Topic: EP4:10/19 "I Wonder If They Like Blondes in New Zealand?"

[Chateau d If]

Chateau, you have overlooked an important piece of evidence. That is my reporting of information collected from first-hand sources at Auckland International Airport stating:

Phil Keoghan flew out in the early hours of the next day (possibly 3rd  of May) - 5am ish.

So if we believe that and obviously I do, it sure does point to your "timestamp" applying to May 1 at 405pm to 455pm(since the adjustment between May 2 and May 1 in your system is very small).

If Phil went through SantaCruz on April 29 (which is what the evidence indicates), he would have to get on either:

LAN967 1035 1625 to Santiago  for LAN801 (SCL AKL 2245 0355+2) OR

5L210 1015 1500 to Buenos Aires for AR2801 (EZE AKL 2355 0500+2)

If he did not get to Santa Cruz in time to get on one of those, then there are no other options that I am aware of.

I have no doubt that your source saw Phil at the airport.  But on what day?  Seriously, was it May 2nd or May 3rd?  To me "possibly 3rd  of May" means possibly being the 3rd of May.  Which is when Phil would have caught a flight after eating at Burger Fuel at 5 pm on May 2nd.

There is a reason why the Burger Fuel clip could not have been made on May 1st and that is because the Teams have not yet arrived in Auckland.  We know that they arrive on May 2nd.  And Phil has told us that
"I've got a little separation between...when the teams get here and when I have to get ahead of them so..."
Which means he has already checked in all the teams at the time the clip was made.  So that pins it down to May 2nd.

Chateau, as to your contention that teams could have all finished up by 4pm, I have several comments:

1. See the Bonnie Hunt Show information, source Phil Keoghan about how he and his dad were at the pitstop for more than 10 hours.
2. The first teams could not have gotten to the pitstop before 11am in my analysis of the different tasks in New Zealand.
3. Phil and his dad might have gotten there an hour or two early, so let's say possibly as early as 9am.
4. Add 10 hours at a minimum and you get 7pm.
5. If the last team finished by anytime after 4pm near Te Puke, it still take 2 hours or more to return to Auckland. If this case were real (it isn't for the reasons cited above), Phil could not get that burger before 6pm.

If the ten hour Pit Stop occupancy is true and fully accurate then I would say Phil started his Pit Stop timer at 4 am and ended it at 2 pm.   Drove the 2 hours to Auckland and started his clip.  So that would make the last team arriving at about 2 pm.  We have Teams expected to be arriving in Auckland at 3:55 am.  And if the flight is half and hour or an hour early then the arrival could be as early as 2:55 am.  Teams could have a clue waiting for them on the provided cars.  That clue could contain the Fast Forward instructions.  The lead team could get to the SkyCity Tower as early as 3:30 am.  They could complete it by 3:50 am.  They could drive to the Pit Stop by 5:50 am.  Maybe Phil just needs to be there 2 hours ahead as a matter of production protocol.  I think it fits as a possibility.  I bet the FF team does not get there until 9 am.  I say that because we know Matt filmed the FF in use at 6:51 am.  But still, Phil may have to be at the Pit Stop much earlier than the lead teams.

[Mrs Shrek]

Maybe Phil just needs to be there 2 hours ahead as a matter of production protocol. 

Phil has said before that there have been times where he is actually racing the teams to the mat, so I don't think a 2 hr lead would always be possible.

[makz3d]

...

There is a reason why the Burger Fuel clip could not have been made on May 1st and that is because the Teams have not yet arrived in Auckland.  We know that they arrive on May 2nd.  And Phil has told us that
"I've got a little separation between...when the teams get here and when I have to get ahead of them so..."
Which means he has already checked in all the teams at the time the clip was made.  So that pins it down to May 2nd.
...

