Amazing Race Aviation Continuity Issues

Amazing Race - Unfinished Business - Episode 3

2011-03-06T19:05:00.007-06:00

The new episode starts with the teams in the Outback of Australia.

They have to go to Tokyo, Japan from Sydney, Australia

They showed a 747-400 taking off and flying, but showed a Boeing 767-300 landing; uugh...

There is a QF flight that arrives in Tokyo at 6:15a says one of the contestants.

A 6:00a arrival also exists connecting in HKG on Cathay Pacific they were debating what to do.

They showed them taking the Airport Line to the Airport which makes sense.

Yeah, its always hard to get access to that Free Internet Access kiosk in Sydney

I still hate when people say a Direct flight but they mean nonstop. How did this happen?

Direct Flight: Makes at least one stop with the same flight number

Nonstop Flight: Does not make any stops

Its a calculated risk that there are no issues in Hong Kong with the connection

LOL; the agent says "Generally not an issue" hehe...

Nonstop

showed a QF oneworld Boeing 747-400 airplane at the gate

Showed what looked like a 4-engined plane taking off

They showed a 777 landing in what should be Narita-Japan. This is obviously not the 744 that took off.

Connection:Five teams on the earlier flight

showed 777 taking off

Cathay flight is delayed

LOL

Looks like they got delayed in SYD for a mechanical

Showed an Airbus landing 1.5 hours late in Narita.

The parking lot is quite cool :-)...

The took a very long time to get this one done.

Even the enthusiasm of the Japanese were waned...

I think Mel and Mike is out... the paramedics had to come for them.

Phil had an umbrella to welcome Margie and Luke and

then Jaime and Cara who thought they were eliminated, but alas they were not.

So lastly Mel and Mike arrived last and they were eliminated.

Amazing Race - Unfinished Business - Episode 2

2011-02-27T19:02:00.006-06:00

This week, the show is competing agains the Academy Awards in Los Angeles, CA, so I'll be switching channels.

It opens with Jet & Cord trying to figure out the clue from last week's episode.

Meanwhile at Shelly Beach Manly, Australia, the other teams are heading back to Sydney where they'll be taking a charter flight to Broken Hill. Apparently, only the first 6 teams can do this.

14 minutes in, Jet & Cord arrives at the Pit Stop.

Again et & Cord could not find the "To Sail to Stop" clue.

They boarded a Regional Express (REX)-operated Saab 340. The interior matched and they did show the correct airplane takeoff and land. it was kind of difficult to screw this one up :-).

Here is some information on Broken Hill.

This is the route they took.

At the Pit Stop in Junction Mine

Sve and Justin were the first to arrive who won a trip to Cancun, Mexico at the Fiesta Americana; cool place, I've stayed there once
Flight Time and Big Easy
Jet and Cord
Kisha and Jen
Margie and Luke
Mel and Mike [Mike looks older than his dad]
Kent and Vyxsin
Jaime and Cara
Gary and Mallory
Ron and Christina
last place music plays - Amanda and Kris were last to arrive and as such they are eliminated - Good riddance!

Amazing Race - Unfinished Business - Episode I

2011-02-20T19:00:00.012-06:00

So, the 11 losers are back and they start in Palm Springs, CA

The Losers are:

Jet and Cord
Margie and Luke
Amanda and Chris
Flight Time & Big Easy - Harlem Globetrotters
Mel and Mike
Kent and Vixen
Gary and Mallory
Keisha and Jen
Sev and Justin
Ron and Christina
Jamie and Kara

These are the same annoying people we got to watch in the past and now have to put up with once more...

Will be interesting to see which of these losers lose first tonight.

The first team to check-in tonight at the pitstop will win an Express Pass - Use it skip a challenge in the future.

Different rules this time around. First clue is in Phil's hand. Must find something in the desert

First 8 teams will be on first flight

The rest on the second flight that lands 90 minutes later

The last team to complete the challenge will get a U turn.

They will be driving

They are looking for "QANTAS" Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services is the clue from Phil.

So they will be flying to Sydney or melbourne from LAX on Qantas (QF).

Finally a few of them figured it out; the first 8 are:

Mel & Mike
Zev & Justin
Jet & Cord
Kent Vyxsin
Ron & Christina
Flight Time & Big Easy
Margie & Luke
Jaime and Cara

Second Flight

Kishan & Jen
Gary & Mallory
Amanda & Kris - got the automatic penalty - the 'U' Turn

Palm Springs to LAX is not too much of a bad drive

So they are going to Sydney on LAX "Once in a Lifetime Opportunity, Again," says Jet & Cord, seriously!

This means the fist 8 get to go on the A380 and the others on the 747-400. I'd prefer to be on the A380. QF12 at 10:25p

From: Los Angeles (LAX)
To: Sydney (SYD)
Date: February 20, 2011

Result: 2 Routes

Depart		Arrive		Duration	Flight Numbers	Meals	Aircraft
LAX	10:25pm	SYD	8:25am+2	15h00m	Qantas12	RM	388
LAX	11:50pm	SYD	9:25am+2	14h35m	Qantas108	RM	744

Meal Codes: B:Breakfast, C:Alcoholic Beverages - Complimentary, D:Dinner, F:Food for Purchase, H:Hot Meal, K:Continental Breakfast, L:Lunch, M:Meal, O:Cold Meal, P:Alcoholic Beverages for Purchase, R:Refreshments, S:Snack or Brunch

They can't even spell Qantas; someone spelled it as "Quantas".

Showed a Boeing 747-400 taking off

showed another 747-400 taking off.

This may have been done when QF had issues with the Airbus A380 and used Boeing 747-400s instead.

On the first plane, a guy had a heart attack and they landed in Hawaii to take care of him.

They showed a 737-400 landing in SYD.

Then showed a 744 landing in SYD when they talked about the teams being on their way.

QF108 landed first, they showed a Boeing 747-400.

Its amazing the Oprah influence; people kept saying "We're going to Australia!"

Then they showed a Boeing 737-400 landing with the second folks. Seriously, they did board a Boeing 747-400.

Looks very familiar. That airport train is really expensive; I love Sydney though.

Gary & Mallory won the Express pass as they were the first to arrive at the Pit Stop, but they are still racing.
Amanda & Chris
Kisha & Jen
-
-
-
-
-
Mel & Mike
Kent & Vyxsin

Jet & Cord can't figure it out...It continues next week.

Amazing Race All Stars - Episode 11

2007-04-29T21:44:00.000-05:00

Aired April 29, 2007

The race at the 11th Pit stop in Macau, China
Dustin and Kandace left at 2:15a
The next clue was to fly to Guam
My trusty schedule at www.cruisinaltitude.com showed the following choices:
· 7:55am 8:25pm NRT 10h30m JAL730/Continen7 M/D 777/738
· 8:30am 8:25pm NRT 9h55m NWA2/Continen7 /D 744/738
· 9:10am 8:25pm NRT 9h15m Cathay504/Continen7 /D 744/738
· 9:15am 8:25pm NRT 9h10m HKDrago360/Continen7 /D 330/738
· 9:40am 8:25pm NRT 8h45m ANA912/Continen7 M/D 763/738
When describing the task, they show a Boeing 747 taking off from below and another Boeing 747 landing. I was unable to determine the carriers.

Charla and Mirna left at 2:50a
Oswald and Danny left at 3:06a
The blonds got on the first ferry

At 4:37a Oswald and Danny left and got the 6:30a ferry
At the airport Dustin and Kandace tried to get a flight.
They got Cathay Pacific (CX) to Guam via Tokyo departing at 9:05a and arriving at 9:50p
Charla and Mirna called on the phone and made reservations and picked up the tickets at the airport.
So I think Danny and Oswald should get this same flight.

All the three other teams so far are on the same flight
They showed a CX Boeing 747-400 at the gate while showing Oswald and Danny running through the airport.
They did show the interior of the CX plane with Eric and Danielle seated.
Oswald and Danny were late, so they missed the 9:05a.
They then showed a flight attendant closing the door to an airplane followed by a Cathay Pacific Airbus A330 taking off.

The next flight for Oswald and Danny at 10:15a which makes the same connection in Tokyo-Narita, Japan (NRT). They will have 45 minutes to make the connection.
They then showed a CX Boeing 747-400 at the gate followed by a CX Boeing 747-400 taking off. It was great that they showed a map of the racers going from Hong Kong to Tokyo and then to Guam.
They then showed a United Airlines (UA) Boeing 747-400 landing in what I assume to be Tokyo-Narita.

Three teams were aboard. They were all connecting to Continental Airlines (CO) 7 to GUM at 17:05. They showed them checking in and getting their boarding passes.
They then showed a Cathay Pacific Boeing 747-400 landing with Oswald and Danny aboard. They showed them heading to the Continental Airlines check-in counter.
The flight was boarding so they had to really hurry.
They then cut away to a Continental Airlines Boeing 767-400ER sitting at the gate and then cut away to the interior of a Continental Airlines Boeing 737-800.

The flight looked pretty empty as they waited for the others to arrive. They showed Oswald and Danny running to the lane and cut away to an engine of a plane running.
They showed a Continental Boeing 767-400 at the gate a few times, but the interior shot was that of a Continental Boeing 737-800.

All four teams made the connecting flight to Guam.
They then showed a Boeing 777 taking off; I was unable to discern the carrier.
They showed an airplane landing as well, but I was unable to tell which airline it was.
They had to wait until the next morning at 7:00a to meet their military escort as they were going onto a military base. So they could have caught the last flight in and still would have had enough time to get there at 7:00a. The last connection choice would have arrived at 4:30a the next day.

Once in Guam, they had a detour, they had to clean the plane or drop a care package
Charla and Mirna did the care package while all the others did the other task the blonds were first to finish cleaning the plane drive to the US naval base in Guam where they will be driven to the next clue
Then Eric and Daniele were next. Charla and Mirna were trying to rush the landing of the flight
Oswald and Danny were now done; then the plane land and the girls ran off the plane
All four of them are on their way to the naval base now Charla and Mirna was lost

Next clue Road Block
Do a naval search and rescue mission
Kandace and Dustiin were first; Dustin did the task
Then Eric and Danielle; Danielle did it
Oswald and Danny lost asked a taxi to lead them
Mirna and Charla were next to arrive; the Charla did it
Dustin was first to get to the landing zone
Now drive to the next pit stop at Fort Soledad, the last team to check in will be eliminated
Dustin and Kandace were the first to arrive and they are in the final for $1M
They also each won an all terrain vehicle

Danielle was the next to get picked up
Then Charla gets picked up by the helicopter
The Oswald gets picked up by the helicopter
so they are close now Charla landed first
then Oswald
Eric and Danielle were team #2 to arrive and are in the final
Charla and Mirna were team #3
So Oswald and Danny get to go home...
Karma is a bitch!

Amazing Race All Stars - Episode 10

2007-04-22T22:05:00.000-05:00

Aired on April 22, 2007

The show started in Hong Kong at the Hong Kong Jockey Club (#10 pit stop)
Oswald and Danny left at 3:41a
The clue was to travel by Turbo ferry to Macau in China; they each have $73 they have for this leg of the race.

Dustin and Kandace left at 5:23a
Go to the Macau Tower is the next clue; there is a Yield ahead
When Oswald and Danny got there, they realized that the Tower opened at 10:00a, I hate that; this means that most of the others will catch up.
At 7:06a Charla and Myrna left
Danny and Oswald told Dustin and Kandace that if they don't pay them they will Yield them
The girls conferred for a bit and decided to pay then $45 if they used the Yield on Eric and Danielle instead of them. The boys accepted the deal as they were running low on money.
At 9:31a Eric and Danielle

By now, Myrna and Charla had joined the other two teams.
The ride they had to do for the clue did not open until 11a.
Charla offered Oswald and Danny money, but since they had bribed the others they declined it
The top of the Tower is on the 61st floor; so they had to take the elevator up there.
A Road Block is the next clue - Walk around the outer rim of the Observation Deck and jump off the building; Kandace, Danny and Charla did it.
The next clue is to take a taxi to Lou Lim Yoc Garden to find the next clue
Eric and Danielle was just arriving when the blonds were leaving
Oswald told Myra that they yielded Eric and Danielle, and Myrna said that they would have given them money if they had asked.
Eric and Danielle were not too happy about being yielded
Eric gave Danny the finger as they passed him waiting in the distance.

Danny jumped off the tower next
Then Charla jumped off
Oswald and Danny got to the next clue first
It was a Detour
Noodle or Dragon
Make noodles in a restaurant or Find a dragon head and drum and take to the boat

Myrna and Charla had trouble driving the mini moke as neither knew how to drive a stick shift
Dustin and Kandace were the first team to arrive at the Pit Stop; they won a wave runner each
Eric and Danielle were the second to arrive, so now they have to wait a half an hour before being checked in.
Charla and Myrna were the third to arrive, but were team number 2 since Eric and Danielle had a penalty
Oswald and Danny were lost a bit and now there was ten minutes to go with Eric and Danielle
As time ticked Eric and Danielle were quite nervous, but it was time to check-in so they were team #3 to arrive
Oswald and Danny were the last team to arrive and since this was the last non-elimination leg they are still in the race, but with the 30 minute penalty for the race. Karma will get you every time...

Amazing Race Allstar - Episode 9

2007-04-15T22:43:00.000-05:00

Aired on April 15, 2007

Dustin and Kandace left at 12:28a

The new clue is to fly to Hong Kong; here are the choices that I got:

Some Thai airways flights over Bangkok, Singapore Airlines over Singapore and Malaysia Airlines.

They show a Singapore Airlines (SQ) Boeing 747 landing as well as an ANA Boeing 747-400 landing; both the wrong airplane for this segment of the race.

At 1:29a Charla and Myrna left followed by Danny and Oswald at 2:19a.

All the teams had trouble getting out of Malaysia

Oswald and Danny got out first.

A vocal fight ensued between Dustin and Charla about their position on the standby list

Oswald and Danny gave Charla and Myrna their position on the list, but Dustin and Kandace thought that was unfair, so they were debating with the ticket agent about it.

Dustin and Kandace got on the flight next and then Myrna and Charla got on that same flight

9:05a was the next flight via Ho Chi Minh City arriving at 3:20a

A Malaysia Airlines (MH) Airbus A330 was shown taking off, then they showed a MH B737 taking off with whom I thought were the four girls.

Then they showed a Cathay Pacific (CX) A330 landing with Oswald and Danny

The next clue was a Fast Forward - the second one of two

It was to participate in an action packed stunt sequence

At 12:55p they showed Charla arriving in Kuala Lumpur International (KUL) with Dustin and Kandace

Oswald and Danny completed the Fast Forward, then had to drive to the Hong Kong Jockey Club as the next clue.

They have to bring the gnome they encountered with the next clue with them

Eric and Danielle finally arrived after the others have already started the tasks

Myrna went on the wrong Ferry sadly

Oswald said they only had $20 left and they had to spend it to pay the toll.

Candace did the road block; kicking down doors

Oswald and Danny were first to arrive at the pit stop and won a travel package to Hong Kong to celebrate the Chinese News Year

Candace found the clue in the house where she was kicking down the doors and must now drive to Victoria Park for the next clue.

They did that and then got the clue to drive to the next pits spot at the Hong Kong Jockey Club

Charla did the door kick in one

By now, Eric and Daniele completed the karate kick clue and headed for the kick down the doors exercise

Dustin and Kandace were the second team to arrive at the pit stop with the gnome

Then Charla found the next clue

Eric did the kick down the doors deal

Then Charla and Myrna got the gnome in the boat and headed for the Jockey Club for the pit stop

Eric and Danielle were just getting to the park after Charla left

then Eric and Danielle had to go to the Jockey Club

Myrna and Charla were trying to find the club

Eric asked for directions

Charla and Myrna were #3

So Eric and Danielle were the last team to arrive but it was not an elimination round, so they were saved; however, for the next round they stood the chance to be eliminated as they have a 30 minute penalty.

Amazing Race All Stars - Episode 5

2007-03-26T20:48:00.000-05:00

Aired - Sunday, March 18, 2007

I missed the original air time as I was delayed in returning home so a friend of mine taped it for me.

The show started at Ushuaia, Argentina, the southernmost city in the world; Funny as neighboring Punta Arenas, Chile also stakes this claim. Ushuaia is the 4th pit stop for the race.

The others were shocked that Rob and Amber were no longer in the race, but were also glad they were gone.

Oswald and Danny were the first to depart at 12:02a

They had to use a device to find an avalanche beacon which is buried with their next clue at Marshall Glacier.

At 12:06a Eric and Danielle departed, followed by Terri and Ian at 1:04a, Joe & Bill at 1:55a, 1:58a Dustin and Kandace at 1:58a, Uchena and Joyce at 2:38a and finally at 2:41a, Myrna and Charla. It is so much easier now to keep track of everyone.

The ski lift to the glacier opened at 8a so everyone caught up; it is kind of pointless when they do this; I think they should let them enter the Glacier based on the same time intervals that they had departed the pit stop.

Joe and Bill were first to find the beacon with the next clue which was to fly to Maputo, Mozambique (MPM). They then showed an Austral MD80 taking off and then showed an airplane with winglets in flight landing; possibly a Boeing 737; good grief at least show the same aircraft landing that you show departing.

Teams had to use a travel agency to buy tickets as they could not buy the international tickets at the Ushuaia airport (USH). They then showed an airport with a Qantas A330 at the gate...I am pretty sure that was not Ushuaia. In case the contestants could not find an earlier flight, they were all given tickets for the last flight to Maputo.

Uchena and Joyce were the next to find the clue.

Terri and Ian were #4
Charla and Myrna were #5
Dustin and Kandace #6
Oswald and Danny were last to find the clue
There was a flight departing at 9:40a which Oswald, Danny, Terri and Ian were able to get.

At one point you could see the reservations as the camera panned across the printer, but it was fuzzed out.

The next shot showed them in the interior of an Aerolineas Argentinas (AR) plane showing a 2-2 First class configuration with coats being hung at the back of First class. Then, an Aerolineas Argentinas Boeing 747-400 (744) was shown taxiing and then showed a MD80 (M80) taking off; it is the same plane they showed when they talked about flying to Maputo initially.

I must congratulate them though on showing the full routing of the trip:

Ushuaia, Argentina (USH) to Buenos Aires to
Argentina (EZE) to Sao Paulo to
Brazil (GRU) to Johannesburg, South Africa (JNB) to
Maputo, Mozambique (MPM).

Then they showed a Boeing 737-200 landing in what was possibly Maputo. The next image shown was the Maputo airport sign with African music playing in the background and then the Boeing 737-200 again. The airline is LAM a local airline in Maputo with its Web site visible on the side of the plane as www.lam.co.mz as they disembarked and started running. The aircraft's registered was BAI (Lurino).

