Recap, Episode 11: Mooloolaba, Australia
GO FLY A KITE Leaving the Pit Stop at Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul, South Korea, in first place at 3:46 am, engaged couple Kelly & Jon discovered they must make their way across town to Hangang Park on Yeouido Island, where locals go to fly traditional Korean kites. Once there, they had to pull on a string attached to a marked pedestal to release a clue attached to the kites flying overhead. On her standing in the Race, Kelly commented, "I'm really starting to feel the pressure of being the only girl. The last couple of tasks that we had to perform were difficult for me. I hurt myself, but I'm doing the best that I can." Leaving nine minutes later, married couple Reichen & Chip caught up to Kelly & Jon, who were still outside the palace trying to find an English-speaking taxi driver. While Reichen & Chip took a chance with their driver, who claimed to know where he was going, Kelly & Jon opted to go back to their hotel to find a different driver. Departing nine minutes after Reichen & Chip, circus clowns Jon & Al luckily found an English-speaking cab driver and were quickly on their way. On his game plan, Al remarked, "We still want to be laughing and having a good time throughout the Race, but it's definitely 'do or die' time. You have to be on your toes." While Kelly & Jon were asking for directions from a hotel concierge, Chip became increasingly frustrated when he wanted his driver to go faster, even pulling out his dictionary to communicate better. Their communication barrier allowed Jon & Al, third place at the Pit Stop, to arrive at the Hangang Park route marker first. Pulling down the kite and opening their clue, the pair happily discovered they must travel almost 7,000 miles to Brisbane, Australia. Once they land, they must make their way to a hotel and check in with the concierge, who would escort them to the penthouse suite. Soon after, Reichen & Chip, whose driver nearly went past the park, stormed out of the cab with Chip mumbling, "Speak English" and got their clue as well. As Kelly & Jon pulled down their clue from the kites, best friends David & Jeff departed the Pit Stop in last place. To their cab driver, David said, "We're in a race today. We're in a big hurry. We're just lucky to be here." Jeff later added, "We were last place in the last leg. We thought we were out of the race. David and I spoke and said, 'Listen, it's a new day. Let's start it out right and not make any mistakes.'" At Ienchon Airport, a disappointed Jon & Al waited for the ticket counters to open up at 6:00 am. While waiting, Jon called a 24-hour Korean Air operator who assured him that Korean Air was the only option to Australia, and when the counter opened, the clowns bought their Korean Air ticket. Soon, Reichen & Chip arrived at the airport and discovered two options to Brisbane: Korean Air and Singapore Air. The couple purchased Singapore Air tickets after learning it landed earlier. Kelly & Jon, directly behind Reichen & Chip, bought the same ticket, as did David & Jeff when they arrived, leaving Jon & Al at a different gate wondering where the other Teams were. Eventually, Jon & Al realized their mistake. A heavy fog rolled into Ienchon Airport, causing delays for all flights. Jon & Al, after being told their Korean Air flight would be delayed for two hours, immediately realized they would miss their connecting flight to Brisbane. At this point, the clowns decided to look for another flight and found the Singapore flight that the other Teams were boarding at the other end of the airport. With eight minutes to spare and the other Teams already on the plane, the clowns arrived at the Singapore Air counter, begging to get on the flight. While there were tickets available, the clowns could not purchase them because Singapore Air did not accept last-minute passengers for security reasons. The gate closed and the clowns watched the remaining three Teams fly off to Brisbane via Singapore. Fearing the worst, Jon said, "Very rarely see the clowns stressed out. We're stressed out, man." The pair caught a break, though, when they managed to book a direct flight from Seoul to Brisbane, hoping to gain back some valuable time. A GRIPPING DETOUR Landing in Brisbane, David & Jeff exited the airport first, heading for the Fast Forward an hour out of town to the beach. Meanwhile, Reichen & Chip took an early lead over Kelly & Jon, as Jon got delayed exiting the plane. Taking the train instead of a taxi, Kelly & Jon closed the gap, but Reichen & Chip still arrived at the hotel first. As Kelly & Jon ran into the hotel lobby, Reichen & Chip were escorted by the concierge to the penthouse on the 17th floor, where they found their next clue, a Detour. In this Detour, Teams had to choose between "Face First" and "Foot First." Teams opting for Face First had to don safety gear, step out onto the ledge of the hotel, and do an Australian, or Face First, rappel right off the ledge of the building 200 feet down, one Team member at a