Recap, Episode 6: Bangkok to Chiang Mai
Back to Bangkok At 6:11 am, Boston buddies Chris & Alex were the first to depart the traditional river house. Opening the clue envelope, the teammates learned they were to travel to Bangkok and find a specific flower vendor in a bustling Thai market. To reach the market, Teams first had to get to the nearby town of Ampawa, and then they would have to figure out how to travel forty-three miles to Bangkok. Chris & Alex were quite content to have worked themselves into the lead. They hopped into a longboat and headed on to Ampawa. Once there, they had to overcome a significant language barrier to talk their way into a taxi. They got in, hopeful they had adequately explained their destination to the driver. As the taxi took off, Alex worried, "I hope we're going to Bangkok." At 6:42 am, sisters Mary & Peach were the second Team to begin the leg. Peach believed she was getting stronger as the race progressed. She had already overcome many of her fears and was looking forward to the challenges ahead. About thirty minutes later, Tara & Wil left the river house. During the Pit Stop, Wil told Tara he would try to be more relaxed during the race. Immediately, however, he became frustrated with their boat driver. Anxious for them to hurry, Wil felt their driver wasn't moving quickly enough. Tara told Wil to stop yelling. "It didn't even last 10 seconds into the race," she noted. The siblings from Texas, Blake & Paige, were next to leave. Blake felt their Team was gaining more confidence with every leg. A minute later, Gary & Dave left the Pit Stop. The friends and former roommates worried they were making too many mistakes and believed they needed to get smarter to keep from being eliminated. At 8:31 am, best friends Oswald & Danny were the last Team to leave the Pit Stop. The teammates' outlook and attitude was at an all-time low. They were frustrated because the lead the Fast Forward had given them in Namibia had all but disappeared. However, they decided to continue racing and hope for the best. As all the Teams made their way into Bangkok, traffic started to worsen. Making their way through the crowded streets, Chris & Alex were first to arrive at Pak Kong Talad Flower Market. The Boston buddies could not believe the myriad of colorful flower stands. "Look, there are flower shops everywhere, man," Alex told his friend. They walked through the hectic market, searching for the route marker flag. The teammates were still searching when Mary & Peach showed up and also began looking around. Tara & Wil were next to arrive in Bangkok. As their taxi headed toward the market, Wil explained he was glad to be back in the city. "It's just not an easy place to get around in," he said, confident his knowledge of Bangkok would be an advantage to the Team. After a long and frustrating search, Chris & Alex finally found the flower vendor and received their next clue envelope. Tearing it open, they read that their next destination was the old bridge near the village of Mueng Kut, just a few miles from the city of Chiang Mai, a 500-mile train ride away in northern Thailand. From there, Teams would have to find local transportation to the old bridge. From the opposite side of the street, Mary & Peach noticed Chris & Alex hop back into a tuk-tuk, a small motorized taxi, clue envelope in hand. Realizing they had to be close to the route marker, the sisters crossed the street and immediately found the flower vendor. Grabbing the clue, they jumped into a tuk-tuk and sped to the train station. Tara & Wil and Blake & Paige arrived at the flower market. Tara & Wil found the clue quickly, followed by Blake & Paige. Gary & Dave were fifth to find the vendor. In last, an exhausted Oswald & Danny arrived and also located the route marker. "If This Doesn't Break Me, Nothing Will" The Teams now had to make their way to the Bangkok train station. Chris & Alex stopped at a tourist information center to get directions, allowing Mary & Peach to slip past them into the lead. The sisters were first to arrive at the train station and were informed that the next train would not leave for several hours. Tara & Wil discovered that the train ride would take fourteen hours. Wil told Mary & Peach that the long train ride would probably be grueling. One by one, the other Teams trickled in. The last to arrive were Oswald & Danny. "We've been equalized--again," Oswald noted upon realizing they had caught up to the other Teams. With several hours to kill, a few of the Teams decided to take advantage of the local Bangkok markets and shop. Tara explained, "Maybe if we have a little fun, instead of dealing with the race, the mood can get