Recap, Episode 4: St. Petersburg, Russia
FIGHT! FIGHT! Departing from San Carlos de Bariloche in first place at 3:10am, Colin & Christie opened their clue, which instructed them to take a 1,000-mile bus ride to Buenos Aires, Argentina, followed by an 8,000-mile flight to St. Petersburg, Russia. Once in Russia, they had to find the gun on the Battleship Aurora that fired the first shot of the Russian Revolution to receive their next clue. "Starting out number one is great," Christie commented, "but in order to stay ahead, we need to make sure we will be the Team that makes the least amount of mistakes." Departing eleven minutes later, cousins Charla & Mirna soon joined Colin & Christie at the nearly empty Bariloche Bus Station. Colin happened to find a local, whom he asked for information on the earliest bus leaving for Buenos Aires. Wanting information of her own, Mirna interrupted Colin to ask the man her own question. An offended Colin asked Mirna, "Can't you see I'm talking to this person?" After Mirna replied that the man was the only person there, Colin quipped, "We've got hours and hours so go stand over there and wait your turn." Not backing down, Mirna retorted, "I'm going to stand right here. You can do whatever the hell you want to do," leaving Colin speechless. Over the course of several hours, the remaining six Teams arrived at the bus station, with married parents Chip & Kim last. Because all the ticket windows remained closed, no Team had secured a spot on the earliest bus, but everyone agreed that the order in which they arrived at the station would be the order they would buy tickets. Colin, talking to the local again, discovered that a second company sold tickets for an express bus that would leave three hours later than the bus the other Teams were waiting for, but it would arrive in Buenos Aires at the same time. Realizing that three extra hours before having to board a bus would give him a leg up in finding airplane tickets to St. Petersburg, Colin quickly walked to the open window, arousing the suspicions of other Teams, who immediately followed. Now, with a new lineup rather than the order previously agreed upon--brothers Marshall & Lance, for example, were second instead of sixth--Teams began to complain. Mirna quietly reminded Lance, "We were actually the first ones here," to which he shouted, "Don't talk to me!" Christie added that since Charla & Mirna had cut in front of them earlier, she wasn't going to do them any favors. Mirna retorted, "We have God and we have ourselves. We don't need a favor from you." Near the end of the line, Karli complained, "Are we going to respect each other's order, or not? Because I'm tired of being pushed back." Lance countered, "It's a different line. We're going to maintain our order throughout the day? Why would we do that?" Sensing an opportunity to advance, Chip decried the lack of fairness while slipping in behind Marshall & Lance. Ensuring that Charla & Mirna would not be on the express bus leaving at noon, Colin purchased tickets for himself and Christie, Marshall & Lance, dating Christians Brandon & Nicole and Chip & Kim, forcing the other four Teams to take the 9am bus. As the disappointed Teams of bowling moms Linda & Karen, twins Kami & Karli, Bob & Joyce and Charla & Mirna boarded their bus, the other four Teams opted to work together and went to a travel agency where Colin & Christie booked a flight arriving in St. Petersburg at 3pm, while Brandon & Nicole, Marshall & Lance and Chip & Kim found tickets for a 6pm arrival. AIRPORT WOES Arriving in Buenos Aires the following morning, Bob & Joyce, Charla & Mirna, Kami & Karli and Linda & Karen, all without booked flights to Russia, hurried to the airport. Pulling into the bus station moments later, Colin & Christie, Marshall & Lance and Chip & Kim all sauntered together to get a taxi. Meanwhile, Brandon & Nicole, deciding to ditch the group, sneaked off quietly in a taxi on their own. At the airport, Charla & Mirna put their hopes into a Swiss Air flight for which they were waitlisted, while Linda & Karen and Kami & Karli worked together to secure a flight to Russia, as did Bob & Joyce. Beating their alliance partners to the airport, Brandon & Nicole called their travel agent from the previous day to secure a better flight, one arriving at 4:15pm instead of 6pm. This raised the ire of Marshall & Lance, still on the flight arriving at 6pm, who declared, "They're scumbags." Chip & Kim, also on the 6pm flight, conceded, "We can't be mad at them. They're just playing the game." As Colin & Christie and Brandon & Nicole each boarded their flights to St. Petersburg, Charla & Mirna were informed that they could not get on the Swiss Air flight, forcing them to search frantically for another option. The cousins' panic increased as Marshall & Lance and Chip & Kim departed, then reached its peak as Linda & Karen, Kami & Karli and Bob & Joyce boarded their flight to Madrid. Due to a ticketing snafu, Bob & Joyce would take a later connecting flight to St. Petersburg