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maf:
Racing report
Amazing Race Season 24, Episode 11, "Hei ho heido ho"
Film date: 4-5/12 2013

The last pit stop was at Plaza de Espaņa in Seville, Spain. and this is also where teams are released the next day in the following order:

1.Dave & Connor         10:392.Brendon & Rachel      11:16(+0:37)3.Leo & Jamal           11:25(+0:46)4.Caroline & Jennifer   11:36(+0:57)
Route info: "Make your way to Liverpool, England". Teams must now travel by train to Madrid and then fly to London Heathrow. Once there they'll choose a sponsor car and drive themselves to Liverpool and find Anfield Stadium. Here they must change clothes and the each player must score two penalty kicks against a professional goalkeeper.

 "I can't run at my full speed, but I'm to man it up and go through it", Jamal on his knee injury

It seems there were one train per hour, and the first teams probably rode:
AVE02121 Seville-Madrid 12:45 - 15:20
Caroline & Jennifer may have gone on a later train. All teams seem to end up on the same flight to London.

Once at Heathrow they all rush to the short term parking where six cars are waiting. Teams can make their pick, as long as they choose white. By this time it is dark outside and teams have a long drive ahead of them, on the left side of the road. Teams leave the airport in the following order:
 1. Dave & Connor
 2. Brendon & Rachel
 3. Leo & Jamal
 4. Caroline & Jennifer

 "Dang it, wrong side", Caroline entered the wrong side of the car

The night drive is moderately eventful with misnavigations and teams getting stuck in traffic. In the early morning teams arrive at Anfield (338km 3:17) in the following order:
 1(+2) Leo & Jamal
 2(+2) Caroline & Jennifer, as #1 are doing the task
 3(-2) Brendon & Rachel, shortly after #2
 4(-3) Dave & Connor, as #1 leave

 "Soccer is one of the biggest sports in Afghanistan", Leo know that this stadium is sacred ground
 "That one is smaller", Leo & Jamal pick goalkeeper

What follows is an embarrassingly bad soccer performance by the teams. Leo & Jamal at least know in theory what they are supposed to do and after a few attempts they seem to get the hang of it. And Brendon & Rachel surprise all of us by actually knowing this game, so they finish quickly. But Caroline & Jennifer suck at this. Eventually their goalie falls asleep and accidentally lets a shot in, and after that the girls actually get a couple of decent shots as well. Dave & Connor just suck.

 "You're so mean to me, I thought you liked me", Caroline try to flirt with the goalie
 "Eventually, yeah?", The judge to Connor when he finally completes the task

Teams complete this task in the following order:
 1(+0) Leo & Jamal, before #2 enter the stadium
 2(+1) Brendon & Rachel
 3(-1) Caroline & Jennifer
 4(+0) Dave & Connor

Route info: "Drive yourselves to Wales and find Thomas Telfords stream in the sky and search for your next clue". Teams must now drive to the Pontcysyllte aqueduct where they'll find their next clue.

 "When in doubt, go to a gas station", Jamal on his navigation technique

Brendon & Rachel stop at the same gas station as Leo & Jamal. They quickly find somebody who knows and jump into their car again. Leo & Jamal abandon their attempts to get directions and decide to follow Brendon & Rachel instead. Brendon doesn't like to be followed and manages to shake them off.

Teams arrive at the aqueduct (77km 0:56) and find the clue box in the following order:
 1(+2) Caroline & Jennifer
 2(+0) Brendon & Rachel, less than a minute after #1
 3(-2) Leo & Jamal
 4(+0) Dave & Connor

Here they find a road block. In this road block contestants must learn a verse from a Welsh poem. They must pick a canal boat with instructor and can then practice while the boat crosses the aqueduct, which takes about 15 minutes. At the other end they must recite the verse to a Welsh linguist. If they fail they must go back to their boat and practice more.

The verse is:

--- Quote ---       Y Sipsi!

     Hei ho Heidi ho!
   Fi yw sipsi fach y fro
 Carafan mewn cwr i fynydd
Newid aelwyd bob yn eilddydd
  Rhwng y llenni ger y lli
  Haf neu aeaf waeth gen i
     Hei ho Heidi ho!

