The Amazing Race > RFF's Amazing Race: Design Challenge
The Amazing Race: Design Challenge VIII - Final Round Design Show on Page 50!
Kamineko:
Design #9 - Nuku's Premiere Leg
[Cairns, Australia]
Show contentCalifornia. An American treasure. Whether it’s surfing, skiing, wine tasting, rock climbing, or a night on the town, California offers some of the worlds best. Not only known for its diverse culture, but also its diverse landscape. A true Mecca for people of all types. And today, here in this lake side ski village, Big Bear Lake, 11 new teams will embark on a race around the world for US $1 million. This is The Amazing Race.
Here at the Snow Summit Ski Resort, teams will start their Amazing Race. They are currently being transported here by limousine. Here are the teams:
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This season will push teams like never before, travelling to some of the most exotic locations imaginable, and the competition will be like never before, with some of the greatest teams in history. And what they don’t know is that they will face a grueling challenge right at the Starting Line, that could seriously affect their outcome. Are you ready for The Amazing Race?
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3, 2, 1, GO!
Teams will begin their race with a three part challenge that will push them to the limits already. In the first part of the challenge, you will complete a mud obstacle course. Teams will do net crawls, monkey bars, balance beams, and wall climbs in order to finish this part of the task.
The second part will see teams ride mountain bike through the famous Snow Summit trails. Once completed the course, teams can move on to the third and final part.
The third part will see teams ride a tube down a track to the bottom of the hill where they will finally receive their first clue. But teams will have an opportunity to bypass certain parts of this challenge. During each part, teams will find clues as to which country is their first destination (Australia). In Part 1, gold and green (colours of Australia) liquid will be poured over the teams at certain times. For Part 2, teams will find kangaroo, crocodile, and koala (native Australian animals) tracks along the bike course. Finally in Part 3, the tubes were designed with aboriginal dot art. After each part, teams will have to chance to guess the country. If they are correct, they will automatically be given their clue. If teams do not guess their country by the end of the third part, teams will receive a disadvantage at the first Roadblock of the Race.
FLY TO CAIRNS, AUSTRALIA
Teams will now drive themselves over two hours to Los Angeles International Airport. Here, teams will fly on one of two flights to Cairns, Australia; the first flight taking five teams and the second flight taking six.
Teams are now enroute to Cairns, Australia. This coastal city in Northern Queensland has become a tourist hotspot, known for its accessibility to popular destinations as a gateway to the Great Barrier Reef and with easy access to many fantastic rainforests nearby. Teams will get to see what they got in this adventurous city and fight for a spot to continue this Race.
When teams touch down in Cairns, they will drive themselves to the Reef Fleet Terminal where they will find their next clue.
TRAVEL BY BOAT TO GREEN ISLAND
Teams will now pick a water taxi that will take them to Green Island. This small island in the Pacific Ocean is known for its magnificent reef, which is apart of one of the Seven Wonders of the World: the Great Barrier Reef. Teams will find their next clue once they dock.
WHO CAN SEA FIRST PLACE?
A Roadblock is a task only one team member can perform. In this Roadblock, one team member will get to experience the Great Barrier Reef first hand while snorkeling through the pristine waters and distinguishing between it’s 411 kinds of hard coral.
Teams will be shown three pictures of different kinds of coral that can be found in the reef. Then, they would have to don the appropriate snorkelling gear before entering the reef.
Teams would have to scour the reef for floating canisters that contained samples of coral. Teams would need to find the three correct samples of coral. The canisters would be found floating around the actual piece of coral in the reef. If it was the right sample, a wrap around the coral would say “The Amazing Race”. If it was incorrect, it would read “Try Again”. If teams returned to shore with the three correct pieces of coral, they would receive their next clue. Teams that did not correctly answer the question at the Starting Line would have to find five different kinds of coral rather than three.
DELIVER THE CORAL SAMPLES TO CALYPSO REEF IMAGERY CENTRE
Teams will now travel by boat back to Cairns and head to Calypso Reef Imagery Centre, located in the Reef Fleet Terminal. Here, teams will have to exchange their coral samples from the Roadblock for their next clue.
MAKE YOUR WAY TO KEWARRA BEACH
Australia is known for its many sprawling beaches, especially the Gold Coast. Aussie’s are known for their beach culture and love for surfing, volleyball, and tanning. Teams will find their next clue on the shores of this popular Cairns beach: Kewarra Beach.
WHO CAN BUILD THE LEAD?
A Roadblock is a task only one team member can perform. This Roadblock will give teams the chance to truly embrace Australian culture by becoming beach furniture designers. Since this is the second Roadblock of the leg, the team member who sat out of the first Roadblock must complete this one.
First, they would select a work station that included a number of tools and a traditional outrigger canoe, similar to the one shown above. They would have to use these tools to properly disassemble the canoe. Teams would then bring the marked pieces from the canoe to another work area.
At the second work area, teams would use the same tools, the pieces of the canoe, and a fishing net to build a homemade beach volleyball net, similar to the one shown above. If the net passed the judges inspection, they would receive their next clue.
MAKE YOUR WAY TO TJAPUKAI ABORIGINAL CULTURAL PARK
Teams will now make their way to the Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park. A popular arts centre in the city, it is known as a place where locals can experience the aboriginal culture of the country first hand. Teams will find their next clue near the park.