After landing, they all got a car with a driver provided; the next clue was a road block:

Who smells a rat

Then they had a detour

Pamper: go to the market and convince people to paint their nails

Porter: fill 10 large 45lb bags with coal

Fortaleza is the next pit stop

Myrna and Charla in first place as they finished the task first - nail painting, they won a trip for two from Travelocity to Aruba

Dustin and Kandice were #2
Terri and Ian were #3
Oswald & Danny #4
Phil said he was surprised they went for the coal
Joe and Bill #5
Eric and Danielle #6; Eric said they got beat by a bunch of queens (referring to Joe and Bill)

Uchena and Joyce were the last to arrive; this not an elimination round though, but the bad news is that they must arrive 1st at the next pit stop or they have a 30-minute penalty.

Amazing Race All Stars - Episode 3

2007-03-05T21:50:00.000-06:00

Aired - Sunday, March 4, 2007

There are now nine teams remaining

They were in the Valley of the Dead at the second Pit Stop
Rob and Amber departed at 11:39p

The next clue was to drive to San Pedro de Atacama for the next clue.
At 12:18a Oswald and Danny left.

When Rob and Amber got to San Pedro de Atacama, the clue is to fly to Puerto Montt. As they explained that a LAN Chile Airbus A320 in the new LAN Chile livery was shown taking off. Then a LAN Boeing 737-200 was shown landing. It was also in new colors

Joe and Bill next to depart, followed at 12:33a by Eric and Danielle, then at
12:34a Uchena and Joyce,
12:48a Dustin and Kandice,
12:50a Teri and Ian,
Charla and Mirna were next
12:55a David and Mary

Calama, Chile (CJC) is the nearest airport to Puerto Montt, Chile (PMC), however there are no nonstops flights, so they had to connect via Santiago, Chile (SCL). There is also another flight that connected via Antofagasta (ANF), Chile.

Rob and Amber found a travel agency and bought tickets to Puerto Montt arriving at 12:55p. All the others camped out at the LAN ticket counter at the Calama airport.

Uchena and Joyce thought about booking the tickets online, for the first four teams that had first arrived at the airport. They left to find an Internet kiosk which they did. However, they did not get the security codes for the cards of two of them.

By the time the counter opened, only the flight arriving at 1:55p was available for all the others.

Eric and Danielle were able to get on that 12:55p flight as well.

They then cut away to a LAN Boeing 767-300 taking off to show they were leaving from from Calama which should have been an Airbus A319 and then they showed another Boeing 767-300 landing at Santiago, Chile (SCL); of course should have been another Airbus A319.

At the airport they got on the standby list for the earlier flight; they quickly showed a Boeing 767-300 taxing at SCL.

Unfortunately, the flight was checked in full, so none of them could stand by for it.
They then showed a LAN Boeing 767-300 taking off at 11:15a, then an A320 taking off and landing as the first flight; aargh.

1st. flight
Rob and Amber
Uchena and Joyce
Joe and Bill
Eric and Danielle

2nd flight
All the others

Next clue
Road Block
Fish Farming - catch 80 fish and find clue at the bottom of the tank
Amber
Danielle - freaking out as Eric yelled at her
Joe did it
Uchena did it
Danny did it
Kandice did it
David did it, although Mary says he is afraid of fish

Uchena is first to finish

Clue - drive 50 miles to Petra La Maquina for the next clue

Joe was next to finish

Then Mirna arrived and did her clue
Then Amber and Rob was done
Then Eric and Danielle was done
Dustin and Kandice was done next
Then David and Mary were done next considering he was afraid of the fish
Oswald and Danny were done next
Then Teri and Ian
Charla and Mirna left last

Rob and Amber arrived first at the location for the next clue
Then Eric and Danielle arrived.

The next Clue is a Detour:
River wild - 2.5 mile white water rafting and get the full clue
Vertical Limit - 40' rock climb and get 1/2 clue at the top; they never explained how they would get the other half, but I guess the ½ clue would tell you how to do that.

Dustin and Kandice are doing the wrong thing it seems as they did not pick up the clue, they just went down the river, then picked up the clue at the end…I am sure they will get into trouble for that later.

Rob and Amber got the clue first as they finished the white water rafting.
It read: Drive 3.5 miles to Playa Petrohue which is the next pit stop.

Again Rob and Amber were the first to arrive and each won a full home gym; this is getting tiresome with them winning all the legs; Rob did comment that he was hope they won the 13th and final leg as that is the one that really counts.
Uchena and Joyce were #2
Eric and Danielle were #3
So Dustin and Kandice were the 4th team to arrive, but they did not pick up all their clues so they had to go back; they did not pick up the clue for the Road Block. They then went back and got it, and arrived as the official team #4 to arrive; no one came in during all that time – weird.
Oswald and Danny were #5
Teri and Ian were #6
Joe and Bill were #7
Charla and Mirna #8
So David and Mary are last, now what?
The music is somber as they arrive as team #9 and they were eliminated!

It is time they get out of Chile now...

Amazing Race 10 - Episode 13 (The Finale)

2006-12-11T00:45:00.000-06:00

I was actually home to watch this one and also taped it to ensure that I got all the cool stuff.

Aired December 10, 2006

The race started at: 25 after the hour due to the football game going over.
Phil recapped the episodes and prepared us for the final two hours where one team will win $1M and the race

From the 11th pit stop in Barcelona, Spain, Rob and Kim left at 11:09p
The clue is to go to the Sagrada Familla to find their next clue
It’s been under construction for the last 124 years; they do not know that this is the building they want. They asked the locals, found out the name and then took a cab there.

Having arrived second, Lyn and Karlyn left at 11:24p. They asked two boys for directions to the church. Funny how people were still up and about at that time of the night.

Rob and Kim could not find the clue as usual.

At 11:53p James and Tyler left and saw three girls and asked for directions.

Then Rob and Kim found the clue finally.

As Phil explained the next leg of the trip, they showed a Boeing 777 from behind flying; nice shot! It could have been an Air France aircraft or a Continental aircraft. The clue is to fly to Paris, France to the Eiffel Tower for their next clue.

They then got a cab and went to the airport. I’m sure they have to wait until the net morning to get a flight, since it was so late.

Then James and Tyler got to the airport. They got to the airport at 1a and the desk opened at 4a. So they all had to wait

James and Tyler argued about checking for an Internet café and one said why bother, then settled down on the floor to sleep with the others.

Now Bama finally found the clue box and hailed a cab for the airport.

They looked at the boards and saw a few flight choices.

Vueling.com at 6a to Paris
Iberia at 7:25a to Paris

As the windows opened they all tried to buy tickets, but there were only three seats left on that first flight and Rob and Kim got the first two.

One seat left for the 6a and Tyler and James were next, but they needed two seats of course, so they have to get a different flight. The lady told them to go to Air France in Terminal A. Odd as I thought that would be where they would have gone first; geez…

So Bama started to walk over to Iberia, while Rob and Kim got on the first flight with 1:05 minutes lead.

Bama got the 7:25a flight to Paris’ arriving at their second airport, Orly at 9:05a using Iberia; can’t find that flight in my schedules… The girls did ask which one is closer to the Eiffel Tower and the agent said Orly, which is true.

James and Tyler argued about the fact that they could have done something last night as opposed to just sleep and wait for the ticket office to open; oh well, hindsight is 20/20.
Then they got on the 7:05a arriving at 9:00a into Charles De Gaulle on Air France.

Rob and Kim were shown boarding a Vueling.com’s Airbus A320, they then showed them settling in inside the interior of the plane.

As they showed Flight 1 at 6:00 a.m., an American Airlines Boeing 757-200 was shown taking off! Holy cow, what happened to the Vueling.com Airbus A320 they just boarded?

Next they showed the two boys getting on an Air France Airbus aircraft as Flight 2 at 7:05a and showed an A318 taking off, but the scheduled flight is actually an A321. There was also a British Airways Airbus A319 landing as well.

They then showed Bama heading out to a parked Iberia Airbus A319 on a bus on their way to Orly. Then showed them settling in onboard as then as Flight 3 at 7:25a.

So Phil says all three teams are now on their way to Paris, France and once they land, they have to make their way to the third floor of the Eiffel Tower where they will find their next clue, and they showed an Air France Boeing 747-400 landing; nice, but could they at least show one of the types they took off with?

When he mentioned Flight 1 arriving at Paris Charles de Gaulle, they showed an MD-80 landing. Then showed Rob and Kim taking the RER B into the city as it was faster than taking a cab and less costly as well.

For Flight 2, they showed an Air France Boeing 777 taxiing at Charles de Gaulle airport; then they showed Tyler and James asking airport employees for the faster way to the city. They agree that the train is the way to go, but there was a long line to get tickets, which is usually the case at De Gaulle depending on when you arrive; especially early morning.

Next they showed what I think is an Iberia Airbus A320 landing at Orly, then showed the two girls walking down the jet way and getting a cab into the city.

Lyn and Karlyn arrived first
Followed by Ron and Kim

The new clue is to take the train from the St. Lazare station to Caen airport for the next clue.

Finally Tyler and James arrived and got the last clue and headed for St. Lazare

Ron and Kim took the Metro after asking directions while Lyn Karlyn took a taxi.
So did James and Tyler as they were really running behind now.

The train to Caen was at12:25p.
Ron caught up with Bama and now they are all on the same train to Caen

In Caen they all took a cab to the airport for the next clue.

Road block: fly to 13,000’ and one team member do a tandem skydive and then a surprise aerial nose dive to Omaha beach. Then be taken by jeep to meet their partner
James and Tyler were first; Tyler will jump.
Then Bama
Then Rob and Kim arrived crashing into the clue box

So Rob is bummed as he wanted to do the skydive, but it is Kim’s turn
So is Kim as she wanted him to get that opportunity.

All teams suited up and headed aloft for the task.

James and Tyler’s team were first

Then Bama (Karlyn jumping)

Then Rob and Kim (Kim jumped)

Once on the ground, they went to the train station to meet their partner

Jams and Tyler were first to reach the ground; the new clue is to head by train back to Paris for 163 miles, to Place de la Concorde for the next clue

James and Tyler at 5:33p arriving at 7:37p
Then Bama
Then Rob and Kim
Now they are all on the same train
Rob and Kim had to change money at the post office into Euro so they went to the post office 10 minutes away as they had time; will they miss the train?

A train showed up and they (Bama and the boys) took a train at 5:10p
When Rob and Kim showed up they wondered where they all went

So then the 5:23p train showed up. Did the others take the wrong train?
So there were two trains and now they are caught up at the connecting station arriving in Paris at the same time

In Paris, finding a taxi was a chore as usual
Bama first
Rob and Kim second
As Tyler and James waited
Finally they got one

Bama arrived first
But Rob and Kim found the clue first.

Art – pickup a painting and take it to an artist
Fashion – create a jacket at a fashion school

Rob and Kim asked for direction to the fashion place
Bama showed the fashion as well

Then James and Tyler arrived.

Now all three are doing the fashion assignment

Bama was the last to arrive.

Finally James and Tyler finished and got the clue.

The clue is to fly to New York, NY and go to find the giant globe in a building for their next clue. New York would be the last stop.

They showed from underneath, a Boeing 747 taking off when they talked about NY,
I think it belonged to Air France.

Then Bama got it completed

Rob and Kim were last.

So Bama went to Orly in error; NO!!! I shouted. They thought that the other teams have no idea about Orly, so they may have an advantage; WRONG!

Then Ron and Kim are on the way to Charles de Gaulle and are arguing as usual
They, the boys arrived at Terminal 2C

The first flight is at 8:25a no seats in Economy though; they went on the waiting list, but did buy a ticket on Continental at 9:55a arriving into Newark at 11:55a.

So now Bama is at Orly and find out they have to go to CDG

I wonder what time they arrived as there are pm flights.

Finally Rob and Kim arrived late as it was dark. Rob and Kim asked and they got seats on that 8:25a Air France; I wonder how that happened?

But they could have flown to a connecting city; London and taken a British Airways or Virgin Atlantic late flight into New York. I guess they were not thinking. It is hard as I am not sure what time they arrived at the airport. Even then they could have gone to London and took an early flight the next morning from London to New York and still arrived at the same time as the Air France flight.

The next day, we saw Bama and the boys are waiting to get on the 8:25a flight
Footage showed a Continental 777 taxing a well as an Air France flight.

James and Tyler were called to the desk and got two boarding passes
Bama did not get on and had to take the Continental flight that arrived later, thus sealing their fate.

Rob and Kim had the look of death on their face when they saw the boys boarding…

They then showed a Continental Boeing 777 taking off though although they were on board an Air France aircraft; an Airbus A340 I think.

Then they showed Lyn and Karlyn at the Continental Airlines ticket counter getting their tickets.

Then they showed an Air France Boeing 777 landing, but it was actually landing in Paris Charles de Gaulle, although they were supposed to be in NY.

Then they showed an American Airlines agent opening the door to an American Airlines plane, then showed Rob and Kim running in an airport.

Now Rob and Kim are following James and Tyler to the News Building.

James & Tyler’s cab tried to lose them, but that did not work. At the toll bridge, Rob and Kim’s taxi did not have an easy pass, so they lost them. However, the cabbie did know where the globe was.

James and Tyler arrived their first. The new clue is to go to east village and fine the Alamo sculpture shown in the picture and find a woman in a yellow cap who will give them their next clue. They were at 42nd street and have to go to 8th on foot!

Then Rob and Kim arrived.

They both stopped and asked for directions.

A guy told them that it was at 3rd avenue and 8th street

James and Tyler arrived there first.

Next clue take a cab 56 miles to Garrison in Putnam county to St. Basil Academy where the first to arrive will win 1M dollars.

The first cabbie did not know where the place was.

No sign of Bama at this time.

Then Rob and Kim arrived and found a cabbie that knows where is the address.
The driver got directions as he drove to figure out where to go.

So the cabs arrive and we don’t know who the winners are but I think it is James and Tyler ahead of Rob and Kim.

And so it is they run in and all the other contestants are waiting and cheering them on.

Phil says:

4 continents
13 countries
40,000 miles
James and Tyler you are the official winners of the Amazing race

It is not a two-hour finale at all…

Now Rob and Kim came running in
Saying “Damn the boys won!”
The other racers cheered as they ran in.

Then Bama arrived, not sure how long after in tears.

Next Amazing Race All stars coming in February 2007.

Amaxing Race 10 - Episode 12

2006-12-08T21:46:00.000-06:00

Aired Sunday, December 3, 2006

I was out of town, so I missed the episode on Sunday; I tell you Sunday is a really bad day for this show…Luckily two of my friends religiously tape it, so I asked one of them to send it my way. Unfortunately, I missed one of them on his way out of the airport on Monday when I returned. They both uploaded it to my web site so I could watch it. Here goes…

In the review for the show, an Air France A318 was shown taking off from an airport when Phil mentioned the previous week’s Ukraine to Morocco trip. This was the same footage from last week’s show.

They started by showing a quick recap of last week’s show; at that point they had an icon on the screen promoting the finale on Dec. 10. go to http://www.aol.com/amazingrace, it said. I checked it stupidly, so now I know who got eliminated, but you won’t know until I am done…

First to depart were Tyler and James at 5:30a; the sun was already up so it must have been during the Summertime.
The new task is to drive 275 miles through the Atlas Mountains to Casablanca, Morocco where they have to go to a market to find the next clue.
The plan they echoed was: knock the Blonds out

Next it was Lyn and Karlyn (Bama) who left at 5:31a who also have a plan to get rid of the Blonds.

Next with $295 for this leg (just like the others), Rob and Kim departed at 5:47a. Surprisingly they were not arguing, but it is early yet.

Dustin and Kandice (the Blonds) left last at 6:16a. worrying about the 30 minute penalty that may meet them.

Tyler and James stopped and asked for directions, so did Lyn and Karlyn and Rob jumped out at the light to ask for directions.
The Blonds stopped and picked up a guy who took them there.
James and Tyler arrived first and got their clue.

It is a Road Block: Get in touch with their inner chef; good Lord they have to eat something again?
Get a pound of camel meat, cook it and then eat it. At least it is cooked this time.
James did the eating.

Then the Blonds arrived while Lyn and Karlyn stopped and asked a cab driver whom they then followed. The Blonds were next to find the clue and they found a kid to show them the way. Meanwhile Rob was still asking for directions. The Blonds then showed up and started cooking.

A few minutes after, James finished eating and got the next clue, which was to fly to Barcelona, Spain (BCN). They then showed what looked like an A321 from Air France taking off and then another Airbus aircraft flying; the scene was of the left engine seen outside of an aircraft window.

Iberia, Royal Air Maroc have nonstop service, while Air France has service over Lyon and Paris, France. Alitalia also has service over Milan and Rome, Italy.

The girls continued to cook.
Rob and Kim were still looking for the parking place.

As James and Tyler left, they ran over the parking cones. Rob and Kim were of course lost once more. If they win this race, it will be a miracle and the other teams in the race must have gotten lost as well.

Lyn and Karlyn just arrived and started looking for the place.
Rob and Kim argued while trying to find the place.

Next Dustin and Kandice were done and left. Stupidly Rob and Kim followed the Blonds thinking they had just arrived.

Lyn and Karlyn had no luck either.

Finally Rob sees the clue box and dashes over followed by Lyn and Karlyn.
Kim decided to do the Road Block

James and Tyler were the first to get to the airport and were told to make their way to the Royal Air Maroc ticket counter

Lyn and Karlyn (arguing) finished eating before Rob and Kim, so they headed for the airport.

Then the Blonds arrived at the airport and asked Tyler and James if they would let them arrive at the mat first; of course they said no and rightly so, the audacity.

The boys got their tickets first, followed by the Blonds, then Lyn and Karlyn showed up followed by Rob and Kim. All on AT962 codesharing with Iberia as IB7962 departing at 16:30 (4:30p).

They then showed passengers boarding (by stairs) a Royal Air Maroc (AT) Boeing 737-400 and then showed an Air France (AF) Boeing 777 taking off as Phil narrated the next leg of the journey. Good grief; this was the same aircraft they had shown before and I though it was an Airbus aircraft; but I saw the three truck wheels on the landing gear and recognized it as a Boeing 777.

In Barcelona, they showed an Iberia Airbus A319 landing. As they got out of the terminal, everyone bolted for the taxi stand.

So despite all the rush, they arrived after the closing time of 7:30p, so they had to wait until the opening time at 10:00a the next morning; I swear the producers plan this perfectly…

In the morning just before opening, the Blonds asked two construction workers who were just outside of the maze, to order a cab for them for 10:05a.

Bama were still arguing from the night before and mentioned that maybe they should get a cab as well, but did nothing about it, while Kim ordered two cabs for themselves plus Rob and Tyler.

Rob and Tyler found the clue first after they all pretty much collided while trying to find the clue, then Rob and Kim found the clue.

The next task is a Detour: Lug it – travel by taxi to Los Ramblos then put on a giant costume then walk back to a square and find a giant lady.

