So, I was all excited to sit down in front of the TV and watch the Season Finale of The Amazing Race. (Those of you that have been here before know that this is my absolute favorite reality show right now. I've been longing and yearning to try-out for the show and be on it... Why don't I? I need a partner and NOBODY I know wants to do it...)

So, I'm all geared-up to watch the show and...

I fell asleep.

At least I woke up at the very end to see who won.

Thank God for TiVo. I'll probably watch it sometime this weekend and get caught up and enjoy it. Awake.

I LOVE THIS SHOW.

Cool thing - there are 2 families from the northwest suburbs of Chicago - one from Park Ridge and the other from Des Plaines!

CBS UNVEILS THE IDENTITIES OF THE 10 FAMILIES COMPETING IN "THE AMAZING RACE: FAMILY EDITION"

Eighth Installment of the Emmy Award-Winning Series Begins With A Special Two-Hour Premiere on Tuesday, September 27, 9:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT

The Amazing Race: Family Edition Moves To Its Regular Tuesday, 9:00-10:00 PM Time Period Beginning October 4

CBS today announced the identities of the 10 families set to compete in THE AMAZING RACE: FAMILY EDITION. For the first time ever, the Emmy Award-winning reality adventure series will feature teams of four instead of two, comprised of family members. The 10 teams of families will compete against one another in a race around the world for a $1 million prize. THE AMAZING RACE: FAMILY EDITION will begin with a special two-hour premiere on Tuesday, Sept. 27 (9:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.

THE AMAZING RACE: FAMILY EDITION will be broadcast regularly on Tuesdays (9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT) beginning Oct. 4.

THE AMAZING RACE has won two consecutive Emmy Awards for Best Reality Program is currently nominated for a third time.

Following are the 10 families, listed in no particular order:

TEAM: GODLEWSKI SISTERS

Michelle (42)
Sharon (39)
Christine (37)
Tricia (26)

Hometown: Des Plaines, Ill.

TEAM: WEAVER FAMILY (WIDOW AND KIDS)

Linda (46)
Rebecca (19)
Rachel (16)
Rolly (14) - Male

Hometown: Ormond Beach, Fla.

TEAM: GAGHAN FAMILY

Bill (40)
Tammy (42)
Billy (12)
Carissa (9)

Hometown: Glastonbury, Conn.

TEAM: BLACK FAMILY

Reggie (42)
Kim (40)
Kenneth (11)
Austin (8)

Hometown: Woodbridge, Va.

TEAM: LINZ FAMILY (SIBLINGS)

Nick (24) – Currently resides in Buffalo, N.Y.
Alex (22)
Megan (21)
Tommy (19)

Hometown: Cincinnati

TEAM: ROGERS FAMILY

Denny (46)
Renee (42)
Brittney (22)
Brock (19)

Hometown: Shreveport, La.

TEAM: SCHROEDER FAMILY (DAD, STEPMOM AND KIDS)

Mark (40)
Char (39)
Stassi (16)
Hunter (14)

Hometown: New Orleans

TEAM: BRANSEN FAMILY (DAD AND DAUGHTERS)

Walter (51)
Elizabeth (25)
Lauren (22)
Lindsay (20)

Hometown: Park Ridge, Ill.

TEAM: AIELLO FAMILY (FATHER AND SONS-IN-LAW)

Tony (57)
Kevin (31)
Matt ( 31)
David (26) – Currently resides in North Providence, R.I.

Hometown: Mansfield, Mass.

TEAM: PAOLO FAMILY

Tony (52)
Marion (52)
DJ (24) - Male
Brian (16)

Hometown: Carmel, N.Y.

THE AMAZING RACE: FAMILY EDITION features 10 teams -- each comprised of four family members -- on a trek around the world for approximately 30 days. At every destination, each team will have to compete in a series of challenges -- some mental and some physical -- and only when the tasks have been completed will they learn their next destination. Teams who are farthest behind will gradually be eliminated as the contest progresses, with the first team to arrive at the final destination winning $1 million.

