TAR 20 Episode 7: Everybody Hates Brenchel

The leg begins with some great airport drama, as Brendon shoves Ralph and gives him the finger in a race to the desk. Vanessa gets into an argument with Rachel, making a crack about her nose. Art/JJ decide to stir the pot further by telling Nary/Jamie they know they're not really teachers. The federal agents stick to their story and refuse to be bullied.

The teams land in Africa and sign up in pairs for a flight to the crater. Art/JJ end up on the first flight with their enemies Brendon/Rachel. Bopper/Mark are o the second flight with Rachel/Dave. Nary/Jamie and Vanessa/Ralph are on the last flight, and Nary falls asleep.

The first two teams get their clue from a Masai warrior, which gives the a detour to do. Brendon/Rachel choose the first one, which is taking part in a tribal dance, and Art/JJ decide to choose the marksmanship task. It looks to me like the only reason to choose the target practice is to show off your skills, as the dancing task only takes one minute. Brendon/Rachel finish first and Art/JJ are second, although they lose more time when they drive the wrong way.

Rachel/Dave also choose marksmanship, and finish behind Bopper/Mark doing the other task. Nary/Jamie also go off to do marksmanship, whereas Vanessa struggles with staying on the bike and not falling over. Bopper/Mark also stumbles and injures his foot.

When Art/JJ and Brendon/Rachel end up driving the wrong direction, Rachel/Dave are first to arrive at the next task. The teams have to build a tent. Ralph/Vanessa are last to arrive, but have hope when they see the friction the task is causing. Rachel/Dave get into a major argument during the construction, causing Art to remark "this is why we're not here with our wives".

Nary/Jamie find that being the only team without a male is a major hindrance and they fall miles behind. Rachel/Dave are the first to finish, obviously their arguments not holding them back too much. Bopper/Mark and Art/JJ.

Knowing they're last, Nary/Jamie decide to check out some elephants on their way to the pit stop. But when they get there, they learn their journey is not over...they are still in the race, and have another chance to catch back up.

FINAL STANDINGS:

1. Rachel/Dave
2. Bopper/Mark
3. Art/JJ
4. Brendon/Rachel
5. Vanessa/Ralph
6. Nary/Jamie

TAR 20 Episode 6: Going For Broke

The teams travel to Azerbaijan, and find themselves dancing at a fiery temple as they wait for sunrise. When they get their clue, the teams have the choice between a roadblock and a Fast Forward. Most of the teams play it safe, but Rachel/Dave and Joey/Danny decide to go for the Fast Forward.

The task is a drowning simulation. It looks terrifying, but it's simple enough for the teams to complete. Though Mark faces a challenge of his own, in battling his travel sickness. Mark lets Nary know that Bopper has a crush on her teammate.

Rachel/Dave go head-to-head with Joey/Danny in a race to stack hay bales. It's a tense match with a lot at stake. Once Rachel/Dave get the hang of it, they end up narrowly coming out on top in a close matchup. Joey/Danny race to the roadblock knowing they're miles behind now, whereas Rachel/Dave get to the pit stop in 1st.

Their next clue is in a carpet shop, and a trailing Vanessa/Ralph waste even more time when they fail to find the clue in first place. One of the tasks is to scrape oil of a man's body, which Art/JJ are very weirded out by. The border patrol guys complete it first, which Brendon/Rachel right behind them. Bopper/Mark complete a great comeback to finish 3rd, their highest spot so far.

Nary/Jamie and Vanessa/Ralph decide to do the other task, which is to hunt for the special apple in the car. It turns out to be a true needle in a haystack contest. Both of them finish before Joey/Danny arrive, but Vanessa/Ralph stall when they can't find their taxi driver.

Vanessa/Ralph cut it close one again and check in 6th. Joey/Danny arrive last and are eliminated. The boys are disappointed because they feel they were just finally hitting their stride in the race. But that's what you get when you take a gamble and lose.

FINAL STANDINGS:

1. Rachel/Dave
2. Art/JJ
3. Bopper/Mark
4. Brendon/Rachel
5. Nary/Jamie
6. Vanessa/Ralph
7. Joey/Danny

TAR 20 Episode 5: Weird Beards

The teams are going to Germany, after taking a train to Austria. Their choice of task is styling a beard or building a gingerbread house. The top three teams from the last leg reach it first and all decide to do the beard styling. Joey/Danny are soon complaining that their beard is much harder to do than everyone else's. Bopper/Mark are next to arrive but have to do a speed bump. It's not too difficult for the pair, as all they have to do is learn to yodel.

Team Big Brother and Team Mississippi decide to brave a blizzard to do the gingerbread detour. Bopper/Mark are doing it too, and enjoy the cold conditions and scary witch a lot more than Rachel does.

After finishing their beards, the teams now have to find the Sleepy Beauty castle. Vanessa/Ralph have a major argument on the way, as Vanessa doesn't want to walk it. Several teams end up in the wrong castle, with Nary/Jamie an Rachel/Dave taking a tour they didn't need to take. Bopper/Mark fall into the same trap and the extra time running leaves Bopper exhausted.

Art/JJ are still in the lead and now have to curl a gnome. They complete the challenge quickly and arrive at the pit stop with another first place finish. The federal agents start to lose a lot of ground on the gnome challenge, as several teams are arriving after them and leaving before them. Bopper/Mark are one of those teams, completing a great comeback and finishing 6th. Soon it's only them and Stacy/Kerri left.

