May 3rd Episode Summary
Our 4 teams began this leg in Istanbul, Turkey. Their first clue told them to go to the Sirkeci Train Station where they would have to pass through whirling dervishes to get their second clue. Departure times were as follows: 10:53 pm Uchenna & Joyce 11:57 pm Meredith & Gretchen 12:37 pm Rob & Amber 12:5_ pm Ron & Kelly – because they had finished last in a non-elimination leg, they had only the clothes on their backs and their passports; the other teams received $377.00 for the leg. Ron and Kelly were fortunate to find someone willing to give them money and a cab driver willing to take them to the airport for what seemed like less than the usual rate. Ron was amused by the fact that Kelly would no longer have make-up or fresh changes of clothing. At the train station the teams saw the whirling dervishes with their beautiful white skirts(?) twirling. Uchenna & Joyce deemed them “cool” and “magical” while Gretchen thought they were “wonderful” and Kelly called them “a dream”. Rob & Amber didn’t know what whirling dervishes were and when they saw them, Amber’s reaction was “spooky”. The second clue told teams they were to “Fly to London, England” and find the “zebra crossing” that was immortalized on a Beatles album cover (i.e. the street crossing in front of Abbey Road Studio). When teams got to the airport, they all found that there was a direct flight at 8:30 am which would get them into London at 10:30. Uchenna & Joyce and Meredith & Gretchen decided the best bet was to stay with a direct flight rather than risk problems with connecting flights. Meredith commented that “On this flight, a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.” This was a costly decision. Rob got access to the Internet to look for alternative flights. When he had obtained the information he wanted, he told the employee, “Don’t let anyone else use the internet”. Why do so many people help this guy?? Rob & Amber and Ron & Kelly found out that there was a flight connecting in Frankfurt, Germany that could get them to London at 9:00. They were told that the connecting flight was booked but they were put on standby. They knew it was a risk and that missing the connection could be costly but they decided to go for it. Kelly then asked the ticket agent to borrow her lipstick and the woman complied. :roll: I guess I’m no beauty queen because it would not have occurred to me to ask a strange woman if I could use her make-up. Once the first plane arrived in Frankfurt, there was a footrace between the two teams to get to the ticket counter to try and get on the connecting flight. Both teams made the connection. In London, teams found out that needed to take the Heathrow Express at Paddington Station. Rob & Amber get on the first train and find themselves a man named Stuart who is willing to be their guide. Ron & Kelly paused to beg people for money and did not get on the same train as Rob & Amber. Ron’s comment was “Thank God we’re in a country where people actually speak English.” In England?? I would hope so! :roll: When teams got to the Abbey Road Studio they got their next clue which told them to go to the London Eye and scan the skyline to find a flag at the location of their next clue. The London Eye is a British Airways millennium observation wheel that looks like a ferris wheel with enclosed capsules that allow for a 360° view. Rob’s comment as they begin looking for the flag is, “This is gonna be tough; it’s so foggy.” Once teams locate the next clue box, they find a Detour. Option 1 is “Brains” in which teams take the Underground (London’s subway) and must solve 3 riddles which leads them to 221B Baker St. where fictional detective Sherlock Holmes supposedly resided. Option 2 is “Brawn” in which teams travel 1½ miles to get five 165 pound boats and transport and stack them to get their next clue from the boatmaster. When Uchenna & Joyce and Meredith & Gretchen get to London, they find out that the other two teams are 2 hours ahead of them. They take taxis to get to Abbey Road and pass Buckingham Palace on their way. Gretchen is happy to have seen that and Joyce is busy appreciating all of the architecture. Rob & Amber and Ron & Kelly take Option 1. Once they find all the clues from the riddles, they go to the Sherlock Holmes Museum and find they must then go to the Millennium Dome where a yield is available. Rob & Amber take the Underground to get there and Ron & Kelly take a cab. The Underground is faster so Rob & Amber get to the yield first. They debate yielding Uchenna & Joyce but opt to yield Ron & Kelly instead. Then they find they must complete a Roadblock. The roadblock requires a team member to drive a double-decker bus without hitting a cone and then back it into a parking space. If they hit a cone, they must start over. Rob does this roadblock. It takes him four attempts. Ron & Kelly are upset to find they were yielded. Kelly passes the time by drawing horns and things on the photo of Rob & Amber. Both Uchenna & Joyce and Meredith & Gretchen choose Option 2 of the Detour. Uchenna & Joyce work well as a team moving the boats. Meredith & Gretchen struggle. Uchenna tries to help them but it is against the rules so he can’t. Uchenna feels bad because he knows the task is very difficult for the older team. Uchenna & Joyce are getting their 5th boat while Meredith & Gretchen are struggling to stack their 3rd. After Uchenna tries to help them, Gretchen comments that “Joyce and Uchenna are just a wonderful couple. They have inspired us to keep going.” After completing the Detour, Uchenna & Joyce find out that the train to Millennium Dome is faster than taking a cab. Meredith & Gretchen take the cab. Uchenna & Joyce don’t realize that “train” means Underground. They see trains on tracks above ground but when it doesn’t stop where they expect it to, Uchenna asks, “Are we on the wrong platform?” Then he realizes what they need to do and knows that they’ve lost more precious time. Due to waiting for the yield time, Ron & Kelly are not much farther ahead of the other teams. Kelly opts to do this Roadblock and she is soon joined by Joyce and Meredith. There was lots of screaming as the non-driving team members tried to direct their partners. Part of the screaming was the drivers shouting “I can’t hear you.” Joyce made it clear that Uchenna’s “help” was just making her more nervous. He wised up and stopped trying to direct her. Then he noted, “She’s doing way better with my mouth shut.” If the number of attempts were posted for Kelly and Joyce, I didn’t see it. After seven attempts, Meredith successfully drove the bus. Ron & Kelly argued throughout this leg and they were arguing again on the cab ride to the Pit Stop which was Potter’s Field Park. Rob & Amber were first to the Pit Stop and they won another prize…an “entertainment system”. Why is there ALWAYS a prize when they finish first but NEVER when Uchenna and Joyce finish first?? Phil commented on their good luck. Rob admitted that they’d had better luck than any other team. Ron & Kelly finished second. Uchenna & Joyce finished third. Meredith & Gretchen came in last…and were eliminated. Phil smiled a lot during this last arrival. He told them, “You guys are an inspiration.” At the end of the episode we saw each of the remaining teams discussing each other, the race, and winning. Of course, they all think they can win. Ron commented that, “I see a definite lack of character in Rob.” Joyce predicted that Rob & Amber and Ron & Kelly will be so focused on each other rather than the race that they will “cancel each other out” and she and Uchenna will win. PREVIEWS FOR THE 2 HOUR FINALE: Ron & Kelly continue to have relationships problems which appear to be intensifying. Kelly is shown in tears. Rob & Amber seem to get a traffic ticket and Rob worries that it will cost them the race. Uchenna and Joyce get a flat tire. It looks like there is also going to be bungee jumping, a 6-way footrace at some point, and Rob having to carry Amber on his back.
Our 4 teams began this leg in Istanbul, Turkey. Their first clue told them to go to the Sirkeci Train Station where they would have to pass through whirling dervishes to get their second clue. Departure times were as follows: 10:53 pm Uchenna & Joyce 11:57 pm Meredith & Gretchen 12:37 pm Rob & Amber 12:5_ pm Ron & Kelly – because they had finished last in a non-elimination leg, they had only the clothes on their backs and their passports; the other teams received $377.00 for the leg. Ron and Kelly were fortunate to find someone willing to give them money and a cab driver willing to take them to the airport for what seemed like less than the usual rate. Ron was amused by the fact that Kelly would no longer have make-up or fresh changes of clothing. At the train station the teams saw the whirling dervishes with their beautiful white skirts(?) twirling. Uchenna & Joyce deemed them “cool” and “magical” while Gretchen thought they were “wonderful” and Kelly called them “a dream”. Rob & Amber didn’t know what whirling dervishes were and when they saw them, Amber’s reaction was “spooky”. The second clue told teams they were to “Fly to London, England” and find the “zebra crossing” that was immortalized on a Beatles album cover (i.e. the street crossing in front of Abbey Road Studio). When teams got to the airport, they all found that there was a direct flight at 8:30 am which would get them into London at 10:30. Uchenna & Joyce and Meredith & Gretchen decided the best bet was to stay with a direct flight rather than risk problems with connecting flights. Meredith commented that “On this flight, a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.” This was a costly decision. Rob got access to the Internet to look for alternative flights. When he had obtained the information he wanted, he told the employee, “Don’t let anyone else use the internet”. Why do so many people help this guy?? Rob & Amber and Ron & Kelly found out that there was a flight connecting in Frankfurt, Germany that could get them to London at 9:00. They were told that the connecting flight was booked but they were put on standby. They knew it was a risk and that missing the connection could be costly but they decided to go for it. Kelly then asked the ticket agent to borrow her lipstick and the woman complied. :roll: I guess I’m no beauty queen because it would not have occurred to me to ask a strange woman if I could use her make-up. Once the first plane arrived in Frankfurt, there was a footrace between the two teams to get to the ticket counter to try and get on the connecting flight. Both teams made the connection. In London, teams found out that needed to take the Heathrow Express at Paddington Station. Rob & Amber get on the first train and find themselves a man named Stuart who is willing to be their guide. Ron & Kelly paused to beg people for money and did not get on the same train as Rob & Amber. Ron’s comment was “Thank God we’re in a country where people actually speak English.” In England?? I would hope so! :roll: When teams got to the Abbey Road Studio they got their next clue which told them to go to the London Eye and scan the skyline to find a flag at the location of their next clue. The London Eye is a British Airways millennium observation wheel that looks like a ferris wheel with enclosed capsules that allow for a 360° view. Rob’s comment as they begin looking for the flag is, “This is gonna be tough; it’s so foggy.” Once teams locate the next clue box, they find a Detour. Option 1 is “Brains” in which teams take the Underground (London’s subway) and must solve 3 riddles which leads them to 221B Baker St. where fictional detective Sherlock Holmes supposedly resided. Option 2 is “Brawn” in which teams travel 1½ miles to get five 165 pound boats and transport and stack them to get their next clue from the boatmaster. When Uchenna & Joyce and Meredith & Gretchen get to London, they find out that the other two teams are 2 hours ahead of them. They take taxis to get to Abbey Road and pass Buckingham Palace on their way. Gretchen is happy to have seen that and Joyce is busy appreciating all of the architecture. Rob & Amber and Ron & Kelly take Option 1. Once they find all the clues from the riddles, they go to the Sherlock Holmes Museum and find they must then go to the Millennium Dome where a yield is available. Rob & Amber take the Underground to get there and Ron & Kelly take a cab. The Underground is faster so Rob & Amber get to the yield first. They debate yielding Uchenna & Joyce but opt to yield Ron & Kelly instead. Then they find they must complete a Roadblock. The roadblock requires a team member to drive a double-decker bus without hitting a cone and then back it into a parking space. If they hit a cone, they must start over. Rob does this roadblock. It takes him four attempts. Ron & Kelly are upset to find they were yielded. Kelly passes the time by drawing horns and things on the photo of Rob & Amber. Both Uchenna & Joyce and Meredith & Gretchen choose Option 2 of the Detour. Uchenna & Joyce work well as a team moving the boats. Meredith & Gretchen struggle. Uchenna tries to help them but it is against the rules so he can’t. Uchenna feels bad because he knows the task is very difficult for the older team. Uchenna & Joyce are getting their 5th boat while Meredith & Gretchen are struggling to stack their 3rd. After Uchenna tries to help them, Gretchen comments that “Joyce and Uchenna are just a wonderful couple. They have inspired us to keep going.” After completing the Detour, Uchenna & Joyce find out that the train to Millennium Dome is faster than taking a cab. Meredith & Gretchen take the cab. Uchenna & Joyce don’t realize that “train” means Underground. They see trains on tracks above ground but when it doesn’t stop where they expect it to, Uchenna asks, “Are we on the wrong platform?” Then he realizes what they need to do and knows that they’ve lost more precious time. Due to waiting for the yield time, Ron & Kelly are not much farther ahead of the other teams. Kelly opts to do this Roadblock and she is soon joined by Joyce and Meredith. There was lots of screaming as the non-driving team members tried to direct their partners. Part of the screaming was the drivers shouting “I can’t hear you.” Joyce made it clear that Uchenna’s “help” was just making her more nervous. He wised up and stopped trying to direct her. Then he noted, “She’s doing way better with my mouth shut.” If the number of attempts were posted for Kelly and Joyce, I didn’t see it. After seven attempts, Meredith successfully drove the bus. Ron & Kelly argued throughout this leg and they were arguing again on the cab ride to the Pit Stop which was Potter’s Field Park. Rob & Amber were first to the Pit Stop and they won another prize…an “entertainment system”. Why is there ALWAYS a prize when they finish first but NEVER when Uchenna and Joyce finish first?? Phil commented on their good luck. Rob admitted that they’d had better luck than any other team. Ron & Kelly finished second. Uchenna & Joyce finished third. Meredith & Gretchen came in last…and were eliminated. Phil smiled a lot during this last arrival. He told them, “You guys are an inspiration.” At the end of the episode we saw each of the remaining teams discussing each other, the race, and winning. Of course, they all think they can win. Ron commented that, “I see a definite lack of character in Rob.” Joyce predicted that Rob & Amber and Ron & Kelly will be so focused on each other rather than the race that they will “cancel each other out” and she and Uchenna will win. PREVIEWS FOR THE 2 HOUR FINALE: Ron & Kelly continue to have relationships problems which appear to be intensifying. Kelly is shown in tears. Rob & Amber seem to get a traffic ticket and Rob worries that it will cost them the race. Uchenna and Joyce get a flat tire. It looks like there is also going to be bungee jumping, a 6-way footrace at some point, and Rob having to carry Amber on his back.