Jerry Bruckheimer, Bertram van Munster, Jonathan Littman and Hayma Screech Washington are the executive producers for Bruckheimer Television and Earthview Inc. in association with Touchstone Television and Amazing Race Productions. Amy Chacon and Evan Weinstein are co-executive producers. THE AMAZING RACE was created by Bertram van Munster and Elise Doganieri.

For more information on THE AMAZING RACE: FAMILY EDITION and the new 10 teams of families log on to www.cbs.com.

THEME

I'm very happy the show is on the air again!

THEME

The cast has also been announced (see below for the list).

UPDATE: Saw a new commercial this evening - no doubt about it, the start of the race is at Buckingham Fountain in Grant Park in Chicago! Check out the video here.

• Adam Malis, 27, personal trainer, Los Angeles; Rebecca Cardon, 29, personal trainer, Los Angeles (formerly dating)
• Avi Schneier, 32, high school teacher, New York City; Joe Rashbaum, 32, advertising-agency owner, Ventura, California (high school friends)
• Don St. Clare, 69, physician, Portola Valley, California; Mary Jean St. Clare, 66, interior designer, Portola Valley, California (married 20 years)
• Freddy Holliday, 34, pilot-model, Miami; Kendra Bentley, 25, model, Miami (engaged)
• Gus McLeod, 50, former CIA agent, Gaithersburg, Maryland; Hera McLeod, 24, special-education teacher, Los Angeles (father/daughter)
• Hayden Kristianson, 25, model-actor, Los Angeles; Aaron Crumbaugh, 25, model-actor, Los Angeles (dating)
• Jonathan Baker, 42, entrepreneur, Los Angeles; Victoria Fuller, 32, model-artist, Los Angeles (married)
• Kris Perkins, 30, student-waitress, Long Beach, California; Jon Buehler, 29, restaurant partner, Scottsdale, Arizona (long-distance dating)
• Lena Jensen, 23, student, Pleasant Grove, Utah; Kristy Jensen, 26, model, Pleasant Grove, Utah (sisters)
• Lori Harvey, 33, professional wrestler, Molino, Florida; Bolo Dar'Tainian, 38, professional wrestler, Molino, Florida (married)
• Meredith Tufaro, 26, licensing manager, New York; Maria Sampogna, 26, registered sales assistant, New York (best friends)

THEME

THEME

Big Brother has been our Guilty Pleasure Of Summer since it started in 2000. What we enjoy so much more than the packaged shows that CBS airs is the live Internet feeds. It allows anyone with a Real Networks player to watch up to 4 different feeds live from the house 24/7... or thereabouts. The voyeur aspect of the feeds is unbelievable. Depending on who is up and what is going on, Carol and I could watch the house for hours. This year's crop of people weren't too bad, though they weren't the best we've seen over the years. We so addicted, we have a computer connected to our Sony 27" TV so we can watch with ease - the audio going out through the stereo system.

Anyway, it's over for the year. The winner this year - Drew Daniel of Urbana, Ohio gets over Michael "Cowboy" Ellis of Durant, Oklahoma.

Then, my favorite multiple-award-winning reality show - The Amazing Race - ended tonight as well. Tonight's show seemed like it was the most physical legs at the end of a race since the show started. Anyway, due to fog and luck, Chip & Kim McAllister wound up as the winners on The Amazing Bathmat in Dallas.

Fortunately, Amazing Race 6 will be starting in just a few weeks!

THEME

A team that was likely part of The Amazing Race 6, which is taping this month, was spotted in Chicago on Friday. As the show typically concludes in the US, and since it's late in the month, that suggests Chicago is either the final destination or a stopover in on the way to the final city in the US. Mike in Chicago writes:

Looks like TAR 6 may end in Chicago. On Friday Aug 13, I saw them running down Adams St, towards the Sears tower. ... I saw a team of 2 females, with a camera crew of two (one camera, one mic guy). The girls had on their fanny packs with the yellow/red marker/flag on them. It was about a second after they passed me by that I realized they were Amazing Race people.

Based on when TAR 6 airs, this is likely the end of the race, not the start. Unless Chicago is the first stop back in the USA, before they go to the final US city. Either way, looks like Chicago is part of the final TAR 6 episode!

THEME

Anyway, the cast has been announced.

