First of all let's take care of some business from last week. Everyone wants to know why Nick and Vicki didn't have to do a Speed Bump for their non-elimination round. One of you was awesome enough to look into the CBS bulletin boards (thanks, Beth!) and found out that Nick and Vicki had the correct sequence of songs in the piano challenge but were told they had to keep trying. So for once the show, not Nick and Vicki, got it wrong. We cool? Cool.
Nat and Kat are the first to depart for this leg of the race at 1:06 am. That is ridiculous, but I guess when you're traveling this much, time and sleep are all relative. The teams will fly to Muscat, Oman and proceed to Burj Al Mubkharah to receive an ingot with their inscribed time. Okay WHAT? Teams will have time to reflect on their time in Russia as they wait at the airport for a flight that connects in Amsterdam.
A Whole New World
The first group (Nat and Kat with Brook and Claire) will arrive in Muscat at 8:55 pm, while Gary and Mallory, Nick and Vicki, and Jill and Thomas (who have vowed to "make less mistakes") grab the last seats on the plane that will be arriving at 10:35 pm. Excitingly, Chad and Stephanie slept in and were two hours late to the Pit Stop. They wake up to one of the worst feelings ever (realizing you've overslept), and agree not to talk about it as it would surely tear another little piece of stability out of their budding relationship. In an interview, Chad admits that they have been their own worst enemies in
The Amazing Race and I'm stunned by his self-awareness.
Chad and Stephanie get on a flight that will arrive at 10:45 pm, so not too bad for two more hours of sleep. It could have been much worse. Their flight even arrives early to a hot and sticky Muscat.
A Diamond in the Rough
The teams camp out, waiting for the departure times marked on their ingots. In the morning, refreshed and renewed, Chad decides to pull the trigger on the moment we've all been waiting for. He's going to propose!! Oh my god I love television proposals.
To his credit, Chad was very smooth with it, a lot more smooth than most men proposing. She cried and said yes and it was really sweet. He proposed with Stephanie's mother's ring, who was probably looking down from heaven screaming, "NO!" But I'm even more excited to see her threaten to break it off when he yells at her again! On with the Race!
Teams will drive to Jebel Shams, until they get to the base of the mountain, where someone else will drive them for safety. The couple who isn't basking in the glow of a new engagement, Jill and Thomas, are arguing. Nick and Vicki stop to ask for directions and Brook and Claire are right behind them. Vicki doesn't think to lie and manipulate, telling Brook and Claire what the gas station attendant told them. Nick tells Vicki to shut up and insults her with "you have no common sense in your whole body" for a second time.
But First Give Me the Lamp!
Gary and Mallory rely on a map and get lost. In a comeback fueled by love, Chad and Stephanie are first to the clue box. Team members have to repel 500 feet onto the side of the mountain and search different lamps for (yes, yes, yes!) Aladdin's magic ring. This is the scariest challenge yet, and I'm pretty sure Kat (not Nat) will be doing this one. Chad takes it on, followed by Jill, and Gary and Mallory are still lost (NOOOOO!!).
Chad finds the ring first, and he and Stephanie will proceed to a giant stack of books (stack of giant books?) in Nizwa. This episode just gets better, as a goat eats part of Nick and Vicki's clue. Vicki, who is a total champ, chooses to do this one for Nick, and Claire (of course) will take this one on. Gary and Mallory are so far behind!
Chad and Stephanie find the stack of books, where they find the Detour. Teams will choose between Water Table and Wedding Table. For Water Table, teams have to pump water from a well to fill up a water truck and deliver the water to a house. For Weddign Table the teams will purchase ingredients for a traditional wedding dish and present it to the bride and groom. I am SO bummed that Chad and Stephanie did not choose Wedding Table in honor of their engagement. Romance is dead.
Brook and Claire head out around the same time as Nick and Vicki, who have a flat tire. That sucks. That damn goat! Nick changed the tire in a flash and Gary and Mallory still haven't made it to Jebel Shams. Chad and Stephanie are in a head-to-head race with Jill and Thomas delivering water. Nat and Kat arrive at the mountain and clearly, Kat will take the heights challenge.
I Steal Only What I Can't Afford (That's Everything!)
So far everyone has chosen Water Table. Jill and Thomas find their recipient's cousin, who directs them to the proper house. I wouldn't mind them if Thomas wasn't such a douche. Their clue tells them to go to Muttrah Souq market, where they will receive frankincense and exchange it with Ali Baba for a clue.
Meanwhile, Kat is getting confused by the lamps and Gary and Mallory are finally making their way up the mountain. This sucks because I love both of these teams. We can only hope that Jill and Thomas get hopelessly lost at Muttrah Souq. Nat and Kat leave just as Gary and Mallory arrive.
The water delivery is going better than the ring finding. Nat and Kat also choose Water Table as Mallory finds the ring, making my eyes misty. Also making me want to cry, Jill and Thomas check in first. BUT! They incurred a 30-minute penalty by paying a taxi driver to lead them as they followed! Chad and Stephanie checked in first (happy engagement!), winning a trip for two to Belize. Everything's going to be okay.
Jill and Thomas check in second. Brook and Claire go the wrong way on the street and are tracked down by the police. Oops! Nick and Vicki get their Frankincense and the vendor tells them, "take this to Ali Baba in the Souq," but they begin looking for "Ali Baba in a suit." Yes! Only Nick and Vicki.
Gary and Mallory choose Water Table, as Nick and Vicki find Ali Baba despite his suitlessness. Gary and Mallory have the disadvantage of doing everything in the dark. G & M fans can only hope that teams will get lost on their way to the Pit Stop. Nick and Vicki check in third, followed by Brook and Claire who are so shocked that they scare Phil into a hug. Gary and Mallory are closer behind Nat and Kat than we think, but Nat and Kat aren't about to mess up. Both teams drop off their Frankincense and it's a race to the Pit Stop.
Nat and Kat get lost and Gary and Mallory drive by them (I thought?). Nat and Kat check in fifth, still in the race. Gary and Mallory check in last and are eliminated. They are too sweet and I will miss them most of all.
I know you have questions for Gary and Mallory! Leave your questions for them in the comments, I'll be asking them later on Monday!
Next week deals the teams a Double U-Turn in Bangladesh! Who are you rooting for now that Gary and Mallory have been eliminated? Are you happy for Chad and Stephanie? Sound off in the comments!
(image courtesy of CBS)