lightened up a bit." Chris & Alex, Tara & Wil, Blake & Paige and Mary & Peach went to the local shopping districts. They bartered for sunglasses, books and other trinkets in the crowded market. All was not fun and games, however. Mary & Peach got into an argument over the purchase of a pair of pants. Peach found a pair she wanted, but Mary wanted her to refrain from buying them as she felt they were too expensive, and they needed the money for the Race. The sisters got into a heated argument over prices and finances. Returning to the station, Teams boarded the train to find it disturbingly hot and dirty. Peach commented, "If this doesn't break me, nothing will." Oswald confided to Danny, "I don't know how many more legs I'll be able to withstand." Danny was worried about his friend and whether he would be able to endure the continuing rigors of the race. As the train headed to the north, Teams tried to relax and did their best to catch some sleep. At 5:50 am, the train made its way into Chiang Mai. Teams rushed outside, searching for taxis to Mueng Kut. Blake & Paige got the first taxi out of the station. Leaving the other Teams behind, Blake felt confident in their driver's ability, "This guy speaks English and he knows right where to go." Mary & Peach and Oswald & Danny decided to share a taxi. Behind them, the rest of the Teams grabbed taxis and headed off in pursuit. Gary & Dave were first to make it to the Mueng Kut Old Bridge. Hot on their tails were Mary & Peach and Oswald & Danny. Gary & Dave rushed up and grabbed the next clue envelope, containing a Detour challenge that involved two separate ways of traveling a mile and a half down river to the next clue. "Boat" involved traveling on a faster bamboo raft down the unpredictable river, using long poles to navigate. "Beast" involved a surer, yet slower ride on the back of an elephant down a path running alongside the river. It was up to the Teams to determine which option was quicker. Mastering the bamboo raft on the "Boat" option could allow for the Team to pick up speed. The elephant in the "Beast" option was likely to travel at a steady speed, but that speed would be entirely determined by how fast the elephant felt like walking. Both choices ended at a group of 4x4s, which had the next clue sitting atop their windshields. Gary & Dave immediately decided on the bamboo raft. Mary also settled on the "Boat" Detour choice. Mary felt the quickest route had to be by water. She also convinced Oswald & Danny that the rafts were the better option. The three Teams rushed across the bridge and selected their bamboo rafts. Behind them, Blake looked at both options. "Definitely the boat," he told his sister. As they rushed to the river, two Teams--Tara & Wil and Chris & Alex--had yet to arrive at the Detour. On the river, Gary & Dave felt secure in their ability to remain in the lead. Mary & Peach, however, were making good time. Although Peach fell once, she quickly got back up and pushed forward. Behind them, Oswald & Danny struggled a bit while trying to control the long bamboo poles. They worked hard to keep the raft heading downriver. In the lead, Gary & Dave realized the sisters were gaining on them. "Girl power!" Mary shouted exultantly as they caught up to the leaders. They raced neck-and-neck down the river until, finally, the sisters passed Gary & Dave. Gary jokingly swiped at Mary & Peach's raft with his pole as the sisters slipped past. "We just got passed by a couple of girls," he noted, dejected. A little behind them, Oswald & Danny reached Blake & Paige. Just as they were about to pass their competitors, Oswald & Danny's boat got caught on some debris. Danny hopped out and pushed their raft off. The last two Teams, Chris & Alex and Tara & Wil, had also chosen the rafts. Running into a bridge, Tara & Wil yelled at one another about how they should steer the boat. Their raft headed sideways down the river. Slapping into a tree on the riverbank, Tara commented to her partner, "You're an idiot, man." She continued, "You don't know how to row a boat." The two unhappily chided one another. Ahead, Mary & Peach completed the raft Detour. They rushed to the vehicles and grabbed the next clue envelope. "Big things await at Mae Ping Village," read Peach. They learned they were to drive themselves thirteen miles along the back roads of Thailand to the village. "We're right behind them. We're right behind them!" Dave exclaimed as he saw Mary & Peach drive off down the dirt road. Gary & Dave grabbed the next vehicle and drove off after the sisters. Looking back at Gary & Dave from her car, Peach commented, "I can't believe we passed them. That was worth it all. Sweet, baby." Blake & Paige completed the rafting challenge in third, followed by Oswald & Danny in fourth. Chris & Alex finished next, leaving a frustrated Tara & Wil in last. Stunned that they were behind the rest of the Teams, Tara & Wil began to worry that their competitors might beat them. Elephant Wash Retaining their lead, Mary & Peach arrived first at Mae Ping Village. Peach cracked open the clue to discover they had reached a Roadblock. A Roadblock is a task that can only be performed by one member of the Team. In this Roadblock, the task involved washing traditional, colorful chalk markings off an elephant. The elephant master, called a mahout, would judge when the elephant was washed clean. Once the chalk was washed off to the mahout's satisfaction, he would hand the Roadblock participant his or her next clue. Mary volunteered for her Team. Rushing down to the river, she saw the enormous painted pachyderms lined up in the water. "These guys are huge!" she said as she picked out one of the six waiting elephants. As Mary washed off the colorful markings, she quipped, "I don't even scrub floors. And I'm scrubbing an elephant." Dave was the next Roadblock competitor to make it to the river. He attempted to make friends with his elephant as he scrubbed off the chalk. Blake was the next to arrive. The three Teams rushed to beat one another. Finally, a mahout gave Mary the nod and handed over the next clue envelope. She rushed up the riverbank to Peach. Right behind them was Dave, who had also finished. Mary ripped open the envelope to find their next destination was the Pit Stop, located at the Karen Village, a traditional community in the north of Thailand. As the two lead Teams drove off toward the village, Blake finished washing his elephant and returned to Paige. "That was nuts!" he told his sister. Oswald & Danny spotted the flag and arrived at the village fourth. "Oh, my god… I'm not doing this," Danny groaned as the Team picked up the Roadblock clue. "I guess I'm doing it," Oswald replied, discontented. A few minutes later, though, he was having a blast as he washed the elephant. As Danny cheered him on, he splashed off the few remaining chalk spots. Oswald finished and the Team received their clue. "I'm feeling competitive again," Oswald noted as they drove off toward the Pit Stop. Chris & Alex and Tara & Wil were the final Teams to arrive at the elephant. Wil and Alex decided to perform the Roadblock for their respective Teams. They splashed around the river as their teammates laughed and cheered them on. Alex finished first and headed back to Chris. Tara begged Wil to hurry. Wil completed the task and the Team headed off behind Chris & Alex. Race to the Pit Stop Two Teams, Mary & Peach and Gary & Dave, raced neck-and-neck toward the Pit Stop. From their vehicle, Mary & Peach spotted the race flags. They stopped the car and rushed into the village in first place. Right behind them, Gary & Dave checked in. A few minutes later, Blake & Paige showed up. The siblings stepped on the mat in good spirits. Blake explained, "We're Team number three, and hopefully we'll continue to climb. And if we do that, I think our chances of winning this thing are getting better every day." Oswald & Danny checked in fourth. Finding out their race standing, they hugged one another warmly. The friends from Miami were excited to still be kicking and to have survived another leg of the race. The last two Teams, Tara & Wil and Chris & Alex, were heading toward the Pit Stop. In the car, Tara studied the clue. She assumed that because the clue didn't mention that the last Team to arrive would be eliminated, this was most likely a non-elimination leg. The two Teams arrived at the Pit Stop simultaneously and walked toward the mat. Wil happened to be in front of the other Teams and stepped, along with Tara, on the mat. Host Phil Keoghan informed the Boston buddies that although they were last to step on the mat, this was a non-elimination leg and they would be able to stay in the race. Although relieved not to be eliminated, Chris & Alex were upset with Wil for having stepped on the mat first. They felt that since they had finished the Detour and the Roadblock before Tara & Wil, they earned the right to step on that mat first; Tara was quick to agree with her budding friends. Alex decided he would exact his revenge on Wil through Tara. "I think I'm just going to take his girl. Just for him stepping in front, he's going to have to learn a lesson the hard way," Alex promised. Although no Team was eliminated during this non-elimination round, competition is at an all-time high as matters became personal between certain competitors.http://www.cbs.com/primetime/amazing_race2/show/episode05/story6.shtml
