typist, don't bother as the world already knows this.
« Last Edit: January 19, 2008, 12:57:26 PM by apskip »


Offline gingerman28

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Re: Racing Report Leg #10
« Reply #5 on: January 19, 2008, 10:42:41 AM »
mswood, not only is this well written as always bit I have no corrections to offer (that shows how really well written it is).

bit?  do you mean "but"?

Offline puddin

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Re: Re: Racing Report Leg #10
« Reply #6 on: January 19, 2008, 10:45:31 AM »
:spsign

Offline Belle Book

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Re: Racing Report Leg #10
« Reply #7 on: January 19, 2008, 03:39:30 PM »
The arguing really annoyed me but Jennifer's poor sportsmanship made them even worse.  At least Ron never was a bad sport whenever he & Christina didn't finish first.  Of course, they won three legs, whereas Nathan & Jennifer never won a single leg.  Hmm, maybe being a good sport = getting at least one first place finish whereas being a poor sport = no first-place finishes -- at least in this edition of the race.

I don't think the ticket agent told Nate & Jen that there were no more seats available solely because Christina asked her to, although it may have played a role.  In any case, Nate & Jen's real problem was that they allowed other teams to distract them (Christina's actions at the ticket counter and especially T.K. & Rachel's catching up), and this helped seal their fate.

Belle Book

Offline mswood

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Re: Racing Report Leg #10
« Reply #8 on: January 20, 2008, 01:00:49 PM »
The arguing really annoyed me but Jennifer's poor sportsmanship made them even worse.  At least Ron never was a bad sport whenever he & Christina didn't finish first.  Of course, they won three legs, whereas Nathan & Jennifer never won a single leg.  Hmm, maybe being a good sport = getting at least one first place finish whereas being a poor sport = no first-place finishes -- at least in this edition of the race.

I don't think the ticket agent told Nate & Jen that there were no more seats available solely because Christina asked her to, although it may have played a role.  In any case, Nate & Jen's real problem was that they allowed other teams to distract them (Christina's actions at the ticket counter and especially T.K. & Rachel's catching up), and this helped seal their fate.

Belle Book

Well, they never came close to the level of poor sportsmenship that especially Jenn had, they aren't innocent in this category.

For example they have accused Nicolas & Donald for cheating.  And this one I just can't understand.  They had formed lines, all teams but Tk & Rachel and Nicolas & Donald left that line.  Yet, no other team was of the opinion that they should get their place in lane when they come back.  Thats incredible unfair.  They also seem to have a huge bone of contention with Nicolas & Donald.  Anytime they are ahead, they get pissed about how "that team" has no business doing better then them. 

It wasn't cool when Ray or Rob was doing it about Meredith and Gretchen (season 7), and it isn't cool now.

And while lying isn't against the rules, it is certainly poor sportsmenship.  And so far they have been the team in the final four that is perfectly willing to do that.

Out of the final three (with footage so far) that is the only team comfortable doing this.  Though, I will give Ron props (something I find difficult most of the time), is that he doesn't think its right.  Christina is the one who is perfectly fine lying to teams and trying to screw teams over.  Again, certainly, allowed (with some restrictions), but hardly an example of good sportsmenship. 

I do hope that Ron has improved, and that this leg (Especially) is often very stressfull.  If he manages this well (with aired footage and clips), I will be very happy.  And if this does happen (again if), I just wish it would have happened earlier, and not towards the end of the season.