The Amazing Race > The Racers

TAR18: Ronald Hsu & Christina Hsu (father/daughter)

<< < (11/15) > >>

slayton:
Amazing Race's Ron and Christina: We Were Very Aware of Our Physical Limitations
by Joyce Eng

A spiritual quest for sadhus (or holy men) on The Amazing Race: Unfinished Business led Ron Hsu astray as he erroneously wandered the Ganges River waterfront for hours. "It took over an hour and a half to realize that mistake," he tells TVGuide.com. "I still felt we had a glimmer of hope because the cowboys were on a later flight. I thought, 'The cowboys could mess up like they did in Australia and other teams might mess up too.'" Alas, no one else made any mistakes, and Ron and daughter Christina got the boot. Find out how Ron got so lost, why they took the water taxi and why he was so hungry in China. Plus: Would Christina ever run the Race with her new husband and Season 12 alum Azaria Azene?

Ron, how long did the Roadblock take you?
Ron: I lost track of time, but I felt like it was a couple of hours. I took the wrong road and I over-thought. I took the wrong street and found one sadhu right on the riverbanks, which they called the Ghat, and then I said, "Oh, yeah, the holy men are generally by the holy river of the Ganges," so I traversed back and forth from one end of the Ganges to the other when I should've gone back to my original starting point and taken a different road.

Some other Racers worked together. Why didn't you pair up with anyone?
Ron: Well, my downfall was taking the wrong road initially because I was told by locals that was the direction to the Ghat that we were on. Taking that road, I saw a few, what I consider, holy men, but they were not the ones that we had to find. So because I was on wrong road, I didn't see any other Racers. I should've at that point retraced my steps, but I said, "Well, if I'm on this road, maybe this is a difficult challenge where I have to go further down." It was reinforced by other sadhus I found by the river, but I should've gone back up. ... I did think of teaming up. That would've been a good idea had I seen any of the other Racers, but I didn't.

Why did you think the sadhus were taking a bath?
Ron: I thought that they were cleansing because the Ganges is considered a holy place in India and people want to cleanse their sins in it. So sadhus are there and people are congregating there to purify themselves. And I did find a lot of sadhus down there, but not the ones I was supposed to look for!

Christina, what was going through your mind while you were waiting?
Christina: I just wanted us to do our best. Whenever you're waiting for another teammate, you're just hoping that they're doing well. I think going into the experience, my dad and I just wanted to have a good time together. When the cowboys showed up, it added a little bit of anxiety. ... It was tough when the cowboys had left, but my dad didn't come back too long afterward. In a case like that, you can tell the leg will be pretty quick and it's more about speed, and my dad and I were very aware of our physical limitations. We're not as quick as the cowboys and would have a hard time not just catching them, but passing them. But it was fine. We were happy when he got back.

You picked the quicker Detour. Did you have a feeling from the clue it would be faster?
Christina: We actually really thought about that one a lot because we knew we were last, so we read the clues and we thought feeding the buffalo would be faster. We chose the right Detour and we never gave up. I think it's easy when you're at the bottom of the pace to give up, but we wanted to experience Varanasi as much as we could.


You took the water taxi to the Pit Stop, which was apparently the slower option. How long did that take?
Ron: I think about half an hour. They had a speed limit on the Ganges River and we didn't realize that. We asked him to go fast, but evidently they had restricted speed limits, so they went at their regular speed that we considered too slow.

And you didn't think of jumping out like Vyxsin did?
Christina: [Laughs] No! I couldn't believe that when we saw it! We were told after asking around that the water taxi would be the fastest way to Ramnagar Fort. You know, the Race is a lot about luck and maybe the water taxi wasn't the fastest, but we trusted the people we asked, and that's just our luck. ... I don't know if [we would've beaten the goths if we took a cab]. We were told we weren't too far behind. They did the longer Detour, so it's very possible.

Ron, you were very temperamental in the early episodes, but seemed to calm down from China on. What happened? Did you get used to racing conditions?
Ron: I think so. There was less sleep deprivation. Basically, I had a full belly of food in my system, so I think I calmed quite a bit. The Race means a lot to me and I just wanted to make sure I didn't disappoint Christina.

Why were you so hungry in China?
Ron: [Laughs] Just the smell and the way the food is prepared and how economical it is, relative to other places. Compared to Japan, it was a bargain to buy good-cooked street food in China. Even the small little fishies taste great!


Christina, I hear you and Azaria got married last month. Congratulations!
Christina: Thanks! I was lucky and so blessed to have my parents walk me down the aisle. So yeah, I'm married now and couldn't be happier. Married life is great!