I've watched and rewatched that portion of the video diary.  I feel that the Burger Fuel stop was before the mat check in. I let the video play out and Phil states that his dad WILL be the greeter and "Later that day..." Phil is recorded waiting at the mat with his dad.  I'm suspecting they fueled up as Phil had been informed there would be a long wait at the mat without being able to go for a meal (the peanuts).

This is just my opinion on when the Burger Fuel clip was made.
 

[georgiapeach]

...

There is a reason why the Burger Fuel clip could not have been made on May 1st and that is because the Teams have not yet arrived in Auckland.  We know that they arrive on May 2nd.  And Phil has told us that
"I've got a little separation between...when the teams get here and when I have to get ahead of them so..."
Which means he has already checked in all the teams at the time the clip was made.  So that pins it down to May 2nd.
...

I've watched and rewatched that portion of the video diary.  I feel that the Burger Fuel stop was before the mat check in. I let the video play out and Phil states that his dad WILL be the greeter and "Later that day..." Phil is recorded waiting at the mat with his dad.  I'm suspecting they fueled up as Phil had been informed there would be a long wait at the mat without being able to go for a meal (the peanuts).

This is just my opinion on when the Burger Fuel clip was made.
 

I have to say that I interpreted this also as meaning "before the teams arrive here in NZ" and "before I have to get ahead of them as in, I need to beat them to the Pitstop."

Are we sure about the Matt filming the Pitstop as it occured?

I thought he was filming the setup and some of the staff fooling around....

[makz3d]

I've read the messages and watched the videos.

For the Maori warriors Dan and Andrew are clean with hair combed.

Later that day they are at the blokart sailing and very dirty and disheveled.

Anyone think Frats went to Kiwi360 first and then left to do Blokart?

It's best to see the dirty clothes by watching the 1st preview at CBS using full screen.  The smaller screens through this thread do not show the dirt as distinctive.

I am so confused.  I've been over and over the messages and can't get things straight in my mind.
                            

I think Ken and Tina do FF.  Doing the FF puts them 10 hrs ahead of the last team to the mat.  Is there a bunching at the airport to negate the FF advantage?

It's a NEL and afterwards the Blondes get in trouble.


They were all on the same plane.  Blondes are at Maori warriors.  So how could Blondes mess up after the Maori enough to put them a day behind?

Am I so mixed up I have the Blondes' mess up in the wrong episode?

My best bet is to just go to bed (work nights) and forget about all this till tonight's episode.

[Zack.]

Casting my vote that it's Ken and Tina who do the FF... and why would the girls be a whole day behind?  They're not leaving Bolivia that much behind everyone else...

I can guess a combination of two situations.  Let's say that they get on a particular flight and something delays the flight so that they fall behind.  And then, if the spoiler indicating that a team misses a bus is any indication, maybe they're the team that misses a bus and they fall so far behind that they get eliminated (and are totally humiliated in front of Phil's dad in the process, poor women).

Belle Book

Possibility that just hit me now: Blondes go for the fast forward (I guess along with Aja/Ty). The SkyJump, however, opens at 10 am per the official site, meaning that even with the flat tire/potential navigation woes, they, A/T, and K/T are all there for the opening of the tower. K/T find the number box first and the other two teams leave, having wasted 6+ hours. 

[apskip]

That could be right, except for the waste of 6+ hours. After the initial trip to Gulf Harbour, teams should get back to Auckland at 6 am to 7am. Subtract the earliest 6am from 10am and that is a waste of "only" 4 hours.

Your point about the opening hours for the Sky Train are good and one of the few things that could explain a very wide differential in pitstop arrival times would be startnig the above 4 horus behind. The FF winner will still have to drive to Summerhill Recreationsal Farm (pitstop) 2 hours away.

For an antidote to mak3d's statement "I feel that the Burger Fuel stop was before the mat check in." you need to be aware that the burger place in AUCKLAND is a 4 hour round-trip from the pitstop. You don't just pop over for lunch if Phil and his dad have teams to check in.