MATCH YOUR MATE
Teams would get the chance to embrace the aboriginal culture of Australia by practicing one of their art forms: body painting. Body painting is a way the aboriginals used to express themselves and tell stories, and now it is one of their signature art forms. Teams will now have to paint a design, like the one shown above, onto one another's face. Once they had both completed their paintings on each other, they would search the park for a tribe member with an identical design who would give them their next clue.
TRAVEL BY THE SKYRAIL RAINFOREST CABLEWAY TO THE PITSTOP:
EDGE LOOKOUT AT BARRON FALLS
Teams will now make their way to the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway Terminal. Teams will then board one of these cablecars and head into the Kuranda Rainforest surrounding Cairns, known as a popular tourist destination because of its lushus landscape and diverse flora and fauna.
Teams will get off their cable car at the Barron Falls Skyrail Station. These giant falls and gorge form a popular national park that provides people with stunning views.
Teams will have to search the area for this: the Edge Lookout. The first glass bottom walkway in Queensland is also where teams will find stunning views, and the first Pitstop of The Amazing Race. The last team to check in here may be eliminated.NotesShow content1. Omg what a surreal feeling! Semi finals! And i feel great about this leg!!!!!
2. So most people ik went with a international start but i kept things classic with an american start
3. so starting line task part 1 just a pretty short mud obstacle course with a net crawl, monkey bars, wall climb, and balance beams. teams get this gold and green like goo poured on them to represent australia. then they hop on mountain bikes and do this mountain bike course id say it will be about like a half mile or so?? its a bit challenging but not crazy or anything and teams will see kangaroo, koala, and crocodile footprints along the way and trust me they will be noticeable enough. last part is tubing. you cant actually do this here so its temporary tracks and the tubes have aboriginal art on them as the clue. for the guessing part they will just have to tell a judge at the end of each part sort of thing ya know?? there will be multiple judges.
4. i added in the penalty for not guessing the answer cause i wanted to make drama and it wont penalize teams for being slow.
5. THE FLIGHTS HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THE START LINE TASK. it will be the first 5 teams to get to the airport on flight 1, last 6 on flight 2. you could have a penalty and still be on flight 1 etc.
6. now we land in cairns go to the terminal and theres 11 water taxis (bigger than traditional ones, its just private speedboats we will call water taxis so this way we dont have any clumping of teams onto the same ones)
7. roadblock like i had to include the barrier reef somehow and i think this is a cool way to do it. teams find the sample of coral very close to the actual piece of coral. it will be a big area since you will have a few teams there at the same time and there will be a lot of canisters that teams must reseal after using them if not they will receive a 5 minute penalty per canister left unsealed.
8. teasm return to shore and trade in their coral for clue, this jsut will allow some spacing out and a bit of a break after boat ride
9. now the beach roadblock. I LOVE THIS TASK!!! teams will take apart an outrigger and certain pieces are makred hten they use the marked pieces to build a volleyball net!! EEEKKKK!!! i personally think its super cool and embrasses the beach culture of australia and oceania
10. now the aboriginal task!!! consider it similar to the makeup in TAR23 indonesia, but after they complete the painting they have to go around the park and find a tribe member out of say 50 with the same one. and the cool thing is these aboriginals will be telling stories, throwing boomerangs, making art, dancing etc to showcase its culture!!!
11. so for skyrail they leave about every 15 minutes but since the company will be CLOSED to PUBLIC and we arent doing full run say 5-10 minutes for the cable cars and TEAMS ARE ALLOWED TO SHARE these cause at the top they have a bit of a distance to find pitstop
12. so thats my leg! no maps (oops) cause pushed for time again but i hope that dont take away from the greatness of the leg!!! I wanted to highlight at least 2 different environments of Australia and i did it in the best way i could while also highlighting present and past culture!!! this is what i feel like is my best work yet! original ideas and fun ideas! this leg would be fantatstic to watch! plz plz plz get me in this final!!! this is it from me and hopefully i will get that last chance to show u what i can do! i deserve this spot in the finale and i feel like this shows it!! thank u for helping me grow as a designer, this has been a awesome journey!!
Kamineko:
Design #10 - Nuku's Assigned Country Leg
[Tbilisi, Georgia]
Show contentThis is New Delhi, India. The capital of India, it is also known as the heart of the country for its enriched culture and heritage, sprawling temples and magnificent palaces, it is also home to a very diverse population. People of New Delhi follow Hinduism, Christianity, Sikhism, Islam, and more.
And it is from here, the famous Baha'i House of Worship, the Lotus Temple where teams will embark on the seventh leg of a race around the world for $1 million.
FLY TO TBILISI, GEORGIA
Teams will now fly to the capital of Georgia: Tbilisi. This Caucasus country is known for its unique culture and history. With artefacts pointing back to early humans living in the region, it also has a rich history with its music and visual art, the creation of wine making, and traditional martial art forms that are still practiced to this day. All teams are now onroute to Tbilisi from New Delhi, via Istanbul.
MAKE YOUR WAY TO KAPISTONI WINERY
When teams arrive in Tbilisi, they will drive themselves to the Kapistoni Winery in Saguramo. Teams must wait until 7:00 AM to receive their next clue.
DON’T WINE ABOUT IT!
Wine making was invented in the hills of Georgia. Now, teams will get to help prepare for this ancient process by harvesting 200 grapes. Teams would enter the vineyards and have to collect 5 different indigenous Georgian grapes, which included: Saperavi, Rkatsiteli, Tsolikauri, Mujuretuli, and Aleksandrouli. Once teams had collected 40 of each kind, they would have to return to the winemakers to receive their next clue. If teams didn’t have 40 of each different kind of grape, they would have to head back into the vineyard and start over.