--- End quote ---

The pronunciation of the different words is quite tricky as well. So this task is far from trivial.

 "Welsh, the craziest language since they hiss at you when they talk to you", Caroline

An additional factor is that the weather turns worse as teams do this task. The judging takes place outside in heavy rain and wind. The judge is an old lady who has no problem with this weather.
 "A little bit more practice", judging lady to failing teams

Teams complete this road block in the following order (* denotes team member doing the roadblock)
1(+1)Brendon* & Rachel      (6-5)On his second attempt2(-1)Caroline* & Jennifer   (6-5)On her second attempt3(+0)Leo & Jamal*           (5-6)On his fourth attempt4(+0)Dave & Connor*         (4-7)On his fourth attempt
Once players receive the next clue they must board their boat again for the 15 minutes ride back to their partner before opening the clue.

Route info: "Drive yourself to the Bolesworth estate".

Most teams seem to find this without problem. The exception is Leo & Jamal who struggle.
 "Ironic how Leo and I are good at navigation and directions, and then the one time we need it the most, we stumble", Jamal have trouble finding Bolesworth

Teams arrive at Bolesworth (34km 0:30) in the following order:
 1(+0) Brendon & Rachel
 2(+0) Caroline & Jennifer
 3(+1) Dave & Connor, just after #2
 4(-1) Leo & Jamal

Detour: "Boot it or shoot it"

In shoot it teams must shoot clay pigeons with a 12 gauge shotgun. Once the team has scored a total of 16 hits they will receive their next clue.

In boot it teams have to choose a pair of size 9 or size 11 boots from a big pile of boots. They must then take turns to toss their wellies around a course, each player continuing on from where the previous toss landed. Before each toss the boots must be filled with water from a through.

Both detours require teams to dress up in local costumes.

 "I enjoyed wearing carpet", Caroline about the tweed they had to wear

The boot throwing turns out to be quite physical since teams have to run back to refill their boots with water all the time. It doesn't get better when Brendon & Rachel finally finish and the judge checks the boots and proclaim them to be of the wrong size. They have to redo the task.
 "It says find a marked size 10 or 11", Rachel misremembers the clue and picks up boots of size 10

Rachel has a breakdown when, after their tossing, the judge says they have to go again. But this season Brendon seems to know how to handle her because he gets her calmed down relatively quickly, and they redo the task. The bonus this time is that they can live out their aggression on the boots and they seems to hurl them extra long the second time.

Caroline turns out to be unexpectedly good at shooting so they manage to advance one position.

Leo & Jamal seems to arrive as Brendon & Rachel are doing their second round of boot tossing. The episode is then cut too look like these teams are fighting it out for last place. But in reality Brendon & Rachel leave 20-25 minutes ahead of Leo & Jamal.

Teams complete the detour in the following order:
 1(+1) Caroline & Jennifer, shoot it
 2(+1) Dave & Connor, shoot it
 3(-2) Brendon & Rachel, boot it
 4(+0) Leo & Jamal, shoot it

Route info: "Drive yourself to Peckforton castle". This is the pit stop.

Dave & Connor leave Bolesworth just after Caroline & Jennifer. None of them know where Peckforton castle is. The girls turn right and the boys left. Both teams are just guessing at this point.
 "Please let us be right this one time", Caroline
Unfortunately it is Dave & Connor who guessed right.

Teams reach Peckforton castle (10km 0:11) in the following order:
 1(+1) Dave & Connor, win a trip to Fiji
 2(-1) Caroline & Jennifer
 3(+0) Brendon & Rachel
 4(+0) Leo & Jamal, are eliminated

 "We're gonna stay strong, we're gonna stay positive. The experience is something Leo and I will cherish forever", Jamal

maf:
Racing report
Amazing Race Season 24, Episode 12, "Do you believe in magic?"
Film date: 6/12 2013

The last pit stop was at Peckforton castle. It looks like teams are released in the garden of Carden Park hotel. It is hard to tell since it is pitch black. Teams are released in the following order:

1.Dave & Connor         04:312.Caroline & Jennifer   04:38(+0:07)3.Brendon & Rachel      04:52(+0:21)
Route info: "Fly to your final destination Las Vegas, Nevada". Teams must now drive themselves to Heathrow and then fly to Las Vegas. Once they land they will be taken for a ride in a black car.