Or Lob it - Take a taxi to partake in the tomato fight, where they will find a clue.
Lyn and Karlyn were last to find the clue, but first to get out of the park as they walked another way to get out; smart.

There was a little taxi confusion as there were only enough cabs for the Blonds and Ron and Kim.

Lyn and Karlyn and James and Tyler had a hard time getting a cab; not sure why they did not just ask the guys who were standing around to call one for them?

Soon Lyn and Karlyn hailed a cab successfully.

Rob and Kim arrived at the tomatoes and while they started to look for the clue, the locals threw tomatoes at them, which is the objective of the task. Kim wanted to leave, but Rob wanted to stay, as he pummeled the people throwing the tomatoes. So Kim stormed off and started shouting at Rob, but continued searching reluctantly.

Meanwhile the Blonds found the giant statues and donned them.

Kim continued to cry and quit once more and stormed off; so Rob, annoyed left with her.

So they argued and then returned to the tomatoes as the alternate task was 20 km away and they would waste too much time trying to get there. In what seemed like a few minutes they found the clue after being pelted some more with tomatoes by the locals.

Rob did try to keep her calm as he dug.
The clue read that they had to travel across town to the Palau Nacional of Mont Juic for the next pit stop; the last team may be eliminated. Now they are on their way to the pit stop

Next Lyn and Karlyn arrived and got immediately pelted
Tyler and James arrived at giants and donned their costumes.
They met up with the Blonds and got directions.

Lyn and Karlyn argued about whether to go to the alternate task or not.

The Blonds and the guys kept asking directions as they go.
Now Lyn and Karlyn found the clue and bolted.

Meanwhile Rob and Kim arrived at the pit stop first and won a place into the final three and for the leg won a trip for two to Barbados.

Rob broke down on the mat and says he wants to marry Kim

The Blonds found the tall girl first followed by the boys. Now the race is on to see who gets on the mat first as three teams are in taxis and on their way to the pit stop.

It looked like Rob and Tyler arrived first at the park and then the Blonds, then they looked around to find the mat where Phil is located.

Then Lyn and Karlyn arrived and were the second team to arrive on the mat being the first all female team to make it to the final.

Now the race is on to see if the Blonds are last.
But Tyler and James beat them to it, so the Blonds are out! Mission accomplished for all three teams as they all wanted to beat Dustin and Kandice.

So let’s see how next week goes with these three teams; they are all confident that they will each win, as they should be, but we know that only one team will win.

I am seeing NY taxis in the preview of next week’s show, so it looks like they will be in NY next week. Also, I saw the emblem of the Paris-Charles de Gaulle airport in one of the scenes, so I can assume they go from Barcelona to Paris to New York, but can’t figure out where they end up as it is in an outdoor park somewhere.

Amazing Race 10 - Episode 11

2006-12-01T12:28:00.000-06:00

Aired Sunday, November 26, 2006.

I had arrived home from a five day trip and was very exhausted so I fell asleep and awoke when Rob and Kim had a flat about :35 minutes into the show.

Luckily, I had two of my friends tape the show (thanks guys); one of them called me almost at the end of the show to chat about; he is a big fan of the blonds and I told him my plight.
Later that week I received a copy of the show, so here goes:

As Tyler and James arrived first last week, they were the first team to leave at 7:33 a.m.
Today’s task is to fly to Quarzazate, Morocco (OZZ) which is between the Atlas Mountains and the Sahara desert; I had never heard of that town; good for the Race producers in branching out to out of the way places.

They then showed and Air France A318 taking off when talking about the routing, then showed a Singapore Airlines Boeing 777 landing on a dry runway; not sure where that was.

Next it was Dustin and Kandice to leave at 7:41 a.m.
Once again, Tyler and James were confused while navigating their way to the airport…

Rob and Kim were next at 8:19 a.m.
Rob still had trouble with the car, but made it to the airport anyways.

The blonds were seen at the airport under a Lufthansa sign asking someone about how to get to Morocco; they guy mentioned that they should get to Milan, Italy (MXP) and they will get a connection flight from there. This flight would put them into Casablanca, Morocco (CMN) at 3 p.m., however, the connection in Milan would be very tight. It looks like it was on Ukraine Airlines possibly as that was the sign above the ticket desk.

Of course as Tyler and James were lost, they were the next to arrive at the airport.

When they tried, the seats were sold out from Milan to Casablanca, so the boys were not able to get a ticket. Then the blonds finally told the agent that they were heading to Quarzazate as their final destination; now they had a flight that would get them there at 10:55 p.m. from Casablanca.

It was now Lyn’s and Karlyn’s time to leave at 9:08 a.m., revealing that all the teams were not given any money for this leg of the race. One of them asked what language do they speak in Morocco and the other said Moroccan (it is actually a few languages, the main ones of which are: Arabic, Spanish in the North due to its proximity to Spain and French due to the strong French presences in the early 1900s)…

Rob and Kim caught up the laxed Tyler and James and teamed up to get a flight via Paris that arrives in Casablanca at 4:35 p.m. This would be on Air France it seems as the cameras panned to an Air France logo. They would still connect to that same flight the blonds would be on to Quarzazate.

So for the two routings:
Ukraine International to Milan, Italy (MXP)
Then Ukraine International once again to Casablanca, Morocco (CMH)
Then Alitalia to Quarzazate, Morocco (OZZ)

Route 2

Air France to Paris-Charles de Gaulle, France (CDG)
Then Air France once again to Casablanca, Morocco (CMH)
Then Royal Air Moroc to Quarzazate, Morocco (OZZ)

They then showed Dustin and Kandice inside a single aisle aircraft; it is a Boeing aircraft by the looks of the overhead bins. Then they showed an overhead shot of a Boeing 747-400 taking off saying that Dustin and Kandice were heading for Casablanca via Milan, Italy.

Next Lyn and Karlyn arrived at the Air France counter and got a flight to Paris, but it connected to a later flight that would arrive in Casablanca at 10 p.m. They would connect to the same 10:55 p.m. flight to Quarzazate; I really hate when they all get caught up, but I think the producers do that as it makes for easier filming…

They did show Tyler and James in an Air France aircraft (had Air France colored seats) and showed that same Airbus A318 taking off as they did at the beginning of the show.
Then they showed a map of them going from Kiev to Paris then to Casablanca.

Next they showed a Ukraine International Boeing 737-500 landing and then possibly the same aircraft at the hard stand in Milan, Italy at 11:45 a.m.
The girls hauled ass to make the connection, but the lady at the connection counter said the flight was closed as they were within the 25 minutes of departure. The girls were not too happy about this and wandered off to try and find another flight.

Then they showed an Air France Boeing 777-200 landing at Paris-Charles de Gaulle, France (CDG) at 1:20 p.m. [Actually, Air France does not operate the Boeing 777 from Kiev to Paris] I guess the camera guy is an engine buff as he showed a Boeing 747 engine running up close as Phil narrated.

They then showed Rob and Kim, James and Tyler walking in the airport and then on a single aisle airplane heading for Morocco. They then showed a Boeing 777 taking off again; possibly an Air France jet as it was all white.

While Lyn and Karlyn waited for their flight in Paris, (they had a 3 hour connection) they bought a map of Morocco so they could get the lay of the land; good move on their part I think.

They then showed a plane landing at an airport which they said was Casablanca, Morocco at 4:35 p.m. It was hard to tell which aircraft it was as it was shown through the heat wave from the runway. It actually looked like a Boeing aircraft; twin engine and possibly in Royal Air Moroc colors.

Then we next saw all four of them get tickets from Royal Air Moroc’s ticket counter for Quarzazate and asking where were the blonds.

Then they showed a twin-engine aircraft landing in Casablanca, Morocco at 10:00 p.m. it was an Airbus aircraft, but I could not tell which one. It was either, an A318, A319 or an A320; Lyn and Karlyn were onboard.

Then they showed an aircraft landing at an airport and then they showed the blonds walking up an escalator and checking in for their flight to Quarzazate; it sucks that they did not show us which flight they got on in Milan…

The aircraft was a 3-3 configuration aircraft and the interior looked like an Airbus aircraft, based on the overhead bins, but I think it was a Boeing 737.

Then they showed a twin-engine aircraft taking off as Phil narrated the map showing them going from Casablanca to Quarzazate; I am assuming it was on Royal Air Moroc.
Then the same Airbus aircraft that was shown before landing was shown again landing; this time I noticed the runway markings 25L-7R; this runway is not Quarzazate as the lone runway there is 12-30.

The blonds were able to sneak out of the airport and hired a cab so they could follow them to the next stop on the race; the others were annoyed; but why? it is a race, why should the blonds tell them what they are up to.
.
Lyn and Karlyn were following their map and were the first to find the clue:
Travel 6 miles to Atlas Studios for their next clue
Careful, there is a Yield ahead…
The blonds still waited for directions and James and Tyler waited as Lyn and Karlyn got some guy in a car that helped them.

All the teams got a local guy to show them where to go.

Rob and Kim were second, then Tyler and James and lastly the blonds as the guy took them to the wrong place. So now the race is on to see who first gets to the Yield.

Lyn and Karlyn got there first, but it was closed until 8 a.m. the next day; when the others arrived they could not believe that the Alabama girls had arrived first. Now they all waited for the gate to open.

James and Tyler were first to make it the mad short run to the Yield, Rob and Kim second, The blonds were third and finally Lyn and Karlyn lumbered in. The blonds chose to Yield the Alabama girls!

The next clue was a road block: Play Gladiator and collect a flag as you race around the course twice.
Rob chose the task
Dustin chose the task and so did James
James’ horses freaked out and kind of ran in the wrong direction for a bit.

Dustin got the first flag, then Rob then James missed his flag…
Meanwhile the Bama girls waited for the Yield time to run out
Dustin then grabbed her second flag and so did Rob
Now James got his first flag

Next clue drive to Idelssan for their next clue

Rob and Kim were first off followed by Dustin and Kandice
James finally got his second flag and now Bama girls were just finishing having waited for the yield time to run out.

James and Tyler were the next to leave for the café in Idelssan
Rob and Kim developed a flat so they had to stop to change it, but they did not have a jack; when he found it, he could not get it out. Someone stopped and helped them

James and Tyler were the first to get to the café; the new clue is to
Throw It: throw two clay pots
Grind It: go to a horse ranch grind olives and fill a pressing sleeve
Only three workstations available

The blonds did the Grind It; while James and Tyler decided to do the Throw It, but changed their minds as they thought it was too hard.
Lyn and Karlyn decided to do Grind It as throwing a pot is too difficult
By now Rob and Kim’s tire were almost finished changing
James and Tyler gave them some information to help them to find the place; the blonds jetted by.
Rob and Kim decided to do the Grind It as well.

Tyler and James were the first to find the North African Horse which is where the next task was, then Lyn & Karlyn; meanwhile the blonds passed it.
Rob and Kim were next to arrive at the Horse, then finally the blonds. They now had to wait as there were only three machines.

James and Tyler was the next to finish; the clue is to drive to the next pit stop which will be off the road to Marrakech; someone may be eliminated it cautioned.

Lyn and Karlyn were the next to depart
Then Rob and Kim finished
Finally the blonds; now the race is on for the first to arrive at the pit stop and it is James and Tyler, who turned back a bit to get their good luck charm as they had forgotten it in the car.

So James and Tyler were team number 1
They won a Sprint Treo phone each
Then Lyn and Karlyn checked in as team #2 although they got yielded

Of course Rob and Kim asked for directions but the blonds we still looking as well
Rob and Kim found the race flag but had trouble finding the place where Phil was, but was still able to be team #3; so will the blonds get eliminated?

So Dustin and Kandice were the last team to arrive, but were not eliminated as the round is a non-elimination round. So they must arrive first for the next leg as they will get a 30 minute penalty and be eliminated.

The race is on, and next week someone will be eliminated I’m sure…

Amazing Race 10 - Episode 10

2006-11-20T23:51:00.000-06:00

The show started at about 7:20p after 60 Minutes.

Aired Nov. 19, 2006

First, threw was a quick review of last weeks show showing an Airbus A340 taking off in the night.
Picking up from where they left off last week, they had to go to capital of the country in which Chernobyl is located, which none of them knew was Kiev, Ukraine. No blame there the average person does not know this anyways.

James and Tyler were the first to get the clue as they repelled down the tower first.
Next Kandice and then Dustin went down the Tower; while Kandice was coming down and the camera was looking up there was an airplane flying right over at the time; I was not able to see what kind it was though.

Lyn and Karlyn were the last to start the task.

Tyler and James arrived at the airport, and then Dustin and Kandice were behind them
Then Lyn and Karlyn deserted Edwin and Godwin and headed for the airport
Next were Rob and Kimberly to finish and head for the airport.

It was quite late when they arrived at the airport; 9:17p at night. There were no flights that day to Kiev; the next flight was at 8:25a the next morning arriving at 1:25p via Vienna; so of course they were pissed as they had lost their lead.

There was also another choice to take another airline that left at 9:25a via Warsaw. Strangely enough they did not show the airliners; I was pretty upset about the aviation aspect of this segment.

Really the choices through Vienna was on Austrian Airlines; a Fokker F70 connecting to an Airbus A319; it is hard to be certain about this as I am not certain when the race was run. If it was say in June then Finnair has a 10:00a nonstop flight that arrived at 2:00p

The Warsaw options were on LOT Polish Airlines; possibly an Embraer 170

The interesting thing is that had they not gotten to the airport so late that night, they would have perhaps made the 8:45p Lot Polish flight to Warsaw, Poland, overnighted and gotten to Helsinki first thing in the morning, but oh well.

It is still hard to figure out the schedule since it is post facto.

Rob and Kim have to get their tickets at 6a. as they arrived after the ticket office closed.
They then showed a Qantas Boeing 767 at the gate while all this was going on; I don’t even think that Qantas flies a 767-300 into Helsinki; geez…They codeshare with their partner Finnair over Bangkok or Singapore.

So they all get in at the same time at 1:35p despite the different flights. Oddly enough they did not show a map of the route…

Next morning, they showed an Airbus A340 taking off, then an Alitalia Boeing 777 landing, then another A330 taking off; good Lord, is there no one at CBS into aviation or travel?

One of the flights was delayed; the one going through Warsaw, so those three teams were not happy.

Then they showed a Boeing 737 landing in what I assumed was Kiev.

The teams found the clues in the parked cars in the airport; they had to go to the Oster tank school for war training.

Dustin and Kandice and James and Tyler were the first two out and followed a cab driver to their destination; smart.

They then showed a Lot Polish Boeing 737 landing with the other three teams; Rob and Kim; Edwin and Godwin and Lyn and Karlyn.

It is funny or ironic that one of the Cho brothers was wearing the “LOST” shirt as they got lost… Finally one of the Cho brothers found a cab to help them.

This was a Road Block to Drive Tanks; one team member had to do this task.

Rob was having difficulty driving the car.
James and Dustin drove the tanks.
Dustin passed James as James stalled the tank.
Dustin finished first ahead of James to collect the next clue which was to drive 43 miles back to Kiev to apartment #33 in a building to receive their next clue.

Kim took the road block for Rob and Kim
Finally Lyn and Karlyn arrived and Godwin and Lyn did the driving.
So the Cho brothers waited for the girls; they really need to get it together, this waiting thing is driving me crazy, it is a race guys.

Rob and Kim’s car broke down as it overheated, hey were given a replacement car, but no time credit.

The Cho brothers were going the wrong way and had to ask for directions. Meanwhile James and Tyler and Dustin and Kandice found the lady and got their next clue.

It is a Detour: Make the music or find the music
Make the music is to do a rap song about all the countries they’ve visited.

Find the music – go to the National music academy to find a piece of music and give it to a player.

Dustin and Kandice – Make the Music
James and Tyler – Find the music

Edwin and Godwin stopped again to ask for directions; good grief, it is driving Lyn and Karlyn crazy and me too…

Rob and Kim chose make the music.
Finally the Alabama girls left the Cho brothers and tried to find the place on their own.
James and Tyler found the piece and gave it to the player as the blondes did their rap.
The girls got the clue and so did the boys: drive two miles to the great patriotic war museum which is the next pit stop. So now the race is on between Dustin and Kandice and James and Tyler for 1st place.

Ron and Kim did the rap
So did the Cho boys and Lyn and Karlyn
Rob and Kim then headed to the memorial accompanied by two locals
James and Taylor were the first to arrive and they won a trip for two from Travelocity to Puerto Vallarta
The Chos were still asking for directions
Dustin and Kandice were #2 to arrive
Rob and Kim were #3
The Chos’ switched to Find the Music
Uh oh, the Chos are in trouble as they drove down a closed street and had to show documents to the cops
Lyn and Karlyn were team #4 to arrive; good bye Chos…
Finally the Chos were released and arrived at night at the monument with the somber music.
They were eliminated.
Looks like next week they are in Rome; let’s see if they get the aviation aspects correctly, but somehow, I doubt it.

Amazing Race 10 - Episode 9

2006-11-15T22:01:00.000-06:00

I made it home quite early and was able to watch the show in its entirety after watching "60 Minutes" tribute to reporter Ed Bradley who had died the previous week.

The Nov. 12, 2006 episode
On the 4th largest island in the world (says the narrator Phil), Dustin and Kandice were the first to leave at 2:56a. The new task is to fly to Helsinki, Finland (HEL) where they had to find the coffee house.

They then showed a Boeing 737 taking off from some airport, then showed an Airbus A340 taking off; I could not really tell which airliner it was.

They were all given tickets to Paris, France as flights were limited, and then they could get to Helsinki after that. However, they did not have to use those tickets; they could also make their own arrangements. The flight left to Paris left at 9:40p. I think this was on Air Madagascar’s Boeing 767-300 service. There is an Air France flight, but that was just after midnight.

Tyler and James left at 3:06a.
Ron and Kimberly 3:14a.
Edwin and Godwin left at 3:24a.
All teams received $265 for this leg of the trip; this perhaps means they have a lot of traveling to do.

The blondes were looking for other travel arrangements at the airport when they were joined by James and Tyler and then Rob and Kim showed up as well
Their inquiries had yielded a routing going through neighboring Johannesburg, South Africa (JNB) then connecting to Helsinki to arrive at 10:20a.

Lyn and Karlyn were the last to leave at 3:55a and ended up catching up the others and barely caught the flight after talking to the person in charge to get them a ticket for the flight at 4:55a for the 5:00a departure. The others were not too happy when they showed up.

I was still unsure of the exact routing, but Phil did explain that they flew first to Johannesburg to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (ADD) to Frankfurt, Germany (FRA) and then to Helsinki.

They were initially shown boarding a Boeing 737 on Air Madagascar which was parked at the hard stand on the ramp. Then they showed an Airbus A340 taking off and finally showing a Lufthansa German Airlines (LH) Boeing 737 landing in what I guess is Helsinki.