MAKE YOUR WAY TO KASHVETI ST. GEORGE CHURCH
Teams will now make their way to Kashveti St. George Church, an orthodox church located in central Tbilisi. Outside here teams will find their next clue.
CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS OR TEMPO GUESSTIMATIONS
A Detour is a choice between two tasks each with its own pros and cons. This Detour will give teams the chance to immerse themselves in unique parts of Georgia’s culture, it’s their call:
Christmas Decorations or Tempo Guesstimations!
The catch is, this is a Blind Detour. Teams would have to pick their Detour option only knowing the name of each task. Teams would do this by picking an orthodox easter egg from the baskets labeled “Christmas Decorations” or “Tempo Guesstimations”. Once teams selected a Detour, they could not switch.
In Christmas Decorations, teams would make their way to the Dry Bridge Market on the shores of the Mtkvari River. There, teams would have to find a marked vendor selling walnut branches. Teams would then bring two branches to a Christmas tree vendor on the other side of the market. There, teams would use the branches to make traditional Georgian Christmas trees known as a chichilaki. Teams would add some ornaments and if both trees were approved of by the vendor, teams would receive their next clue.
In Tempo Guesstimations, teams would make their way to the Tbilisi Concert Hall. Teams would learn a traditional nagara routine. Teams would then head to the main stage and perform with three different groups of dancers. Teams would realize that each group danced to a different tempo. In order to receive their next clue, teams would have to perform for each different group at the correct tempo in order to receive their next clue.
MAKE YOUR WAY TO THE OPEN AIR MUSEUM OF ETHNOGRAPHY
Teams will now make their way to the Open Air Museum of Ethnography. Here, not only can people experience the culture of Georgia, teams will also find their next clue.
WHO CAN GET A HOLD?
A Roadblock is a task only one team member can perform. This Roadblock had one team member take part in the Georgian tradition of chidaoba, which was put on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity for its significance in Georgian culture.
The Roadblock in this leg gave one team member the opportunity to take part in the Georgian martial art known as Chidaoba. After they put on the traditional clothing, they would join an instructor and learn five different holds, and five different ways to counter the holds, used by the wrestlers. If they felt good with their ability, they would be out into a real competition and they would have five minutes, the length of a match, to show all five holds and counter holds correctly. If the crowd was impressed with their performance, they would receive their next clue.
MAKE YOUR WAY TO THE PITSTOP: THE ROYAL BATHS.
Teams will now make their way to the Royal Baths. These sulphur baths can be found in many Eastern European cities, especially Tbilisi. Here teams will find the seventh Pitstop of the Race. The last team to check in here MAY be eliminated.NotesShow contentWow here we are first part of the penultimate round! After that Outer Banks leg I never would have expected to make it here! Let's hope I can get another round out of me!!! So the leg i am submitting first is my Georgia leg! When I saw Pi had given me Georgia I thought I was done for! I dont think I have ever designed a leg in the region and try to avoid eastern europe and the middle east as much as i can LOL!!! But i am always up for a challenge so here we are! We start with a wine task, this is gonna be like a combination of clam digging and apple sorting from TAR CAN but pays homage to wine making in Georgia and they are indigenous grapes! Detour is making the christmas trees or matching a drum routine with tempo of 3 dances!!!The three dances are Simd, Khorumi, and Kintouri! Lastly is the RB and it is just learning some cool moves, and then they learn how to react to the moves and teams must do both!! I decided to do the blind detour because i thought the easter eggs would be cool LOL!!!! But yeah super simple leg, unfortunately I dont have any maps this round oops im sorry although it is pretty simple they leave Tbilisi, then go back to city centre, then head into the outskirts on the hills, and then down to the royal baths which is just south of the centre! Felt super rushed this round as I had a busy week so i hope this is enough to get me through! real life first right! I will see you guys next week with my premiere leg "Down Under" and i will drop some links below regarding my leg! Thanks so much for the support everyone hopefully this isn't it for me!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iaIxFpin8dQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=neuSMZ1D6xU
Kamineko:
Design #11 - Bookworm's Premiere Leg
[Antigua, Guatemala]
Show content
Phil: This is Lake Atitlan. Formed by the volcanic activity of the very mountains it's nestled between, it is the deepest lake in Central America and was described by Alexander von Humboldt as the most beautiful lake in the world.
Phil: And on the shores of Lake Atitlan rests the town of Panajachel. As the largest community on the lake, it principally serves the tourism community. Today, however, it plays host to The Amazing Race.
Phil: The Rio Panajachel flows to Lake Atitlan, though its delta is now a wide beach. A center for parasailing, it today hosts 11 new teams as they begin a race around the world. The 11 teams are.... [insert teams]
Phil: Welcome, everyone, to The Amazing Race! In just a few short moments, you'll embark on a race around the world, beginning here in beautiful Guatemala!
Phil: When I give you the word, you'll run to one of the nearby tandem kayaks and paddle 600 feet to a floating dock.
Phil: On this dock, you'll fine 150 kites, slightly smaller versions of the gargantuan, magnificent kites found at the All Saints Day Kite Festival. These kites will be tethered to the dock by 30 feet of line and spool.