[gingerman28]

OK, but...why? If they're 10 hours behind, then nobody would expect things to be the same. And if they're last, then the "team" cameraman would have lots of time to get lots of shots (and as far as we know, nobody made it to the pitstop in the morning--except the last team). John wanted a jacket, but Phil said No--"continuity." Was the 10-hour wait through the late evening? Through the night?

I'm no camera expert, but here's my best guess. I suspect they have a couple of separate cameras set up that take blank pictures, ie with no team in them, just to splice and add in later to the edited film. They will probably also take 'dummy shots' of Phil waiting at the mat. They can't necessarily do those shots in real time or there would be too many cameras getting in the way of each other when they are shooting the long shots of the contestants actually making the dash for the mat. If some shots were taken in the afternoon/evening, they couldn't be used for the next morning, as the lighting angles would be totally wrong. While a team's camera crew could do the shots, or even Phil's crew, they have just run a leg, and probably need a rest period too. Most of those blank shots could be taken after everyone, including Phil, has already left the Pitstop. And for continuity, it is probably best to have the same camera man make the new shots, cos he knows what shots he already has from the day before.

Just for the record, the filming of background scenes, atmosphere shots, etc. is known as the production of  a B Roll

[Chateau d If]

I just love Phil's video 

Peanuts 

Okay back to business:

This shot was taken between 12:35 and 1:09 pm (assumes May 2nd).




"Later that day..."   Just ain't so.  It happened about 4 hours earlier.  The Sun says so.


I know Phil says his 'dad is going to be the greeter for this episode of The Amazing Race' and that is said in the future tense because the broadcast is in the future.  The actual filming of his dad being the greeter has already happened (see the time above).  It's like when they say 'you are going to see teams do incredible things...'   They were hungry, peanuts not substantial enough, so within an hour the last Team has checked in and they can book it up to Auckland for burgers.

I agree with Apskip (for once, I can do that sometimes  )  that it is unlikely for Phil to leave the mat to go off on a 5-hour jaunt to get burgers.  Here's the line, what does it mean?

"I've got a little separation between...when the teams get here and when I have to get ahead of them so..."

[Belle Book]

Or maybe Marissa & Brooke race Ken & Tina to the Fast-Forward but lose out to the separated couple, putting them behind, and then they somehow miss a bus which puts them further behind.

Belle Book

[DrAw]

And to RFF, DrAw!!

Why Thank You!


Also...is there a possibility that there is a non-elimination here, or is there other evidence on the next or further legs?
And, i am going to have to agree with whoever said the decoys may not just be final 6. It would make sense for the crew to put the whole cast on the final leg, to divert attention, especially since they know of the existence of all these spoilers.

[georgiapeach]

We have no specific  evidence one way or another for a NEL, but for what it is worth, I do not think this is a NEL.

[apskip]

I believe from piecing together bits and pieces that the transportation for teams not going for the Fast Forward is:

1, they take their marked cars up to Gulf Harbour and then back to the Maori task.
2. when they get there, there is a series of buses set up to transport them to the Bay of Plenty area, to Papamoa or to Te Puke; this necessitates abandoing their cars at the Maori task.
3. after completing their DETOUR, they immediately get a taxi (I will guess that World Race Productions arranges for several to be available at each DETOUR site
4. those taxis will go to the pitstop

For the Fast Forward teams, anyone losing the competition for it must then go to the Maori task, which puts them up to 3 hours behind if they wait at the Fast Forward. I believe that this is what happens to Marisa and Brooke. The winner of the competition for the Fast Forward gets to keep their car and drive directly to the pitstop 2 hours away.

[Chateau d If]

This shot was taken between 8:44 and 9:33 am (assumes May 2nd).

It looks like Phil's burger clip was May 1st  since the check ins are going to run through the 4 to 5 pm slot.  So y'all were correct in your Kiwi lingo interpretation.  I botched it.

Now I have to figure out why those other teams took so long to do the leg.

[Chateau d If]

Hi Starr!   