The teams would have flown Ethiopian Airlines’ Boeing 757-200 to Addis Ababa, and then I’m guessing Lufthansa’s Airbus A340 to Frankfurt via Khartoum in the Sudan, then a Boeing 737 from Frankfurt to Helsinki arriving the next day after they departed Madagascar.

Now had they taken the 9:40p flight to Paris, they would have arrived in Helsinki at 11:35a as opposed to their journey through four countries arriving at 10:20a.

Rob and Kim were arguing again as they drove to the café in Helsinki. The teams found the computers at Kapelli's café where they all got messages from their families:
Tyler's mom
James' sisters Kandice's mom
Dustin's family

The owner of the café gave them their next clue which was to make their way to Soppeernhaul (sp) school. To do this they had to take a train and car for a total journey of 125 km

Next Erwin arrived and listened to their message
Erwin's girlfriend was on the message and then their mother and sister
Last to arrive was Rob and Kim who listened to Kim' mom and dog give their message.

Lyn and Karlyn kids’ gave them their message as they cried while listening/viewing it.
Edwin and Godwin had trouble finding the train station.

They all were on the same train to Tampere.

Dustin and Kandice & James and Tyler got two cabs that were waiting
Rob and Kim begged on Kim's knees to get ahead of someone.

Lyn and Karlyn just jumped ahead of everyone in the queue and stole a cab
Edwin and Godwin stayed in line and waited; complaining that good guys finish last.

Once at the school they had a Detour
Swamp This - trudge a muddy field in skis
Swamp That - slog through an obstacle course in the mud

Swamp This – The Blondes
Finally Edwin and Godwin got a cab and were now on their way.

Swamp This – The Black girls
Rob and Kim got dropped at the wrong school
Tyler and James did Swamp That
Lyn and Karlyn did Swamp This as well; although they’ve never been on skis before
Swamp That - Rob and Kim
Swamp That - Edwin and Godwin

Once completed, they had to travel by trains to Turku then to Lojya and then take a tram into a mine to get their next clue.

James and Tyler were first then Dustin and Kandice
then Rob and Kim
the Lyn and Karlyn
then Erwin and Godwin
The Blonds passed James and Tyler and took the 3:11p train. Only the Blondes plus James and Tyler got on the first train. Rob and Kim just missed it and have to wait for the next train. Rob was pissed. An hour later they got a train.

Edwin and Godwin met a guy that works for the mining company on the train and he helped them with directions. Basically all the teams asked for directions
Rob and Kim so hates the Black girls

James and Tyler found the mine first, then the Blondes, as they have only one tram, the Blondes had to wait.

Edwin and Godwin needs to get it together and quit waiting for people; after all this is a race and it is everyone for themselves.

The next clue was a Road Block - ride a bike down a steep incline and search for a piece of limestone that has their clue in the town of Lohua; a mining town.

James and Tyler were the first to complete the task
Drive to the Olympic stadium in Helsinki is the next clue
The blonds were right behind them.

Edwin, Godwin, Lyn and Karlyn all arrived the same time so they took the same tram down. Ron and Kim got lost once more and continue to argue
Finally they found the place.

Rob caught up pretty good as he rode pretty hard.
Godwin came up first, then Rob, then Karlyn
they all got on the train to come back up to the surface.

The blondes asked for help and followed a guy, meanwhile at the stadium James and Tyler could not find the flag that marked the door to enter; once they found it, they had to go to the top of the Olympic Tower and perform one more task; rappel down the tower face first; so I think this will continue next week I'm sure.

Tyler was first down; James is afraid of heights though; all three teams arrived at the same time.

The next clue for James and Tyler says "Keep Racing..."
Next week, they go into battle...

Amazing Race 10 - Episode 8

2006-11-14T20:53:00.000-06:00

I had two friends tape the show for me as I was out of town on Sunday. It was great as I had a chance to watch it over and over while on a plane, having downloaded it while waiting at the airport. Thanks guys.

The Nov. 5, 2006 episode

The race started with the teams on Mauritius (MRU) at Chateau Bel Homme.
Dustin and Kandice left first at 3:00a.
The next task is to fly 700 miles to Antananarivo, Madagascar (TNR) [an island just off the coast of southeast Africa], the girls had trouble pronouncing that word, but I could understand that. The teams had to search for the Black Angel that has recently been painted white.

As Phil narrated the task ahead, they showed an ATR 42 landing somewhere (I’m assuming Madagascar). The aircraft did have Air Madagascar markings so I’ll give them some credit. They had a choice of either flying Air Mauritius or Air Madagascar.

These airlines don’t share their schedules so you have to go to their Web sites at www.airmauritius.com and www.airmadagascar.com. Looks like the flights are not daily and there is only one per day at 11:30a and sometimes at 3:00p or 4:30p, depending on the day of the week on Air Mauritius.

Air Madagascar has a better schedule at 10:10a on Mondays and they codeshare with Air Mauritius at 11:30 on Tuesdays, 6:30p on Wednesdays, 9:30p on Thursdays, including the same schedule on Tuesdays. 3:00p with Air Mauritius on Saturdays and 4:30p on Sundays also with Air Mauritius

Then Tyler and James left at 3:05a.
Rob and Kim at 3:09a.
They were quarrelling about choosing the car as the two girls left their broken car that was in an accident but it still worked.

As usual, Tyler and James are confused about directions
Erwin and Godwin left at 4:04a.
Lyn and Karlyn left at 4:05a.
David and Mary left at 4:08a.

At the airport first to arrive there was Dustin and Kandice
They checked with Air Mauritius for tickets and the earliest flight at 11:00a; I hate when the teams think they have an advantage and they don't really do; this is so crazy.
Eventually all the other teams arrived and they were all on a level playing field

They showed them getting on a single aisle airplane and then showed a Swiss MD-11 taking off, geez... I don't even think that Swiss serves Mauritius and actually I think they have gotten rid of all their MD-11s! Then they showed an Airbus single aisle plane or a Boeing 737 aircraft landing in where I assume was Madagascar. It was hard to see the logo on the tail, so I can’t really tell who the operator was. I know for sure it was neither an Air Madagascar nor an Air Mauritius plane as the colors were wrong; it was all white. So chances are the plane was not even landing in Madagascar!

They did show some of the contestants arriving at the “Arrival” sign at the airport and then getting into the cars. As they drove along, Kim said something about breathing in exhaust is bad for you and Rob said that these people die a lot younger here; wonder when he became the expert on that topic? Adding that most of them don't get enough protein and so their brains don't develop as much...Sure Dr. Rob.

Three teams saw the Angel and as it is not black, they all passed it and continued their search. Smartly enough James and Tyler saw it first and went to it. They found a new twist; an Intersection (two teams must partner and work together) as the next clue for the game.

James and Tyler teamed with Rob and Kimberly, there was also a fast forward; eat cow lips was the task. The blonds arrived at about the same time and now they had to wait for another team to arrive.

The other three teams (the six pack) were just driving around at this moment, trying to find the place. Soon, David and Mary showed up followed by Lyn and Karlyn. Edwin and Godwin were approached by the Beauty Queens as they did not want to work with any of the others...

The tasks:
Long Sleep - wrap mattresses and deliver them
Short Letter - travel by van 3.5 miles to make 23 sheets of hand crafted paper

Long Sleep - Dustin and Kandice plus Edwin and Godwin also Lyn and Karlyn plus Mary and David (they wanted to do the Fast Forward, but were talked out of it by Lyn and Karlyn)
Fast Forward - James and Tyler plus Rob and Kim; they all had a hard time eating the cow lips. Now they were all arguing about whether or not they made the right decision about eating the cow lips.

David and Mary argued while they got the beds wrapped.
Edwin and Godwin had the girls ask for directions; it was weird as they were dirtying the mattresses...finally the eight mattresses went crashing down for Mary, David, Lyn and Karlyn.

The other groups were not having much luck as well.
Dustin, Kandice, Edwin and Godwin's guide left them to fend for themselves
The next task is to first split back into their normal teams and then travel 4 miles to Tohotohobato Ambonorona Analakel for their next clue.
Try pronouncing that one, ha!

The team of Edwin, Godwin, Dustin and Kandice were the first to start on this task.
Meanwhile the other team of four was dragging the mattresses through the streets and also going the wrong way.

The cow lip eaters were also having a very hard time as well puking all the time.

Dustin and Kandice found the clue first; Edwin and Godwin had difficulty finding a cab and also their cab ran out of gas.

The task:
Find 4 Rubber Stamps then go to the Cathedral Andohalo
Dustin did this road block while Kandice waited at the pit stop for her to arrive
Then Erwin and Godwin found the clue and Godwin went to find the stamps while Erwin waited by the pit stop. By now Dustin was done.

Tyler kept saying that the other teams would never get done before the others (little did he know...) Finally the cow lip eaters finished and got their next clue now we had four teams heading to the pit stop.

Dustin ran out of gas in her cab. So did Godwin. Dustin and Kandice were the first to arrive and won a trip for two to Hawaii.
Lyn did the stamp search for the two girls and Mary did it for the other team.

James and Tyler were the second to arrive.
Rob and Kimberly were the third to arrive.
Where is Godwin?
Finally they (Edwin and Godwin) both arrived as team number 4
So now the race is on for David and Mary plus Lyn and Karlyn
So who will arrive last?
David and Mary arrived fifth; but as they were marked for elimination, they had to wait 30 minutes; so Lyn and Karlyn now have 30 minutes to get there; will Lyn do it?
So of course, the cab runs out of gas.

So you hear the music as Lyn arrives and here and Karlyn are checked in as team number 5, which means that David and Mary were eliminated; with still twenty minutes to go on their wait clock.

I’m actually sad to see them go...

Amazing Race 10 - Episode 7

2006-10-30T00:28:00.000-06:00

Well, this week, I made sure I got home with enough time to catch the Race. I even gave up not going to the laundrymat! The Race started about 7:18 p.m. CT after "60 Minutes" had concluded.

There was a quick recap mentioning that David & Mary had to come in 1st Place or run the risk of being eliminated; well this they did as they got the Fast Forward aided by Erwin and Godwin. Erwin had faced his fear of heights climbing the Kuwait Tower.

As David & Mary arrived 1st they did not receive a 30 minute penalty and were the first to leave this week.
The annoying Sarah and David were eliminated as they arrived last, last week.

David and Mary departed at 12:37a. Today's initial task is for them to fly to Mauritius (www.mauritius.net) from Kuwait City, Kuwait (KWI); almost all of the mispronounced Mauritius.

In explaining the routing, Phil showed footage of an A320 taking off and then a Boeing 744 taking off when they described the next part of the routing. They then showed some additional footage of a British Airways (BA) Boeing 747-400 taxiing on the runway at some airport. None of the footage gave you any idea of the airports, etc.

When David and Mary arrived at the Kuwait City airport, they saw a travel agent who told them the best way to get there was on BA at 8:10a to London-Heathrow, England (LHR) and then a connecting flight to Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International, Mauritius (MRU). Other possible connection cities are Paris, France (CDG) on Air France; Vienna, Austria (VIE) on Austrian Airlines, Johannesburg, South Africa (JNB) on South African Airlines and Dubai, United Arab Emirates (DXB) on Emirates Airlines.

BA156 arrives in London-Heathrow at 6:30p on the same day; as they arrive after the departure time of the Mauritius bound flight BA123, they actually had to overnight in London until the 3:45p departure. This flight arrives in Mauritius at 7:25a the next morning. BA only serves Mauritius three times a week (Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays).

It would have been quicker going through Dubai on Kuwait and connecting to Emirates, but I guess British Airways is a sponsor, which explains why everyone had to be on that same set of flights.

Next Dustin and Kandice, the models left at 3:40a and like David & Mary Dustin also mispronounces the name of the island; funny how no one so far can pronounce "Mauritius"
"Maridius - never heard of it says Rob
geez...

When Dustin and Kandice arrive at the airport, they inquired and were offered the 8:10a flight via London. One of them mentioned “what country is London in?” "England," the agent responded. They then begin to rudely questioning the guy as to whether or not he knows the best way to get there; asking why they have to go all the way back to London and then pass Kuwait again to get to Mauritius (they had a map of the world).

Now it was time for Rob and Kimberly to depart. Rob calling the island “Maridius.” For crying out loud, can someone just pronounce it correctly? At the airport they get on the same flight as the others.

Next it was Lyn and Karlyn, who also pronounced the name of the island incorrectly.

Next up, Edwin Godwin departed and pronounced it correctly; it is about time.

Meanwhile at the airport, Dustin and Kandice said to Edwin and Godwin that the travel agents at the airport are not the brightest in front of their faces; how rude, I think.

Last to leave were Tyler and James who also pronounced the name correctly; as it was already daylight, it looked like they would miss the 8:10a flight, but this was not the case.

All this time Dustin and Kandice were trying to find another agent and got the same travel arrangements as before. They met up with Tyler and James whom they helped to get the tickets on the same flight. Lyn and Karlyn who were waiting to be next started fussing about that.
So now there was a verbal fight to the embarrassment of the ticket counter agent.
All this crap and everyone are on the same flights! [but I guess they did not know that, but still…]

Meanwhile, Erwin and Godwin got their tickets from another travel agent.

So now the models and the black girls are in an argument in front of the ticket agent; just incessant crap. Tyler and James were wrong to have the models buy the tickets for them.

Now they showed a BA Boeing 747-400 taking off from London Heathrow, but that should have really been a Boeing 777, taking off from Kuwait City. They we were shown a BA Boeing 747-400 landing possibly in Mauritius (at least the aircraft was correct); they were a bit sketchy about showing you them connecting in London though.

Once in Mauritius, teams must drive to Grand Baie to find a boat to retrieve their next clue; here they drive on the other side of the street, so they had to think about that a bit; strange how no one had trouble with the stick shifts as in other episodes.

The models stopped and asked where Isla Maurita is; the boat they had to find. Lyn and Karlyn also asked for directions; they both learned that it was on the north side of the island.

David and Mary were not too thrilled about having to swim. Finally Tyler and James stopped and got directions on how to get to Grand Baie so they cold get to the boat; it appears that they were lost as they usually are.

Once at the bay, they teams have to swim out to the boat which is actually pretty far out there; they were provided with shoes and life jackets

Tyler and James were stuck in traffic while everyone else was already swimming for the boat.

Dustin & Kandice were the first to arrive on the boat then they have to swim back; next to arrive on the boat is Erwin and Godwin who took a breather before they went back (good idea)
Meanwhile Tyler and James were still in traffic...

Lyn & Karlyn were the next to arrive and they both rested, then David and Mary arrived and rested as well. Lyn and Karlyn then both got back in to the water, followed by David and Mary

The next clue was that they had to go 49 miles to Casa Noyale to find a post office for their next clue. The models were the first to get back to the shore followed by Erwin and Godwin
Just then James and Tyler arrived; funny as they get in the water, there was a sign saying forbidden to do something; I'm guessing swim or go into the water at that point; I only saw "Interdit," which means forbidden.

Funny how they cannot pronounce "Casa Noyale" as well...

So, now everyone is on their way to the post office in Casa Noyale (which they mentioned was in the South of the island)
Again, James and Tyler are lost and have to turn around; James is a terrible navigator, how difficult is it to read a map...This is not the first time that he can't pull it together.

Meanwhile, Rob is having trouble getting the car into gear and of course is causing a traffic jam and walks out of the car due to Kimberly's nagging! He walks back into the car and tries it again
and now; the models get into an accident with a bus; luckily no one gets hurt; the cops show up and take a statement.
The “six pack” passes Rob and Kim on the side as they wait for a replacement car; sucks to be them.

The next clue is a Detour
Salt:
Drive 2 miles to a salt mine and search for a salt shaker
Sea:
Walk to a nearby dock and then take a boat 2/3 miles to an island and search for the boats mast and sail then attach it to the boat and sail back to shore; this is all assisted by a sailor.
The models choose Sea and are the first to do this task.

A replacement car is given to Rob and Kim per rules, but no time credit. Meanwhile James and Tyler are still trying to find the place.

Edwin and Godwin arrives next
then Lyn and Karlyn and David and Mary who choose salt
Tyler and James also chooses salt, Erwin and Godwin choose salt and Lyn and Karlyn chooses salt; so now everyone is all caught up except Rob and Kimberly.

Finally Rob and Kimberly arrive; Kim is a real pain, good Lord. Kim reads the clue while Rob annoys each other; they are really becoming annoying and they choose salt.

The models are not finding much luck either. So now finally Rob and Kim agree and leave to do the sea chore as they cannot find the salt shaker. Then Tyler and James decide to do sea as well. Just before that they show the models saying that they want to switch to salt as they could not find the sails. At this moment, Edwin and Godwin switch to sea as well and so do Lyn and Karlyn.

David and Mary keep at it though. The models finally find the sails after falling into a trap that is laid just before the sails.

The next clue is for them to go to Chateau bel Ombre for the next Pit Stop.

Tyler and James as usual have trouble finding the sails once on the island; they just cannot navigate at all.

At this point David and Mary give up and head back to the sea assignment. Rob and Kim find the sails as Kim falls into the trap before picking up the sails.

Tyler and James continue to argue and make little progress as they do. Edwin & Godwin
are next to arrive on the island followed by Lyn and Karlyn.

James and Tyler find their sail falling in the trap of course; David and Mary arrive arguing...

So now, the "6-pack" is the only ones left on the island. Lyn and Karlyn, Edwin and Godwin then find the sails and finally David and Mary.

When heading to the Pit Stop, Rob and Kim went the wrong way again; asking for directions eventually. It looks like the modes will be arrive first and they do, winning a motor scooter each.
Then James and Tyler arrives next and then Rob and Kim.
Now the 6-pack are trying to find the chateaux
David and Mary found the wrong place initially
Edwin and Godwin are next to arrive (4th)
then Lyn and Karlyn (#5)
Now comes David and Mary, you hear the loser music playing and you know what is next
But surprise; they are not eliminated!
They were so overjoyed; so once again, they are marked for elimination and must arrive at the Pit Stop first and will encounter a 30-minute penalty

Looks like they are still in Mauritius next week.

Amazing Race 10 - Episode 6

2006-10-23T22:32:00.000-05:00

I taped this episode, but my VCR messed it up a bit, so I have to watch it very slowly, will do that tomorrow.

Amazing Race 10 - The missing Episodes

2006-10-12T13:27:00.000-05:00

Well, I've missed the last two, well three episodes of the show. Why? CBS moved it to Sundays! I've arrived home late the first two and last Sunday, I had a massive headache so I missed the episode.

Unlike other TV channels/networks and even other CBS shows, The full episode of Amazing Race is not available for post-air viewing on their innertube site (http://www.cbs.com/innertube/). Instead there are just clips of things that occurred during each episode; now why is that CBS? If you can do this for the other shows why not the Race?