Nary/Jamie are the last team to complete the gnome challenge, but still have a chance to beat Kerri/Stacy to the pit stop when the cousins get lost on their way there. The agents survive another day, and Kerri/Stacy are sent home. Stacy thinks she did her kids proud however, and lasted longer than she expected.

FINAL STANDINGS:

1. Art/JJ
2. Joey/Danny
3. Vanessa/Ralph
4. Rachel/Dave
5. Brendon/Rachel
6. Bopper/Mark
7. Nary/Jamie
8. Kerri/Stacy

TAR 20 Episode 4: Barolo, Sweat And Tears

The teams are travelling to Italy, and Bopper is happy to be going "somewhere exotic". Eh? That's not the only blunder the pair make though, as it turns out they went to the airport without going to the travel agency first...meaning by the time they do get there, the only tickets left are for a flight that arrives over an hour later.

The first task for the teams is to drive to the Lingotto building, and Dave pisses off Rachel so much that she pulls over so that he can drive. Art/JJ reach the top first and decide to take the Fast Forward, which is piloting a helicopter. The border agents end up disappointed however when they see it's only a model.

Dave is disappointed to not be doing the Fast Forward since he's a Pilot. Brendon/Rachel finish the roadblock first with ease. The rest of the leg does not go as smooth however, starting with the argument they get into whilst driving. They find the coin they need at the Ford Museum, but fail to realize they need to go to the building on it. Brendon is so fed up, he even asks Rachel if she wants to quit.

Dave/Rachel have figured out where to go but are still having an argument of their own over Dave not taking the directions they were given. Leading the pack along with Joey/Danny, they now have to choose between cleaning a statue or identifying salami.

Art/JJ however have finished the Fast Forward and check in first. At the back of the pack, Bopper/Mark have caught up with "the bodonkadonk girls", Kerri/Stacy, and arrive at the museum just as they leave.

Most of the teams might light work of the statue cleaning. "She's a dirty girl, but not the type of dirty girl Danny likes" claims Joey. Brendon/Rachel choose the Salami detour instead and it doesn't take long before Rachel is having a meltdown again. Losing her sense of taste, Rachel claims to be done and Brendon says "We're out of The Amazing Race". But it doesn't take long for them to refocus, get back into it and finish a respectable 6th.

Bopper/Mark are the last team to arrive, and an emotional Bopper talks about his child's health problems. Art/JJ come in and tell Bopper they want to give him some of the prize money they won. But that turns out to be only the second best piece of news they hear at the pit stop...as Phil also tells them that it's a non-elimination leg and they're still in the race.

FINAL STANDINGS:

1. Art/JJ
2. Rachel/Dave
3. Joey/Danny
4. Vanessa/Ralph
5. Nary/Jamie
6. Brendon/Rachel
7. Kerri/Stacy
8. Bopper/Mark

TAR 20 Episode 3: Never Give Up

The teams are off to Paraguay. Rachel/Dave are hoping to get on the earlier flight with Bopper/Mark, the border agents and the federal agents. JJ gets annoyed with Nary/Jamie for helping their competition by alerting the other teams to join the standby list. The tickets for the first teams come through, giving them a healthy lead over the other teams.

The first plane lands and the teams are given a choice between tacking watermelons and tuning a harp. All four teams choose to stack watermelons, but it proves tough, as one wrong melon collapses the whole structure. Art/JJ are the only team that are able to make any real progress, and get out way ahead of the other teams. After repeated failures, Nary/Jamie, the Kentucky boys and Rachel/Dave all decide to quit and do the other detour. Kerri/Stacy are arriving just as Bopper/Mark are leaving, and they let them have their taxi. They soon realize the boys didn't finish it and decide to switch...needing another taxi. Brendon/Rachel also decide to switch after Vanessa's catty remarks start getting to Rachel.

Art/JJ complete the roadblock, balancing a bottle on your head and doing a dance, and are eager to get a first place. They get their wish, and are the first to check in with Phil at the pit stop. Rachel/Dave decide to use the express pass to skip to the bottle task, and Dave is less successful. He works his way through the bottles very quickly, breaking them all and getting a two hour penalty. They arrive at the pit stop in 2nd, but now have to wait as several other teams overtake them.

Joey/Danny and Vanessa/Ralph are the only teams left doing the watermelons, and the Jersey boys manage to get it. Ralph wants to switch, but Vanessa feels they've put in too much time to quit now. It proves to be a mistake though, as more and more teams are tuning their harps. Only Elliot/Andrew are struggling. Despite their musical background, they end up having a major meltdown...and almost switch to the harder task.

Vanessa/Ralph are pretty sure they're abut to be eliminated, but finish the task anyway, even though it takes them well into the evening. When they reach the next task to find Elliot/Andrew still there, Vanessa is rejuvenated. Ralph makes it through the roadblock, although the twins aren't far behind. The teams race to the pit stop, and Vanessa/Ralph narrowly win out, a little disbelieving they're still in the race.