than would Linda & Karen and the twins. Now squarely in last place, Charla & Mirna continued their search for tickets, and eventually their hard work paid off. They booked a flight that would connect in Frankfurt, Germany, where they would meet up with Marshall & Lance and Chip & Kim. TO RUSSIA WITH LOVE Arriving in St. Petersburg, Russia in first place, Colin & Christie made their way to the Battleship Aurora, where they encountered a Detour. In this Detour, Teams had to choose between "Block 5 Shots" or "Drink 1 Shot." Teams opting for Block 5 Shots must travel to an ice hockey rink, put on protective gear and step into the goalie's position. Working together, they needed to block 5 slap shots from a team of professional hockey players. Teams choosing Drink 1 Shot had to travel to Anichkov Palace, grab a saber and perform a Cossack ritual: balance a shot glass of vodka on the blade and tilt the sword to drink the shot without dropping the glass. Colin & Christie chose to Drink 1 Shot and headed for Anichkov Palace. Meanwhile, following close behind on the second plane, Brandon & Nicole opted to Block 5 Shots, even though Nicole thought the vodka was a better choice. Brandon cited his faith and "living a life that's an example to others" as a reason not to drink the vodka. Arriving at Anichkov Palace, Colin & Christie walked into the ballroom to discover traditional Russian dancers and revelers. After a Cossack showed them how to balance the shot glass on the sword, Colin & Christie each took their turn and successfully completed the task. Opening their next clue, the pair learned they had to find the Bronze Horseman, a statue honoring Peter the Great, founder of St. Petersburg, to receive their next clue. Meanwhile, at the hockey rink, things were not going as smoothly for Brandon & Nicole. Nicole, not having ice-skated since she was five, fell down after a few tentative steps onto the ice. Once between the pipes, Nicole warned Brandon, "If this hurts, you're in a lot of trouble." With the referee's whistle as a signal, the first hockey player shot and scored, causing Brandon to fall down. Soon however, both he and Nicole became comfortable enough on the ice to block the required 5 shots, and they made their way to the Bronze Horseman, where Colin & Christie opened a clue that instructed them to travel outside St. Petersburg to the town of Pushkin and find the Old Tower Restaurant. LIGHT DINNER As the plane carrying Charla & Mirna, Marshall & Lance and Chip & Kim landed, Colin & Christie arrived at the Old Tower Restaurant, only to find a Roadblock. In this Roadblock one Team member had to eat 1 kilogram (2.2 pounds) of caviar to receive their next clue. Unable to guarantee that he could eat it all, Colin deferred to Christie, who reluctantly agreed. After slight hesitation, Christie took her first bite, a gigantic spoonful, and almost gagged. Colin gently advised, "It's okay. Don't try to eat so much at once." Christie continued her assault on the fish eggs, eating several more large spoonfuls. When Colin suggested mixing the caviar with the juice provided to make the delicacy more palatable, a frustrated Christie snapped, "Just leave me alone!" With Christie struggling to eat the caviar, her and Colin's lead began to evaporate as Marshall & Lance and Chip & Kim headed to Anichkov Palace and Charla & Mirna went to the hockey rink. Soon, Brandon & Nicole joined a frustrated but reassuring Colin and despondent, tearful Christie at the Old Tower Restaurant. Eating for her Team, Nicole initially had a cheerful outlook. After a few bites, though, Nicole began to realize that this would take a sizeable effort to complete, saying she was already full. Colin pleaded for Christie to keep eating, prompting an exhausted Christie to reply, "You make it sound so easy." Colin & Christie and Brandon & Nicole helplessly looked on as their three-hour lead vanished when Chip & Kim arrived at the Roadblock. A stunned Colin grew more agitated when Marshall & Lance and Charla & Mirna soon joined the festivities at the restaurant. Sitting down, Chip proceeded to give a master class in how to eat caviar as he shoveled it into his seemingly endless stomach. Incredulous, the four other Teams watched as Chip finished his bowl of caviar and received the next clue, instructing him and Kim to take a horse-drawn sleigh to Catherine's Palace, the Pit Stop for this leg of the Race. With Chip & Kim on their way to the Pit Stop and Mirna gleefully cheering her partner on, Colin pleaded with Christie to eat, adding, in reference to Mirna, "I hate that woman." Christie gamely picked up her spoon and took bite after bite until she finished the bowl, letting out a giant sigh. As Lance and Charla each finished their bowls of caviar, Chip & Kim stepped onto the mat at Catherine's Palace, where Phil informed them they were Team number one, with Colin & Christie finishing second. This left Brandon & Nicole, still at the Old Tower Restaurant, in fifth place. Nicole, her face now pale, began to feel ill, citing