• Alison & Donny - Dating - Yes, it's that Alison & Donny. Alison is 23, unemployed, and lives in Meadville, PA. Donny is 21, a student, and lives in Shenandoah, PA
• Bob Barron & Joyce Nicolo - Internet Dating Couple - Both live in Mount Laurel, N.J. He's 61 and retired, she's 53 and a Medical Practice Admin
• Brandon Davidson & Nicole O'Brian - Dating - Nicole, 21, lives in L.A., was Miss Texas USA 2003 and second runner up at Miss USA 2003, is also an actor. Brandon, 25, is a model and lives in Houston (they met at Bridal Extravaganza)
• Charla Faddoul & Mirna Hindoyan - Cousins - Both 27 and born at the same hospital in Syria one month apart. Charla is s store manager and has a form of dwarfism, lives in Phoenix, MD (I didn't know there was a Phoenix in Maryland). Mirna is a Lawyer and lives in Towson, MD.
• Chip & Kim McAllister - Married Parents - Chip is 46 and is the owner of a web technology company. Kim is 44 and is the owner of an information technology recruiting company. They've been married over 25 years and live in Coto De Caza, CA.
• Colin Guinn & Christie Woods - Dating - Colin is 24 and is the owner of a cell phone store, while Christie, 26, is the managing partner of a "Longevity and Wellness Center". Oh, an she was 1996 Miss Teen USA. They both live in Corpus Christi, TX.
• Dennis Frentsos & Erika Shay - Once Engaged - Oh, boy... that's a good moniker... this should be interesting to watch. Why did they break up? From the CBS website: Dennis broke off the engagement after Erika went skydiving naked. As Dennis describes it, "I thought I was dreaming, but no, here comes my future wife floating through the air with nothing on but socks and sneakers and a naked instructor strapped to her back." He's 27, a mortgage broker and lives in West Nyack, NY. She's 25, a wedding planner, and lives in Piermont, NY.
• Jim & Marsha McCoy - Father/Daughter - She's 26 and a law student at the University of Florida College of Law while living in Gainesville, FL. He's 53, a helicopter pilot, and lives in Jacksonville, FL. Oh, I guess Marsha was a Jacksonville Jaguars cheerleader.
• Kami & Karli French - Identical Twins - 26 and living in Eugene, OR, Kami is the general manager of a restaurant and Karli is a full-time student at the University of Oregon.
• Linda Ruiz & Karen Heins - Best Friends - Living in Palmdale, CA, are bowling doubles partners and mothers. Karen, 41, is a stay at home mom and Linda, 45, teaches tennis
• Marshall & Lance Hudes - Brothers - Marshall, 31, and Lance, 26, are from New York but live in Dallas, TX where they own and operate a pizza shop.

THEME

Well, Les Moonves at the CBS Upfront presentations said last week that The Amazing Race will be on the Fall Lineup on Saturdays at 9 PM ET/PT. Now he's saying that they might might decide to hold The Amazing Race 6 for spring, not fall ... and air The Amazing Race 5 in the fall time slot instead of this summer.

They're screwing around with a great reality show...

THEME

Also, in something of a shock if you follow the show, casting is now active for The Amazing Race 6, which is due to shoot in August. Applications are due April 13.

Another article also mentions that CBS will couple Big Brother and the Amazing Race to create a two-hour reality block on Tuesdays from 9-11 (8-10 Central). Both shows will have 90-minute season premieres on Tuesday, July 6, and will remain on Tuesdays. (Big Brother 5 will be Tuesday nights 9-10pm ET, Thursdays 8-9pm (evictions live in the eastern timezone), and Saturdays 9-10pm ET.)

In still another twist and tie-in, Big Brother 4 Runner-up Alison Irwin and her boyfriend Donny are one of the teams on Amazing Race 5.

There is a report that The Amazing Race may have two new twists (other than Alison):

During non-elimination weeks, the team that finishes last will be stripped of all their money -- and not be given any coin at the start of the next leg of the race.

There'll also be a new "yield" component to the game that will let each team slow down someone who's lagging behind them in the race. The "yield" can only be used once by each team.

THEME

OK, let's make this official...