FINAL STANDINGS:

1. Art/JJ
2. Brendon/Rachel
3. Joey/Danny
4. Bopper/Mark
5. Nary/Jamie
6. Rachel/Dave
7. Kerri/Stacy
8. Vanessa/Ralph
9. Elliot/Andrew

TAR 20 Episode 2: Here Comes The Sun

The teams wait in the town square for a Chasqui (mounted postman) to show up, and play with a stray dog while they do. Art/JJ express their distaste with Brendon/Rachel, who they feel are coattail riders. When the Chasqui shows up, Brendon rips a clue out of JJ's hands, fueling the rivalry further.

The teams can choose between making a solar kitchen or making a fire. The fire involves transporting supplies for a mile via a donkey, so most teams choose to assemble the kitchen. Only Art/JJ opt for the fire task, and on their way there, they pass all the other teams working on their solar kitchens, realizing they're behind. But they're optimistic of being able to catch up, as the sun isn't even fully out yet.

Joey/Danny struggle with their kitchen, and one of the guidos cuts himself. They ask for help from Kerri/Stacy, who are very accommodating. Dave/Cherie are also seeking help from Rachel/Dave, and then realize what they were doing wrong - they hadn't realized the instructions were on the box!

Most of the teams are now waiting for their pots to boil, and Bopper/Mark get it first. Art/JJ slog through the donkey work and sure enough, manage to finish 2nd. Just because a task is easier, doesn't mean it's faster.

Rachel/Dave and Brendon/Rachel get it next and end up on the first bus to Buenos Aires with the top two teams. Nary/Jamie and Kerri/Stacy are left behind on the last bus to depart. "Were just gonna hope their bus breaks down" laughs Nary.

Funnily enough, Nary gets her wish as a window on the second bus breaks, giving them a major delay. The four teams on board (Vanessa/Ralph, Elliot/Andrew, Joey/Danny and the clowns) are now at the back of the pack..although the four girls on the other bus don't realize this yet.

The next task is counting cows. Rachel ends up doing it for the Big Brother team, and quickly realizes she's going to struggle. The other Rachel ends up working with JJ and leaving first. Mark helps Rachel, and despite initially forgetting to round a number, they get it fairly quickly. Brendon/Rachel however have lost their taxi and Rachel starts crying when Brendon lashes out at her.

It's a tight race to the pit stop for 1st and Rachel/Dave manage to come out on top once again. Kerri/Stacy and Nary/Jamie arrive at the roadblock with no other team there. Kerri/Stacy finish narrowly ahead of Nary/Jamie, but both teams get a shock when Phil tells them they're much higher than they thought they were.

Vanessa wins the battle between the first four teams and happily declares "I don't suck at math". Joey and Andrew team up because they know the clown is struggling. The teams check in and Elliot/Andrew joyfully have a kickabout with the Maradona impersonator. Dave/Cherie are the last team to arrive and remain in good spirits despite being eliminated, doing cartwheels on the way out.

FINAL STANDINGS:

1. Rachel/Dave
2. Art/JJ
3. Bopper/Mark
4. Brendon/Rachel
5. Kerri/Stacy
6. Nary/Jamie
7. Vanessa/Ralph
8. Joey/Danny
9. Elliot/Andrew
10. Dave/Cherie

TAR 20 Episode 1: Finding Phil

11 new teams arrive by bike to Wine Country in California. The first task is to find their clue among the field of balloons. Elliot/Andrew, Joey/Danny and Vanessa/Ralph are the first teams to find one, with Kerri/Stacy, Brendon/Rachel and Rachel/Dave not far behind.

The teams travel to Argentina, and the first six teams to get to LAX will get a headstart on the rest. Mark/Bopper are among the last to get their clue, and are not helped by Mark repeatedly throwing up in the back seat. Regardless, the team seems to be in good spirits and are already proving to be the loudest team.

Misa/Maiya are the last to get their clue, and end up on the second flight with Joey/Danny, Bopper/Mark, Dave/Cherie and Kerri/Stacy. Art/JJ lead the pack in Santa Barbara, and their task is sky-diving. One racer jumps out of the plane, and the other has to find them.

The second group are at the roadblock now, and Stacy is not exactly thrilled about having to jump out of a plane. Dave/Cherie, who had been in last place, end up overtaking some teams when Danny has trouble driving, and Maiya gets her car stuck in the sand, causing them to fall behind.

Art/JJ and Brendon/Rachel are now on the next task, which is making empadas. Art/JJ quickly get frustrated by it, and a few teams initially struggle when they see there are two different styles to make. Rachel/Dave complete the task first and check in to win the express pass. Brendon/Rachel end up as team number 2.

The second group have got to the cooking now. "This is the first time I've ever made a pinata" says Bopper. "They ain't pinatas my brother, they're...call them what you want" Mark replies.

Soon we're down to just two teams: the Hawaiian girls and the Jersey boys. Misa/Maiya manage to finish ahead of Joey/Danny and race to the pit stop...racing right past it, confusing the hell out of Phil. Joey/Danny get done shortly after and manage to survive. When Misa/Maiya finally arrive. Phil lets them know their blunder and the girls seem pretty distraught. But as first boots go, this is about as memorable an exit as you can get.

FINAL STANDINGS:

1. Rachel/Dave
2. Brendon/Rachel
3. Art/JJ
4. Nary/Jamie
5. Vanessa/Ralph
6. Elliot/Andrew
7. Kerri/Stacy
8. Dave/Cherie
9. Bopper/Mark
10. Joey/Danny
11. Misa/Maiya

TAR 18 Episode 11 - Sisters Are Doing It For Themselves

The teams are flying to Brazil. The Globetrotters and Zev/Justin get an earlier flight, but Big Easy acting shady tips the other two teams off to the fact there might be a better one. Once in Brazil, the Globetrotters end up with the slow cab that the other teams all leave in the dust. Everyone else gets on the train and the Globetrotters narrowly miss it. When they are told it's 30 minutes until the next train, they see this as unacceptable, and yell or the train to stop - which it doesn't.