time. While the task could be terrifying, if they muster the courage, a Team could complete it quickly. Teams choosing Foot First had to spot a building across the way with the Race flag on top, travel on foot down the hotel stairs, walk to the other building and up 30 flights of stairs to where the route marker was waiting. While not a frightening option, walking all that way could be tiring and take a long time. Reichen & Chip opted for Face First, as did Kelly & Jon, who came up behind them. As the Teams put on their safety gear, Kelly became concerned about her hand that she injured at the Detour in the last leg. After Chip beat Jon in a head-to-head rappel down the hotel wall, it was Kelly and Reichen's turn. Kelly immediately winced in pain when she shook her instructor's hand and became very concerned about the impending descent. While Reichen cruised down the building, Kelly struggled through the pain of her hand and battled the fear of dangling high above the ground. Below, a supportive Jon shouted words of advice and encouragement as she overcame her pain and anxiety to complete the Detour. On the ground, both Teams opened their next clue to discover they had to drive 43 miles to the town of Mooloolaba and find Underwater World, following a marked path to the next route marker. In the parking lot of the hotel, Reichen & Chip immediately lost their slight edge over Kelly & Jon when their map didn't have Underwater World on it, while Kelly & Jon's did. PADDLING TO THE LEAD While Jon & Al landed in Brisbane, David & Jeff arrived at the beach for the Fast Forward. This Fast Forward required Teams to pass a lifeguard test by paddling surfboards out in heavy surf to pull a swimmer out of the water and return her safely to the beach. Living in a surf community in California and being in the ocean three times a week, Jeff felt confident in his ability to help his Team claim the Fast Forward. Each grabbing a surfboard, the best friends began paddling out in rough conditions to the swimmer. Reaching the woman first, David treaded water as he tried unsuccessfully to place her on the board, causing it to flip over. When Jeff came, David placed her on Jeff's board with Jeff steadying it to keep her afloat. Quickly, the board again overturned in the choppy waves. After several more tries, the best friends finally got the swimmer to remain on Jeff's board as the pair paddles back to shore, catching a few waves to aid the process. After putting the swimmer on a stretcher on the beach, David & Jeff were rewarded with the Fast Forward pass. Opening it, the pair learned they could check in at the Pit Stop, the Mooloolaba Yacht Club, a legendary haven for Australia's famed yachtsmen. UNDERWATER ADVENTURE As Jon & Al rappelled down the hotel wall in hopes of catching up, Kelly & Jon pulled into the parking lot of Underwater World in Mooloolaba with Reichen & Chip parking right next to them. Running as fast as they could, Kelly & Jon beat Reichen & Chip by mere moments to the route marker next to an underwater tank filled with exotic sea creatures. On Kelly & Jon's win to the Cluebox, Reichen commented, "It's like we do everything faster than Kelly & Jon, but they always go by us at the event." Opening the clue, both Teams found a Roadblock. This Roadblock required one Team member to put on scuba gear and walk across a tank filled with 100 sharks and assorted sea creatures to their next clue inside a treasure chest on the other side. While Kelly thought she should do it, Jon told her, "We got to beat these guys" and began to suit up along with Reichen who chose to do the task for his Team. The last warning Jon received from the professionals suiting him up was, "You're not allowed to stand on the sharks underwater. Otherwise, they'll bite you." With his hands clasped together in front of him so as not to attract the sharks' attention, Jon began his walk across the tank floor. As Jon gingerly, but skillfully, navigated the floor with sharks and stingrays passing directly above his head, Reichen became paralyzed with fear. After grabbing the clue, Jon passed Reichen on the return and noticed the wide-eyed fear in his eyes. With a shark coming up behind him, Reichen slipped on a rock and waved his hands to steady himself. A panicked Chip and Kelly, thinking the shark might attack, looked on as it swam past. As Reichen struggled with his fear, Jon emerged from the tank and read the clue with Kelly. They discovered they needed to race on foot to the nearby marina and find the Mooloolaba Yacht Club. As Reichen grabbed his clue and began walking back in the tank, Kelly & Jon began searching for the yacht club, asking locals in the street. At the same time, David & Jeff pulled up to the marina parking lot and ran onto the patio of the yacht club, where Phil waited. Phil informed the best friends they were Team number one. For placing first on the eleventh leg of the Race, David & Jeff won a vacation to Mexico courtesy of American Airlines website. RACE TO THE MAT Kelly & Jon continued to