WANTED Blogger to join me as Team Blogger to audition for the next Amazing Race. Wife and family not interested. Apply via email.

OK, I realize that's a a loooong shot, but hey, a guy can dream, right? We've got to rush here... applications (including videotape audition) has to be in to CBS by Wednesday, October 8th, 2003 at 5 p.m.

THEME

Here we are - the final episode...

We're on Ellis Beach on the North coast of Australia. David & Jeff (known to us as Team Who?) are the first to depart at 1:47am. "Teams must now drive themselves 20 miles to the Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park. Here, they will join in a traditional ceremony in which fire will signal tribesmen to bring them their next clue." Oh oh... Jeff narrates that he thinks that "they've made the least amount of mistakes of the three teams that remains at this point." Then they show that Team Who? doesn't really know how to close the rear doors of their Toyota SUV. All I can say is "oh, oh...". The Chipsters depart at 2:14am. There is only $1 given for this leg of the race. They narrate that people think all gay people are "queenie". Oh, boy. Team Who gets to the park to find out that Hours of Operation are 6am-6pm. Great - time for another "TAR Bunch-up". Jon & Kelly depart at 2:38am. Kelly: "Hours of Operation 6am to 6pm. We can still catch up." Jon: "Awwww... doesn't that stink for the boys.... let's go...".They are just way too nice to each other this morning. The sun comes up, all three teams are at the gate, and as it opens all break into al all-out run to the ceremony site. The watch intently as aborigines try to make a fire. In what has to be the most coolest visual thing of this season, a tribesman puts a long spear into a blazing fire, withdrawing what seems to by a bright sparkler at it's tip. He uses the spear to hurl the sparkling thing off the tip and across about at least 100 feet of water toward a very small wooded island. When the burning thing reaches the island, the whole frickin' island goes up in flames (must have had a huge open gas main out there). Way cool. More tribesmen show up with a container full of "message sticks" which hold their next clue. Teams must now drive themselves 15 miles to the airport in the city of Cairns and search for the General Aviation Terminal, where they'll find their next clue. Oh, oh... "General Aviation Terminal" is not good. It's drizzling/raining as the sun is coming up. There's a white-knuckle SUV race to the airport and Chip sends his SUV hydroplaning off the road after he passed Jon & Kelly. He's lucky the vehicle didn't roll. Kelly tells Jon to keep on going because they're OK (referring to The Chipsters). Team Who is first to the Route Marker, followed right behind by Jon & Kelly and The Chipsters. The clue is a Detour - "Wing It" or "Wander it". In "Wing It" teams must get into a plane, climb to a height of 10,000 feet, and skydive in tandem with an instructor to their next clue. The task is potentially frightening, but teams can finish it fast. In "Wander It", teams drive to a mangrove forest and find a boat, use it to navigate out of the forest and then to the skydiving landing zone to get their next clue. There's nothing frightening about the task, but completing it could take a very long time. Everyone choses "Wing It". (Reichen decides that this is better than being in a car with Chip!)

Everyone makes the jump, (though some (Kelly) were quite more frightened than others) and everybody had a great time. Team Who? is first on the ground and get to the Route Marker. Teams must now travel 4,700 miles to the island of Hawaii, also known as The Big Island. When they land, they'll have to chose a car (Another SUV - looks like a Ford) and drive themselves to Kaulana Bay - the southern-most part of the United States. It's now another trip back to Cairns Airport, but now to the International Terminal. Except for The Chipsters who want the Domestic Terminal. Team Who? (mostly Jeff) discusses that they should go to Sydney since Qantas was hubbed out of there so they'll get a better chance of getting to Hawaii.Turns out the Chipsters knew that even though they're at the domestic terminal Qantas is so good with customer service that they'll help them out. Kelly checks out a flight out of Sydney, but they'll miss the connecting flight. Team Who? books a flight to Sydney, with a flight to Honolulu the next day. They take off to Sydney, hoping to make better connections through there. The Chipsters book a flight from Cairns to Tokyo on Qantas and then a United flight that gets them into Honolulu at 6:55am (which sounds like they'll be in Hawaii before Team Who? leaves Australia). Kelly & Jon wind-up booking the same flights as The Chipsters from the other terminal. Team Who? gets to Sydney and works the phones for better connections. They think JAL can help them through japan, but all flights have left. They worked 3 hours trying to work any route and can't get out of Australia. In Tokyo the two teams try to make the transfer from Qantas to United - which is in a different terminal - within 45 minutes. The Chipsters got the bus and booked. Kelly & Jon get to a different terminal, get a United employee to help, get their own bus, and get to the gate - only to need boarding passes which they don't have. The Chipsters board the plane, the rest of the gate crew won't let them on and Kelly & Jon miss the United flight - as The Chipsters get upgraded to Business Class and drink champagne on the way to Hawaii.