Jennifer went to High School in Las Vegas and Rachel has worked there, so they are both very happy to go back. Dave is not happy that Rachel knows Vegas.

The ride to Heathrow (291km 3:08) seems uneventful and all teams end up on the same flight. Normally, in recent seasons, the final flight is determined by production. In this case there was only one direct flight that day. Teams end up on:
  BA275 LHR-LAS 16:06 - 18:55 (scheduled 15:50-18:20)

When teams find their cars the driver just commands them "Get in".

The cars seem to be supposed to give a mafia feeling and they drive out into the desert. Suddenly they turn off the road and stop. The driver just says "Get out and dig". There are spades stuck into the ground outside illuminated by the headlights of the cars.

Teams arrive at the digging site in the following order:
 1. Dave & Connor
 2. Caroline & Jennifer, just after #1
 3. Brendon & Rachel, seems to arrive a minute or two later

The three digging sites are right next to each other so Dave & Connor immediately start to complain that Brendon & Rachel are throwing dirt into their hole. It is impossible to say how much merit this has from what is shown, but it looks petty.
 "The claws are coming out", Caroline or Jennifer about the other two teams

Eventually each team find a wooden box buried in the ground. They find it in the following order:
 1(+0) Dave & Connor
 2(+1) Brendon & Rachel
 3(-1) Caroline & Jennifer

The box is marked "Property of David Copperfield" and "If found, open and return contents to the lot". Teams take their boxes and jump into their cars again. The driver obviously knows where to go because he just takes off.

There is no obvious way to open the box. Rachel is the only one who thinks here she crawls into the trunk and gets some tools, and with them they get it open. Inside the box they find a big key ring with 50 keys on it.

The next clue box is on a parking lot behind MGM Grand. Teams arrive here in the following order:
 1(+0) Dave & Connor
 2(+1) Caroline & Jennifer
 3(-1) Brendon & Rachel, just after #2

Road block: "Do you believe in magic?"

As teams are reading the clue David Copperfield himself turns up.

The chosen team member will be locked inside a big wooden crate. Their partner must then give them the key ring before retreating and follow the rest of the task on video in a nearby van. The person inside the box must now try the keys until they find the one which fits their locks. Once they are free they must reach through slits in the crate and open a jar on the outside and retrieve a set of lock picks. When they have done this the box is set on fire and lifted up into the sky. Eventually the person inside the box gives a signal and the box is dropped to the ground. The box breaks and a huge fireball erupts. The team member then surprises their partner by turning up unharmed and dressed as a firefighter.

Before teams can begin the task they must present the keys. The only way to retrieve them, unless you already have done it, seems to be to throw the box on the ground a few times to break it open.

Teams complete this road block in the following order (* denotes team member doing the roadblock)
1(+0)Dave & Connor*         (4-8)2(+1)Brendon & Rachel*      (6-6)3(-1)Caroline & Jennifer*   (6-6)
Teams are given the next clue by David Copperfield. It reads:

--- Quote ---ROUTE INFO
Make your way to the
Neon Boneyard and
search the grounds for
your next clue.

--- End quote ---

Teams must now make their way to the Neon Boneyard museum and search for their next clue inside. The clue also apparently points out in big bold letters that they are not allowed to run inside the museum.

Brendon & Rachel have bad luck and pick up what seems to be the slowest taxi on the planet.
 "Can you go a little faster, is that ok?", Brendon
 "Go faster. I'll get a ticket", But their driver is having none of it

Each teams seem to arrive at the Neon boneyard (13km 0:12) just as the previous team is exiting. They find the clue inside the museum in the following order:
 1(+0) Dave & Connor
 2(+0) Brendon & Rachel
 3(+0) Caroline & Jennifer

Route info: "Unscrew a light bulb from the silver and red questionmark-sign and take it with you to the Mirage hotel & casino and search for your next clue."