Once they reach the samba task, Mallory breezes through it - a challenge basically meant for her. Zev is much less successful, and even Justin's enthusiastic coaching can’t help. They're soon overtaken by the other two teams as well.

Gary/Mallory take on the next task, which is a Brazilian wax - another easy task for Mallory - and go straight on to the drink-mixing detour. Zev/Justin are finished with the samba now and find Kisha/Jen and the Globetrotters just finishing up on the waxing. As the hairiest team in the competition, this proves to be a very painful task for the two boys. Justin even threatens to punch the waxer in the face.

Gary/Mallory, Kisha/Jen and the Globetrotters are all making drinks and getting the hang of it. Zev/Justin choose to do the other detour but have absolutely no luck selling bikinis to...people already wearing bikinis, and have to admit defeat and switch.

Gary/Mallory finish first and are ecstatic at another leg won. Kisha/Jen are next, and are also happy to be in the final three. Zev/Justin know they have no chance of catching the Globetrotters, so pour out a final drink, toast their "good run" and walk slowly to the pit stop. They did not want the race to end.

For the final leg of the race, the teams fly to Miami. The Globetrotters get a taxi first whereas Gary/Mallory lag behind due to a driver that has to ask for directions. The other two teams make it to the forklift task and manage to complete it before Gary/Mallory even show up - with the Globetrotters still in the lead.

The teams now have to have a member scuba dive to find a clue in an underwater chest. Big Easy makes it through the madness to get the clue first - but they lose their taxi, and get overtaken by Kisha/Jen.

Kisha/Jen manage to maintain their lead throughout the trip through shallow water to Horseshoe Island and the speedboat race. The teams now have to replicate exactly a caravan set on a brochure, and this is where Gary/Mallory manage to catch up. This leads the Globetrotters to use another tired basketball metaphor and call it "sudden death".

Kisha/Jen get their caravan set up first. The Globetrotters try to copy the to see what they did wrong, and it ends up being the table. The two teams now have to tricycle along a 7 mile bridge, and it soon becomes apparent to the Globetrotters they won't catch them.

Kisha/Jen cross the finish line first and win the race. They tell Phil they plan to use the money to help out their mom, and she's always been there for them. The Globetrotters come second and congratulate Kisha/Jen, pointing out that they were the most consistent team. Gary/Mallory come third and are also in high spirits, as usual. So that's a wrap for this season. Everyone's Unfinished Business is now finished.

TAR 18 Episode 10 - Highs And Lows

The teams set off in snowy conditions, and Gary/Mallory manage to get a cab. This perplexes Kent/Vyxsin, who were in a good mood until then. They're taken by helicopter to an undisclosed location where they must either search for a body in the snow, or pull one out from a crevasse.

Kisha/Jen and the Globetrotters get theirs done first doing the rappel detour. Kent/Vyxsin hit a slight setback due to Vyxsin's poor handling of the ropes. Zev/Justin do the digging task, but find it tough. Gary/Mallory get theirs out in two pieces. Soon everyone else makes it to the train car, giving them a 25 minute lead over Zev/Justin.

The next challenge is to make a chocolate gnome. Jen, Flight Time, Mallory and Vyxsin all do it. But when Flight Time can't find his gnome in the oven, he suspects Vyxsin took it. Unperturbed, he decides to carry on with a different gnome anyway, although this does lead to Big Easy slinging insults at the goths and talking about karma. The Globetrotters have now gained the full ire of Kent, who would love to see them eliminated, but that seems unlikely now - Flight Time finishes his gnome first and the athletes get going.

Jen, Mallory and Vyxen are not far behind Flight Time, leaving Zev all alone in the cold. Kent/Vyxsin fail to notice their clue says to go "on foot" to the pit stop, and end up taking a taxi. Vyxsin senses something is wrong, but Kent shuts her down.

Flight Time/Big Easy get to the pit stop first, where they are attacked by a large dog, and Kisha/Jen are second. Kent/Vyxsin then check in and get the bad news that they'll be waiting out a 30 minute penalty. Kent can only watch and berate Vyxsin as they are overtaken by Gary/Mallory and Zev/Justin to exit the race.

So did karma strike after all? Possibly, but despite the highly negative portrayal of their relationship, Vyxsin assures us that they always work it out in the end. Okay then.

TAR 18 Episode 9 - Say Cheese

The teams are travelling by train to Liechtenstein. Zev/Justin end up in first, despite their cab driver thinking they're "terrorists". At least according to Justin - I thought he said "tourists". Gary/Mallory are lagging behind, which is not good news considering the have a speed bump to do.

The task is to measure Liechtenstein. But first, Gary/Mallory have to calculate the amount of gas they need for the bike. Jet takes a wrong turn during the route, and so does Flight Time, despite claiming "the map is pretty straightforward". Jen loses her map, and Vyxsin can't read hers. Can anyone do this task?

