Jaunted

Teams leave Maputo's Forteleza for Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania then go ten miles to the ferry terminal to take a dhow to Zanzibar. Charla and Mirna manage to irritate their driver--and us!--on the way to the airport. In their taxi, Joe and Bill realize "There was a major mood shift" at this point in the race. With the number of teams dwindling, competition is getting fierce. At the airport, tickets don't go on sale until the morning.

Charla and Mirna go back to their hotel, as do the beauty queens. LAM has the first flight out in the morning--and Ian is the first person to decide to stay at the airport. He "doesn't want to be seventh in line to get these tickets." He and Teri are looking at a seven hour wait. In the end, it doesn't pay off--because the flight is full.

Charla and Mirna risk connecting through Johannesburg--they leave at 7 am. Once they get to Jo'burg, they force the world's most unlucky airport agent to pray with them for seats. The bet pays off, as they get a jump on the other teams. Everyone else weasels their way to South Africa after a long wait in Maputo.

In Jo'burg, everyone but Team Guido and Teri and Ian get stuck in the airport while some teams that got on standby jump a flight to Dar Es Salaam. Once on board, the airline discovers Eric and Danielle were given another couple's seats. Cue the waterworks, Danielle! Look at those tears come down! Back in the terminal, it's now six racers waiting for the next flight.

In what looks to be a producers' set up, Charla and Mirna--who at this point are way ahead after their Jo'burg gamble--get stopped from taking the boat the same day they arrived. They take it the next day with Danny and Oswald--who crack hooker jokes that the girls don't get. Don't let 'em faze you, boys. We love your jokes!

Back in Jo'burg, Eric seems to be going completely nuts, setting up the rope barriers at the check in desk. You can see the fatigue in his unwashed face--but he and Danielle manage to scrounge up some seats. It looks like Joe, Bill, Teri and Ian will "get" to spend another night in the airport, until they discover an Air Malawi flight to Dar Es Salaam--the four get on board.

Once in Zanzibar, teams find this week's road block: Solve it--puzzle making--or Schlep it--hauling lumber. Oswald and Danny finish their puzzle--at the Stone Town Inn--and stop to buy some snacks before heading to the village of Kikungwi to hang out with Masai tribesmen. Oswald and Danny hop in a van, checking that it has AC first. Says Oswald, "I'm racing, but I don't want to melt." Once in Kikungwi, teams toss a weapon--a rungu--at clay targets. Oswald realizes in order to excel, you have to "have a limp wrist." Zing!

Without much pressure from other teams. Charla and Mirna are the first to reach the pit stop at the Old Fort in Stone Town. They win two catamarans, but need Phil to tell them that those are "dual hulled sailing boats." Danny and Oswald are right behind them. DuKa handle the lumber hauling and Uchenna and Joyce bang out the puzzle. After tossing their rungu, U and J check in--and despite their 30 minute penalty--are third.

The straggling teams take things in stride, rightly assuming their at the back of the pack. In the middle of the night, the last two teams work their way through Zanzibar. As the sun comes up, it's Joe and Bill who beat Teri and Ian to the finish line.

The Pit Stop:
First Place: Meer and Schmeer

Speaking of, why is it that people in Mozambique speak better English than Charla and Mirna? And what's up with the weird accents when their dealing with locals--it's not making them any easier to understand. We're happy to see Uchenna and Joyce back near the front of the pack--an early ferry departure saved them from elimination. At the back, Joe and Bill are really far behind, and Eric and Danielle are similarly tuckered out. Will the rivals be able to work their way back to the front of the race?

Next Week:
In a two-hour episode, Danielle and Eric get catty with each other. And Charla dresses in armor and falls flat on her face. We can't wait to see it!

Story Credits: pbb and Todd