Phil: Each of these kites, with a diameter of 10 feet each, has a syllable on it. Your job, teams, is to paddle to the dock, retrieve a kite, and bring it back to your designated hitching post. Your goal is to retrieve three kites with the syllables necessary to spell the name of the old capital of Guatemala. Keep that in mind. Old.
Phil: Once correct, you'll be reserved seats on buses to your next destination. But beware! It's windy out, but if at any point a kite touches the water, you'll have to paddle back to the dock and touch it before heading to shore. Everyone got it? Furthermore, the last team to complete this task will incur the Hazard penalty during this Leg.
Good luck...
Travel safe...
GO!
The 11 teams rush to their kayaks and paddle to the dock.
Phil: The teams are attempting to spell out ANTIGUA, both a Spanish for old and the name of a city that previously served as the capital of Guatemala.
Phil: Once correct, teams will cover their kites and make their way on foot to the Perla Maya Hotel. They'll then board one of four chicken buses, a colorful mode of transportation found throughout Central America. The first bus has room for three teams, the second has room for two teams, and the third and fourth carry three teams apiece. Each chicken bus will leave as soon as the last team to board arrives; there's no set schedule.
And here come the teams!
Chuck & Jim, I'm sorry, but you're incorrect.
Dahlia & Jasper, I'm pleased to tell you that you're correct! Please cover your kites and board the first chicken bus!
Jasper: Chicken bus? Gosh, that's, like, so insensitive!
Dahlia: When will our poultry sisters receive justice?!
Phil: Katie & Jessica, you're correct! Please cover your kites and board the first chicken bus!
Phil: Abed and Troy, you're correct! Please cover your kites and board the first chicken bus!
Troy: I knew Señor Chang's class would help us!
Abed: Troy, you barely passed that fraud's class!
....
Phil: Only two teams are left on the course!
Chuck & Jim, you're correct! Please cover your kites and board the fourth chicken bus!
Chuck: Yiiiieeeewww!
Phil: Henry & Jed, you're correct! However, you are the last team. Remember, you've now incurred the Hazard penalty for this first leg. Please cover your kites and board the fourth chicken bus!
Jed: UGH! Professor, why did you have to collect algae samples??
======================================
Phil: All teams are now traveling in one of four chicken buses to the charming colonial town of Antigua! Famous for Baroque architecture and many, many churches, Antigua represents a hub for Guatemalan culture. It was once the capital of Guatemala, but the government was moved after a series of earthquakes in the 18th century.
Phil: When teams arrive in Antigua, they must make their way to the iconic Arco de Santa Catalina.
Phil: Once here, they must find a pair of Kaqchikel women, descendants of the Maya that inhabit the volcanic highlands of the region, who will hand teams their next clue.
Phil: However, the Hazard penalty awaits Henry & Jed beside these two women.
Phil: To complete the Hazard, Henry & Jed must make their way 2 minutes on foot to the ChocoMuseo.
Phil: Once there, they must solve equations written with Mayan numerals with chocolate pieces.
Phil: Henry & Jed will be given six equations, and must first solve the question before presenting the answer to each by counting out the exact number of chocolate pieces and placing them on a dish with the corresponding number. The decoder is next to the entrance to the museum, but they will be working at the bar. Once Henry & Jed present six correct dishes, they may resume the Race, hoping to make up the valuable time lost.
Phil: All other teams, meanwhile, have received their clue from the Kaqchikel women and are on their way.
"Make your way on foot to Convento Capuchinas."
Phil: Teams must now make their way across the small town to Convento Capuchinas. This convent was the last to be built in the town and, with no financial requirements for new nuns to join, offered immense opportunity to would-be nuns. Though it was abandoned after successive earthquakes, it nevertheless remains an incredible example of Baroque architecture today.
Roadblock: Whose powers of observation are second to nun?
Phil: During Convento Capuchinas's short stint as an operating nunnery, it housed two types of nuns- urban and discalced, both of whom were renowned for their discipline. In the first Roadblock of the Race, one team member must enter the convent and observe 15 nuns go about their once-daily routine, using the criteria provided in their clue:
Phil: 15 nuns, each adorned with name tags, are wandering the convent. Team members must analyze all of them, from their activities to their clothes to their dormitories, in order to discern which order each nun belongs to. When team members think they've got it right, they can find the 16th nun, the mother superior, and report the names and order of all 15 nuns. Once correct, they'll receive their next clue. If incorrect, they'll have to keep searching the convent for answers.
"Make your way on foot to Iglesia La Merced and search the plaza for your next clue."
Phil: Teams must now travel by foot to Iglesia La Merced. One of the oldest churches in the town, its yellow, Baroque exterior makes it recognizable to all in Antigua and serves as a symbol of the city. Teams will find their next clue in the square adjacent to the church.
"Don't break the bank!"
Phil: Alcancias de Tecolotes are ceramic owls that symbolize luck and abundance. These alcancias store money, like a piggy bank, and are ubiquitous here in Antigua, residing in every store and household. Teams must now hope that they're the lucky ones as they seek to break open their next clue.
Phil: Choosing one owl at a time from the provided table, teams must smash the alcancias on the cobblestone plaza, one at a time, hoping to find money inside. Each alcancia contains zero to forty Guatemalan Quetzals. Once teams collect one hundred Quetzals, about 13 USD, they could exchange the sum for their next clue.
"Find the Museo de la Semana Santa and your next clue outside."