Back to Bangkok At 6:11 am, Boston buddies Chris & Alex were the first to depart the traditional river house. Opening the clue envelope, the teammates learned they were to travel to Bangkok and find a specific flower vendor in a bustling Thai market. To reach the market, Teams first had to get to the nearby town of Ampawa, and then they would have to figure out how to travel forty-three miles to Bangkok. Chris & Alex were quite content to have worked themselves into the lead. They hopped into a longboat and headed on to Ampawa. Once there, they had to overcome a significant language barrier to talk their way into a taxi. They got in, hopeful they had adequately explained their destination to the driver. As the taxi took off, Alex worried, "I hope we're going to Bangkok." At 6:42 am, sisters Mary & Peach were the second Team to begin the leg. Peach believed she was getting stronger as the race progressed. She had already overcome many of her fears and was looking forward to the challenges ahead. About thirty minutes later, Tara & Wil left the river house. During the Pit Stop, Wil told Tara he would try to be more relaxed during the race. Immediately, however, he became frustrated with their boat driver. Anxious for them to hurry, Wil felt their driver wasn't moving quickly enough. Tara told Wil to stop yelling. "It didn't even last 10 seconds into the race," she noted. The siblings from Texas, Blake & Paige, were next to leave. Blake felt their Team was gaining more confidence with every leg. A minute later, Gary & Dave left the Pit Stop. The friends and former roommates worried they were making too many mistakes and believed they needed to get smarter to keep from being eliminated. At 8:31 am, best friends Oswald & Danny were the last Team to leave the Pit Stop. The teammates' outlook and attitude was at an all-time low. They were frustrated because the lead the Fast Forward had given them in Namibia had all but disappeared. However, they decided to continue racing and hope for the best. As all the Teams made their way into Bangkok, traffic started to worsen. Making their way through the crowded streets, Chris & Alex were first to arrive at Pak Kong Talad Flower Market. The Boston buddies could not believe the myriad of colorful flower stands. "Look, there are flower shops everywhere, man," Alex told his friend. They walked through the hectic market, searching for the route marker flag. The teammates were still searching when Mary & Peach showed up and also began looking around. Tara & Wil were next to arrive in Bangkok. As their taxi headed toward the market, Wil explained he was glad to be back in the city. "It's just not an easy place to get around in," he said, confident his knowledge of Bangkok would be an advantage to the Team. After a long and frustrating search, Chris & Alex finally found the flower vendor and received their next clue envelope. Tearing it open, they read that their next destination was the old bridge near the village of Mueng Kut, just a few miles from the city of Chiang Mai, a 500-mile train ride away in northern Thailand. From there, Teams would have to find local transportation to the old bridge. From the opposite side of the street, Mary & Peach noticed Chris & Alex hop back into a tuk-tuk, a small motorized taxi, clue envelope in hand. Realizing they had to be close to the route marker, the sisters crossed the street and immediately found the flower vendor. Grabbing the clue, they jumped into a tuk-tuk and sped to the train station. Tara & Wil and Blake & Paige arrived at the flower market. Tara & Wil found the clue quickly, followed by Blake & Paige. Gary & Dave were fifth to find the vendor. In last, an exhausted Oswald & Danny arrived and also located the route marker. "If This Doesn't Break Me, Nothing Will" The Teams now had to make their way to the Bangkok train station. Chris & Alex stopped at a tourist information center to get directions, allowing Mary & Peach to slip past them into the lead. The sisters were first to arrive at the train station and were informed that the next train would not leave for several hours. Tara & Wil discovered that the train ride would take fourteen hours. Wil told Mary & Peach that the long train ride would probably be grueling. One by one, the other Teams trickled in. The last to arrive were Oswald & Danny. "We've been equalized--again," Oswald noted upon realizing they had caught up to the other Teams. With several hours to kill, a few of the Teams decided to take advantage of the local Bangkok markets and shop. Tara explained, "Maybe if we have a little fun, instead of dealing with the race, the