look for the Mooloolaba Yacht Club and finally received directions from a local. As the couple ran, Kelly warned, "Hurry, they're right behind us!" Indeed, Reichen & Chip exited Underwater World and said, "They're right there. They're running past us." Chip then asked Reichen if he wanted to run. While initially running, Reichen & Chip decided to drive instead, not having read the clue closely. After running for almost a kilometer, Jon saw the Pit Stop in the distance. Kelly & Jon were then shocked to see Reichen & Chip pass them in their car. Kelly commented, "Reichen & Chip! They didn't walk!" Stepping onto the mat as the second Team, Reichen & Chip were informed by Phil that they would be assessed a 5 minute penalty for the time gained by driving as well as an additional 30 minute penalty for the mistake. They would now have to wait to see if Kelly & Jon and Jon & Al would arrive within the next 35 minutes to take the remaining two places in the finals. Within a few minutes Kelly & Jon stepped onto the mat third, but, due to the penalty, moved up to second place. At the same time, Al slowly walked across the aquarium floor to get his Team's clue. As Reichen & Chip anxiously waited, Jon & Al began running to the Mooloolaba Yacht Club. When they arrived, Phil informed them they were the last Team to arrive. He also told them of Reichen & Chip's penalty, but said the penalty was not enough to put them behind. Thus, Jon & Al became the ninth and final Team to be eliminated from THE AMAZING RACE. On his partner, Al remarked, "Jon is a fantastic person. He's a motivator, a family man. He's definitely a role model and someone I've looked up to. He's taught me everything I know." Jon added, "We just went into it with a positive attitude, and you can only do so much. If it doesn't work, it doesn't work. At least you know you gave it one hundred percent. I think our family and friends will be proud of what we accomplished." DAVID & JEFF LEAD THE WAY, REICHEN & CHIP SURVIVE A SCARE Leaving Seoul, South Korea for Brisbane, Australia, four Teams battled for three available spots in the finals. Best friends David & Jeff decided to use their Fast Forward and arrived at the Pit Stop in first place. Circus clowns Jon & Al made a critical mistake early in the leg as they booked a later flight than the other three Teams. A last minute error and time penalty for married couple Reichen & Chip couldn't help the clowns as they became the ninth Team to be eliminated from THE AMAZING RACE.http://www.cbs.com/primetime/amazing_race4/show/episode11/ar4story01.shtml
GO FLY A KITE Leaving the Pit Stop at Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul, South Korea, in first place at 3:46 am, engaged couple Kelly & Jon discovered they must make their way across town to Hangang Park on Yeouido Island, where locals go to fly traditional Korean kites. Once there, they had to pull on a string attached to a marked pedestal to release a clue attached to the kites flying overhead. On her standing in the Race, Kelly commented, "I'm really starting to feel the pressure of being the only girl. The last couple of tasks that we had to perform were difficult for me. I hurt myself, but I'm doing the best that I can." Leaving nine minutes later, married couple Reichen & Chip caught up to Kelly & Jon, who were still outside the palace trying to find an English-speaking taxi driver. While Reichen & Chip took a chance with their driver, who claimed to know where he was going, Kelly & Jon opted to go back to their hotel to find a different driver. Departing nine minutes after Reichen & Chip, circus clowns Jon & Al luckily found an English-speaking cab driver and were quickly on their way. On his game plan, Al remarked, "We still want to be laughing and having a good time throughout the Race, but it's definitely 'do or die' time. You have to be on your toes." While Kelly & Jon were asking for directions from a hotel concierge, Chip became increasingly frustrated when he wanted his driver to go faster, even pulling out his dictionary to communicate better. Their communication barrier allowed Jon & Al, third place at the Pit Stop, to arrive at the Hangang Park route marker first. Pulling down the kite and opening their clue, the pair happily discovered they must travel almost 7,000 miles to Brisbane, Australia. Once they land, they must make their way to a hotel and check in with the concierge, who would escort them to the penthouse suite. Soon after, Reichen & Chip, whose driver nearly went past the park, stormed out of the cab with Chip mumbling, "Speak English" and got their clue as well. As Kelly & Jon pulled down their clue from the kites, best friends David & Jeff departed the Pit Stop in last place. To their cab driver, David said, "We're in a race today. We're in a big hurry. We're just lucky to be here." Jeff later added, "We were last place in the last leg. We thought we were out of the race. David and I spoke and said, 'Listen, it's a new day. Let's start it out right and not make any mistakes.'" At