dizziness as one symptom. Stepping away from her bowl of caviar, she laid down to rest, using her bag as a pillow. With Nicole now fast asleep, Linda & Karen and Kami & Karli landed in St. Petersburg, followed closely by Bob & Joyce. The three Teams scurried through the city completing the Detour as Nicole continued to rest. With the bowling moms, the twins and Bob & Joyce now on their way to the restaurant, Brandon offered some tea to the ailing Nicole. She decided to go back to the table and try to eat the remaining caviar. Brandon, giving all his support to his teammate, cheered, "You can do it, baby," as Nicole gingerly began eating the caviar. His words of encouragement pushed Nicole as she finally finished the bowl, giving the Christian couple a fifth place finish. ELIMINATION As the threat of elimination loomed, Kami & Karli and Linda & Karen darted from their taxis to the restaurant. While Linda plowed through the caviar, giving her Team a sixth place finish, Karli struggled to the point that she was noticeably shaking while holding her spoon. As her sister encouraged her to focus, Kami managed to choke down the remaining caviar to finish in seventh place. Arriving last at the Old Tower Restaurant, Joyce finished the Roadblock for her Team before taking the horse-drawn sleigh to Catherine's Palace with her partner Bob. At the palace, Phil informed Bob & Joyce that they were eliminated from THE AMAZING RACE. "Bob gives me understanding, patience, solidness. Bob completes me," Joyce remarked, "For a long time, I thought I was going to be alone in the world. Every day, I get up thanking God that I met Bob. I want to be with him for the rest of my life." Bob echoed these sentiments, adding, "Joyce is my second chance. She builds me up every day. She is the rest of my life to me." CHIP & KIM EAT UP COMPETITION; BOB & JOYCE ELIMINATED After beginning this leg in first place, dating couple Colin & Christie continued to set the pace, being the first Team to land in Russia, completing the Detour and arriving at the Roadblock before most Teams even landed in St. Petersburg. At the grueling Roadblock, though, Christie faltered, as did second place Nicole, when forced to eat two pounds of caviar. After starting the leg in near last place, Chip completed the Roadblock with astounding speed, allowing himself and Kim to take first place, while a ticket snafu caused internet dating couple Bob & Joyce to arrive last in Russia and last on the mat to become the fourth Team eliminated.http://www.cbs.com/primetime/amazing_race5/show/episode04/index.shtml
FIGHT! FIGHT! Departing from San Carlos de Bariloche in first place at 3:10am, Colin & Christie opened their clue, which instructed them to take a 1,000-mile bus ride to Buenos Aires, Argentina, followed by an 8,000-mile flight to St. Petersburg, Russia. Once in Russia, they had to find the gun on the Battleship Aurora that fired the first shot of the Russian Revolution to receive their next clue. "Starting out number one is great," Christie commented, "but in order to stay ahead, we need to make sure we will be the Team that makes the least amount of mistakes." Departing eleven minutes later, cousins Charla & Mirna soon joined Colin & Christie at the nearly empty Bariloche Bus Station. Colin happened to find a local, whom he asked for information on the earliest bus leaving for Buenos Aires. Wanting information of her own, Mirna interrupted Colin to ask the man her own question. An offended Colin asked Mirna, "Can't you see I'm talking to this person?" After Mirna replied that the man was the only person there, Colin quipped, "We've got hours and hours so go stand over there and wait your turn." Not backing down, Mirna retorted, "I'm going to stand right here. You can do whatever the hell you want to do," leaving Colin speechless. Over the course of several hours, the remaining six Teams arrived at the bus station, with married parents Chip & Kim last. Because all the ticket windows remained closed, no Team had secured a spot on the earliest bus, but everyone agreed that the order in which they arrived at the station would be the order they would buy tickets. Colin, talking to the local again, discovered that a second company sold tickets for an express bus that would leave three hours later than the bus the other Teams were waiting for, but it would arrive in Buenos Aires at the same time. Realizing that three extra hours before having to board a bus would give him a leg up in finding airplane tickets to St. Petersburg, Colin quickly walked to the open window, arousing the suspicions of other Teams, who immediately followed. Now, with a new lineup rather than the order previously agreed upon--brothers Marshall & Lance, for example, were second instead of sixth--Teams began to complain. Mirna quietly reminded Lance, "We were actually the first ones here," to which he shouted, "Don't talk to me!" Christie added that since Charla & Mirna had cut in front of them earlier, she wasn't going to do them any favors. Mirna retorted, "We have