THE RACE
Next up on the itinerary is Lijiang, China. The Chinese-speaking dad-daughter are pumped to go there, and the sisters also think they have an edge, since they had three legs in the country during their prior race. Though Jennifer admits that one of them wasn't a shining moment, as she called deaf competitor Luke a bitch.
The pink and black attack vow to have a PMA—positive mental attitude—this leg, but already the duo has issues, as they can't find their car. "So much for PMA," Pink says. "This is just the most stupid day ever, and it just started." To make matters worse, Pink sets them on the wrong course to the airport. "Bye, bye, 'Amazing Race,'" she says. They end up missing their flight and have to catch another one six hours later. "'The Amazing Race' is about strategies, but it's also about miracles," Black says.
In the meantime, the other teams arrive in Kunming and decide to take a train to Lijiang. Dad-daughter, who have the language skills, take the lead, even stopping off for some pork buns at dad's request. But all of the teams meet up at a bus to go up Jade Dragon Mountain. On their way to Lijiang, Pink loses her passport, but luckily finds it at the ticket counter. Rookie mistake!
Then the racers have to hoist themselves onto cute yaks and ride them through a river. Not surprisingly, the cowboys had no problem saddling up and riding the yaks. Next, the teams have to ride a gondola nearly 15,000 feet up to Spruce Meadow. The altitude kills the competitors; event the athletic Globetrotters have trouble. There, they hit a roadblock.
ROADBLOCK
In this roadblock, teams have to search for charms with pictures of the 12 Chinese zodiac animals and put them in the correct order. But the search is like a needle in a haystack; there are thousands and thousands of small wooden charms adorning a walkway. Luke from the mom-son group finishes first, but it's Ms. Kentucky who gets it right on the initial try. She nicely shows Luke that his order is wrong. Dad-daughter get second, followed by Luke. Elmer Fudd-hat-wearing Zev has a problem hunting the rabbit charm. Then he has difficulty putting them in the correct order. To make it worse, pink and black attack show up. Justin asks what the holdup was, and Black lies that they had car trouble. Zev finally realizes he has two goats instead of a horse and fixes it. Pink continues her bad day and starts crying because she has no idea what she's doing.
Next, racers board a bus and head to Old Town Lijiang. Dad and daughter take the wrong bus and the driver starts to return them back to the the station, but dad freaks out and starts shouting at the guy. They get the bus driver to pull over, and dad-daughter scream for the Globetrotters' bus driver to stop. The ballers nicely let them board their bus.
At Old Town Lijiang, teams have to find their zodiac sign on an ancient prayer wheel, write a wish, and tuck the paper in the appropriate slot while announcing their sign. The teams easily complete this, but the Globetrotters don't know their Chinese zodiac sign, so they have to scream each sign in hopes of getting the right one. Then they hit a detour.
DETOUR
In this detour, racers have to decide between hammer or horn. In hammer, teams must pulverize hot molten candy with mallets. In horn, teams carry a ginormous ceremonial horn and lead a procession of Naxi dancers though town to Wencheng Palace. Most of the teams go for the candy. Chinese dad first veers off looking for fish and then starts sampling the candy. "Stop eating!" daughter repeatedly yells. The Globetrotters and the BFFs go for horn.
PIT STOP
Mom and son make it first to the pit stop, the Eternal Tower, winning a trip to Aruba. They are exhausted and happy, but then Phil tells them they are still racing. "You don’t want know what I want to say right now," mom says. The cowboys snag second and Ms. Kentucky and her dad take third.
OUSTED
Last place is between the BFFs and the pink and black attack, who still think they have a slim chance. But while on the bus, the pink and black attack realize they left their fanny pack, which contains their passports, on the gondola and have to turn around. What is up with the fanny pack drama this season? Isn't the only reason to wear the ugly accessories is that it fastens to your waist and stays there so you won't have to worry about carrying it? The driver refuses to turn around and the screen cuts to "To be continued..."
NEXT WEEK
As the race continues, the pink and black attack have to deal with their missing fanny pack and passports. Meanwhile, the other racers contend with a double U-turn. You know that means double the trouble.
[Photos: CBS]