mood can get lightened up a bit." Chris & Alex, Tara & Wil, Blake & Paige and Mary & Peach went to the local shopping districts. They bartered for sunglasses, books and other trinkets in the crowded market. All was not fun and games, however. Mary & Peach got into an argument over the purchase of a pair of pants. Peach found a pair she wanted, but Mary wanted her to refrain from buying them as she felt they were too expensive, and they needed the money for the Race. The sisters got into a heated argument over prices and finances. Returning to the station, Teams boarded the train to find it disturbingly hot and dirty. Peach commented, "If this doesn't break me, nothing will." Oswald confided to Danny, "I don't know how many more legs I'll be able to withstand." Danny was worried about his friend and whether he would be able to endure the continuing rigors of the race. As the train headed to the north, Teams tried to relax and did their best to catch some sleep. At 5:50 am, the train made its way into Chiang Mai. Teams rushed outside, searching for taxis to Mueng Kut. Blake & Paige got the first taxi out of the station. Leaving the other Teams behind, Blake felt confident in their driver's ability, "This guy speaks English and he knows right where to go." Mary & Peach and Oswald & Danny decided to share a taxi. Behind them, the rest of the Teams grabbed taxis and headed off in pursuit. Gary & Dave were first to make it to the Mueng Kut Old Bridge. Hot on their tails were Mary & Peach and Oswald & Danny. Gary & Dave rushed up and grabbed the next clue envelope, containing a Detour challenge that involved two separate ways of traveling a mile and a half down river to the next clue. "Boat" involved traveling on a faster bamboo raft down the unpredictable river, using long poles to navigate. "Beast" involved a surer, yet slower ride on the back of an elephant down a path running alongside the river. It was up to the Teams to determine which option was quicker. Mastering the bamboo raft on the "Boat" option could allow for the Team to pick up speed. The elephant in the "Beast" option was likely to travel at a steady speed, but that speed would be entirely determined by how fast the elephant felt like walking. Both choices ended at a group of 4x4s, which had the next clue sitting atop their windshields. Gary & Dave immediately decided on the bamboo raft. Mary also settled on the "Boat" Detour choice. Mary felt the quickest route had to be by water. She also convinced Oswald & Danny that the rafts were the better option. The three Teams rushed across the bridge and selected their bamboo rafts. Behind them, Blake looked at both options. "Definitely the boat," he told his sister. As they rushed to the river, two Teams--Tara & Wil and Chris & Alex--had yet to arrive at the Detour. On the river, Gary & Dave felt secure in their ability to remain in the lead. Mary & Peach, however, were making good time. Although Peach fell once, she quickly got back up and pushed forward. Behind them, Oswald & Danny struggled a bit while trying to control the long bamboo poles. They worked hard to keep the raft heading downriver. In the lead, Gary & Dave realized the sisters were gaining on them. "Girl power!" Mary shouted exultantly as they caught up to the leaders. They raced neck-and-neck down the river until, finally, the sisters passed Gary & Dave. Gary jokingly swiped at Mary & Peach's raft with his pole as the sisters slipped past. "We just got passed by a couple of girls," he noted, dejected. A little behind them, Oswald & Danny reached Blake & Paige. Just as they were about to pass their competitors, Oswald & Danny's boat got caught on some debris. Danny hopped out and pushed their raft off. The last two Teams, Chris & Alex and Tara & Wil, had also chosen the rafts. Running into a bridge, Tara & Wil yelled at one another about how they should steer the boat. Their raft headed sideways down the river. Slapping into a tree on the riverbank, Tara commented to her partner, "You're an idiot, man." She continued, "You don't know how to row a boat." The two unhappily chided one another. Ahead, Mary & Peach completed the raft Detour. They rushed to the vehicles and grabbed the next clue envelope. "Big things await at Mae Ping Village," read Peach. They learned they were to drive themselves thirteen miles along the back roads of Thailand to the village. "We're right behind them. We're right behind them!" Dave exclaimed as he saw Mary & Peach drive off down the dirt road. Gary & Dave grabbed the next vehicle and drove off after the sisters. Looking back at Gary & Dave from her car, Peach commented, "I can't believe we passed them. That was worth