Would you run the Race again with Azaria?
Christina: [Laughs] Yeah, in a heartbeat. My dad and I would definitely race again, and Azaria and I would definitely jump at the opportunity too. We really love and respect the Race. We have that competitive spirit and love for traveling, so absolutely.

http://www.tvguide.com/News/Amazing-Race-Ron-Christina-1031714.aspx

slayton:
Ex-Amazing Racers Ron & Christina: The Show Improved Our Relationship
by Julie Zied

Although Ron’s seemingly endless quest for the meaning of life in India ultimately cost him and daughter Christina their lives on “The Amazing Race” Sunday night, the often temperamental dad shared a surprisingly zen philosophy about their elimination during a call Monday. “I just appreciate this grand opportunity to spend time with my daughter before she got married. It was really truly a gift,” he said.  Below, the two discuss their hardest challenge this season, why they credit the show with improving their relationship, and how Christina found her husband Azaria (they married earlier this Spring)  on the Race.

On where they watched Sunday’s episode [Christina was in Washington D.C.; Ron was in Tacoma, Wash.]:

Christina: I watched with family and friends and so did my dad. We call each other after every episode. [Last night] I just said “I’m proud of you.” My dad and I raced for the experience. It just brought back such happy memories of us traveling together, despite the elimination. Varanasi [India] was beautiful chaos.

Ron: It was a wonderful experience. Even though it was disappointing to be eliminated, and all the smells and sights and frustrations all came back in one big emotion, it was wonderful to see it with our family. I sort of relived the whole woulda coulda shoulda, and I knew that my downfall was spending too much time on the river Ganges, where I thought the holy men should be. It was frustrating to see that, but nevertheless I saw little snippets where even though I was racing intensely, I said “Hey, I enjoyed asking this guy, because he has colorful garb on,” and the smells and everything just came back. It was a mixed emotion, but most of it was happy memories.

On whether they confronted the Globetrotters about their misplaced fanny packs:

Christina: It was totally smoothed over. We’d gotten to the mat, and it was not a big deal. The Globetrotters were our friends before and after the incident. It was a huge misunderstanding. We talked with them on our way to China and we were all just like, “We’re all so sleep deprived.” It was fine. There wasn’t really a confrontation. When we checked into the Pit Stop, we had no idea they would get a penalty. We would have never ever wished that upon them. It was funny watching it because the reality is we’re really good friends with them.

On their least favorite challenge this season:

Ron: In hindsight I should have taken that dinosaur challenge because Christina was the shortest and the lightest person there. That was very difficult for me to see her.

Christina: No regrets, but I think that waterfall was really tough. I definitely felt like there was a point where I couldn’t breathe under it. I was told later that that’s the first sign of hypothermia. It was so cold. The Race this time around was physically more demanding and exhausting.

Ron: That was tough. It was like twenty-five pounds of rocks on my bald head!

On why they decided to return for a second time in light of Ron’s recent back surgery:

Ron: I was sort of a bionic person with a fused back. But I walked without any pain. I know I’m not as physically fit as the younger Racers, but it was an opportunity to be with Christina right before she got married – to travel around the world and bond with my daughter. We only see each other once or twice a year; she lives three thousand miles away. I had such a neat time, being there 24/7 with her. We were lucky to be on.

Christina: We accepted in a heartbeat. For us, it’s always been about the experience. Of course winning is great, and we always have our eye on the prize – we have that competitive spirit. But we’re never going to compromise who we are because of the Race. What ultimately led us to the Race in the very beginning was just a love for travel. My parents have instilled that in me and my sister. Absolutely, even though we don’t spend that much time in each city, seeing new places, smelling new smells, and meeting new people is really a hobby of ours. I saw sides of him I’ve never seen. He was a really fun partner. It was awesome. We were cognizant of his health, and he insured me he was physically safe.

On Christina’s wedding to former Racer Azaria:

Christina: Earlier this Spring we got hitched. I was so proud and blessed to have my parents walk me down the aisle. It was really a beautiful, emotional moment. We didn’t have anything “Amazing Race”-themed at the wedding, but there was no avoiding how we met! It’s funny – Azaria and I met as competitors. There’s no way that three years ago when we first met we would have thought we’d be where we are now. But he’s my best friend and we’re just so happy together. It’s kind of crazy, but when you know, you know.

Ron: We’re so grateful for the Race. Christina had the opportunity to meet her soul mate. They’re a wonderful family.

Christina: Azaria and I were just friends on the show. I was actually a lot closer with Hendekea [his sister]. We talked on the phone more. But it wasn’t until after the Race aired, Azaria and I started clicking. It was long distance for a while. But when your conversations start going from twenty minutes to four hours, you kind of wonder, Maybe there’s something here. Having my dad there – although it sounds weird – was a blessing in disguise. Azaria and Hendekea were a team we gravitated toward because we shared the same family values. They were also there for the sheer fun of it – not fame. We really bonded over enjoying seeing new cultures.

On their strategy this season, and how their relationship has grown:

Ron: [There's a lot of] Pressure of the Race. I love it, and wanted to make sure that we didn’t get eliminated, and I wanted to make sure not to disappoint Christina, [but also] keep things in perspective. We wanted to be more uplifting. We wanted to enjoy the moment and each culture. You race at such a frenzied pace that you don’t always get to enjoy the scenery or the sights and sounds. We tried to do as much of that as possible.