I just don't see you all getting the Emmy nod this year at all. Your show is good, but it is on at a bad time and I can't even catch up when I miss it. For all you readers that are saying why don't I get Tivo? Well, I can't afford it, that's why! Besides, why should I have to purchase something to record a TV show when I should be able to watch it on demand after it is first aired? I still have a VCR that works, but I always forget to set it; that is so '80s anyways.

Hopefully I will be near a TV set next Sunday, so I can see the next episode, or if I miss it, CBS would have read this blog and added complete episodes as opposed to clips (one can only dream).

Amazing Race 10 - Episode I

2006-09-17T19:45:00.000-05:00

The Race started in Seattle, WA with seaplanes landing and the contestants disembarking
Peter and Sarah – tri-athletes; Sarah has one leg
Bilal and Sa'eed two Muslim friends
Rob and Kimberly - dating from Los Angeles
Dustin and Kandace - beauty queens from NY
Miss NY and Miss CA
David and Mary - married coalminer and housewife from Kentucky
Erwin and Godwin - brothers from California
Duke and Lauren 0 father and daughter from Rhode Island
Lauren is gay
Vipul and Arti - husband and wife from Florida; they are Indians
Kellie and Jamie - best friends and cheerleaders from South Carolina
Tyler and James - recovering drug addicts and models from California
Lyn and Karlyn - friends and single mothers (black ladies)
Tom and Terry - boyfriends from New York City
and there you have it...almost all the races are accounted for...geez.

8 pit stops are elimination points

In typical Seattle style, it is a wet day.
I can't quite figure out where they start
They have to fly to Beijing, People's Republic of China and are restricted to taking United (UA) and Korean (KE).

UA875 at 1:22p
KE126 at 2p
They have $66 for this leg of the race

two teams had trouble leaving the parking lot.
They showed a KE Boeing 747-400 taxiing and some United planes taxiing
The united flight arrives 8:05p and the KE flight arrives at 9p.

I hate they don't give the exact routing...Their United routing is:
Seattle to Tokyo, Japan to Beijing
The Korean routing is:
Seattle to Seoul, South Korea to Beijing

The Muslims and the cheerleaders went to the car rental parking as opposed to the Airport Parking; they did not know that Thrifty also does Airport parking at Sea-Tac; So did the two Asian guys.
Rob and Kimberly will be the arguers this season.
Midway is just like that as well, so I can understand the confusion.

Vipul and Arti were the last set to try for the United flight, but had to go to the

Do Muslims believe in Buddah asked one team
Showed a United B777 taking off
and a Korean B777 at the gate - aircraft 575; at least they got the right aircraft for the route.

Weird that teams were upset when the disable dgirl boarded first; what weirdos.
The UA flight arrived late.
First task there is to travel to the Gold House Restaurant by taxi and eat fish eyes.
They showed a Virgin Atlantic (VS) A340 landing, when it should have been a Korean flight; this is footage from a previous show; sigh...

After the fish eye, take a taxi to the Forbidden City via the Meridian Gate entrance; first surprise is waiting for them there.

Bilal and Sa'eed were eliminated as they were the last team to arrive; although it was not a pit stop.

Oh, it is not sad, it is a race and people are eliminated, why were they all so shocked?

Next challenge is to take a waiting motorbike's side car to the next destination; one participant on the back of the bike.
After that, it is a pit stop which is one of the entrances to the Great Wall
Tyler and James were the first to arrive winning $20,000
Duke and Lauren were team number 2
Peter and Sarah #3
Dustin and Kandice #4
Rob and Kimberly #5
Kellie and Jamie #6
Erwin and Godwin #7
Tom and Terry #8
Lyn and Karlyn #9
David and Mary #10
Vipul and Arti #11 and you can hear the music slowing down; will they be eliminated?
And they were eliminated!
Looks like they go to Mongolia next.

Amazing Race 9 - Episode 6

2006-04-05T20:17:00.000-05:00

No aviation moments this week :-(.

BJ & Tyler leaves at 2:29 a.m. and have to drive to Catania, Sicily
Let's drive to that town that we can't pronounce they said as they were talking bad about the Frat boys saying they were dumb.

Next were Eric & Jeremy, said they have not traveled the world as much as the hippies and they were bitching.

Joseph and Monica was next saying that they are working well together, but they did not have a map, so they stopped and asked a guy for directions taking his map.

Fran & Barry were next, saying they were lovers, companions and best friends they were reading from an Italy tour book; looked like Lonely Planets.

BJ & Tyler got to the place but it did not open until 8:30a, so they left a sign saying that the teams should sign in.

Lake Michelle were next talking about how they bicker and fight, but all is well.

Dave & Lori were next to leave, Dave saying how frustrated he was with Lori in the last leg.

And finally Ray & Yolanda saying that she understand why she love him so much; they did not have a map so they stopped and asked for directions

Funny, the Frat boys were arguing about the sign in list; trying to think if it was real or not

Of course Fran & Barry got lost, but that was expected.

The Frat Boys and BJ & Tyler were the first to get in; the Frat Boys finding the clue first

They had to count the heads around the place they were (there were 41).

A Detour was the next clue; Big fish or little fish

Big fish - take a swordfish to the market for the clue
little fish - go to the market and sell 4 kilos of trilia for their clue

Fran & Barry frustrated and still lost after what seemed like hours...

The 4 boys pick up one fish each and then head for the market arriving at the same time and then getting their clues

Now they had to drive themselves to Siracusa for the next clue
BJ& Tyler seems to be having a good time.

Finally Fran & Barry found the first clue box.

So the dentist and his secretary arrived in the city and there is traffic
Dave & Lori are stuck in the traffic jam as well
Ray & Yolanda are also stuck in traffic, so they decided to park and walk

Fran & Barry decided to do little fish
Joseph and Monica carried the swordfish, but had trouble finding the guy to which to give the fish; Monica saying that this the worst thing that she had ever done. Finally they found the guy; now they are in 3rd place and of course Joseph could not pronounce the name of the city they were going.

Fran & Barry continue to sell fish with some success, selling their 4 kilos pretty quickly; now in 4th place.

Monica is seen complaining they she would smell of fish all day.

Lake just arrived at the first clue, but did not find the grounds keeper initially.

So now Monica decides that she wanted to borrow some clothes from a local; but had no success doing that.

Finally Ray and Yolanda found the first clue and decided to carry the fish

Last to find it was the lost Dave & Lori arriving and did their first clue and decided to carry the fish

The next clue was to Play Kayak Polo and just score one goal for their team

Jeremy scored and was done
So now Eric & Jeremy are in 1st place

BJ & Tyler just arrived as the Frat boys left they scored quickly and left for the pit stop on foot as the rules dictated.

The race is on for 1st place now... and the Frat boys arrived first amid a band playing and they won a cruise for two on Freedom of the Sea. Phil told them they stunk; the band dude (the local greeter) from Sicily did not think it was funny.

BJ & Tyler were next and happy to be that way.

Joseph & Monica were next to finish the challenge, then Fran & Barry.

Lake & Michelle were the next to arrive for the Kayak game, Lake kept yelling at Michelle, saying that he should have done the challenge.

Joseph & Monica were the third to arrive.

Fran & Barry were #4

Lake & Michelle were #5

Ray & Yolanda just arrived at the kayak and Ray did the task, capsizing his boat.

Dan & Lori were right behind them, Ray scored and then they ran to the pit stop to a waiting Phil
Dave & Lori just arrived as Ray & Yolanda left. Dave did the challenge.

Ray & Yolanda were the 6th team to arrive, So Dave & Lori are last now...Let's see if they get eliminated. Dave says that if this is a non-elimination round he would wash Lori’s clothes. The music got somber as Phil told them they were done!
"We had a ball, Thank you so much" says Dave and so did Lori.
Then they got sobby... walking off hand in hand
Nerds rule Dave signed off by saying...
I love it that each week someone gets eliminated; I can't stand that begging stuff when they have no money...
I hope they fly somewhere next week.
Next week they are Greece from the scenes from the next week’s episode.

Amazing Race 9 - Episode 5

2006-03-29T22:21:00.000-06:00

This week’s episode started with the teams in Munich, Germany.

Their first task was to fly from Munich, Germany (MUC) to Palermo, Italy
it was 3 a.m. when the first team of Eric & Jeremy (the Frat boys) departed

BJ & Tyler is second
Lake & Michelle third

Of course I went to http://www.eskyguide.com to check schedules and here is what I found:

6:35am 12:05pm FCO 5h30m AZ435/AZ1779 / ER4/M82 via Rome, Italy (FCO)
6:35am 1:30pm 6h55m AZ435/AZ1797 / ER4/M82 via Rome, Italy (FCO)
6:35am 2:35pm 8h00m AZ435/AZ783 / ER4/M82 via Rome, Italy (FCO)
7:05am 2:40pm 7h35m LH3896/LH2780 via Milan-Malpensa, Italy (MXP)

At the airport, Eric & Jeremy checked with the Information Desk who told them that that the first flight from MUC- to Palermo via Rome was on Alitalia. Of course being typical of the Frat boys, there were flirting with the Information girls

As they were bored, they and BJ & Tyler started playing with the wheel chairs at the airport

BJ & Tyler got smart and went down to the Internet café and bought their tickets on the Internet
for a 10:15a arrival; the same flights that Eric & Jeremy were upstairs waiting to buy in person.

For some reason, Lake & Michele had trouble using the Internet to buy the tickets, saying it was all in German.

Fran & Barry left the pit stop next followed by Dave & Lori at 5:28 a.m., then Joseph & Monica after that.

Oddly enough, none of the racers can pronounce Palermo, Italy properly

By the time the ticket office opened, the flight was booked, so Eric & Jeremy had to see if they could stand by for the flight, but had to wait for the last minute to do so; luckily they did get on the flight.

LH at a 9:30a arriving at 2p

Ray & Yolanda were next

Joseph & Monica took the LH to AZ connection

Danielle & Dani were last

4 teams were on the 9:30a

They very briefly showed one of the teams deplaning in Rome coming off a Bombardier CRJ200 for Alitalia.

They basically showed planes taking off and landing with no rhyme or reason to it; very disconcerting.

The Frat boys were silly as they missed all the early flights having arrived at the airport first.

There were 4 flights in all
They showed a MD88 first landing, then an A321 as another plane landing, then a DC9 landing all operated by Alitalia.
BJ & Tyler are in the lead now.

Found the piece of clothing first
Then went to the Teatro di sugesra
There was a Yield ahead
BJ & Taylor says they will yield the frat boys as they wander off

Now the Frat Boys are in 2nd place; how did they do that?
Joseph & Monica in 3rd.
Interesting that Phil recorded the Yield video at night, but the video explaining the task during the day...
They chose not to yield anyone
Fran & Barry lost again
Joseph & Monica carried the bell
Fran & Barry walked by the clue again
and decided to do the laundry as Barry said he could not lift the bell
Ray & Yolanda is 6th
Lake & Michelle is 7th
Double Ds bitching about being young and inexperienced

BJ & Tyler were in first place and they won a digital imaging package

Eric & Jeremy and they were the second to arrive
said "Holy Hottie"

Joseph & Monica were team #3

Fran & Barry is team #4

Danielle & Dani got yielded by Lake & Michelle
It was night by now.
Lake & Michelle is 5th to arrive.

Dave & Lori had the statue finished but were thrown off by the two pieces that did not fit, so Lori pulled it down and got frustrated trying to put it together.

So now they are in 6th. place
Lake & Michelle was #5 to arrive

Dave & Lori were the 6th team to arrive
Dave crying about being frustrated at Lori and he was sorry

So now it is Ray & Yolanda and Double Ds racing for the end

Ray & Yolanda were ahead of the Ds.
They were team #7

So the Double Ds from New Yawk were last and were eliminated, said they had fun with Eric and Jeremy; LOL

Amazing Race 9 - Episode 4

2006-03-21T22:14:00.000-06:00

Eric & Jeremy were the first to arrive

Fly to Frankfurt from Moscow was the task, they showed a Boeing 737-500 landing in an airport to depict this.

Here were flight choices between the two cities per www.eskyguide.com

9:45pm Depart Moscow-Sheremetyevo RU (SVO)
Arrive Frankfurt DE (FRA) 10:55pm Aeroflot Russian Airlines
3h10m Meal Codes: 109
320
Daily
7:05am Depart Moscow-Sheremetyevo RU (SVO)
Arrive Frankfurt DE (FRA) 8:15am Lufthansa
3h10m Meal Codes: B 3189
AB6
Daily
5:50am Depart Moscow-Sheremetyevo RU (SVO)
Arrive Frankfurt DE (FRA) 9:05am Austrian / Austrian
5h15m Meal Codes: B 606 / 7201 *
319 / 320 Vienna AT
Daily

Schedule is slightly different at different times of the year

Lake & Michelle was the second team to arrive

Ray & Yolanda were the third to arrive
it was already dark at that moment

BJ & Tyler were the fourth team to arrive
still late at night

Fran & Barry were the 5th to arrive

They showed a Continental 737-800 w/winglets taking off at 9:05p as Flight 1 to Frankfurt; geez…

Danielle & Dani 6th to arrive

Wanda and Desiree 7th to arrive

Joseph & Monica are the 8th team to arrive
Dave and Lori were the last to arrive; but were not eliminated

But there are no more flights anyway

Lake & Michelle got the 9:15p flight
They were on an airplane with red seats which I think was Aeroflot

So now there are 7 teams at the airport

They showed a Boeing 747-400 landing looked like a Singapore Airlines flight
Eric & Jeremy then got on what looked like a high speed train to Stutgart!

BJ & Tyler also got on the 9:15p Aeroflot flight

But the flight was closed for the others
only four got on that flight
They showed a 737 taking off

First flight was the next day at 7a.

Nobody thought of connecting flights.

Eric & Jeremy got to Stuttgart, Germany at the Mercedes plant; race is at 8:30 a.m. the next morning; they still have a little lead though
Then Lake & Michelle and BJ & Tyler arrived

At 5 a.m. the other bought tickets for their flights
showed a Lufthansa (LH) B737-500 taking off from Moscow

Clue was to drive 200 miles to the Bavarian country side in Mercedes Benzs of course, driving on the autobahn to get there.

Then train 3 arrived with all the others, they went to Mercedes for the ride
Amazing what a car does at 170km/h! says one of them.

Eric & Jeremy arrives in Ellbach Field to search for the Travelocity Gnome
Then they have to drive themselves to Bavaria; well that was easy...

The next team: they met some drunken German guy and they drove him to the field
Lake & Michelle found the next one, then BJ & Tyler.

So then Lake & Michelle had to take the German drunk guy to his house so then BJ & Tyler followed them as they did not know where to go next. Then Fran & Barry arrived; found the gnome and headed for the Bavarian Film place

Wanda & Desiree and Danielle & Dani drove in circles

At Bavaria Film, they had a Detour; break the stunt bottles or perform a German folk dance

Eric & Jeremy did the bottle over the head piece and asked one of the German girls out for a date.

Even with dropping off the guy they made good time.

I need a changing room as I'm not wearing an underwear says one of the hippies before changing into the local garb.

The Seigestor is the Pitstop for the race and Eric & Jeremy is off to find it; the girl kissed them both on the cheeks.

Then Lake & Michelle found a label in the broken bottles.

BJ & Tyler continued and then found one; speaking to the girl in German
Fran & Barry did the dance lesson, Fran could not get it

Eric & Jeremy arrived first; way ahead of the others; they won a trip for two to the heart of Africa heading to Victoria Falls.
Phil asked for their gnome back.

Lake & Michelle were arguing again

Next to arrive was BJ & Tyler running backwards to the pit stop
then they said "Santa" to the guy as had a gray beard.
Lake & Michelle were team number three.

Then Dave & Lori did the bottle breaking thing and found a label

Fran & Barry was team number 4

Ray & Yolanda changed to the dance as they could not get the bottle thing done
Dave & Lori were the 5th to arrive

Wanda and Desiree were the last to arrive at the film place.

Danielle & Dani passed them as they went through the door

Wanda & Desiree were quick to do the dance.

They and the Double Ds ran to the pit stop, but Double Ds (Danielle & Dani) were the 8th team to arrive.

So Wanda & Desiree (daughter) were the last team to arrive and so they were eliminated

Not sure where they are next but I think it is Rome…

Amazing Race 9 - Episode 2

2006-03-08T22:23:00.000-06:00

My friend Lonestar IMed me while the show was going on...
He was on the West Coast in Oregon state.

Lonestar: is amazing race on at 7 or 8
Me: at 9C
Me: started :27 mins ago
Lonestar: so started at 9
Me: yes
Lonestar: shoot that means 10P
Lonestar: not for 3 more hours
Me:
Lonestar: well 2.5
Me: odd that it started at 9p this time
Lonestar: i dont know if i will be up that late
Me: i hear u
Lonestar: i was hoping it was 8/7 E/C
Me: me too; this waiting until 9p sucks!
Me: they added that new show the unit to the line up so that was after NCIS
Me: i slept through the whole thing
Me: well, i won't tell u anything about it
Me: i'll be quite
Me: i missed the first 11 mins as i was asleep
Me: show is back on
Me: they definitely need the map to show where each one is

No report of the beginning, but here is what happened at the end.

Hot Dog we got a date with Phil says BJ & Tyler as hey approached the it stop

BJ & Tyler were the first to arrive
Shut up and stop it! they said
They won a trip for two to Tahiti from Travelocity.com

Eric & Jeremy were the second to arrive
Where's the damn Phil at they said.

Joseph & Monica were the third to arrive at that time the others were still completing the tasks

Jim & Lori are team #4

Ray and Yolanda were team #5

Double D's were team #6

Fran & Barry had a dead battery; a replacement car was given to them, but no time credit (standard rules)

Lake & Michelle are having a hard time getting there; following some guy who had to get gas

Lake & Michelle were team #7 to arrive.

Danielle & Dani were team #8; right behind Lake & Michelle

Now they show Fran & Barry at night driving so are the two sisters

The drama heightens as we see Fran and Barry arriving as team #9, saying that they thought that Phil would be sleeping.

Now we see the two sisters arguing as usual and arriving last and crying
Lisa & Joni were the last team to arrive and so they were eliminated.
It is always fun to hear what they say when they lose :-)

They are in Moscow next; I have to figure out how they get there.

Amazing Race 9 - Episode 1

2006-02-28T23:02:00.000-06:00

Me is located in Houston, TX and Lonestar was in Detriot, MI; we always enjoy The Amazing Race together if we can; usually by phone; today, Lonestar IMed me instead; this is our conversation as we watched the show.