The questionmark is right behind the clue box. Which doesn't stop Brendon & Rachel from missing it.

Outside the museum Brendon tries to steal Caroline & Jenifer's cab, but their driver is not buying it. He even ignores Brendon's line that is is for their baby (which they have said they are going to have if they win). Eventually they have to go back to their own cab. It seems that their driver is even slower now, possibly because she is tired of their constant yelling from the back seat.

Teams arrive at the employee entrance of the Mirage (9km 0:08) in the following order:
 1(+2) Caroline & Jennifer, their taxi driver rocks
 2(-1) Dave & Connor, about 5 minutes after #1
 3(-1) Brendon & Rachel

The clue box is right outside the employee entrance, but Brendon & Rachel miss it and run into the hotel.
 "Search the hotel? This is one of the biggest hotels in the world", Rachel when Brendon wants to search the hotel for their next clue
Here Rachel is smarter than Brendon and she runs back to the entrance where they find the clue box.

Route info: "Keep the Mirage glimmering over the Las Vegas strip". Teams must don safety gear and then ride up 30 stories in a window washing rig. At the top they must screw light bulbs into the empty sockets of the letter I in "The Mirage". Once they have filled all the holes they must say the correct number of bulbs used (241).

This task is not for the faint of hearth since it takes place high up in the air on a flimsy looking platform. Teams also have to reach quite far from the platform to reach the sockets. The actual number saying isn't as crucial as teams seem to be able to just make guess after guess. It is rather with the screwing of light bulbs which teams can make up or lose time.

 "You are not scared, you are excited", Caroline tries to motivate Jennifer
 "I'm not scared of heights", Jennifer tries to convince herself

The first two teams Caroline & Jennifer and Dave & Connor can see each other as they are working. So there is some extra tension.
 "Dave & Connor are catching up with us", The girls see their competitors

Teams complete this task in the following order:
 1(+1) Dave & Connor, despite one wrong guess
 2(-1) Caroline & Jennifer, a couple of minutes behind #1
 3(+0) Brendon & Rachel

Route info: "Make your way to Maverick helicopters in Henderson". This place is not trivial to find. Dave & Connor go down a dead end at first and when they go back Caroline & Jennifer are in front of them. Dave urges their driver to pass them and he does. This is probably where they win the race (at least from what is shown).

Teams reach the clue box by Mavericks helicopters (7km 0:09) in the following order:
 1(+0) Dave & Connor
 2(+0) Caroline & Jennifer, 3 seconds after #1
 3(+0) Brendon & Rachel

Road block: "Who wants to be an UFO?".

In this road block contestants must put on a futuristic jumpsuit and then do a tandem skydive from 10.000 feet. The futuristic part is that the jumpsuit has colored lights. Before they can jump they must fly down the strip and spot a sign telling them where to go.

The sign is a big flashing thing which says: "Race ends here" and "Las Vegas Motor Speedway".

Dave wants Connor to do this road block, but the clue states that he has to do it.

The non-performing team member gets driven to the finish line

Spotting the sign seems to be easy and all teams seem to do it on their first try. Since Dave got to the clue box first he get to go first. The landing zone is right next to the finish line.

The only real tension here is by the non-participating team members who do not know who will drop out of the sky first. They anxiously wait and try to discern who the first jumper is. At least Connor & Jennifer do, Rachel is quite a bit behind and hasn't arrived yet.

Teams complete this road block in the following order (* denotes team member doing the roadblock)
1(+0)Dave* & Connor         (5-8)2(+0)Caroline* & Jennifer   (7-6)3(+0)Brendon* & Rachel      (7-6)
The finish line is right next to the landing zone so teams check in in the following order:
 1(+0) Dave & Connor, win $1.000.000
 2(+0) Caroline & Jennifer
 3(+0) Brendon & Rachel

 "22 cities, 9 countries, and more than 23.000 miles", Phil sums it up

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