Phil: The Holy Week is a monumental occasion in Antigua, and this museum immortalizes the many traditions of the city, ranging from holy artifacts to images of past processions. Teams will find their next clue outside the Museo de la Semana Santa.
"Roadblock: Who's feeling rug-ged? NOTE: Whoever did not perform the previous Roadblock MUST do this one."
Phil: There is no doubt that Easter is the biggest event of the year in Antigua, with pilgrims and tourists alike venturing to view the spectacle. In addition to floats and parades like this, the city's streets are covered in sawdust carpets.
Phil: These sawdusts carpets are the pinnacle of the city's celebration. Using not only dyed sawdust, but flower petals and fruit as well, these carpets coat the city streets and are known internationally for their unique fusion of indigenous symbolism, Catholic imagery, and geometric designs.
Phil: This Roadblock requires one team member to create a sawdust carpet. Selecting a 1 foot by 3-feet chalk outline and a corresponding picture, team members must use sawdust and flower petals to faithfully follow the guidelines and complete their carpet section. Once every detail matched between their carpet and the picture and all sawdust remained inside the lines, teams would receive their next clue.
This next clue contains two notes:
"Make your way to Doña María Gordillo Candy Shop for a chance to win the Express Pass!"
Phil: Teams now have a chance to win the Express Pass. To do so, they must risk their standing in the Race and travel on foot to the Doña María Gordillo Candy Shop. In operation since 1876, this shop sells traditional sweets and is adorned with various local items, including the familiar tecolotes.
Phil: In addition to the colorful confectionaries, Doña María Gordillo is known for its painted plates and boxes. In order to win the Express Pass, teams must match two plates, among the many on display in the store.
Phil: The first team to match two plates will win the Express Pass! All other teams that attempt to win this prize will instead be turned back.
=======================
"Time to climb! Make your way on foot to the marked path leading to Cerro de la Cruz! Warning: The last team to arrive may be eliminated!"
Phil: Cerro de la Cruz looks out over the town of Antigua and the Volcán Agua. Constructed in the 1930s, this stone cross indicates the strong Christian character of the town, defining its history and architecture. Nowadays, you'll find indigenous Kaqchikel textile vendors at the summit, demonstrating the ongoing cultural synthesis.
Phil: Teams must trek 400 yards through a short path, with an elevation gain of 230 feet, to this overlook.
Phil: They can then find me here at the Pit Stop. The last team to check in may be eliminated.
Show content
Maps:
Starting Line
Around Antigua
Hazard Penalty
From the Second Roadblock to the Pit Stop, with and without the optional Express Pass task
Notes:
Hey judges! I’m excited to have gotten this far and am excited to have been able to show you two legs in two incredible places! One of my closest friends is Guatemalan, so I’m determined to show his culture in the best light. The leg starts at Lake Atitlan, one of the most beautiful lakes in the world. I chose the beach as the starting line because the delta has created a super wide alluvial plain that allows teams space to move and offers space for the hitching posts (which would ultimately be behind the starting line). Further, it’s a windy location, perfect for kites! Teams would paddle, like I said, 600 feet, to the dock, where 150 kites with various symbols would be painted on them. The massive kites are a beautiful tradition; most people only know of Latin American Day of the Dead/All Saints’ Day celebrations with regards to Mexico, but Guatemala might even surpass it! The kites the Race would use have a diameter of 10 feet, while the actual kites of the festival, as I’m sure you all noticed, are much larger. Smaller kites are a logistical adaptation; it would be too much for one team member to hold a larger version upright in the water, it would dramatically increase the scale of the task, and it would complicate covering the kites. I chose to have teams paddle, rather than this being a land-based task, to get teams both out of their comfort zone and forced into cooperating with each other immediately. And, of course, the kites are waterproofed. I believe this task will take between 25 minutes and 50 minutes. “Antigua” isn’t immediately known as the old capital of Guatemala, but I focused on “old” in the clue in order to give teams more of a chance. Teams that speak Spanish might click earlier than other teams, but this is a fair task. Clever teams might run out into the streets, too- they aren’t told they can, but they aren’t told they can’t either. It’s a challenging starting line task, which makes it ripe for drama and makes the most of a 2-hour premiere.
Next, the chicken buses. These are used throughout Central America and are a fun way to get teams involved in the culture of the leg. Teams will be joined by other travelers, though, unfortunately, most of these buses no longer carry livestock like the name suggests. Buses depart as soon as they fill up, so teams could very much be even throughout this leg. This gives teams a fair shot at passing each other, makes the leg more competitive, and doesn’t screw over the team with the Hazard.
The Hazard, by the way, is meant to be a quick task. The travel time isn’t much at all (though all locations are close together in Antigua), and the task shouldn’t take more than 10 minutes. Teams are given six equations, have a plate of chocolate, and six more plates behind placards labelled 1-6. As I said, the decoder is close by, but not too close.