Kelly is devastated that they missed the flight. They find a flight that gets in at 8:05am instead of 6:55am, so they take it. We see The Chipsters arrive at Kona Airport on the big island - but we have no idea how they got there (since they were going to Honolulu). They drive to Kaulana Bay. Team Who? is still in Sydney and is now worried since they didn't see any of the teams come through there. The get on their flight to Honolulu. Kelly & Jon arrive in Kona. Chip is steak behind a slow driver and you know that's just pissing him off. The Chipsters hit the bay and find the Route Marker. The clue is a Roadblock: "Who is a strong swimmer and good with a hammer?" In this Roadblock, the team member has to swim out to a floating tiki head, dive beneath the waves to the rock below and get the rock back to the beach. Once on shore, they'll have to smash the rock open to retrieve the clue from inside. Chip is chosen for the task, and gets the rock back to the beach. It takes a long time with a hammer and chisel to get the rock open. Jon & Kelly are on the road to Kaulana Bay. Chip finally gets te rock open. The clue is in a tube at the core. Teams must drive themselves 60 miles to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and find a lookout point.Then, they must follow a marked path across a field of hardened lava to a Route Marker. The Chipsters drive to the Park, Jon & Kelly get to Route Marker and Jon decides to do the task. But, he doesn't want to get his underwear wet, so he decides to do the task naked. Oh. Good. God. Who the hell would crouch over a rock with a hammer, chisel, and safety glasses, with pieces of sharp rock flying everywhere totally naked? Looks like Jon gets through the rock with little effort (or a lot of editing). Jon puts on his pants and drive to the volcanoes. The Chipsters arrive, walk the path, and get to the Route Marker. Teams must now travel 2,900 miles to their final destination city - Phoenix Arizona. Once there, they must search for a monument - the anchor from the U.S.S. Arizona, one of the ships sunk during the attack on Pearl Harbor. It's here they will get their next clue. The Chipsters decide to go to Hilo instead of back to Kona for the flight. Kelly & Jon reach the Route Marker and they take off. Kelly has flight info for flights back to Honolulu. They decide that Kona has more flights so they head back there. The Chipsters book a flight from Hilo to Honolulu that gets in at 8:17pm and then a flight leaves at 11:15pm for Phoenix that arrives at 8:15am. They fly to Honolulu. Jon & Kelly get to Kona and fly to Honolulu. The Chipsters, in Honolulu, try to get the best seat assignments at the front of the plane. Jon & Kelly, in Honolulu, book a flight to Phoenix - the same one as The Chipsters, and 4 rows behind them. The Chipsters start asking people in the terminal waiting areas on the exact location of the anchor. Kelly & Jon start doing the same. They enter Gate 33 and fly back to the mainland.