God and we have ourselves. We don't need a favor from you." Near the end of the line, Karli complained, "Are we going to respect each other's order, or not? Because I'm tired of being pushed back." Lance countered, "It's a different line. We're going to maintain our order throughout the day? Why would we do that?" Sensing an opportunity to advance, Chip decried the lack of fairness while slipping in behind Marshall & Lance. Ensuring that Charla & Mirna would not be on the express bus leaving at noon, Colin purchased tickets for himself and Christie, Marshall & Lance, dating Christians Brandon & Nicole and Chip & Kim, forcing the other four Teams to take the 9am bus. As the disappointed Teams of bowling moms Linda & Karen, twins Kami & Karli, Bob & Joyce and Charla & Mirna boarded their bus, the other four Teams opted to work together and went to a travel agency where Colin & Christie booked a flight arriving in St. Petersburg at 3pm, while Brandon & Nicole, Marshall & Lance and Chip & Kim found tickets for a 6pm arrival. AIRPORT WOES Arriving in Buenos Aires the following morning, Bob & Joyce, Charla & Mirna, Kami & Karli and Linda & Karen, all without booked flights to Russia, hurried to the airport. Pulling into the bus station moments later, Colin & Christie, Marshall & Lance and Chip & Kim all sauntered together to get a taxi. Meanwhile, Brandon & Nicole, deciding to ditch the group, sneaked off quietly in a taxi on their own. At the airport, Charla & Mirna put their hopes into a Swiss Air flight for which they were waitlisted, while Linda & Karen and Kami & Karli worked together to secure a flight to Russia, as did Bob & Joyce. Beating their alliance partners to the airport, Brandon & Nicole called their travel agent from the previous day to secure a better flight, one arriving at 4:15pm instead of 6pm. This raised the ire of Marshall & Lance, still on the flight arriving at 6pm, who declared, "They're scumbags." Chip & Kim, also on the 6pm flight, conceded, "We can't be mad at them. They're just playing the game." As Colin & Christie and Brandon & Nicole each boarded their flights to St. Petersburg, Charla & Mirna were informed that they could not get on the Swiss Air flight, forcing them to search frantically for another option. The cousins' panic increased as Marshall & Lance and Chip & Kim departed, then reached its peak as Linda & Karen, Kami & Karli and Bob & Joyce boarded their flight to Madrid. Due to a ticketing snafu, Bob & Joyce would take a later connecting flight to St. Petersburg than would Linda & Karen and the twins. Now squarely in last place, Charla & Mirna continued their search for tickets, and eventually their hard work paid off. They booked a flight that would connect in Frankfurt, Germany, where they would meet up with Marshall & Lance and Chip & Kim. TO RUSSIA WITH LOVE Arriving in St. Petersburg, Russia in first place, Colin & Christie made their way to the Battleship Aurora, where they encountered a Detour. In this Detour, Teams had to choose between "Block 5 Shots" or "Drink 1 Shot." Teams opting for Block 5 Shots must travel to an ice hockey rink, put on protective gear and step into the goalie's position. Working together, they needed to block 5 slap shots from a team of professional hockey players. Teams choosing Drink 1 Shot had to travel to Anichkov Palace, grab a saber and perform a Cossack ritual: balance a shot glass of vodka on the blade and tilt the sword to drink the shot without dropping the glass. Colin & Christie chose to Drink 1 Shot and headed for Anichkov Palace. Meanwhile, following close behind on the second plane, Brandon & Nicole opted to Block 5 Shots, even though Nicole thought the vodka was a better choice. Brandon cited his faith and "living a life that's an example to others" as a reason not to drink the vodka. Arriving at Anichkov Palace, Colin & Christie walked into the ballroom to discover traditional Russian dancers and revelers. After a Cossack showed them how to balance the shot glass on the sword, Colin & Christie each took their turn and successfully completed the task. Opening their next clue, the pair learned they had to find the Bronze Horseman, a statue honoring Peter the Great, founder of St. Petersburg, to receive their next clue. Meanwhile, at the hockey rink, things were not going as smoothly for Brandon & Nicole. Nicole, not having ice-skated since she was five, fell down after a few tentative steps onto the ice. Once between the pipes, Nicole warned Brandon, "If this hurts, you're in a lot of trouble." With the referee's whistle as a signal, the first hockey player shot and scored, causing Brandon to fall down. Soon however, both he and Nicole became comfortable enough on the ice to block the required 5 shots, and they made their way to the Bronze Horseman, where Colin & Christie opened a clue that instructed them to travel outside St. Petersburg to the town of Pushkin and find the Old Tower Restaurant. LIGHT DINNER As the plane carrying Charla & Mirna, Marshall & Lance and Chip & Kim landed, Colin & Christie arrived at the Old Tower Restaurant, only to find a Roadblock. In this Roadblock one Team member had to eat 1 kilogram (2.2 pounds) of caviar to receive their next clue. Unable to guarantee that he could eat it all, Colin deferred to Christie, who reluctantly agreed. After slight hesitation, Christie took her first bite, a gigantic spoonful, and almost gagged. Colin gently advised, "It's okay. Don't try to eat so much at once." Christie continued her assault on the fish eggs, eating several more large spoonfuls. When Colin suggested mixing the caviar with the juice provided to make the delicacy more palatable, a frustrated Christie snapped, "Just leave me alone!" With Christie struggling to eat the caviar, her and Colin's lead began to evaporate as Marshall & Lance and Chip & Kim headed to Anichkov Palace and Charla & Mirna went to the hockey rink. Soon, Brandon & Nicole joined a frustrated but reassuring Colin and despondent, tearful Christie at the Old Tower Restaurant. Eating for her Team, Nicole initially had a cheerful outlook. After a few bites, though, Nicole began to realize that this would take a sizeable effort to complete, saying she was already full. Colin pleaded for Christie to keep eating, prompting an exhausted Christie to reply, "You make it sound so easy." Colin & Christie and Brandon & Nicole helplessly looked on as their three-hour lead vanished when Chip & Kim arrived at the Roadblock. A stunned Colin grew more agitated when Marshall & Lance and Charla & Mirna soon joined the festivities at the restaurant. Sitting down, Chip proceeded to give a master class in how to eat caviar as he shoveled it into his seemingly endless stomach. Incredulous, the four other Teams watched as Chip finished his bowl of caviar and received the next clue, instructing him and Kim to take a horse-drawn sleigh to Catherine's Palace, the Pit Stop for this leg of the Race. With Chip & Kim on their way to the Pit Stop and Mirna gleefully cheering her partner on, Colin pleaded with Christie to eat, adding, in reference to Mirna, "I hate that woman." Christie gamely picked up her spoon and took bite after bite until she finished the bowl, letting out a giant sigh. As Lance and Charla each finished their bowls of caviar, Chip & Kim stepped onto the mat at Catherine's Palace, where Phil informed them they were Team number one, with Colin & Christie finishing second. This left Brandon & Nicole, still at the Old Tower Restaurant, in fifth place. Nicole, her face now pale, began to feel ill, citing dizziness as one symptom. Stepping away from her bowl of caviar, she laid down to rest, using her bag as a pillow. With Nicole now fast asleep, Linda & Karen and Kami & Karli landed in St. Petersburg, followed closely by Bob & Joyce. The three Teams scurried through the city completing the Detour as Nicole continued to rest. With the bowling moms, the twins and Bob & Joyce now on their way to the restaurant, Brandon offered some tea to the ailing Nicole. She decided to go back to the table and try to eat the remaining caviar. Brandon, giving all his support to his teammate, cheered, "You can do it, baby," as Nicole gingerly began eating the caviar. His words of encouragement pushed Nicole as she finally finished the bowl, giving the Christian couple a fifth place finish. ELIMINATION As the threat of elimination loomed, Kami & Karli and Linda & Karen darted from their taxis to the restaurant. While Linda plowed through the caviar, giving her Team a sixth place finish, Karli struggled to the point that she was noticeably shaking while holding her spoon. As her sister encouraged her to focus, Kami managed to choke down the remaining caviar to finish in seventh place. Arriving last at the Old Tower Restaurant, Joyce finished the Roadblock for her Team before taking the horse-drawn sleigh to Catherine's Palace with her partner Bob. At the palace, Phil informed Bob & Joyce that they were eliminated from THE AMAZING RACE. "Bob gives me understanding, patience, solidness. Bob completes me," Joyce remarked, "For a long time, I thought I was going to be alone in the world. Every day, I get up thanking God that I met Bob. I want to be with him for the rest of my life." Bob echoed these sentiments, adding, "Joyce is my second chance. She builds me up every day. She is the rest of my life to me." CHIP & KIM EAT UP COMPETITION; BOB & JOYCE ELIMINATED After beginning this leg in first place, dating couple Colin & Christie continued to set the pace, being the first Team to land in Russia, completing the Detour and arriving at the Roadblock before most Teams even landed in St. Petersburg. At the grueling Roadblock, though, Christie faltered, as did second place Nicole, when forced to eat two pounds of caviar. After starting the leg in near last place, Chip completed the Roadblock with astounding speed, allowing himself and Kim to take first place, while a ticket snafu caused internet dating couple Bob & Joyce to arrive last in Russia and last on the mat to become the fourth Team eliminated.