Jen sticks close to Justin, who has got it right, and uses his answer to get the clue. Jet is wrong, and has to go back to the starting point. Flight Time gets the answer from Justin, and passes it on to Gary who is now in the race. The conspiracy against the Cowboys has begun and soon Cord is the only racer left waiting on his partner.

The teams are now on their way to Switzerland. Zev/Justin and Kisha/Jen get to the detour first, and both choose the cheese-eating task despite concerns it could be a trap like on the last leg. Kisha/Jen quickly decide to switch, and whilst Justin is debating doing the same, Zev convinces him to say put and commit to the task.

The other task is to take luggage to different hotels. Kisha/Jen made good progress on this, and soon the Globetrotters, Gary/Mallory and Kent/Vyxsin are working on it too. Zev/Justin and Kisha/Jen both finish their respective tasks and go past the U-turn without using it. Zev/Justin check into the pit stop and claim their fourth win of the season.

Kent/Vyxsin are the next team to finish, whereas the Globetrotters appear to be having some trouble. Not only had they taken some luggage to the wrong hotel, but they come up short in the counting due to Big Easy losing two of his tags. Now Jet/Cord are able to catch up with them...and with Gary/Mallory already checked in, there's only one spot left.

With both remaining teams having completed the task, the race to get to the U-turn first ends up being crucial. The Globetrotters make it and decide to U-turn the Cowboys, putting the final nail in their coffin. When Jet/Cord see what they've done, they know they're screwed...and enjoy one last meal in Switzerland before saying goodbye to Phil.

TAR 18 Episode 8 - A Viennese Whirl

The teams fly to Austria, with Jet/Cord once again taking a different flight. They don't trust a connecting flight because of the bad luck they've had with them in the past. Breaking away from the pack is a big risk to take, though.

To find their destination, the teams have to drive their Ford Focus in reverse. Why? Because it's a good opportunity to shove in some product placement. Gary/Mallory take several attempts to get it right and are the last to get going of the front pack.

Zev/Justin make it to the castle first. The choices for the detour are eating food on a ferris wheel or moving a couch across the city to a library. All teams except the Globetrotters and the goths choose the food challenge, as it sounds much easier. However, it turns out to be much harder than it sounds, as Kisha/Jen and Zev/Justin both fail it without even getting close, forcing them to take the other detour. Gary/Mallory get the closest with Gary eating all his portion, but Mallory doesn't pull her weight.

This means the Globetrotters and the goths are now at the front of the pack, and it also puts the newly-arriving Jet/Cord back in contention. The Globetrotters finish first and despite Kent/Vyxsin dropping it several times, they make it there next. Kisha/Jen are third and Jet/Cord manage to overtake Zev/Justin to become 4th. When Gary/Mallory see five couches greeting them when they get there, they know they're last.

Zev/Justin manage to re-overtake the Cowboys on the road. Gary/Mallory's only hope is for a difficult roadblock to allow them to catch up, but it turns out to be the easiest challenge ever - sweeping three chimneys. The Globetrotters and Zev/Justin complete it first, but in the race to the pit stop, Zev/Justin somehow get first much to their surprise. Flight Time/Big Easy check in second and are disappointed that they won't be winning the cars. Kent/Vyxsin finish third, their best finish ever on a really dysfunctional leg. "Maybe we should fight more!" says Vyxsin.

Gary/Mallory check in last but are granted a reprieve when they are told it's a non-elimination leg. They know they have to do a speed bump, but they feel lucky to even have a second (or third) chance.

TAR 18 Episode 7 - Losing My Religion

The teams are travelling to Varanasi, the religious part of India, and the Cowboys are the only ones not on the first flight, leaving them an hour behind the other teams. Considering their strategy is to minimize mistakes, they seem to have made quite a few.

The Globetrotters' taxi is overtaking people left and right, but Kent/Vyxsin get to the roadblock first. The task is to find six holy men and put together the pieces of paper they get from them to make a phrase.  Jen helps Big Easy find the first one. Kent has also decided to follow Gary around for help. Jen is the first one to finish the task and Big Easy, who is now working with Justin, are the next ones done.

Jet/Cord finally arrive at the task and get going, making the last three teams a little nervous. Gary and Kent find the last one, causing Kent to bolt as soon as he gets it. So much for teamwork! Ron is hopelessly lost and only has one, meaning Cord is able to overtake him very quickly.

Kisha/Jen choose the detour that involves drying out cow dung on a wall. Perhaps it was a bad choice as it soon makes them feel sick and they end up fighting over the correct sizes. Gary/Mallory witness a cremation on their way to the detour, which is a very poignant moment. The Globetrotters and Zev/Justin have chosen the easier detour, which is moving hay, and are currently in first and second.

Kisha/Jen finish the task, but now it's time for Gary/Mallory and Kent/Vyxsin to do the dirty work. Kent/Vyxsin manage to narrowly beat them. They won't catch the Globetrotters or Zev/Justin though, who have already checked in to the pit stop. The Globetrotters in particular are very happy with themselves to have gone from worst to first.

Kent/Vyxsin decide to take a water taxi to the pit stop, but start to get nervous it's a mistake. Vyxsin dives in the water, causing Kent to yell at her. Kisha/Jen check into the pit stop in third place, with Gary/Mallory behind them in 4th. The Cowboys do the hay challenge (duh) and get 5th, an impressive save from what looked like was going to be a tough leg.