[Feb., 27, 2006] Me: http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/060227/dam048.html?.v=60
[Feb., 28, 2006] Lonestar: the southwest fares go no where
Lonestar: race is on
Me: hiya
Me: watchin'
Me: r there 2 gay couples?
Lonestar: did you see the city pairs for the $28 special?
Me: no; what are they?
Me: so if u r last u r eliminated [responding to Phil explaining the rules]
Me: good!
Me: no maybes
Lonestar: their has to be non-elimination legs
Me: i guess, but he did not say that...
Me: they will fly Continental I think [in response to the first clue that told them to get to Sao Paolo, Brazil; the racers started in Denver, Colorado]
Me: from IAH
Lonestar: Denver to IAH to San Pabalo
Me: it is the afternoon
Me: so they have time to catch the same day flights from DEN to IAH to SAO
Lonestar: But united must have a flight
Me: or UA to MIA or IAD
Lonestar: none direct out of denver
Me: nope
Lonestar: its their hub
Me: go to www.cruisinaltitude.com for the schedules of the airlines
Lonestar: UA sucks
Me: nope; MA to SAO works better
Lonestar: MA?
Me: MIA
Me: they did this last november i think
Lonestar: would be about right
Me: Choices: UA over IAD
Me: CO over IAH
Me: DL over ATL
Lonestar: dating for 5 years [to Ray and Yolanda being introduced]
Lonestar: give here a ring or move on
Me: AA over DFW
Me: UA over MIA or ORD as well
Me: i know what a dweeb
Me: what a dweeb
Lonestar: this is going to suck next week when i am in oregon
Me: how come?
Lonestar: it wont be on till so late
Me: aargh...
Me: i'll try not to tell u the results
Lonestar: i ve been there
Lonestar: denver airport
Lonestar: it is out in the middle of no where
Me: i love the old couple!
Lonestar: off of open road
Me: yes it is
Lonestar: you always like the old couple
Me: yup
Me: looking for AA348
Me: no longer flying
Me: they have an MD83 AA1406 to DFW
Me: AA416 to DFW
Me: AA1924 to DFW
Lonestar: the gay buddies
Me: more direct flight! LOL
Me: CO498
Me: oh oh [to the couple that called in to make a reservation; which they had to cancel]
Lonestar: now i wonder what happens
Lonestar: do they cancel their reservation
Me: bummer that they took that rule out
Me: yes they will have to or perhaps penalized for it
Me: previous games allowed it
Lonestar: it will be interesting to see how they work it in
Me: yup
Me: CO498 is at 2:30p connecting to CO93 arriving in SAO at 9:55a the next day
Lonestar: don’t forget to update your blog
Me: AA will arrive at 8:52a over DFW
Me: and 9:20a over DFW and MIA
Lonestar: we need character summaries, thoughts
Me: will do; actually thinking of including this conversation if you don't mind
Me: oh i hate doing that
Me: can i just talk about who i like? do i have to do them all?
Me: Internet connection sucks!
Lonestar: for several of these shows i will be on the west coast
Me: UA will arrive at 11:00a over ORD
Me: AA963 [flight numbers been called out by the contestants]
Me: UA861 [flight numbers been called out by the contestants]
Lonestar: Were they referring to their breast size [two of the guys saying they will call two of the girls Double Ds; their names start with Ds and they have big breasts]
Me: arrives at 9:25a
Me: not sure
Me: I think the names
Me: as they both start with D
Lonestar: all i heard was the comment, can we call you double D
Me: John and Scott "Lifelong friends?"
Me: what kind of description is that?
Lonestar: they might be gay
Me: Wanda and Desiree on UA
Lonestar: California gay
Me: Dave and Lori on UA
Lonestar: land of fruits and nuts
Me: that black girl will out run you [said one of the guy contentants]
Me: funny!
Me: Lake and Mitchell on CO
Lonestar: I thought so also
Me: Ray and Yolanda on CO
Me: well they showed the right plane
Me: but a 737 taking off
Lonestar: Monica is cute
Me: shows AA MD80 taking off
Lonestar: John and Scott are so gay
Me: never been to that hotel
Me: love Sao though
Me: dense city but cool
Me: UA does not have a 744 to SAO [to being shown a United Boeing 747-400 landing in what should be Sao Paolo]
Me: LOL
Me: cool she knows Portuguese [to one of the girls speaking Portuguese to the drivers]
Me: not true they arrived first [one of the contestants wondering if they were beaten by the other crew]
Me: big boobs! [finally seeing one of the Double Ds]
Lonestar: but they don’t know that
Me: how PC
Me: now the AA flight landing as a Boeing 777
Lonestar: as I said the Double D is their breast size comment
Me: not from DFW; they use a Boeing 767-300
Me: flattery always works
Lonestar: maybe the schedule has changes
Me: u r correct mon ami!
Me: so the CO flight is last
Me: they did show the correct aircraft landing a Being 767-200
Lonestar: good for them
Me: Phil said they had delays
Lonestar: maybe they [the producers of the show] are learning
Me: Spanish was the universal language of the world! [a comment by one of the ladies; Lori I think]
Lonestar: lady that would more be English
Me: good grief
Me: next clue says to travel 3 miles to Viaduto
Lonestar: most places have a few people who speak English
Me: I guess they will have to jump off the bridge
Lonestar: those two v-ball players are not PC at all
Lonestar: Eric and Jeremy are the V-ball players
Me: they two boys are like Shaggy and Scooby [BJ & his friend]
Me: that they are not [to the not PC comment]
Lonestar: I don’t think they are gay
Me: me neither
Me: soz; i lost my connection
Me: not sure if it is my Airport Express
Lonestar: what did you last get?
Me: crap
Me: huh?
Lonestar: what was the last line of the conversation you got
Lonestar: before you got your internet back
Me: "i dont think they are gay"
Lonestar: Lonestar: they are after the Double D duo [copied the conversation Me missed]
Lonestar: stop flirting and people won’t pass you, think with the head on top your shoulders
Lonestar: E& J are now the Frat boys
Lonestar: Just to update we have Double D's, frat boys, gay guys, hippies, nerds, ken and Barbie [these are the names being blurted out by the contestants for each other]
Lonestar: the black team
Lonestar: who am I missing?
Lonestar: Amazon sisters
Lonestar: Mom and daughter
Lonestar: I would take the flight, it would be so much fun [to the detour where they get to take a helicopter or assemble a bike]
Me: me neither [to the “don’t think they are gay comment]
Me: soz; i lost my connection
Me: not sure if it my Airport Express
Lonestar: what did you last get?
Me: crap
Me: huh?
Lonestar: what was the last line of the conversation
Me: the last line was "I dont think they are gay"
Lonestar: i just pasted in what i said while you were sleeping
Me: lol
Lonestar: it was a recap of the what the team nicknames are
Me: i think you got them
Me: i would take the flight of course
Me: never done a helicopter
Lonestar: so would i
Lonestar: not a doubt
Me: not mechanically included
Me: the problem is not the helicopter
Lonestar: i have several times [flown on a helicopter]
Me: it is identifying the building
Lonestar: flew over DB in one [a city in Florida]
Me: all the bldgs in Sao look alike
Me: oh really? [to the flew over DB in one comment]
Lonestar: I think all they have to do is pick it out of a book
Me: never done a glider nor a helicopter
Me: oic
Lonestar: never done a glider
Me: neither
Me: why can't they find the box? [to the old couple wandering pass the box on the bridge]
Me: they walked right by it
Me: u think they would have seen the camera pointing o it
Lonestar: i missed that part
Me: BJ & Tyler - Best Friends
Me: the older couple cannot find the clue on the bridge
Me: is that double Ds
Lonestar: its double Ds
Me: "lifelong friends" how about “gay guys” for the description for John and Scott?
Me: geez
Lonestar: is that Scott and whoever
Me: Sao is a really difficult city to navigate
Me: yes
Me: they need a twist [the show needs some spunk]
Me: funny as the airport in RIO is called Santos Dumont
Me: the local airport
Me: it is too hard to follow 22 people!
Me: at least the helicopters have the correct registrations
Me: of course they signed their lives away LOL
Lonestar: nerds, yes that is a helicopter [the nerdy couple was asking if that is a helicopter]
Me: LOL
Lonestar: and no flying in a helicopter is not the trip of a life time [to BJ & Tyler’s comment]
Lonestar: $50 at the grand Caynon
Me: those are cute helicopters
[at the almost one hour mark] Lonestar: did you see this is two hours
Me: they just had the trip of a lifetime; flying to SAO from the U.S.
Me: well, i assumed so since this the opening show
Me: it usually is
Me: doubles ds are putting a bike together?
Me: Fran and Barry still lookin'!
Me: geez
Lonestar: that is what i was thinking
Me: stop worrying about why you missed it; just go! [to Fran and Barry worrying that they will now lose]
Me: see they just got to 8th place [to being showed the 8th place contestant arriving at the bridge to pickup the clue]
Me: these are the people on the Continental flight
Me: ok those two will be fighting before it is over
Lonestar: he is the jerk of the show
Me: "don't second guess me"
Lonestar: another Bryan i think his name was [a guy from a previous show]
Me: good attitude ladies [Lori and her friends bitching about something]
Me: I think so
Me: God; the gay guys are still sitting around [they seemed to have been stuck in traffic]
Me: so two Americans get out of a taxi in Sao
Me: how smart was that?
Me: give the gay guys the booby prize
Lonestar: they are OUT
Lonestar: and not of the closet
Lonestar: they have been that for a while
Me: LOL
Me: I so hear you
Me: I mean u r in a strange country and you get out of the cab in a strange neighborhood
Me: how stupid
Me: the producers must have been going nuts at that moment
Lonestar: yea
Me: hey which commercial are u seeing? [commercial break]
Me: zetia?
Lonestar: a movie
Me: no; some drug
Lonestar: special ops
Me: ok
Lonestar: type
Me: now they are showing the shorts for a tv show, the unit
Me: a new show
Lonestar: the unit
Lonestar: a new show
Me: and now taco cabana commercial?
Lonestar: nope Toyota
Me: so they have local ads as opposed to national
Me: Toyota now
Me: so not in the same order
Me: of course now the Mercedes ad
Me: do they really need to advertise Mercedes?
Me: http://www.archidose.org/May04/051004-pic.html [This is the place hey get their first clue in Sao]
Me: The gay dudes again
Lonestar: cool building
Me: Lisa and Joni are the negatives ladies
Me: yup
Me: i do love the city
Lonestar: frat boys in the lead
Me: just never seen it though
Me: yup
Me: how the heck did they find that clue?
Me: the next clue says travel 5 miles to santa cecelia
Lonestar: where was it?
Me: frat boys are first
Me: BJ & Tyler second
Lonestar: wow that one would be tough
Me: it was under the stairs
Me: 'Dude is this the most James Bond thing you've ever done"
Me: ? [says BJ & Tyler]
Me: they are having the times of their lives BJ & Tyler
Me: this may be the first time out of the US for them; sweet
Me: Dave and Lori is kind of an odd couple...
Me: ok they are an odd couple
Me: Wanda & Desiree is 4th after doing the helicopter on the roof thing
Me: i wonder how double ds are doing with the bike
Me: ?
Lonestar: i wonder also
Lonestar: i wonder what guy helped them out
Me: well they paid that guy they met and he left
Me: i think they gave him 2 bucks
Me: of course he would leave them lol
Lonestar: good or bad pay?
Me: i doubt it; it is in reals
Lonestar: i don’t know anything about their economics
Me: but two bucks?
Me: please
Me: well; how about a five or a ten?
Me: get out of the car and walk people [reaction to the cab driver passing the airport with the helicopters]
Me: amigo? [to the couple calling the driver that name]
Me: how about Sir?
Lonestar: is that the doctor and his wife?
Lonestar: the "right"
Me: so why would two girls decide to do the bike?
Me: ironic how they [the older couple] are thinking of helping the girls and the girls left them when they were looking for the clue
Me: gracias?
Me: how about obrigado?
Me: good karma is good.
Me: did u see that ass shot?
Me: of the black girl?
Me: dude chill [to the camera looking at the black guy’s expression]
Me: the black guy is getting jealous; dude your girl is hot, just face it
Lonestar: the frosties
Me: dude; you just flew two flights about 6,000 miles; get over the fear of flying bit [to John freaking out about the helicopter and his fear of flying]
Lonestar: but this time it is in helicopter
Me: 3 point turn in a chopper? [to one of the couples saying that]
Lonestar: yea
Me: true; but get over it
Me: there is a million dollars at stake
Lonestar: that did not take long
Me: so is "dude" a unisex phrase now? [to the doctor calling his wife “dude”]
Lonestar: not yet their is a million dollars
Me: mojo-Wanda and Desiree
Me: did u get that one?
Me: i like the geeks though
Me: although they are weird
Lonestar: the geeks are cute
Lonestar: that is cool how many building have heliports
Me: didn't they have a plan for the bike building to follow?
Lonestar: i don’t think so
Me: why don't Fran and Barry just leave and go to the next stunt? [they could not put the bike together]
Me: Sao has lots of tall bldgs; that is why
Me: u should head down there
Me: sweet!
Me: Lake and Michelle is the first to get the bike done
Lonestar: yea
Lonestar: moves them back up
Lonestar: don’t think like that
Me: Fran and Barry need to leave the bikes and go to the helicopter
Lonestar: what about Double Ds
Me: they went to the helicopter; they ditched the bike
Lonestar: no they stayed
Me: did u get the place to text RACE to? [there was an ad on TV to do this]
Lonestar: they were outside when Ken and Barbie left
Me: nope they left when Fran and her husband showed up
Lonestar: nope
Me: well they said they were leaving
Lonestar: but then they stayed
Me: idiots
Lonestar: and continued working
Me: maybe it is 'cause the guys were whistling at them
Lonestar: thinking they could cheat off Fran
Me: oic
Lonestar: I can’t watch that Thursday i have not seen the last 2-3 weeks
Lonestar: Survivor
Lonestar: the Olympics screwed up my TV watching
Me: i've never watched Survior
Me: oh did it?
Me: i did miss a few shows as well
Me: but the Olympics was well worth it
Lonestar: we did well, beat those Canadians
Me: hey, i like the Canadians
Lonestar: I like two of the
Me: well it took Fran and her husband that long to change their minds
Lonestar: them
Lonestar:
Me: see double ds are not there at all
Lonestar:
Lonestar: ok
Lonestar: you were right
Me: ok; enough of the drama now
Me: see there is double ds doing the chopper now
Me:
Lonestar: yes yes yes, i was wrong, the great You was right again
Lonestar: the gay guys still have not found the bike/airport
Me: they [the show] need an overhead map
Me: so you can see where everyone is
Me: well; i've been wrong before...
Me: LOL
Me: they just got turned away from the gate
Lonestar: what happened to the black couple?
Me: i wonder if they have 11 clues on the roofs?
Lonestar: funny
Me: well 10
Me: the black couple is fixing the bike
Me: ok enough of that screaming [Lori and her friend screaming]
Me: Fran reminds me of Meredith from a few shows ago
Lonestar: yea
Lonestar: that is who it reminds me of
Lonestar: r they last?
Me: the bigger guy [John] just won’t give the other guy a chance to contribute at all
Me: nope; the gay guys are
Lonestar: of course one is the dom and the other the sub
Me: LOL
Me: remember this will be on a blog; so be nice...
Lonestar: you have to change the SN on this if you post it
Me: of course i will
Me: LOL
Me: if they work together it would be so much better;
Me: so back to my location indicator; they need one
Me: just telling me who is in what place is not enough
Me: i want to see an overview of where is everyone
Lonestar: yes, and time stamps at the major points so we can see who is behind and ahead and by how much
Me: maybe an interactive web site that i can go to during the telecast
Me: exactly
Lonestar: that won’t happen
Me: i know due to the time zones
Lonestar: ruin it for the west coast folk
Lonestar: s
Me: but you could set it up so that you can only access it from a certain time zone
Me: lost connection again
Me: drama from the gay guys
Lonestar: always
Me: ok; i could not do the snake thing [as they walk into this ritual and someone has a snake]
Lonestar is using a different version of Yahoo! Messenger with BT Communicator.
Certain features may be unavailable.

Lonestar: wb
Me: lost connection again
Me: thx
Me: glad John got it together [as he got on the helicopter and relaxed]
Me: see the last one will be eliminated [to Phil saying that the next stop is the pit stop]
Me: so who is last now?
Lonestar: i think the black couple
Me: pit stop is at the football stadium
Me: did u see the homeless guy sleeping on the street as the camera panned by?
Me: possibly
Me: Lisa and Joni (the screamers) are just landing
Me: The producers love the drama
Lonestar: yes they do
Me: i wonder what is their prize for this trip?
Lonestar: gotta love mark burnett
Me: yup
Me: he keeps us watching...
Me: u'd better get online next week so we can blog the show again
Me: well; IM
Me: did u see the Apple announcement today?
Lonestar: yes i did
Lonestar: but the price went up
Lonestar: i will be in Oregon
Lonestar: so i will be 2 hours late
Me: crap;
Me: the price of what?
Me: the boom box or the mac mini
Me: i hope the screamers get eliminated; I've had enough of them...
Me: so
Lonestar: the following week i will be home
Lonestar: week 3
Me: 1st: Derrick & Jeremy winning $10,000 each [as they arrive at the Stadium by taxi]
Lonestar: second
Me: ok so we will have to get the IM going again
Lonestar: get squat
Me: 2nd: BJ & Tyler winning nothing LOL u r right
Lonestar: nerds in third
Lonestar: that rhymes
Me: 3rd: Dave & Lori the geeks; well maybe [editing showed the nerds arriving before Wanda & Desiree]
Lonestar: nope double Ds
Me: 3rd: Wanda & Desiree as Dave & Lori used the wrong entrance
Me: 4th is Dave & Lori
Lonestar: not the double ds
Me: I love the geeks
Me: double ds are far away
Me: i think Ray & Yolanda may be last
Lonestar: there they are
Me: but Double Ds are stuck in traffic
Me: umm... there are two behind them
Lonestar: I wonder how long they had to keep that party going [reacting to the ritual ceremony]
Me: I think they should be called quad Ds
Me: 5th: Lake & Michelle
Me: geez...
Me: i'd say all day
Me: 6th: Joseph and Monica (the arguers)
Me: John is an idiot! what's with the genie power? [they talk about calling on the genie power when something goes wrong]
Me: 7th: Ray and Yolanda
Me: 8th: Fran and Barry
Lonestar: old couple
Me: I think the gay dudes are out
Lonestar: yep
Me: so much for the genie
Me: 9th: Danielle & Dani (double ds)
Me: oh, there is still Lisa and her friend left
Me: this will be close (or edited to seem that way LOL)
Lonestar: yea
Me: tick, tick...
Lonestar: only 6 min left
Me: run you two! [to John and Scott sitting in the cab]
Lonestar: and they still have previews
Me: drama...
Me: 10th: Lisa and Joni (the screamers)
Lonestar: gay guys out
Me: the gay dudes (John and Scott) are out; bummer
Me: How come he said it in English (the welcome) [the Brazilian guy did not say Bem Vindo as he did for the others]
Me: 11th: John and Scott are the last to arrive
Me: at least they get the free trip to Sao
Me: and John flew again
Me: sweet!
Lonestar: yep
Me: aww... how sweet
Me: well, as usual, the aviation events showed the wrong planes; but I think the airlines just want to show their best planes in the footage...
Me: so what do you want to be called in the IM stream?
Lonestar: lonestar
Lonestar: will work
Me: i think they will stay in the Southern Hemisphere for the next one perhaps
Me: i will be theotherguy
Me: LOL

Amazing Race 8 - Episode 4

2005-10-18T21:05:00.000-05:00

O.K. They preluded this episode with a statement that the scenes were filmed in Louisiana and Alabama before Hurricane Katrina and Rita passed through.