The flight to Phoenix looks stressful to the racers. They land in Phoenix and race through the airport. The Chipsters are first to get a cab. Chip looks like he's bribing the driver as soon as they pull away. Kelly & Jon get a cab right behind them. The Chipsters now say they'll give the guy $50 to get there as fast as they can. Jon gives his driver the "first hundred bucks" as their bribe. The teams talk about emergencies, the race, other cabs trying to overtake you. The Chipsters get to the anchor, while Jon & Kelly may have the right park but their cab driver doesn't know where the anchor is. The Chipsters read their clue: "You've come a long way from Dodger Stadium and you're almost there. So, make your way to the southeast entrance of Sun Devil Stadium." They get back into their waiting cab. Kelly & Jon's driver finds the anchor. They bolt for the Route Marker, read the clue, and head back for the cab. Did I mention that it's been raining in Phoenix? Well, Jon runs toward a low wall to jump over it when his feet slide out from underneath him as he slams into the wall. They get in the cab and take off. Reichen gives the cab driver another $50 "just to keep you motivated". Just then we see Jon tell their cab driver "I've got another $100 bucks if you drive like a madman." The Chipsters hit Sun Devil Stadium and run to the Route Marker. They have the cab driver turn his cab around so it's pointed put ward just to make sure they get a fast getaway. They read the clue: "To find your next clue, solve the following puzzle. Happy Valentine's Day + White + White." To solve the riddle, teams must first translate the date - February 14th - into the number 214. They must then figure out that "White + White" refers to the two players who's name's White are written on the stadium's wall. One White is number 33 (this refers to Wilford White) and the other is 11 (this refers to Danny White). Using all these numbers, teams must figure out that they need to get to Section 214 Row 33 Seat 11 to get their next clue. Chip is on the right track, checking out Section 2 Row 14. Kelly and Jon are still going to the stadium. Chip realizes that he 200's are upstairs, so they climb up the ramps. They get to 214 and Chip slowly walks up the stairs. He looks up, sees the players numbers and names on the facade and heads to row 33. Chip grabs the clues and start their way back down as we see Kelly & Jon's cab pull into the facility. Kelly gets out and bolts to the Route Marker. (Hmmm... I don't see The Chipsters' cab... bad editing... and you know what's weird? There's four clues, not three... a ruse so that the people don't really know who's in the lead?) Still on the ramps down, Reichen reads the clue: "Make your way to the west parking lot of Papago Park. Chose a pair of mountain bikes and ride the marked path until you reach the end of the bike course - the Finish Line." Jon & Kelly figure out the clue as The Chipsters pull away. John & Kelly get the final clue and get back to their cab and leave. Tension is building. It's 8 o'clock at night and the editing makes it into a mad scramble with the taxis. We see a cab pull up. The Chipsters get out and walk to the rack of marked mountain bikes. They take off down the path. We see Phil on the huge final mat, looking out toward the distance. All of the eliminated teams are shown cheering. Kelly and Jon pull up in their cab, get their bikes and take off. Reichen and Chip hit the end of the trail, drop the bikes, and start running up a trail and onto the stage/mat.

"4 continents. 24 cities. 44,000 miles. Reichen & Chip, you are the official winners of The Amazing Race!"

Chip has a tearful speech. Jon & Kelly run up to the stage. "Kelly and Jon, you're the second team to arrive. Congratulations." Kelly breaks down sobbing. They narrate a few things.

And then we see fresh, hot lava pouring over what appears to be an asphalt road in the dark at 5:30am. David & Jeff walk out of their SUV in the rain and darkness to the Route Marker. You hear David say "Are we first? Are we the first team?" dripping in not rain but sarcasm. David reads the final clue: "Route Info. Reichen and Chip have crossed the Finish Line. The Race is over. Kelly and Jon came in second."

And thus ends what might be the last episode ever of the best Reality show on television. As of right now, CBS has not committed to a fifth year. Damn

Hey, you want to look at an overview of The Race? Look at this from Television Without Pity as viewed by Reichen and Chip:

On their journey, we have seen them riding 10 cars, 19 planes, 9 trains, 2 charter vans, 38 taxis, 2 ski-lifts, 1 zipline, 1 snow-raft, 2 buses, 1 gondola, 1 fiacre, 3 boats, 2 bikes, 1 bicycle wagon, 2 subways and 1 horse.

(Each taxi trip is counted separately, spoon-fed cars are counted as separate on different legs.)