it all. Sweet, baby." Blake & Paige completed the rafting challenge in third, followed by Oswald & Danny in fourth. Chris & Alex finished next, leaving a frustrated Tara & Wil in last. Stunned that they were behind the rest of the Teams, Tara & Wil began to worry that their competitors might beat them. Elephant Wash Retaining their lead, Mary & Peach arrived first at Mae Ping Village. Peach cracked open the clue to discover they had reached a Roadblock. A Roadblock is a task that can only be performed by one member of the Team. In this Roadblock, the task involved washing traditional, colorful chalk markings off an elephant. The elephant master, called a mahout, would judge when the elephant was washed clean. Once the chalk was washed off to the mahout's satisfaction, he would hand the Roadblock participant his or her next clue. Mary volunteered for her Team. Rushing down to the river, she saw the enormous painted pachyderms lined up in the water. "These guys are huge!" she said as she picked out one of the six waiting elephants. As Mary washed off the colorful markings, she quipped, "I don't even scrub floors. And I'm scrubbing an elephant." Dave was the next Roadblock competitor to make it to the river. He attempted to make friends with his elephant as he scrubbed off the chalk. Blake was the next to arrive. The three Teams rushed to beat one another. Finally, a mahout gave Mary the nod and handed over the next clue envelope. She rushed up the riverbank to Peach. Right behind them was Dave, who had also finished. Mary ripped open the envelope to find their next destination was the Pit Stop, located at the Karen Village, a traditional community in the north of Thailand. As the two lead Teams drove off toward the village, Blake finished washing his elephant and returned to Paige. "That was nuts!" he told his sister. Oswald & Danny spotted the flag and arrived at the village fourth. "Oh, my god… I'm not doing this," Danny groaned as the Team picked up the Roadblock clue. "I guess I'm doing it," Oswald replied, discontented. A few minutes later, though, he was having a blast as he washed the elephant. As Danny cheered him on, he splashed off the few remaining chalk spots. Oswald finished and the Team received their clue. "I'm feeling competitive again," Oswald noted as they drove off toward the Pit Stop. Chris & Alex and Tara & Wil were the final Teams to arrive at the elephant. Wil and Alex decided to perform the Roadblock for their respective Teams. They splashed around the river as their teammates laughed and cheered them on. Alex finished first and headed back to Chris. Tara begged Wil to hurry. Wil completed the task and the Team headed off behind Chris & Alex. Race to the Pit Stop Two Teams, Mary & Peach and Gary & Dave, raced neck-and-neck toward the Pit Stop. From their vehicle, Mary & Peach spotted the race flags. They stopped the car and rushed into the village in first place. Right behind them, Gary & Dave checked in. A few minutes later, Blake & Paige showed up. The siblings stepped on the mat in good spirits. Blake explained, "We're Team number three, and hopefully we'll continue to climb. And if we do that, I think our chances of winning this thing are getting better every day." Oswald & Danny checked in fourth. Finding out their race standing, they hugged one another warmly. The friends from Miami were excited to still be kicking and to have survived another leg of the race. The last two Teams, Tara & Wil and Chris & Alex, were heading toward the Pit Stop. In the car, Tara studied the clue. She assumed that because the clue didn't mention that the last Team to arrive would be eliminated, this was most likely a non-elimination leg. The two Teams arrived at the Pit Stop simultaneously and walked toward the mat. Wil happened to be in front of the other Teams and stepped, along with Tara, on the mat. Host Phil Keoghan informed the Boston buddies that although they were last to step on the mat, this was a non-elimination leg and they would be able to stay in the race. Although relieved not to be eliminated, Chris & Alex were upset with Wil for having stepped on the mat first. They felt that since they had finished the Detour and the Roadblock before Tara & Wil, they earned the right to step on that mat first; Tara was quick to agree with her budding friends. Alex decided he would exact his revenge on Wil through Tara. "I think I'm just going to take his girl. Just for him stepping in front, he's going to have to learn a lesson the hard way," Alex promised. Although no Team was eliminated during this non-elimination round, competition is at an all-time high as matters became personal between certain competitors.