Christina: We did change our game plan. As my dad said, it was all about keeping things in perspective. We decided to go on the Race because we wanted to spend time together. If most of that time is spent frantically, then it’s really not fun. Our relationship has improved because of the Race, and we’re grateful for that. I’ve learned a valuable lesson from my dad, which is:  take time to smell the roses. Get a meal in India, it’s okay – we’ll still make our flight.

http://xfinitytv.comcast.net/blogs/2011/interviews/ex-amazing-racers-ron-christina-the-show-improved-our-relationship/

slayton:
'Amazing Race' Exit Interview: Ron and Christina Hsu
The father-daughter team explains where it all went wrong in Varanasi
Posted by MSN TV

Father-and-daughter team Ron and Christina Hsu exited "The Amazing Race" last night -- despite powering through a challenging tea-tasting task last week, Ron wandered through the streets of Varanasi on a bedeviling hunt for the city's holy men ("sadus"). We talked to the pair about Ron's snacking (gleefully depicted in the show), how he nailed the tea test, and why he stumbled in search of sadu.

What happened on that sadu challenge?
Ron: I took the wrong street. A local told me I should take this very circuitous route. I didn't see any sadus on the street, but I finally saw one on the riverbanks, and said "Goodness, this must be where the sadus are, because they're purifying themselves on River Ganges." I went from one end to the other -- there were cremations on both ends. That was my downfall.

Christina, what was it like when the cowboys showed up, before your father had finished?
Christina: Once the cowboys showed up, we -- Mallory, Vyxsin, and me -- were all a little concerned because we know the cowboys always power through a deficit. I mostly wanted to make sure my dad was okay, and I was really happy to see him when he finished. It's always stressful when you're separated on a Roadblock task.

Varanasi looks like a difficult place to travel.
Christina: My dad and I love India -- my dad says that it really brings out all the five senses. Varanasi is so different from Mumbai or Delhi. Before we went there, my dad had said it was one of his dreams to go by the River Ganges -- boom, we open up the clue, and it says go to Varanasi. It ranked up there as among our favorite places.

Ron, you crushed the last episode's tea-tasting challenge. How were you able to crack it so easily, when it destroyed a few of the other teams?
Ron: I knew I had to not touch the cups, or I'd have to drink it, and I knew my body could not take too much caffeine. I was looking for the sweet smell of mango, and when I found it, the color was pretty similar to the tea we drank back in Kunming. I had remarked [in Kunming] that Chinese tea doesn't smell this sweet, and [the tea seller] said it was a mango-papaya tea. I got very lucky, after smelling 12 cups, to find it.

It seemed like you had a huge advantage in China.
Ron: We were very comfortable going into China, with the language ability and our comfort level with the taxi drivers and being able to negotiate and so forth -- we just felt at home.

Christina: We did feel there were teams that needed our help interpreting, like Zev and Justin and Jen and Kisha.

Ron, this season you were shown as constantly snacking. What's up with that?
Ron: I have a good appetite, and I love different foods, especially going to different countries. I just felt that with those super legs you didn't get all the foods that you wanted -- like in Li Jiang, when Phil told us to continue racing. What little food we got was from my constant snacking.

This season looks more physically intense than previous seasons. Is that fair?
Christina: The physical exhaustion definitely increased. Compared to season 12, the tasks this season were about physical strength.

It looked like you two got along better this time than the first time around. 
Christina: My dad's one of my best friends. Our relationship has never been better.

Ron, I saw that one of your goals this season was to "uplift" your partner. Did you succeed?
Ron: I was trying to be uplifting. I didn't want to disappoint Christina. We got this pressure, under the intensity of the race -- I have my moments, and there were some I wish could take back.

Christina, are you the first "Amazing Race" marriage [to fellow season 12 competitor Azaria Azene]?
Christina: I don't know! I think so?

Ron: We're so lucky that Christina met her prince on the race. We're just so happy they're happy.

Would you race together? 
Christina: I think we'd make an excellent team. Azaria actually helped kind of get my mind in the game before I went to race again with my dad -- he's always been so supportive, even with the pressure. You know your partner's strengths and weaknesses. So, yes. We'd have a blast

http://social.entertainment.msn.com/tv/blogs/reality-tv-blogpost.aspx?post=baaf928f-bd5e-49c2-8329-ea7d2c6978ac

LoveRocked:
more picture's here Christian and Azaria's Wedding.

pictures link removed.

georgiapeach:
Everyone please read:

Christina is so grateful to you all for the love and support you have given to her and to Ron. She appreciates greatly all the well wishes you are sending to her and to Azaria.

But because that was such a special and personal day for them, she is requesting that no pictures of the wedding be posted online, she would prefer to be able to share on a more private basis.

Thanks for understanding and for respecting her wishes!!

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page

[*] Previous page