The first RB pays homage to the great number of churches and religious communities that settled Antigua. The area is akin to a historical reenactment. It’s a mental task, but one that challenges their sense of direction, too- can they keep track of the (number of) nuns they’ve seen? Will they could certain nuns twice? Teams have the criteria for each type in their clue, and the answers are as follows:
Discalced:
- María: reading the Bible in a tiny celda
- Laura: sweeping the walkways of the convent
- Rosa: austere clothing
- Lupe: simple sandals
- Marta: playing cards in recreation room with Emilia
- Emilia: playing cards in recreation room with Marta
Urban:
- Beatriz: drinking chocolate in dining room
- Adriana: eating meat in the convent dining room
- Paula: sitting and talking in a large cell with Alejandra
- Alejandra: sitting and talking in a large cell with Paula
- Juana: guiding a servant through the walkway
- María Josefa: wearing nice shoes
- Gabriela: wearing pearl necklace
- Agostina: tutoring a group of three young girls
As I said, the nuns will have name tags and the rooms will be labelled. I predict this task will take anywhere from 20 minutes to 50 minutes.
The alcancias de tecolotes task was suggested by my friend (his family is from Antigua). I amplified it from a simple luck task to a luck task with more nuance. With a focus on collection rather than a one-in-a-hundred (or so) chance at the clue, teams are rewarded for the time they’ve been there; some semblance of progress will always be made, though at different rates for each team. Of course, the task helps teams at the back of the pack by reducing the number of owls, but most luck tasks do, anyway. Luck tasks are often a staple of premiere legs, and I hope mine is both early enough and surrounded by challenging tasks to provide drama and some shifts in placement, but not dominate the outcome of the Leg. Plus, there’s always hope for a “lemme smash it” moment like Tocantins Tyson. Plus, since these are like piggy banks, it isn’t culturally insensitive in the slightest to smash them- I checked with my friend on this. The task shouldn’t take more than 10 to 25 minutes, honestly.
Sawdust carpets are a staple of Antigua and are incredibly beautiful. I imagine this task as a hodgepodge between the TAR10 Wild Rice Detour and the TARCAN2 mentos RB- attention to little details in order to make a larger image. The chalk outlines and picture give team members an idea of what to create, but once sawdust gets smeared on the ground, it will blur the guidelines. There’s certainly room for placement shifts, especially along error-prone or detail-averse teams. The 3 square feet section will have lots of tiny details, and teams will have to choose between many similar colors of sawdust. I predict the task will take between 50 minutes and 120 minutes. Teams’ frustration will certainly come out, and they’ll have to be careful, which might be tough after completing 3/4 of the leg.
I wanted to make the Express Pass a bit of a risk; I like when the EP is incorporated more creatively than just a Pit Stop prize. The Candy Shop is a super traditional location and plate-matching just gets teams a little more involved with arts and culture. Plates are hung on the walls, stacked on counters, and arranged on tables. Teams aren't given a specific plate to match, which makes the task both easier and more difficult, since teams' eyes aren't zeroed in on a specific set of details. It isn’t a challenging task at all, but puts teams 15-25 minutes out of their way. Adam and Bethany just had to find the bar, so this does elevate the task above that benchmark. It’s meant to showcase more culture rather than present a real challenge, but it could absolutely shift a placement or two before the Pit Stop. Plus, multiple teams can attempt this task at once; they'll only be turned back should they arrive after the Express Pass was claimed. So, in addition to placement shifts, we could very well see a showdown!
Judges, I designed this leg with 2 hours in mind and believe it’s full enough. Between commercials and team introductions, the tasks pull their own weight and would make for excellent TV. The starting line offers drama right off the bat, and while teams aren’t forced to face any fears per se, they’re consistently outside of their comfort zone. Teams must navigate the entire Leg on foot, which is no small feat. As such, they have no money for this leg. The lack of funds is indicative of the lack of rest time for the teams; they’ll be racing through a mentally tiring leg.
I envision the Starting Line at 8:00 am, which means teams should arrive at Antigua between 10:30 and 11 am. The first RB should take 20-50 min, the ARI between 10 and 25, and the second RB between 50 and 120. Add a 10 minute Hazard, a 10 minute EP, and 50 minutes of foot travel, and teams should check in between 12:45 and 3:15. I think this Leg is promising, and, like I said before, is close to my heart. I hope this is enough for Finale and I would like to thank all of you for an excellent game!
Kamineko:
Design #12 - Bookworm's Assigned Country Leg
[Ella, Sri Lanka]
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Phil: Having emerged rapidly from humble origins in the 19th Century, Shanghai is today known for its distinctive skyline and ultra-modern feel.
Phil: Indicative of this modern pulse, the China Art Museum sits in the pavilion that hosted Expo 2010. It is from here that 9 teams begin the Nth leg in a Race around the World!
Kelly & Tara, who arrived first, will depart at 10:04 pm.
Kelly: Where are we off to today?
Tara: Fly to Colombo, Sri Lanka! Amazing!
Kelly: You have $59 USD for this Leg of the Race! Man, that isn't enough for a new hive!
Tara: Get ready for the tropics!
Phil: Teams must now fly to Colombo on the island of Sri Lanka. Located only 40 miles from India, the island nevertheless has a rich, distinct culture, blending Buddhist and Hindu traditions with Southeast Asian influences and both insular isolation and trade impacting its development.
All teams depart between 10:04 and 11:33. They make their way 40 minutes to Shanghai Pudong International Airport and book tickets to Colombo.
Phil: All teams are now on the same flight to Colombo, Sri Lanka!
Phil: However, teams won't be in Colombo for long! Upon arriving in Colombo, teams will make their way to Fort Railway Station and catch the last train of the day to the town of Gampola, arriving just before midnight.
Phil: Located outside the well-known city of Kandy, Gampola was itself an independent kingdom for a century. Today, it's a quiet hill station in the forests of the central mountains.