This shot was taken between 11:27 am and 12:56 pm (assumes May 2nd).

[apskip]

Casting my vote that it's Ken and Tina who do the FF... and why would the girls be a whole day behind?  They're not leaving Bolivia that much behind everyone else...

I can guess a combination of two situations.  Let's say that they get on a particular flight and something delays the flight so that they fall behind.  And then, if the spoiler indicating that a team misses a bus is any indication, maybe they're the team that misses a bus and they fall so far behind that they get eliminated (and are totally humiliated in front of Phil's dad in the process, poor women).

Belle Book

Possibility that just hit me now: Blondes go for the fast forward (I guess along with Aja/Ty). The SkyJump, however, opens at 10 am per the official site, meaning that even with the flat tire/potential navigation woes, they, A/T, and K/T are all there for the opening of the tower. K/T find the number box first and the other two teams leave, having wasted 6+ hours. 

Maybe true about the SKy Jump opening at 10am, zachattack308, but the Sky Tower opens at 830am, which is when Ken and Tina started climbing since they had been waiting there for about 2.5 hours.

[apskip]

This shot was taken between 8:44 and 9:33 am (assumes May 2nd).

It looks like Phil's burger clip was May 1st  since the check ins are going to run through the 4 to 5 pm slot.  So y'all were correct in your Kiwi lingo interpretation.  I botched it.

Now I have to figure out why those other teams took so long to do the leg.

4 to 5 pm for the last checkins? Where is your vaunted eagle eye, Chateau? The checkins for Aja/Ty and Marissa/Brooke were clearly way after dark. My guess is in the 645pm to 7pm range, but we'll see from the release time for Aja/Ty next week.

I will offer my opinion on why it took them so long. Both teams and known to be poor navigators and that trip would have required turns. I think they got lost a lot on the way from Auckland to TePuke.  Maybe they also stopped for lunch along the way, although I doubt it.

[patlini]

I agree with the poor navigation, it seemed that Brooke and Marisa were at the maori's a lot later than the rest of the teams.

plus switching tasks really didn't help aja and ty - i wonder if this late finishing effects their choice of flights on the next leg

[Neobie]

Found it on Google Earth! Heliflight from Ardmore Airport is 16mil/25km southeast of Auckland.

Also got the locations of the gnomes... see attached!

But does anyone know where the "kiwi orchard" is? I'm stuck on this!

[Chateau d If]

4 to 5 pm for the last checkins? Where is your vaunted eagle eye, Chateau? The checkins for Aja/Ty and Marissa/Brooke were clearly way after dark.

That's what 'runs through 4 to 5 pm' means.

[Chateau d If]

Okay, I see the ambiguity.  For Broadway plays, 'run through some date' means it ends on the date.

But I was thinking along the lines of car running through an intersection.  Sorry about the confusion.

But I did get a flight sequence right.  These were my guesses of the flights Teams take.  And this screen capture show matches "wave 2"

Wave 2:
Fly Lan Airlines 965 leaving La Paz at 12:45 pm and arriving in Iquique at 1:50 pm
Continue with Lan Airlines 965 leaving Iquique at 3:15 pm and arriving in Santiago at 5:25 pm

[Chateau d If]

Maybe true about the SKy Jump opening at 10am, zachattack308, but the Sky Tower opens at 830am, which is when Ken and Tina started climbing since they had been waiting there for about 2.5 hours.

I didn't see any waiting.

This shot was taken before 7:03 am (assumes May 2nd).

Sunrise for this location was 7:03 am.  And they are already at the top with the gnome.

[snap-on]

what website is that ? Does any1 know ?

[Chateau d If]

This shot was taken between 4:15 and 4:38 pm (assumes May 2nd).

[Chateau d If]

And this shot from the preview at CBS is most definitely not between 4:15 and 4:38 am.

But it does match perfectly with 10:15 to 10:38 am.   

So I bet the Pit Stop is another one of the 18 hour kinds.