SATURDAY 18 JANUARY - Day One
Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, California, USA
Car to Los Angeles Airport, Los Angeles
Plane to Schiphol Airport, Amsterdam, Netherlands

SUNDAY 19 JANUARY - Day Two
Schiphol Airport, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Plane to Malpensa Airport, Milan, Lombardy, Italy
Subway to Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, Milan
Walk to Hotel Nuovo, Milan

MONDAY 20 JANUARY - Day Three
Hotel Nuovo, Milan, Lombardy, Italy
Walk to Piazza Fontana, Milan
Charter Van to Piazza Roma, Cortina D'Ampezzo, Veneto, Italy
Taxi to Cinque Torri, Cortina D'Ampezzo
Ski-lift, Zipline and Ski-lift again at Cinque Torri
Taxi to Hotel Lajadira, Cinque Torri

TUESDAY 21 JANUARY - Day Four
Hotel Lajadira, Cortina D'Ampezzo, Veneto, Italy
Taxi to Trampolino Olimpico, Cortina D'Ampezzo
Snow-raft at Trampolino Olimpico
Taxi to Train Station, Calalzo, Veneto
Bus to Train Station, Alpi, Veneto
Train to Stazione Santa Lucia, Venice, Venito
Walk to Ponte Della Guglia, Venice
Gondola to Calle Querini, Venice
Walk to Palazzo da Mosto, Venice
Walk to Citta di Padova, Venice

WEDNESDAY 22 JANUARY - Day Five
Citta di Padova, Venice, Veneto, Italy
Walk to Stazione Santa Lucia, Venice
Train to Verona, Veneto, Italy
Train to Innsbruck, Austria
Train to Westbahnhof Train Station, Vienna, Austria
Walk to Friedrichstrasse/Operngasse, Vienna
Walk to Kaiserhof Hotel, Vienna

THURSDAY 23 JANUARY - Day Six
Kaiserhof Hotel, Vienna, Austria
Walk to Friedrichstrasse/Operngasse, Vienna
Walk to Stadtpark, Vienna
Fiacre to Schonbrunn Palace, Vienna
Walk to Figarohaus, Vienna
Taxi to Donautrum, Vienna
Taxi to Westbahnhof Train Station, Vienna
Train to Attnang Train Station, Gmunden, Austria
Taxi to Seeschloss Orth, Gmunden

FRIDAY 24 JANUARY - Day Seven
Extended Pitstop at Seeschloss Orth, Gmunden, Austria

SATURDAY 25 JANUARY - Day Eight
Seeschloss Orth, Gmunden, Austria
Taxi to Salzburg Airport. Salzburg, Austria
Plane to Frankfurt Airport, Frankfurt, Germany
Plane to CDG Airport, Paris, France
Taxi to Montparnesse Station, Paris
Train to Le Mans Station, Le Mans, Sarthe
Taxi to Circuit Bugatti, Le Mans
Car to Porte 4 Cap Janet, Marseille, Provence, France

SUNDAY 26 JANUARY - Day Nine
Porte 4 Cap Janet, Marseille, Provence, France
Same car to Sainte Marie Lighthouse, Marseille
Same car to Gorges du Blavet, Provence
Same car to Chateau des Alpilles, St-Rémy de Provence, Provence

MONDAY 27 JANUARY - Day Ten
Chateau des Alpilles, St-Rémy de Provence, Provence, France
Car to Marseille Airport, Marseille, Provence
Plane to Schiphol Airport, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Train to Magere Brug, Amsterdam
Boat to Scheepvaart Museum, Amsterdam
Car to Alkmaar, Netherlands
Same car to Smoker Statue, Monnickendam, Netherlands
Same car to Kasteel Muiderslot, Muiden, Netherlands

TUESDAY 28 JANUARY - Day Eleven
Extended Pitstop at Kasteel Muiderslot, Muiden, Netherlands

WEDNESDAY 29 JANUARY - Day Twelve
Kasteel Muiderslot, Muiden, Netherlands
Taxi to Schiphol Airport, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Plane to Malpensa Airport, Milan, Italy
Plane to CST Airport, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

THURSDAY 30 JANUARY - Day Thirteen
CST Airport, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Taxi to Film City, Mumbai
Bicycle to Studio 10, Film City
Bus to Goregaon Train Station, Mumbai
Train to Mahalaxmi Train Station, Mumbai
Walk to Dhobi Ghat, Mumbai
Taxi to Sassoon Docks, Mumbai
Taxi to Gateway of India, Mumbai

FRIDAY 31 JANUARY - Day Fourteen
Gateway of India, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Walk to Taj Mahal Hotel, Mumbai
Taxi to Panvel Train Station, Panvel, Maharashtra
Train to Ernakulam Train Station, Ernakulam, Kerala

SATURDAY 1 FEBRUARY - Day Fifteen
Ernakulam Train Station, Ernakulam, Kerala, India
Taxi to Highway 47, Kerala
Taxi to Sports Field, Pallathuuthi, Kerala
Taxi to Beach Road, Alappuzha, Kerala
Bicycle Wagons to Geogi's Chicken Farm, Alappuzha
Taxi to Finishing Point, Alappuzha

SUNDAY 2 FEBRUARY - Day Sixteen
Extended Pitstop at Finishing Point, Alappuzha, Kerala, India

MONDAY 3 FEBRUARY - Day Seventeen
Finishing Point, Alappuzha, Kerala, India
Taxi to Kochi Airport, Kochi, Kerala
Taxi to PL Worldways Limited, Kochi, Kerala
Taxi to Kochi Airport, Kochi, Kerala
Plane to Kuala Lumpur Airport, Kuala Lumpur Federal Territory, Malaysia

TUESDAY 4 FEBRUARY - Day Eighteen
Kuala Lumpur Airport, Kuala Lumpur Federal Territory, Malaysia
Plane to Kota Kinabalu Airport, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
Taxi to Monosopiad Cultural Village, Kota Kinabalu
Taxi to Kota Kinabalu Jetty, Kota Kinabalu
Boat to fishing boat on South China Sea, Kota Kinabalu
Same boat to fishery on South China Sea, Kota Kinabalu
Same boat to lobster boat on South China Sea, Kota Kinabalu
Same boat to Manukan Jetty, Manuakan Island, Kota Kinabalu
Walk to Manukan Beach, Manukan Island

WEDNESDAY 5 FEBRUARY - Day Nineteen
Manukan Beach, Manukan Island, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
Walk to Manukan Jetty, Manuakan Island, Kota Kinabalu
Boat to Kota Kinabalu Jetty, Kota Kinabalu
Taxi to Poring Hot Springs, Poring, Sabah
Car to Sepilok Orangutan Sanctuary, Sepilok, Sabah
Same car to Sepilok Nature Resort, Sepilok
Taxi to Puu Jih Shih Temple, Sandakan, Sabah
Charter Van to Kota Kinabalu Airport, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah

THRUSDAY 6 FEBRUARY - Day Twenty
Kota Kinabalu Airport, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
Plane to Changi Airport, Singapore
Plane to Incheon Airport, Seoul, South Korea

FRIDAY 7 FEBRUARY - Day Twenty-One
Incheon Airport, Seoul, South Korea
Taxi to Seoul Tower, Seoul
Taxi to Sheraton Hotel, Seoul
Taxi to Sundam Valley, Chirwon, Gangwon-Do, South Korea
Taxi to a subway station, Seoul
Subway to Seoul University Station, Seoul
Walk to octopus restaurant, Seoul
Taxi to Gyeongbokgung Palace, Seoul

SATURDAY 8 FEBRUARY - Day Twenty-Two (Thank you Miri!)
Extended Pitstop at Gyeongbokgung Palace, Seoul, South Korea

SUNDAY 9 FEBRUARY - Day Twenty-Three
Gyeongbokgung Palace, Seoul, South Korea
Taxi to Yeoido Island, Seoul
Taxi to Incheon Airport, Seoul
Plane to Brisbane Airport, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

MONDAY 10 FEBRUARY - Day Twenty-Four
Brisbane Airport, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Taxi to Holiday Inn Hotel, Brisbane
Car to UnderWater World, Mooloolaba, Queensland
Same car to Mooloolaba Yacht Club, Mooloolaba

TUESDAY 11 FEBRUARY - Day Twenty-Five
Mooloolaba Yacht Club, Mooloolaba, Queensland, Australia
Car to Australian Woolshed, Ferny Hills, Queensland

WEDNESDAY 12 FEBRUARY - Day Twenty-Six
Australian Woolshed, Ferny Hills, Queensland, Australia
Same car to Brisbane Airport, Brisbane, Queensland
Plane to Cairns Airport, Cairns, