So, the teams will leave the floating city in Thailand and travel by local taxi to the river. At the river, they will travel by elephant. They have $186 for this leg. The snowboarders, as usual, are first to do/succeed at everything. They reach the Road Block, which has them listening to flute music at a waterfall and searching for a clue bag in the water. Then, they head to a shop to disassemble a Spirit House.
It’s crucial to get the fastest elephant at this point in the game. An elephant that gets lost or goes the wrong way could cost any team the race. Just kidding, elephants are slow and difficult to ride.
Andy and Tommy take note of how their Spirit House is arranged before disassembling it, of course, because they are careful folks. The next Road Block requires one member of the team to reassemble the Spirit House. Andy and Tommy have fallen out of favor with me just a hair by making it a Christian thing versus a Buddhist thing in Thailand.
Andy and Tommy didn’t pay enough attention, though, so they ride back to look.
The money is a nice change of pace for twins Liz and Marie, who had no money the last few legs. They don’t even care that they’re in last place, it seems. Andy and Tommy make quick work of the Spirit House reassembly and head for Bangkok to feed the fish.
Justin and Jennifer anticipate a detail-oriented aspect, so they get their driver to take a picture of the assembled Spirit House. Is that legal? I guess we’ll find out. Zac suggests that he and Laurence take notes, but Laurence rushes them through it. Jeremy and Sandy take notes.
Zac is frustrated with his father because he suggested taking notes. “Don’t blame me,” Laurence says, “you’re responsible.” Then he says he’s pretty sure he could have had this one. That’s kind of a dick-ish thing to say, Laurence.
Meanwhile, Cathi is just fallin’ down all the time like a total Cathi.
Liz and Marie hit their Speed Bump and they are SO excited to see elephants. It’s their favorite animal! They’re even happy to scoop the giant mound of elephant poop in front of them. They could not be more enthusiastic.
Laurence is still pissed at Zac because, well, I don’t know. He’s just a pissed off guy. It’s your son, Laurence! Anyway, Ernie and Cindy are pretty much effed because they barely even looked at their house before disassembling it. Sloppy, Ernie.
The snowboarders and half the other teams or so get on the 4:30 bus to Bangkok. Amani and Marcus charge to the bus, and Cindy is upset that her eye for detail won’t help Ernie on this challenge. Bill and Cathi take notes the first time.
On the way to Bangkok, Laurence and Zac realize they are on a 1st Class bus, and they’re not supposed to take first class transport. Laurence could not be more pissed! They realize their error and run back to the bus station to buy another ticket.
Liz and Marie took notes, too. Amani and Marcus, Ernie and Cindy, and Bill and Cathi get on the 5:30 bus to Bangkok. Ernie and Cindy try to pay their driver in USD, but he asks for 4,500 baht. He knows the value of the American dollar is declining! Cindy tries to reason with the driver, saying he should accept it because he was terrible. They also yell at some woman who was trying to get them to pay the correct amount.
“Why would you do this to us? I can’t believe you did this to us! You’re a terrible driver!” they say, sounding impossibly entitled and affected. Laurence and Zac show up at the terminal just as the 5:30 bus leaves. They get on an 8:00 bus, so they have some hours to cool down and wipe the sweat from their brows. Laurence makes a comment about strangling a baby on the bus, which is not OK!
Liz and Marie don’t have enough money to pay their driver, and are running out of time to get on the bus they bought a ticket for. Their bus leaves and they have to buy new tickets. This is not really making me want to visit Thailand. Some driver pimp lady is going to yell at me and make me pay $150 for a cab!
Liz and Marie’s driver agrees to take all the money they have left and drive them to catch up with the bus. That was nice of him!
The bus situation is problematic. I’m not sure if anyone else accidentally got on a first class bus, and none of the buses are arriving early except Ernie and Cindy’s “express bus.” Does that mean first class? The 4:30 bus finally arrives, and the teams on it jump in cabs. What will the teams without money do?
Liz and Marie love elephants, but hate fish, and now they have to feed some fish. Those fish are nasty, flopping all over each other for food. Have they no decency?
The next Pit Stop is at the M.R. Kukrit Heritage Home. But most of the teams are stuck in traffic. Liz and Marie are hoping the canal is within walking distance because they have no money, so they take off running.
Ernie and Cindy, Amani and Marcus, and Bill and Cathi all arrive at the Pit Stop around the same time, but Amani and Marcus get there first. Oddly, Bill and Cathi are super happy for them, but I guess second isn’t bad either. Ernie and Cindy land in third, which they are very glad of.
A man tells Liz and Marie that it will take them FIVE HOURS to walk to the canal. This is not good. They didn’t want to ask anyone for money, since it’s a poor area to begin with. At least they have some honor. And at least they’re pretty, because a man agrees to drive them to their destination for free.
Andy and Tommy, Jeremy and Sandy, and Justin and Jennifer arrive at the fish late, victims of the 4:30 bus. Andy and Tommy wait for a woman to give them directions, but she goes upstairs and starts teaching? I’m not sure, there’s a lack of effective communication here and she doesn’t seem to understand that they’re in a race. Oh, and that woman has their clue. Ohhhh noooooo.
Andy and Tommy deem this inconvenience “God’s will.” They must have gotten their clue back, though, because a guy gives them directions and they’re on their way.
Justin and Jennifer check in fourth, and Jeremy and Sandy head for the Pit Stop but might be going the wrong way. Liz and Marie feed the fish and use their good looks to get another free cab ride.
“Really?!” they say as though it’s the first thing their looks have ever gotten them for free.
Andy and Tommy check in fifth, and Laurence and Zac check in sixth out of nowhere. Phil tells Laurence and Zac that the first class rule only applies to air travel, so they didn’t need to get off that bus, run back to the bus station, and lose three hours. Oops. Laurence tried to cover, but he just needs to go to bed and wipe this day from the record.
Jeremy and Sandy decide that if this is the end, they’re proud of themselves. Liz and Marie decide the same thing, which is good for them because they are actually last. Jeremy and Sandy arrive at the mat, teary-eyed. Phil tells them they’re seventh and still in it. Liz and Marie check in last for the last time. It’s over, ladies.
Phil is doing this weird thing where he interviews people on the mat when they’ve been eliminated and makes them cry. It just comes off really odd and unnatural for him, but I like that they’re trying something new.
What do you think of Laurence and Zac in this round? Was it stupid to get off the bus?
(images courtesy of CBS)
Writer, BuddyTV
Originally from Seattle, Carla recently took a husband and moved to Austin, Texas, where she is finally using her television “problem” to her advantage. It’s sort of like Dexter, but boring and less murdering. Carla’s favorite shows include 30 Rock, The Amazing Race, Project Runway, Modern Family, anything with murder, and pretty much anything gross and weird (CSI, The Bachelor, Toddlers & Tiaras, etc.). Favorite canceled shows include: Arrested Development, Veronica Mars and Average Joe. In her spare time, Carla leads tours of downtown Austin on a Segway (don’t knock it ’til you’ve tried it!), blogs about Netflix Instant, and visits elementary schools telling children they don’t need math to succeed (just kidding, stay in school, kids).