Kent/Vyxsin are now on a rampage to find a real taxi, even kicking out some poor customer. Ron/Christina have taken the water route, but don't manage to make up enough time and Kent/Vyxsin beat them to 6th place. Ron/Christina are eliminated, but Christina is thankful for the opportunity to make new memories with her dad.

TAR 18 Episode 6 - Storm In A Teacup

The teams take part in a brief tea-tasting session before being told they’re going to India. Mallory is overwhelmed by the number of people once they get there, whilst the cowboys instruct their taxi to drive recklessly. Their destination, Kolkata Town Hall, doesn't open until the morning, but that doesn't stop Big Easy pranking Mallory by making her run down the street.

The challenge is to find the tea that they tasted back in China from a table containing hundreds of cups. Ron does it first by smelling it, and Jet is next, using the same method. The next clue is under the cap of the bottle, but Kisha/Jen miss this and think they have to find where the beverage is made. Kent and Mallory complete the task next and frustration starts to set in for the remaining racers, especially Luke.

The detour offers teams the choice between painting an elephant statue and taking books to a school.  Kent/Vyxsin get there first and decide to paint as it reminds them of how they get ready in the morning, whereas Gary/Mallory, Jet/Cord and Zev/Justin choose the (much easier) book task.

Flight Time finally gets the right tea meaning Luke is left on his own. He starts crying and has a major meltdown, but his mom convinces him not to quit. When Luke finally completes the task , everyone celebrates.

Ron/Christina finish the painting, despite Ron being frustrated that he can't disco to the music whilst he paints. They end up in a traffic jam along with Zev/Justin and Kisha/Jen. The last two teams are both painting now, and Flight Time stupidly kicks a bucket of paint over his elephant, meaning they have to re-do it. Margie/Luke sense they have a way back in the race.

Jet/Cord, Ron/Christina and Zev/Justin all get to the mat around the same time, with the goths not far behind either. The teams all celebrate with drinks. The Globetrotters complete their painting and Flight Time hugs Luke on the way out in a touching moment, because he knows how hard the tea task was for him.

With Kisha/Jen coming in 7th, there's only one safe spot left. The Globetrotters beat Margie/Luke to survive the leg. When Luke finds out they've been eliminated, he cries - telling his mom he's sorry.

TAR 18 Episode 5 - Putting A Bullet In A Playboy Bunny

Kent/Vyxsin find their fanny pack at the gondola. At the front of the pack, Margie/Luke learn there is only one train and everybody is going to be on it. This includes the goths who have now arrived at the pit stop to be told the news that they're still going - but they're also told they have a 30 minute penalty for taking the wrong flight.

Kent/Vyxsin catch up to the other teams to find them playing basketball, and decide not to tell them about the penalty as it might make them a target. The train takes them to their destination and the Globetrotters find themselves in last after Jet/Cord take their cab.

Once the teams make it to the Archway, they have to choose a detour. One of the options is a memory challenge where they have to arrange dolls in the order that matches their counterparts on stage. Zev/Justin finish first, with Kisha/Jen right behind them. The other task is to arrange piping. Margie/Luke, Jet/Cord, Kent/Vyxsin, the Globetrotters and the cheerleaders all choose to do this one. Margie/Luke and Jet/Cord complete it first.

Zev/Justin and Kisha/Jen follow Ron/Christina's taxi driver but they end up taken to the wrong place. Consequently Margie/Luke arrive at the double U-turn first. They decide not to use it as they’re just happy to be first. Jet/Cord also pass on it.

Kent/Vyxsin and Jaime/Cara get to the U-turn at the same time, with Kent/Vyxsin making sure to get first dibs. Despite Jaime/Cara urging them to U-turn the Globetrotters, the Goths decide it’s safer to pick the one team they know is behind them…meaning they end up U-turning Jaime/Cara right in front of their face. Cold-blooded!

As Jaime/Cara go off to do the doll task, the Globetrotters arrive at the U-turn to find they’ve been U-turned by the redheads. Both of them make it through the doll task without much trouble, and on the way to their next location, the Globetrotters manage to overtake them. The bad taxi group finally find the U-turn and are relieved to see they’re safe.

The teams now must build a dinosaur skeleton, and Gary/Mallory are the last to arrive at the park after getting lost. Not liking their odds, they decide to use the express pass. The pair now feel they have to come first to justify losing the pass, but when they lose their cab, Jet/Cord are able to finish ahead of them, pushing them into second.

Back at the dinosaur site, Margie/Luke are the next team to finish. The Globetrotters confront the cheerleaders about the U-turn and they pass the blame onto Kent/Vyxsin. The Goths admit they have a 30 minute penalty and saw it as their only way to survive the leg. Kent finishes the skeleton, and the Goths are the next team to get to the pit stop. They then begin the nerve-wracking wait, and Kisha/Jen overtake them to claim 4th.

The Globetrotters are now done with their skeleton, and celebrate by yelling "Double U-turn this!". A delighted Kent/Vyxsin are finally allowed to check in first however, but both teams are proud of having to overcome huge obstacles.

Of the last three stragglers, Christina is the next to finish and check in, meaning it comes down to Justin and Jaime. Jaime is in a lot of pain and doesn't have the energy to take hers apart and fix what's wrong, so Zev/Justin beat them to the pit stop. The cheerleaders are eliminated, but by the time they finished that damn dinosaur, they just seemed happy it's over.