Ienchon Airport, a disappointed Jon & Al waited for the ticket counters to open up at 6:00 am. While waiting, Jon called a 24-hour Korean Air operator who assured him that Korean Air was the only option to Australia, and when the counter opened, the clowns bought their Korean Air ticket. Soon, Reichen & Chip arrived at the airport and discovered two options to Brisbane: Korean Air and Singapore Air. The couple purchased Singapore Air tickets after learning it landed earlier. Kelly & Jon, directly behind Reichen & Chip, bought the same ticket, as did David & Jeff when they arrived, leaving Jon & Al at a different gate wondering where the other Teams were. Eventually, Jon & Al realized their mistake. A heavy fog rolled into Ienchon Airport, causing delays for all flights. Jon & Al, after being told their Korean Air flight would be delayed for two hours, immediately realized they would miss their connecting flight to Brisbane. At this point, the clowns decided to look for another flight and found the Singapore flight that the other Teams were boarding at the other end of the airport. With eight minutes to spare and the other Teams already on the plane, the clowns arrived at the Singapore Air counter, begging to get on the flight. While there were tickets available, the clowns could not purchase them because Singapore Air did not accept last-minute passengers for security reasons. The gate closed and the clowns watched the remaining three Teams fly off to Brisbane via Singapore. Fearing the worst, Jon said, "Very rarely see the clowns stressed out. We're stressed out, man." The pair caught a break, though, when they managed to book a direct flight from Seoul to Brisbane, hoping to gain back some valuable time. A GRIPPING DETOUR Landing in Brisbane, David & Jeff exited the airport first, heading for the Fast Forward an hour out of town to the beach. Meanwhile, Reichen & Chip took an early lead over Kelly & Jon, as Jon got delayed exiting the plane. Taking the train instead of a taxi, Kelly & Jon closed the gap, but Reichen & Chip still arrived at the hotel first. As Kelly & Jon ran into the hotel lobby, Reichen & Chip were escorted by the concierge to the penthouse on the 17th floor, where they found their next clue, a Detour. In this Detour, Teams had to choose between "Face First" and "Foot First." Teams opting for Face First had to don safety gear, step out onto the ledge of the hotel, and do an Australian, or Face First, rappel right off the ledge of the building 200 feet down, one Team member at a time. While the task could be terrifying, if they muster the courage, a Team could complete it quickly. Teams choosing Foot First had to spot a building across the way with the Race flag on top, travel on foot down the hotel stairs, walk to the other building and up 30 flights of stairs to where the route marker was waiting. While not a frightening option, walking all that way could be tiring and take a long time. Reichen & Chip opted for Face First, as did Kelly & Jon, who came up behind them. As the Teams put on their safety gear, Kelly became concerned about her hand that she injured at the Detour in the last leg. After Chip beat Jon in a head-to-head rappel down the hotel wall, it was Kelly and Reichen's turn. Kelly immediately winced in pain when she shook her instructor's hand and became very concerned about the impending descent. While Reichen cruised down the building, Kelly struggled through the pain of her hand and battled the fear of dangling high above the ground. Below, a supportive Jon shouted words of advice and encouragement as she overcame her pain and anxiety to complete the Detour. On the ground, both Teams opened their next clue to discover they had to drive 43 miles to the town of Mooloolaba and find Underwater World, following a marked path to the next route marker. In the parking lot of the hotel, Reichen & Chip immediately lost their slight edge over Kelly & Jon when their map didn't have Underwater World on it, while Kelly & Jon's did. PADDLING TO THE LEAD While Jon & Al landed in Brisbane, David & Jeff arrived at the beach for the Fast Forward. This Fast Forward required Teams to pass a lifeguard test by paddling surfboards out in heavy surf to pull a swimmer out of the water and return her safely to the beach. Living in a surf community in California and being in the ocean three times a week, Jeff felt confident in his ability to help his Team claim the Fast Forward. Each grabbing a surfboard, the best friends began paddling out in rough conditions to the swimmer. Reaching the woman first, David treaded water as he tried unsuccessfully to place her on the board, causing it to flip over. When Jeff came, David placed her on Jeff's board with Jeff steadying it to keep her afloat. Quickly, the board again overturned in the choppy waves. After several more tries, the best friends finally got the swimmer to remain on Jeff's board as the pair paddles back to shore, catching a few waves to aid the process. After putting the swimmer on a stretcher on