It was interesting, I am sure creepy for the affected families who lived there, to see downtown New Orleans sans water...

One thing that is sick about this whole show is how bad some American families are... Again, I'd never talk to my parents the way some of these kids do.

Still another dull episode of listening to families bitch at each other. In the end the family that lost is the one that did not keep it together and sadly enough they were from Louisiana.

Let's hope they fly somewhere next week, sigh...

Amazing Race 8 - Episode 3

2005-10-18T20:38:00.000-05:00

O.K. It continues to be dull, ut this week, they actually do some flying; geez...
Well, it started with them in some town at about 2:26 a.m. Today, they had to fly from Washington-Dulles airport in Sterling, Virginia (IAD) to Charleston, SC (CHS).

In Dulles, they showed Independence Air taking off using the correct aircraft type. However, they did show a US Aurways Embraer E-170 taking off as opposed to the Boeing 737 that they boarded.

One thing was odd though is that they showed one of the families in an airplane that was not one of the ones at the airport; the interior of the airplane was definitel that of a Continental aircraft. They really need a proper aviation consultant :-).

Once in Charleston, they showed the correct airplane arriving for Independence Air; kind of hard to screw that one up as they only have two aircraft types. They also did good by showing the same type of aircraft for US Airways that left Dulles arriving in Charlotte; kudos. However, United got cheated as they did not show their plane landing.

Amazing Race 8 - Episode 2

2005-10-18T20:37:00.000-05:00

Dull. It irks me to even blog it...

Amazing Race 8 - Episode 1

2005-09-28T23:19:00.000-05:00

Well, the new Race started on Tuesday, September 27, 2005. In one word, "boring."

There were no aviation segments as they started in New York, made their way to Soho then to 91st Street across the George Washington Bridge to Pennsylvania, where they are staying until next week's show.

O.K. there are 10 families of four persons each. Some are a little mismatched as there are kids and parents, young and older kids as well as annoying moms and very rude older children. If I spoke to my parents in that manner, I'd be slapped before I even thought of the word to say. Oh, wait, I would never even think of talking in that manner to my parents. How these parents put up with such crap from their kids is beyond me.

The funniest part I think is that there is a black family whose last name is Black. Just hilarious. I am sure the producers planned this; silly I think, but funny anyways. I do wonder how come the families are not more diverse though, no Asian or Hispanic familes; come on, tons of people audition for this show, don't tell me there were no Asian nor Hispanic families that "qualified?"

This is America, so I think we should be a little more diverse.

Even worst, the Black family lost so they are out of it now.

Will see how next week's episode comes out.

Episodes 11/12 - The Final Episodes

2005-05-11T21:47:00.000-05:00

When we last saw our contestants they were in London, England. The show opened up with them getting instructions for their next leg of the journey and sure enough I was right, they were heading to Jamaica. Sadly, they showed a NW Boeing 747 landing in KIN when Phil was talking about the next clue. This was the same shot they used in earlier episodes. They did show an Air Jamaica Airbus A340 flying though (a little redemption).

The first team, Rob and Amber picked up there clue and left at 2:47 a.m. and headed for London-Heathrow International (LHR), destination, Kingston, Jamaica (KIN). Of course, leaving at this time everyone will catch up with them. Seems kind of pointless sometimes to win a leg, but oftentimes there are rewards.

I had been thinking about this since last week. How would they get to Kingston? Naturally, I check my eSkyGuide timetable and they had a few choices, British Airways (BA) from London-Gatwick (LGW) or Air Jamaica from Heathrow nonstop or American Airlines connecting via Miami, Florida (MIA). Actually they had many connecting opportunities if they wanted to use multiple carriers. But I think Air Jamaica were the sponsors of this particular round as they showed the Air Jamaica A340 flying when they mentioned that the teams had to fly to Jamaica. I can't quite remember if the instructions said to fly from London to Kingston or from London-Heathrow to Kingston.

The BA flight is seasonal and does not operate at the time of year I think this was filmed.

Well, they got to Heathrow and of course at that time of the morning there are no flights to Jamaica. The only flight apparently was JM2 at 12:40 p.m. This flight actually goes to Montego Bay, Jamaica (MBJ) and then continues on to Kingston, arriving at 7:15 p.m. I am assuming that this was filmed in November last year; not sure. Otherwise, the flight times are slightly different.

They arrived in Kingston at night and headed for the beach where they had to do their next task a limbo. This determined what time the next morning they would have to leave.

It was quite an adventure ad Rob and Amber got pulled over by the Police and Uchena and Joyce who had the lead had a flat tire and ended up losing the lead.

We actually got to see a lot more of the airport in Montego Bay, Jamaica (MBJ) as Uchena and Joyce was the last to finish at the last pit stop and were stripped of all their belongings. So they had to go to the airport at about 2:45 a.m in the morning after begging a local guy a drive. at the airport, they asked customers who were at the airport way too early for money. they were unsuccessful at first, but eventually as the morning wore on they got luckier and amassed some money.

Once the teams completed the day's task which was to collect 50 onions and take them to a Jerk Pork stall and cut them into small pieces, it was time to fly to San Juan, Puerto (SJU) from Montego Bay (MBJ). The producers then showed an American Airlines Boeing 757 taking off and landing in what I guess was Montego Bay and San Juan.

Now, here is where the show took a great leap. There is no jet service between Montego Bay and San Juan, Puerto Rico. To do this, you must first go to Miami, Florida (MIA) and then take another plane to San Juan, Puerto Rico. So this is what all three teams had to do.

Rob and Amber were the first at the airport as Air Jamaica JM23 was leaving for Miami. They tried to buy tickets and the agent told them that due to security reasons they could not get on the flight. at 9:15 a.m. They were furious and if looks could kill... Of course the Air Jamaica employees, kept their steadfast look and said No.

So he ran over to the American Counter and got a ticket on the AA858, the 9:54 a.m. flight to Miami. AA858 is usually the first flight out, at about 8:01 a.m., but they were in luck as the agent said it was delayed and was leaving at 9:54 a.m. Otherwise they would have had to wait for the next flight and Ron and Kelly would have caught up with them.

Of course they showed an Airbus taking off from MBJ (wrong) and a Boeing 757 landing in SJU. Geez...

For the second flight with Ron and Kelly, took AA1152 and then connected to AA1299. They showed a Boeing 757 taking off for second flight and a Boeing 757 landing in SJU, which is totally plausible so they did good there.

Finally, Uchena and Joyce took the 4:58 p.m. AA flight. They got lucky as this was the last flight that would properly connect to SJU. The producers showed a 757 taking off and another landing in SJU. OK there.

In true Amazing Race style, they all met up in San Juan, actually Aguadilla so they could jump off a bridge. After that, they were to board a plane to MIA.

At the airport, Rob got there first and was able to get on the earlier flight after buying a ticket for the 11:15 a.m. and then standing by for the 10:00 a.m. He and Amber got on and they closed the door on the Airbus A300, pulled the gate and then Uchena and Joyce asked if they could get on and the Captain said Yes. Go figure...

They then showed an American Airlines Boeing 757 taking off and landing in Miami, sigh...

Once Ron and Kelly showed up, they got on the Boeing 737-800, which they showed, but end up showing a Boeing 757-200 landing in Miami.

That was the last aviation event of the show as the three teams tried to get to Benet House in Fort Lauderdale for the finale.

Congrats to Uchena and Joyce for outwitting Rob and Amber to win the $1M! Bad on CBS for having really bad continuity throughout the show and having viewers having to try and figure out the aviation aspects of the show. I think that a better job of that could be done.

Looking forward to the next one.

Episode 10

2005-05-11T20:58:00.000-05:00

This week, the teams had to make their way from Istanbul, Turkey (IST) to London, England (LHR/LGW). They all arrived at about midnight and found out that the next flight was the 8:30 a.m. nonstop flight on Turkish Airlines (TK) which departed the next day arriving at 10:30 a.m.

Well, Rob was not satisfied based on his previous performance when his actions caused Uchena, Joyce, Meredith and Gretchen to catch an earlier flight, so he found an airport employee's Internet access and discovered that Lufthansa (LH) had a flight at 5:50 a.m. that connected in Frankfurt (FRA) arriving at 9:00 a.m. The only problem was that the connecting flight was full. Ron and Kelly also took this flight and followed Rob and Amber. Rob and Kelly got lucky as since they arrived last, they were stricken of all their stuff and had to beg money to get a cab to the train station for their mission.

In the meantime, the others took the TK Airbus A310 nonstop flight. The eSkyGuide timetable showed that there was also an Aeroflot (SU) flight over Moscow (SVO) that would have arrived at 9:30 a.m. A visa would have been required for Moscow, so I don't know if they had one.

I could not find the Turkish Airlines flight on my eSkyGuide, but I did find the Lufthansa flights. I went to http://www.turkishairlines.com to check and it was there of course.

The continuity problems continued when they showed a Turkish Airlines (TK) Boeing 737 landing at the airport in what should be London-Heathrow (LHR). Not correct at all.

They also end up showing a Boeing 737 taking off when Rob, Kelly, Amber and Ron departed instead of the Airbus A321 and then a LH Boeing 737 landing in FRA; sigh...

They then showed a LH A340 landing in Heathrow, which does not occur; it should have been a Airbus A300-600R.

Ron uttered a comment when he arrived in London that of course not too cool "thank God we are in a country where people actually speak English." says the POW. What is that supposed to mean?

When the others arrived, they showed a TK Boeing 737-800 landing in LHR when the flights is actually on an A310. This was the last of the aviation events in this episode.

At the end of this episode, Gretchen and Meredith were eliminated. Great competitors, despite Gretchen's constant whining.

Episode 9

2005-05-11T20:30:00.000-05:00

Teams now had to fly to Istanbul, Turkey (IST) from Jaipur, India (JAI). Naturally, I grabbed my eSkyGuide timetable once more. It did not have schedules for the JAI to DEL portion, so I checked Indian Airlines' site and found a schedule. The producers chose to show an MD-80 and a Boeing 747 flying, when they talked about the journey.

Rob had an off the cuff comment at one point: I'm so over India," now what is that supposed to mean? Well, I'm so over these contestant and their crappy comments. One should be thankful.

Basically, their routing had to be Jaipur to Delhi to Istanbul. They all arrived in Delhi the same time. It looked like they took Indian Airlines (IC http://indian-airlines.nic.in/scripts/index.asp). The showed an Airbus A320 taking off which is possible as they have A320s and Boeing 737 flying the route. Now really bad, they showed a Northwest Boeing 747 landing in Delhi!

In Delhi, it was kind of a rush to find the best way to get to Istanbul. Rob and Amber went to buy their tickets on the nonstop Turkish Airlines (TK) flight. Gretchen was walking by Rob and he joked that if they had booked on the earlier flight? Well, Gretchen told Uchena and he started calling around. And of course, there was a flight that went via Dubai, United Arab Emirates (DXB) to Istanbul. It would arrive at 6:30 a.m. 1h 15 minutes before the nonstop flight. Only drawback, is that they would have to leave at 8 p.m. This is a race afterall.

So Rob, Ron, Kelly and Amber left on the 4:00 a.m. TK1071 nonstop flight that arrived at 8:45 a.m. They were actually surprised not to see the others on the flight and spent a few hours wondering where they were until they found out from one of the boat drivers in Istanbul that the others had already passed by.

They end up showing a Boeing 767 taking off and also showed a Asiana Boeing 747 flying as well as an Austrian Airlines MD-80 landing in Istanbul, all incorrect and had nothing to do with the aircraft type or airlines they were flying.

There was no mention of the airlines being flown on the DEL-DXB-IST routing, which would have been Gulf Air (GF) based on the departure times; 8 p.m. this flight actually connected through Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (AUH) to get to Dubai. Dubai to Istanbul was perhaps on Turkish Airlines A310-300 TK1165.

I hate it when I have to guess the routings. Why can't they just tell us?

That was it for aviation items for this episode.

Updates Coming

2005-05-11T13:00:00.000-05:00

Sorry for the lag in updates. They are forthcoming... Tune in later tonight for the commentary on the last three episodes.

Episode 8

2005-04-20T23:59:00.000-05:00

Well the new episode was quite good, picking up right where they left off last week. There were no aviation aspects this week though as they were running around India.

We did lose the couple Lynn and Alex as they went to the wrong castle for the pit spot. This gave Gretchen and Meredith time to catch up to them, sparing elimination. Uchena and Joyce did the fast forward which cost Joyce her locks as she had to do an Indian ritual that required her to shave her head. Lucky for Uchena his head was already shaved. Not to be outdone, Rob and Amber came in third behind the POW and the beauty queen who are just not right for each other, as each week shows.

I'm guessing that next week they will head to somewhere in Europe as they seem to have wrapped up their Indian adventure.

Somehow this episode was kind of a yawn.

Episode 7

2005-04-14T00:23:00.000-05:00

By far, this was the most confusing episode ever!

It all started with the teams leaving Botswana for Lucknow, India (LKO). I had never heard of this city, so of course I went to Google to find a map of India. Well, Lucknow was not on it; sigh... But here is a link to a map of the small town: http://www.mapsofindia.com/maps/uttarpradesh/Lucknow-city-map.htm. I looked on Air India's site and realized that it is Southeast of New Delhi. Here is a link to Air India's route map: http://www.airindia.com/page.asp?pageid=89.

I tried to use my timetable from SkyGuide, but that did not find Lucknow as it is not served by major carriers it seems. This one was going to be tough...

Here is what they had to do:
1). Get on a charter flight to Francistown, Botswana (FRW) from the game reserve where they were
2). Once in FRW, they had to get to LKO.

The Race producers tried to explain how they would get there, but failed to mention that they had to go back to Johannesburg, South Africa (JNB). The route map they showed actually showed a line from Francistown directly to Lucknow, LOL.

As it turns out, here is the routing they took:

Francistown, Botswana (FRW) to Johannesburg, South Africa (JNB) on Air Botswana
Johannesburg, South Africa (JNB) on South African Airways to Mumbai, India (BOM)
Mumbai, India (BOM) to Delhi, India (DEL) can't tell on which carrier possibly Air India
Delhi, India (DEL) to Lucknow, India (LKO) can't tell on which carrier either, possibly with Indian Airlines or Air India again, depending on the day of week they got there

They could have also done Mumbai to Luknow on Indian Airlines, but it is possible that there were no seats available. There are also daily flights from Delhi to Lucknow on Indian Airlines.

This was quite the journey. LKO is not served daily by Air India
You can check out their schedule here at http://www.airindia.co.in/yatrik/ytimetable.html.
The ride from the resort to Francistown was on a Cessna Caravan that was at least registered in Botswana.

At Francistown, they had to buy their tickets for the rest of the journey. This was intersting as there was just one agent there to help. So half of the team worked with her and the other half got on a cell phone and called some travel agent and got their tickets booked.

My timetable program does not have schedules for Air Botswana, but the Race producers did well, as they did show Air Botswana's ATR being boarded and also landing in what appeared to be JNB. They then showed the contestants getting on a South African Airways Airbus (just the open door, but I know it is South African)

At that point it got weird; they showed a FedEx DC-10 taking off from some airport; not sure which and they even showed what looked like a Northwest Boeing 747-400 landing in what was supposed to be Lucknow! Although this may have been an Air India Boeing 747-400 landing in Delhi or possibly Mumbai, who knows. In the background at Lucknow, there was what looked like an Airbus A320 from Indian Airlines.

By the time they landed in Lucknow, India, I was wondering where the heck they were since there was no sign that they had arrived at their intended destination.

In terms of the show itself, it was interesting as I'm not sure what was going on with Gretchen as she was whining about having to search through the tins in the tin factory for the clue while almost all of the residents of Lucknow watched. It was quite funny to see her frustration, but I think it was also the fact that it was quite hot there.

Lynn and Alex had a little quarrel about whether or not to take a rickshaw or a cab for a 3 mile journey, as did the POW and the beauty queen. It was pretty much a no-brainer to take the rickshaw as the cab would get stuck in the traffic. The intense heat had a lot to do with as well. They were all sweating like pigs.

The POW and the beauty queen failed to yield Rob and Amber when they had the chance; what a mistake! So of course, Rob and Amber got to Phil first; just ahead of the two of them.

The saga continues next week from the same town as there was no pit stop this week.

The Recap

2005-04-06T20:19:00.000-05:00

This is the recap episode on a non-show night (Wednesday).

They did explain what happened to Patrick; he bumped his head while getting on the bus and had to get stitches.

Of course the blunders continued as they showed them on a map going from Cusco to Lima as opposed to Arequipa to Lima. They did talk about the two brothers (Brian and Greg) sharing a room with the two girl roommates (Megan and Heidi) while waiting for the connecting flight out of Lima to Santiago; nothing happened. So they did take an early morning flight from Lima to Santiago, which makes it a little confusing as I thought they had taken a red eye flight over to Buenos Aires, Argentina (EZE).

So looking back at my timetable program, I still can't figure it out; unless they went to a hotel in Buenos Aires and not Lima. That makes more sense, as there is a Lineas Aereas (LR) flight that arrives in EZE at 3:19 a.m. I'm tired of racking my brain...

They still showed the same 747-200 landing in Johannesburg; so I guess that is the only footage they have of South African Airways.

I got a glimpse of the next episode and it is apparently somewhere where the people are of Indian descent; that could be many countries in Asia...Stay tuned.

Episode 6

2005-04-06T18:47:00.000-05:00

Well, the teams are still in Africa, Botswana to be exact on an African Safari. To my dismay, there were no aviation aspects this week, so there was no need for me to take out my trusty downloadable timetable. I'm sure they will fly somewhere next week as they've been in Africa too long; so Asia or Europe are my guess, LOL!

Episode 5

2005-03-30T22:59:00.000-06:00

Well, last night was awesome as usual. We were treated to two back to back episodes!

We pick up with our teams at the pit stop in Buenos Aires, Argentina. So the teams left in the order they arrived the previous night. They had to go from Buenos Aires, Argentina (EZE) to Johannesburg, South Africa (JNB). It was 3 a.m. when the first team left the pit stop. Having done the South America to JNB trip myself just last November (2004), I knew that they had to get to São Paolo, Brazil (GRU) and then take South African Airways (SA) evening flight arriving early the next morning. This was a part of my round the world trip in the Southern Hemisphere, but that is another story :-).

I immediately, loaded up my downloadable schedule (eSkyGuide) and verified the flight times:

From: Buenos Aires-Pistarini BA AR (EZE)
To: Johannesburg ZA (JNB)
Date: 29 November 2005 [I used this date as I think it was this time of the year last year when they traveled]

Flight From Depart To Arrive Via
SA7851*/SA206 EZE 10:55am JNB 6:55am +1 GRU
RG8617/RG2328/RG7390~ EZE 12:00N JNB 6:55am +1 POA-GRU

So they had to make that 10:55 a.m. flight to São Paolo. Which they all did with ease and now were all together. As Jay said in a comment to Episode 4; it is just sad when they let everyone catch up. Also, why would they let them leave at 3:55 a.m. to catch a flight that they knew did not leave until 10:55 a.m.? I guess we will never know.

I did check the EZE to GRU flights and they could still catch three other flights just in case they had been late for some reason:

LH503 EZE 11:30am GRU 3:00pm
AR1242 EZE 11:40am GRU 2:27pm
BA246 EZE 1:25pm GRU 4:55pm

While Lufthansa (LH) is daily, British Airways (BA) and Aerolineas Argentinas (AR) are not. But they had options at least.

SA7851 is actually operated by Varig (RG) as RG8649 an MD-11. The producers showed an aircraft at the gate in EZE, but it was just the nose and I did not see it long enough to determine if it was a MD-11 or not. It was a wide body Varig aircraft though. It could have been a Boeing 767-300 as Varig uses that equipment on that route as well. So I give them the benefit of the doubt that it was a MD-11.

The next aviation thing they showed was one of the couples sitting in South African Airways' Business Class cabin. This was not explained at all; I thought they always flew Economy...

The next shot showed a South African Airways Boeing 747-200 landing in Johannesburg, South Africa (JNB). The GRU to JNB route is flown using an Airbus A340-300 aircraft! How difficult would it have been to get an aircraft that was in the current fleet, geez...

So they all arrived in South Africa safely and while some of the team members were able to take their bags on board, others were not so they had to wait to get the bags. Once that was done they were off for the next mission.

This involved going to different parts of South Africa including Soweto. Here are some pictures from my trip there last year.

Once the mission was over, they had to leave Johannesburg and head for Gaborone, Botswana. Once at the airport, the first team headed to South African Airways (SA)
to check the departure times. The agent told them that Air Botswana (BP) had a noon flight. At that point I was figuring that not all the players would make this noon flight.

I checked my timetable and verified the SA times, but did not see the Air Botswana schedule as that airline's schedule is not in the eSkyGuide schedule (not all airlines provide their schedule). So I went over to Air Botswana's Web site and verified the flight times.

Johannesburg to Gaborone
Flight No M T W T F S S Depart Arrive
BP210 X X X X X 0730 0830
BP220 X 0830 0930
BP208 X X X X X 1040 1140
BP204 X X X X X X X 1200 1300
BP206 X X X X X X X 1515 1615
BP202 X X X X X X X 1845 1945
BP218 X X X 2030 2130

Here is the schedule for South African from eSkyGuide

From: Johannesburg ZA (JNB)
To: Gaborone BW (GBE)

Flight From Depart To Arrive Via
SA1761~ JNB 5:55am GBE 7:00am
SA1781~ JNB 7:55am GBE 9:00am
SA1771~ JNB 8:15am GBE 9:20am
SA1787~ JNB 9:00am GBE 10:05am
SA1763~ JNB 9:25am GBE 10:30am
SA1793~ JNB 9:30am GBE 10:35am
SA1785~ JNB 11:00am GBE 12:05pm
SA1777~ JNB 11:15am GBE 12:20pm
SA1775~ JNB 11:35am GBE 12:40pm
SA1765~ JNB 1:45pm GBE 2:50pm
SA1773~ JNB 3:00pm GBE 4:05pm
SA1767~ JNB 4:45pm GBE 5:50pm
SA1791~ JNB 5:10pm GBE 6:15pm
SA1769~ JNB 7:20pm GBE 8:05pm

It was neat to see the departure hall of JNB as I'd been there a few times and even picked up timetables from that very Air Botswana counter.

I think three teams made the Air Botswana (BP) flight; an ATR-42-500 and yes they showed the correct aircraft type. This would have been very difficult to mess up as according to Air Botswana's site, that is the only aircraft type they operate.

The other teams made the SA1765 which at that time of the year was departing at 1:35p.m. Again, they did get the aircraft correct as this flight is operated by South African Airlink (YB) using a Dash 8 and that is what they showed them getting on and off. Redemption!

There were no other aviation reference for the rest of the show.

And quite the show it was too. We saw Ray and Deana eliminated, as they should be; they treated Meredith and Gretchen really badly in a previous episode and did the same in this one by not giving them any money when they were stripped of all their cash when they arrived in Soweto last.

Not to be outdone, the famed Rob and Amber, who were recognized almost everywhere they went, did not stop when the brothers Greg and Brian had an accident. The others at least slowed down and asked if all was well. If that kind of behavior is what it takes to win a million dollars, then I don't want to win at all.

Gretchen was injured in the caves, but was such a trooper and insisted to stay in the race and told her husband Meredith to continue searching for the clue, which he did.

Lynn and Alex somehow ended up in a bad part of town; it looked a bit like downtown Johannesburg. Not sure how that occurred, but eventually, they made it to the airport.

Next week promises to be good!

By the way: If the show is taped, why is the CBS Web site not updated immediately after the show? Or is that too much to ask?

Episode 4

2005-03-22T22:08:00.000-06:00

Well, the new episode just finished and it did not disappoint.

In this episode they leave Mendoza, Argentina (MDZ) and head for Buenos Aires-Newbery, Argentina (AEP), the local airport. At first I use my trusty eSkyGuide Airline Timetable (using the 7-Day Lookup feature) and looked up MDZ to Buenos Aires, Argentina (EZE) and saw that there were no nonstop flights between the two unless a connection was made through Santiago, Chile (SCL). Then I remember that Buenos Aires has two airports and then it all worked.

Taken from eSkyGuide

From: Mendoza MD AR (MDZ)
To: Buenos Aires-Newbery BA AR (AEP)

Flight From Depart To Arrive Via
AR2403~ MDZ 8:10am AEP 9:42am
AR1405 MDZ 9:50am AEP 11:22am
AR1417 MDZ 2:30pm AEP 4:02pm
AR1429 MDZ 7:50pm AEP 9:22pm
AR1423 MDZ 8:20pm AEP 9:52pm
AR1421 MDZ 9:20pm AEP 10:52pm
AR1407/AR1535 MDZ 5:05pm AEP 8:15pm COR

Not all these flights operate all day.

The teams have to catch either the 9:30 a.m. or the 2:30 p.m. flight (the schedule changed slightly as I am not sure when they flew; I picked December as they mentioned that it was Summertime [seasons are flipped in the Southern Hemisphere]; it may have actually been earlier since they need time to edit, etc. but who knows).

The flights are both Boeing 737-200 flights lasting about 1:32 in length. Well the cameras did show them boarding a Boeing 737-200 (Yes!) and the interior was also that of a Boeing 737-200 as well (Yes!). A lot of footage was shown at the airport on the tarmac and the interior as the cunning Rob and Amber showed up at 9:25 p.m. and was still able to get on the flight, much to the dismay of the other three teams that were already on board. To add insult to injury , Rob and Amber ended up winning this round!

The second group was able to catch the 2:30 p.m. and no one was left behind; although there were later flights, but would not have worked as they had assignments that required daylight in Buenos Aires; actually Tigre, Argentina. Which the train lovers would have liked as they had to take a train out to Tigre.

Of course the continuity was flawed, when they showed the first team arriving in a Boeing 767 (they showed a Boeing 767 landing). Which I don't even think go to the local airport. They did redeem themselves though when they showed the second team arriving in a Boeing 737-200; one out of two is not bad I guess.

I have not been to AEP, so I could not tell if they were at that airport or another airport in Argentina when they were getting the cabs or their bags, so I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt on that one.

Oh, my favorites, Patrick and his Mom, lost and deservedly so; Patrick whined the whole time and just about gave up when he thought that they did not have a chance, much to the chagrin of his Mom. Based on Patrick tantrum in Episode 3, I figured they would not last another episode and so said so done. I'm gonna miss them; sorry Mom...

Looks like they are heading to Africa next week, so that should be a blast to see how they get there.

Episode 3

2005-03-16T13:18:00.000-06:00

Well, the saga continues. There were no aviation aspects in the show last night. The only thing was that the announcer said the following in his re-cap:

"Teams had to get from Cuzco, Peru (CUZ) to Santiago, Chile (SCL)."

When in fact, they had to get from Arequipa, Peru (AQP) to Santiago, Chile (SCL), oh well.

They show pretty much had them going from downtown Santiago to a town in Argentina; Puento Vallejo I think. They had to cross the beautiful Andes mountains (which I've only done by air; check out the pictures). A few of them got lost (one team heading up on the beach) another driving around the city for almost 1.5 hours before finding the highway exit.

Despite how much I can't stand Rob and Amber, they actually did good this week and kind of redeemed themselves by using good strategy to not be eliminated. Knowning the rules of the game is a big part of it all.

All in all, entertaining as usual. Hopefully, they will fly somewhere next week; see you then.

Episode 2

2005-03-09T21:05:00.000-06:00

Hey, the new episode is now over and while it was a bit lack luster, once again it failed to disappoint, of course.

When we last left the motley crew, they were still in Cuzco, Peru. They now had to get to Arequipa, Peru (AQP) do some stuff as usual and then get to Santiago, Chile (SCL) to do some more stuff.

I've actually been to Arequipa; O.K. so it was just the airport, and it is a very picturesque place. I was trying to fly out to Lima, Peru (LIM) from Cuzco (CUZ) and did not make the nonstop flight. Our only way out was to get on a flight that connected to another via AQP. Now I was looking forward to seeing a little more on the show.

After the teams finished their chores; the producers said they had to take one of two flights that were 45 minutes apart to Santiago, Chile (SCL). They later showed the routing as AQP to Lima, Peru (LIM) to Buenos Aires, Argentina (EZE) to Santiago, Chile (SCL). My first thought was, why that routing? So I of course consulted my trusty eSkyGuide airline timetable. The only places you can get to nonstop by air from AQP are LIM; Cuzco, Peru (CUZ) and Juliaca, Peru (JUL). So they had to go through Lima eventually no matter what. But why go via Buenos Aires without any kind of explanation. I also could not find two flights that were 45 minutes apart, but it is possible that the schedule was different at the time they flew (which more than likely it was).

Well, it became quite clear why; sponsorship I guess as the plane they showed the teams boarding was a MD88 from Aerolineas Argentinas. This for the sake of continuity does not fly from AQP to LIM. This market is only served by Lan Peru, Aero Continente and Transportes Aereos Nacionales.

The cameras also showed the contestants all boarding at night or it could have been at dawn which did not really fly with the times that they had completed their last task. So now I was very confused. The next thing they showed was what looked like a Boeing 737 landing at an airport that was assumed to be Santiago, Chile (SCL); which actually looked like SCL, so fine.

When they showed the second team landing they showed a Lan Chile (LA) Boeing 767-300 landing at the same airport; so I'm good with that; except that all the contestants were shown boarding an Aerolineas Argentinas MD88!

So the question is where did they board the MD88 and when did they change to the 737 and the 763? Well, based on the schedules from eSkyGuide, Aerolineas Argentinas flies an MD-88 from Buenos Aires to Santiago; so that picture they showed in Arequipa, Peru of the contestants boarding the MD-88 was more than likely in Buenos Aires. Come on producers, quit confusing us.

Now I know that the MD88 was not the plane used from LIM to EZE as that flight is a 4:15 flight that is usually served by an A310 with Aerolineas Argentinas (AR).

So here is what I think occurred; they took two Lan flights from AQP to LIM, possibly LP111 and LP106 as these two are the closest together. They then took a late flight either on AR or LP to Buenos Aires, Argentina (EZE). There are a few choices; two LP flights and one AR. Once in Buenos Aires, they would have taken the 7:45 a.m. AR1280, an MD88 to Santiago arriving at about 9:00 a.m. Then the other group took AR1282 which arrived at 10:00 a.m. So those Boeing 737 and 767-300 we saw landing in Santiago, Chile (SCL) may not have carried the contestants at all. Of course, I could be wrong; but given the schedules and since they showed them boarding an MD88, those are the possibilities.

We left the teams in Santiago, Chile and one was dismissed as they arrived last. Where to next week? I'm guessing that they continue to head south to possibly Punta Arenas, Chile; let's watch and see...

Episode 2 - funny stuff

2005-03-09T20:55:00.000-06:00

Rob and Amber continues to be hated by the group especially when they lied to them about telling the security guard not to tell the others that the later bus got to Arequipa first. Rob then became defensive when the others asked about it

Patrick hurt his right eye and they did not explain how that happened; but by the time he got to Santiago, he was fine...umm...

A low point was when Patrick and his mom ran out of money it seems and had to beg some locals. But it seems that they ran out of local currency, at least initially. I'm still rooting for these two.

Patrick and his mom did finally run out of money at the market and started trying to sell flowers; it is pretty funny as some of the others also did not have enough money and the folks gave them the stuff for free; go figure.

So Rob and Amber won the round and won a trip to Atlantis in the Bahamas, while Megan and Heidi were the last to arrive so they are gone; the two brothers just barely missed it though.

Episode I - Funny stuff

2005-03-02T22:55:00.000-06:00

As I watched the race, I could not help but notice the following:

It was quite interesting to listen to what one brother (Brian & Greg) had to say to the other when he saw the two girls (Debbie & Bianca, I think) kiss each; He was like, did you see that to this brother, and then blew it off by saying "nevermind."

Also, either Debbie or Bianca said that Patrick looked like a guy she dated and Patrick quipped, "really? and was he gay as well?" You can't write script this good...

I really liked the two guys, Ryan & Chuck; an interesting pair, so sorry they got there last. I was quite impressed to see Chuck speaking Portuguese to the locals as it is close to Spanish, impressive.

I was not really impressed by Ron & Kelly and if they don't get it together they are going to be the next one off; they barely missed being last on this episode.

The two from Survivor, I just think should not be there. Don't you think they've already won their million? Give someone else a chance why don't you.

I love Meredith & Gretchen: Meredith as he has a girl's name and Gretchen as she is too cool. I loved it when they easily moved the llamas around while the others were pulling and tugging and it just was not happening.

One thing was interesting was how they handled the altitude change. It just seems unreal that they could all adapt that quickly; they must have either taken altitude pills or had some resting time. Going from sea level to 11,000' then running around is pretty challenging. I remember trying to run at Machu Picchu and just could not do it for too long. What do you think?

Episode I Cont'd

2005-03-02T22:38:00.000-06:00

Well, I'm home from work now and can think a lot more... Let's continue.

I was thinking, "come on, there has to be a quicker way to Lima from LAX?" I knew that Lan Chile (LA) had a non-stop flight. Why were they not taking that flight? It departed only an hour before the American one and got to Lima at 11:55 p.m. at night... I had my laptop with me, so I booted up my downloadable schedule program; eSkyGuide from American Express and entered LAX to LIM and looked at the 7-day range; the United flight connection did not show up as it was not really logical (it went north to get south), but the American flights did. O.K. I get it; American and United are sponsors, but you know what, it is a race, besides, Lan (LA) is partners with American (oneworld).

O.K. so I accepted the choices, reluctantly, given to the contestants and moved on. Now the United flight is a Boeing 767-300 and yes, the interior shown was that of the same plane; however, when they showed the supposed take off from LAX by United, they showed the stock United footage of their Boeing 777-200ER in the new livery; poor choice I think for continuity, but since United is paying the bills, I guess not.

Now to the American Airlines team... Well, at least the interior was that of a Boeing 767-300 (the right airfraft), but an outside shot of "the plane" at the gate, showed a Boeing 737-800; give me a break CBS, where is your technical consultant when you need them. Of course, not to be outdone, an American Boeing 777-200ER was shown taking off; so much for continuity.

Perhaps the worst piece of continuity in LAX, was at the point where Phil does his voice over and they show the contestants seated in the airplane before departure from LAX; it was pretty obvious that some of them were not in the correct airplane at that moment. Actually, the footage shown was that of the interior of the Lan airplane that we saw them flying on later. You could clearly see the words "LAN" on the seatback cover behind them. I think that is just an insult to the viewers, let's hope this kind of thing gets corrected in future races.

The good thing was at least the terminals were correct in LAX and it all made sense. I would have loved to see what happened in JFK and MIA when the teams connected. But I guess there is only so much one can do in an hour...

To continue all this; when they showed the teams arriving in Lima, Peru, Boeing 747-400s were shown landing, when none of the aircraft the contestants were flying on were of that type.
American flies an Airbus A300-600 and I cannot look up what United flew, as they no longer serve that city, but I know it was not a 747. It was difficult to tell the airliner, from the brown haze and the angle of the photo.

On a good not though, when the teams got to Peru and went to the beach called Playa Hermosa in Ancon, Peru for their clue, the times for the flights the next day made perfect sense; I actually thought that they would get to Cuzco, Peru (CUZ) and then take the train to Macchu Picchu like my friends did a few years back. That is a story for another blog entry :-). But you can see some pictures from our trip here.

Now, CUZ is an aviation marvel; at 11,000' it is one of the highest cities above sea level. Landings and takeoffs are done here usually before noon. After that it gets pretty difficult and oftentimes the flights are either cancelled, delayed or weight restricted. I think this was the reason for the later flights being delayed from Lima to Cuzco. Much to the chagrin of some of the teams.

I did want to see more of the dilema of them being delayed and how they handled it all and possibly the real reason for the delay, but not much of that was shown.

The continuity here was actually quite good, with the correct airplanes being shown throughout and the airport sequences actually making sense. The interior footage actually made sense now as they are actually taking a Lan Airbus A320 on this route. I was of course elated. Now we are getting somewhere.

I'm excited to see the where they fly to next. Watch out for the report on Episode 2 next week.

Episode 1

2005-03-02T15:35:00.000-06:00

O.K. I'm an aviation geek, hence one of my reasons for watching the Amazing Race on CBS on Tuesdays at 8 CST.

Last night, it premiered with a special two-hour episode. I only started watching this show last season, but now I am hooked. It is a great show and I love to see the journeys of the contestants. I also like to watch as the aviation continuity sequences are so flawed. Of course last night's episode was no exception.

It all started when the teams departed Los Angeles, California (LAX) for Lima, Peru (LIM). According to the show, they had only two choices; take American's flight over Miami, Florida (MIA) or United's flight over New York-John F. Kennedy, New York (JFK). Not quite...

well. I gotta get back to work (home for lunch); so I'll continue later...