Phil: Teams must then take a taxi outside the city to the Ambuluwawa Temple. Once they arrive, teams will find out the tower is closed until dawn.
Teams spend the night at the Temple. At dawn, a monk ushers them to the Ambuluwawa Tower.
Phil: Teams will climb this tower to reach a monk, who will point them towards Adam's Peak, the most famous mountain in Sri Lanka. After teams enjoy the view, they'll receive their next clue and descend the tower.
"Now that you've seen Adam's Peak, find Little Adam's Peak in the town of Ella!"
Phil: Teams must now take a train to the town of Ella! Located in the heart of tea country, Ella is sought out by backpackers for its many hikes and tranquility!
Phil: All teams are now on the same train to Ella, arriving at 1:28 pm!
Phil: When teams arrive in Ella, they'll make their way by tuk-tuk to Little Adam's Peak. Teams will find their next clue at this White Buddha Statue, right by the trailhead. The statue offers travelers peace and luck, two things our teams will need if they want to do well on the Race!
"Make your way to Dowa Rock Temple in Badulla and search the grounds for your next clue."
Phil: Teams must now travel by Tuk-Tuk to the town of Badulla and locate the Dowa Rock Temple. Renowned for this unfinished carving of Buddha, it is here that teams will find their next clue.
Roadblock: Who wants to face their inner demons?
Phil: Sri Lanka is known for its many dances. Although the cultural hub of Kandy is perhaps most famous, the low country dances of the Southern plains and hills are called classical for a reason! In this Roadblock, teams will immerse themselves in one of the most involved spectacles in Sri Lanka, the Sanni Yakuma- a dance that serves as an exorcism!
Phil: According to Sinhalese tradition, the ailments that inflict the human body are caused by demons. In the Sanni Yakuma dance, 18 such demons, indicated by wonderfully ornate masks, are summoned, only for the shamans to find the demons responsible for a particular patient and banish them. This Roadblock requires teams to match the demons with the diseases.
Phil: Participating team members will watch a 4-minute Sanni Yakuma performance. In this performance, three "shamans" work to heal six "patients." The dance will also feature all 18 demons. As part of the exorcism, the six demons who have been banished will remove their masks at the end of the play. Once the play ends, teams have four more minutes to run across the temple courtyard to their designated tables and arrange masks and placards in order to match the six correct masks with the six featured ailments.
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Phil: The team members performing the Roadblock will have to be observant and situationally aware, paying attention to not only the demons' proximity to particular patients, but the acting of the patients themselves, in order to deduce their sickness. If team members can match the six masks and six diseases, they'll receive their next clue. Everyone else will have to watch the next show, which will feature six different ailments, and wait to try again.
The teams' clue after the Roadblock reads:
Detour: Press Down or Lift Off?
Phil: Sri Lanka is blessed with an abundance of natural herbs and spices, from peppercorns to the native cinnamon. As such, the cuisine, while delicious, is classified as among the spiciest in the world. In Press Down, teams must immerse themselves in the labor required to produce the dazzling array of spices and seasonings.
Phil: First, teams must make their way to Kital Ella and find the Ella Tea, Fruits, and Spices Garden. Once here, they'll choose a herbalist, who will lead them to a room. The herbalist will then present teams will dozens of opaque jars, full of different spices.
Phil: One at a time, teams will ask to smell a particular jar. Then, they can choose from their own, provided table of spices, in their raw forms. Teams will have to pick the raw form of the appropriate spice (e.g. a cinnamon stick) and then each team member will use a mortar and pestle to grind it to match the consistency of the powdered form- without even seeing it!
Phil: Now here comes the tricky part. At any point, teams can ask that the spice be revealed. If the spice and consistency were both correct, teams will receive a point. If the spice itself was incorrect, teams will have to start over and must choose a new spice to sniff. If the spice was correct but not fine enough, teams must turn over a 1-minute sand timer before resuming to grind. Once teams accumulate 5 points, they'll receive their next clue.
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Phil: Vesak is a holiday that celebrates the birth, enlightenment, and death of Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha. It is celebrated across South and Southeast Asia, but here in Sri Lanka, it's accompanied by bright lights and festivals. As such, massive lantern displays are common and a breathtaking sight.
Phil: Outside the major cities, however, these lanterns take on a smaller form. Known as Vesak Kudu, these bamboo and paper lanterns add splashes of color across Sri Lanka during the holiday. Lift Off requires teams to join in making these lanterns.
Phil: First, teams must make their way to Nine Arch Bridge in Demodara, just north of Ella. This unforgettable railway bridge is one of the most famous landmarks in the Central uplands. Locals and tourists alike often run on the tracks, but teams will have to find a clearing overlooking the bridge.
https://www.youtube.com/v/cHHBG6Py1G8
Phil: Once here, they'll follow a local demonstration to make their Vesak Kudu, gluing bamboo sticks together into frames and attaching paper and streamers. Once teams make 10 proper paper lanterns- 2 white, yellow, red, blue, and green each- they will receive their next clue.
"Make your way to Ravana Falls and search the entrance for your next clue!"
Phil: Teams must now take a tuk-tuk back to Ella and locate Ravana Falls. Part of the Ravana Ella Wildlife Sanctuary, these majestic cascades were mentioned in the ancient Sanskrit Epic, the Ramayana.
"Follow your ears to the Pit Stop!"
Phil: According to legend, when the demon king Ravana captured the Princess Sita, he held her captive in the caves behind these waterfalls. While she remained trapped, he played the Ravanhatha, an ancient bow and string instrument.
Phil: Teams must follow the sound of this instrument to a staircase leading to the Ravana Ella Cave. Although they won't find a princess...
Phil: ... They'll find the Pit Stop for this Leg of the Race. The last team to find me here, at the entrance to a cave important to both ancient myth and archaeology, may be eliminated.
Notes
Show contentMaps:
Pit Start to Shanghai Pudong International Airport
Colombo: Bandaranaike International Airport to Fort Railway Station)
Around Gampola; teams will take this tuk-tuk ride twice, once at night and again the morning after- all teams will certainly make the 8:11 train to Ella.
Around Ella, the bulk of the Leg if the Press Down detour is chosen
Around Ella, the bulk of the Leg if the Lift Off Detour is chosen
I chose Shanghai to start because it gave me a flight arriving directly to Colombo in the evening, which fit with my conception for how I wanted the Leg to go while navigating train schedules. As the two schedules in my Leg indicate, most trains depart in the mid-morning, with one train at night. I understand that the bulk of the Leg takes place in Ella and the Gampola portion adds nothing competitive to the Leg, but Gampola is on the rail route between Colombo and Ella. If teams were to go directly from Colombo to Ella, they would arrive at 3 am and there would be an HoO regardless. This way, teams spend the night and start the morning with a break taking sight. I am a firm believer that all great legs incorporate travel porn to a degree, so I’m perfectly comfortable dedicating 4/5 minutes of theoretical air time to an incredible spiral tower (that reminds me of the Air Temples from ATLA) in the middle of the Sri Lankan jungle. This ultimately translates to a five-hour delay that avoids teams having to sleep on the train. Plus, teams viewing the mountains ties the theme of the Leg together somewhat. What’s more, because the first train from Gampola to Ella leaves a few hours after dawn (which is around 6:00 am), all teams will be bunched without much worry.
The Roadblock is a more advanced version of tasks we’ve seen on the race before- TAR22 Vietnam, TAR 25 Sicily- but dramatically increases the difficulty by requiring more moving parts- there are now 18 masks, with six chosen at random in each performance. Four minutes is short for a show, but it’ll allow teams to memorize the details. I certainly expect teams to get better the longer they stay- they’ll remember the illnesses more, which could allow them to look for certain actions in the patients’ acting. I do admit that the task is difficult, as it was meant to be, but certainly far from impossible. Teams will be situated 10 feet away from the “stage,” which is close enough for teams to see the various details between masks. The collection of stamps is to give you all another outlook into the types of masks shown. Plus, the names at the bottom of the stamps correspond to the chart (teams do not need to know names for the RB, though!)
The herbalist will give teams the correct measurements from the provided table. Quantity is not important to the verification of the task, only type of spice and powder consistency. Teams will have enough powder to make multiple mistakes. Each attempt will probably take around 4 to 6 minutes. Teams that get it in five will be done in 20-30 minutes, other teams could potentially take twice as long! There's certainly a level of grace in determining the consistency- it doesn't have to exactly match the provided spice, but the herbalist will be looking for finely ground spices without major clumps. I’m certainly hoping for the strong spices to get to teams, particularly when dealing with chilis- TAR13 Terence and Sarah, anyone? Of course, the quantity won’t be nearly what it was since the focus is on sensation rather than brute force. There are 12 different spices, of which teams only need to name 5. The spices will include cinnamon, turmeric, peppercorns (white and black), cardamom, vanilla, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, lemongrass, mace, and chilis.
Vesak Kudu is a less risky option, but there’s always room for skill. Teams have to make the frames themselves using provided bamboo sticks. Similarly, they’ll need to cut their own paper for the sides. Crafting skills come to play and teams will similarly take between 4 and 7 minutes on the lanterns, meaning the task will roughly take between 40 and 55 minutes. I assume teams will certainly get the hang of the task after a few attempts, but room for error could bring frustration to the task. It’s more progress oriented than Push Down, but more tedious.
Also, to clarify, teams won't actually be on the bridge in Lift Off, as that would be dangerous. Instead, they're at the clearing indicated in the map. I couldn't resist including Nine Arch Bridge, since it's the top sight in Ella and an engineering marvel, plus it kind of fits with the floating lantern theme of the Detour.
The Ravanhatha represents a very simple task on the way to the Pit Stop to tie in more culture. It's likely teams will find the steps on their own, but the music could help, anyway. If it isn't clear, the greeter will be playing the music. The Pit Stop will be right at the entrance to the cave; there's a flat surface that's appropriate.
I gave teams $59 USD for this Leg- 20-25 to Shanghai Airport, 20 to Fort Railway Station, 5 between Gampola and Ambuluwawa, and 15 for around Ella.
All in all, with all times before Ella negligible; teams will start really racing at 1:28 pm. The hike should take ~5 minutes. The Roadblock should take between thirty minutes and eighty minutes (I absolutely think it's possible for a team member to take ten shows). The Detour, as mentioned before will take between 25 and 60 minutes, adding the travel time --> teams should arrive at the Pit Stop between 3:40 and 6:15 pm- still within daylight hours to get teams safely to the Pit Stop- though it's worth noting that the steps to the Pit Stop are dry and therefore not hazardous and slippery.
Thanks judges, and I hope I proved I deserve to be in the finale!
Kamineko:
You now may reply to the thread. :tup:
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