the beach, David & Jeff were rewarded with the Fast Forward pass. Opening it, the pair learned they could check in at the Pit Stop, the Mooloolaba Yacht Club, a legendary haven for Australia's famed yachtsmen. UNDERWATER ADVENTURE As Jon & Al rappelled down the hotel wall in hopes of catching up, Kelly & Jon pulled into the parking lot of Underwater World in Mooloolaba with Reichen & Chip parking right next to them. Running as fast as they could, Kelly & Jon beat Reichen & Chip by mere moments to the route marker next to an underwater tank filled with exotic sea creatures. On Kelly & Jon's win to the Cluebox, Reichen commented, "It's like we do everything faster than Kelly & Jon, but they always go by us at the event." Opening the clue, both Teams found a Roadblock. This Roadblock required one Team member to put on scuba gear and walk across a tank filled with 100 sharks and assorted sea creatures to their next clue inside a treasure chest on the other side. While Kelly thought she should do it, Jon told her, "We got to beat these guys" and began to suit up along with Reichen who chose to do the task for his Team. The last warning Jon received from the professionals suiting him up was, "You're not allowed to stand on the sharks underwater. Otherwise, they'll bite you." With his hands clasped together in front of him so as not to attract the sharks' attention, Jon began his walk across the tank floor. As Jon gingerly, but skillfully, navigated the floor with sharks and stingrays passing directly above his head, Reichen became paralyzed with fear. After grabbing the clue, Jon passed Reichen on the return and noticed the wide-eyed fear in his eyes. With a shark coming up behind him, Reichen slipped on a rock and waved his hands to steady himself. A panicked Chip and Kelly, thinking the shark might attack, looked on as it swam past. As Reichen struggled with his fear, Jon emerged from the tank and read the clue with Kelly. They discovered they needed to race on foot to the nearby marina and find the Mooloolaba Yacht Club. As Reichen grabbed his clue and began walking back in the tank, Kelly & Jon began searching for the yacht club, asking locals in the street. At the same time, David & Jeff pulled up to the marina parking lot and ran onto the patio of the yacht club, where Phil waited. Phil informed the best friends they were Team number one. For placing first on the eleventh leg of the Race, David & Jeff won a vacation to Mexico courtesy of American Airlines website. RACE TO THE MAT Kelly & Jon continued to look for the Mooloolaba Yacht Club and finally received directions from a local. As the couple ran, Kelly warned, "Hurry, they're right behind us!" Indeed, Reichen & Chip exited Underwater World and said, "They're right there. They're running past us." Chip then asked Reichen if he wanted to run. While initially running, Reichen & Chip decided to drive instead, not having read the clue closely. After running for almost a kilometer, Jon saw the Pit Stop in the distance. Kelly & Jon were then shocked to see Reichen & Chip pass them in their car. Kelly commented, "Reichen & Chip! They didn't walk!" Stepping onto the mat as the second Team, Reichen & Chip were informed by Phil that they would be assessed a 5 minute penalty for the time gained by driving as well as an additional 30 minute penalty for the mistake. They would now have to wait to see if Kelly & Jon and Jon & Al would arrive within the next 35 minutes to take the remaining two places in the finals. Within a few minutes Kelly & Jon stepped onto the mat third, but, due to the penalty, moved up to second place. At the same time, Al slowly walked across the aquarium floor to get his Team's clue. As Reichen & Chip anxiously waited, Jon & Al began running to the Mooloolaba Yacht Club. When they arrived, Phil informed them they were the last Team to arrive. He also told them of Reichen & Chip's penalty, but said the penalty was not enough to put them behind. Thus, Jon & Al became the ninth and final Team to be eliminated from THE AMAZING RACE. On his partner, Al remarked, "Jon is a fantastic person. He's a motivator, a family man. He's definitely a role model and someone I've looked up to. He's taught me everything I know." Jon added, "We just went into it with a positive attitude, and you can only do so much. If it doesn't work, it doesn't work. At least you know you gave it one hundred percent. I think our family and friends will be proud of what we accomplished." DAVID & JEFF LEAD THE WAY, REICHEN & CHIP SURVIVE A SCARE Leaving Seoul, South Korea for Brisbane, Australia, four Teams battled for three available spots in the finals. Best friends David & Jeff decided to use their Fast Forward and arrived at the Pit Stop in first place. Circus clowns Jon & Al made a critical mistake early in the leg as they booked a later flight than the other three Teams. A last minute error and time penalty for married couple Reichen & Chip couldn't help the clowns as they became the ninth Team to be eliminated from THE AMAZING RACE.