TAR 18 Episode 4 - Goth Meltdown

The teams are going to China, much to Ron/Christina's delight. Kent/Vyxsin's positive attitude quickly evaporates when they have troubles with their car and then spend over an hour driving in the wrong direction due to Vyxsin's poor navigating. The rest of the teams all make the required flight, wondering where the goth couple are. The pair eventually make a different plane, but Vyxsin almost loses her passport. This is getting painful.

Ron/Christina take an early train to the shuttle, but it doesn't do them any good as the other teams catch up before the shuttle leaves. They go up the mountain where they ride mules for their next clue. The high altitude soon takes its toll, leaving contestants unable to run without becoming short of breath. The challenge is to find tags of the animals of the Chinese Zodiac and arrange them in order. Big Easy gets stuck and asks a yak for help. Mallory completes it first and inexplicably helps Luke, who was way off, despite his mom claiming he's "good at details".

The main person who struggles with the challenge is Zev, which is funny because earlier he was complaining about not getting a chance to shine. It takes him ages to find his rabbit, and then once he does collect them all he thinks he can just dump them all in the hanger and get a pass. Failed attempt after failed attempt goes by, but Justin doesn't start to panic until the stragglers Kent/Vyxsin turn up.

Ron/Christina take the wrong vehicle on their way to the next task but the driver doesn't stop. When they find the bus they were supposed to take, Christina literally jumps off and chases after it whilst Ron throws things. Luckily, Flight Time/Big Easy are feeling generous for once and let them on the bus. The next task is for the teams to find their Zodiac symbol and make a wish. Margie/Luke and Gary/Mallory finish first but Flight Time doesn't know his sign and keeps guessing wrong.

The pressure is mounting on Zev but he finally realises his mistake - he had two goats by accident. Luckily Vyxsin really sucks at the challenge and he is able to beat her, leaving the goths in last place again.

A really quick candy-making task is up next, which Margie/Luke, Gary/Mallory and Jet/Cord all complete with ease. Ron still finds a way to make it far more difficult than it needs to be, annoying Christina. Margie/Luke end up claiming first place, but are stunned when they're told they are still racing. Jet/Cord and Gary/Mallory check in next, with Ron/Christina, Kisha/Jen, the Globetrotters and the cheerleaders not far behind.

Soon, Zev/Justin and Kent/Vyxsin are the only teams that haven‘t reached the pit stop. Although Vyxsin has completed the task now, their chances of gaining ground are lost when they realise halfway down a one-way road that Kent left their fanny pack in the gondola. Of all their numerous blunders this leg, this one could finally be the nail in the coffin.

TAR 18 Episode 3 - Down And Dirty

For this leg, the teams are going to Japan, and they have two flight options to choose from. Mel/Mike convince Margie/Luke to take a gamble on an earlier flight with a connection, saying the 15-minute advantage is worth it. The goths and the cheerleaders book the same flight. When the globetrotters learn about it, they let Zev/Justin have the seats as payback for when they gave them the clue. But bad luck strikes again as engine problems mean a lengthy delay...and the five teams know they'll probably be in a dogfight for last.

The teams have to get their cars from a parking garage, which causes some hilarity when the Globetrotters are too small for their car. Ron/Christina and Gary/Mallory lead the pack. Christina gets directions from a fellow motorist when she's unsure here to turn, and Ron hopes out loud that they haven't been "screwed by her ineptitude" - causing Christina to chastise her father for being mean. The task is to fire arrows at target whilst moving, but it's the demonstration before the shooting that Ron finds difficult. Jen, Justin and Gary all hit their targets first and set off for the next task.

The cheerleaders lose a lot of time when Jaime breaks another car's mirror. Rather than settle with cash, the driver calls the police, forcing the redheads to stay. Jaime/Cara get to the temple and are encouraged to see lost of teams still there...but then they all start hitting their targets, leaving them in the dust once again.

Zev/Justin and Gary/Mallory choose to find the lucky frog for their detour. That involves stripping down to underwear and having mud thrown at them until they get it. Zev/Justin find it first. In their haste to win the leg, they drive off without getting dressed. Which means later Justin is having conversations with strangers in his underwear. Awkward.

The other choice is to stand under a freezing cold waterfall for a minute, and the Globetrotters and Ron/Christina opt for this one. The Globetrotters finish first and end up taking Ron/Christina's fanny pack by mistake. This causes Christina to momentarily freak out, but then Ron finds it in the changing room and realizes the idiots left it there.

Zev/Justin get another first place finish, with Gary/Mallory in second. The Globetrotters initially check in third but when Ron/Christina reveal the fanny pack mix-up, Phil hands the a penalty that sends the below them and Kisha/Jen into 5th. Jet/Cord finish 6th after completing the frog detour quickly, and Margie/Luke fight through the rain to come 7th.

Now searching in the darkness, Mike wants to quit as the mud is getting cold...and he knows it can't be good for his father's poor health. Jaime/Cara eventually make it up to the detour and to the delight of straight males everywhere, choose to find the lucky frog - even though they haven't had much luck this leg so far. With Mel/Mike out of the mud to warm up, Jaime/Cara end up overtaking them. This is unbeknownst to the Cheerleaders themselves however who arrive at the pit stop fully expecting to be eliminated, only to be told they're 9th.

Mel/Mike finally arrive and Phil tells them they are out of the race. It almost seemed like they wanted to leave anyway, and they don't seem too bothered. They even manage to make Phil cry. "My dad will never give up" says Mike, "So that's why sometimes I have to give up for him".

TAR 18 Episode 2 - Hopping Mad

The teams have to figure out their next clue is pointing them to a giant anchor, where they will find their next flight. Kisha/Jen team up with Zev/Justin and use a computer to google it. The race takes its toll on Mel/Mike, with the elderly father left exhausted, but vowing to continue.

Zev/Justin and Kisha/Jen reach the anchor and get themselves on the top of the flight list. Margie/Luke make it there alongside the Cheerleaders after a little googling of their own. Mallory and Christina find eachother and agree to work together, as they both haven't had much luck.

Soon, the Cowboys are the only team that are still dragging. After their woeful attempts at deciphering the compass they don't seem to be doing much better at finding the anchor either, but they do eventually get there - still in dead last. "We're just thankful to still be in the race" they say. And they're right, they got very lucky.

The flight carrying the first six contestants lands, and Kisha/Jen lead the way. Mike gets annoyed with their slow driving, but they get to the detour and must choose between spirit world or natural world. All the teams choose spirit world which involves creating a mosaic out of stones and then dancing on top of it.

With all the teams at the site, it stands to get crowded. Zev/Justin finish first. Kent/Vyxsin are done, but because they dance around the mosaic instead of on it, it takes them a while to get the all-clear. Only when they see Kisha/Jen do it do they get it right.

Ron/Christina start to fall behind, as more and more teams finish the task. Amanda/Kris finish ahead of them and get started on their second detour, making stencils by spitting out paint. This doesn't take them long at all and they've given themselves a great shot of staying in the race.

The teams find their next clue at a stadium, the home of the Magpies, which is to find a street corner using only a highlighted periodic table. Kent's love of chemistry means he's able to figure it out, and they team up with the Cheerleaders to look. To make it worse, the teams have to wear a kangaroo suit to do it...though Jaime/Cara still rock the outfit. Margie has a brief scare when she loses part of the costume and has to go back, but Zev/Justin find it and they're now part of the main pack.

Once they took off their ridiculous shoes, the teams drive themselves to the pit stop - and Zev/Justin claim first place. Flight Time/Big Easy are second, and in third come Jet/Cord, just ahead of Kisha/Jen. A huge improvement from the Cowboys! Margie/Luke come 5th, Mel/Mike come 6th, and Kent/Vyxsin are 7th. Jaime/Cara, the "good-looking kangaroos", finish next in 8th.

Mallory and Christina once again agree to team up, knowing they only have to beat one team and that Amanda/Kris are hot on their heels. Ron starts nagging his daughter and the two decide to break away from Gary/Mallory, after they're not convince she knows where she's going. They're wrong though, as Gary/Mallory beat them to the pit stop. Both teams survive however and it's Amanda/Kris that are eliminated. Terrible team, or unlucky team? Hard to argue with an early exit twice.

TAR 18 Episode 1 - Thank God For Second Chances

Eleven teams with Unfinished business all start off at a wind farm in California, USA. Their first task is to find the airplane that says Qantas in a field. The first eight teams all make the first flight. Mel/Mike, Zev/Justin and Jet/Cord are first three teams to do it. Soon, Kisha/Jen, Gary/Mallory and Amanda/Kris are left on the second flight, battling it out to not come last. Gary/Mallory get it just before Amanda/Kris, leaving the engaged couple incurring an automatic U-turn. Amanda can't believe that they're U-turned again, but Kris knows it was their own fault.

There's drama on the first flight when a heart attack forces an emergency landing, completely wiping out their 90-minute lead. Mallory gets excited when she realizes that the second flight has overtaken the rest, and can't quite believe her luck. Amanda really wants the express pass to wipe out their penalty.

The roadblock is to scuba dive into a shark tank and retrieve a compass. Mallory gets it first and manages to solve the phrase. Kisha and Amanda are a little slower and decide to work together, as most of the other teams have caught up to them now…except Jet/Cord, who missed the ferry.

The next task is to sail out into the water and grab a clue from a buoy. Gary/Mallory are the first to do so, and reach the beach to win the first leg and the express pass.  Phil then tells them they are still racing, and has to yell at an excited Mallory to stop talking and keep going. Kris/Amanda are the second team to arrive, with Kisha/Jen in third place.

Back at the aquarium all the teams have now retrieved their compasses, with a struggling Vyxsin being the last to do so. Margie/Luke have teamed up with their old friends Jaime/Cara to decipher the clue, but neither can get it quite right. Zev/Justin are the first to do so, and give it to the Globetrotters. Margie also asks for their help, but they decline to give her any.

Ron/Christina and Mel/Mike have decided to work with Marge/Luke and the cheerleaders now, and Christina is able to get it. Margie decides to spread the love and gives the answers to Kent/Vyxsin, as she sees the goths as a team that would be easy to beat.

Zev/Justin are the next team to finish in 4th place and the Globetrotters come 5th. Jaime/Cara, Margie/Luke, Ron/Christina and Mel/Mike are all behind them. Kent/Vyxsin are very relieved when they find out they’re the second-last team to arrive and are not that phased by the news they’re still racing, as it could've been worse. This leaves Jet/Cord as the only team still working on their compass…and the Cowboys appear to be well and truly stumped.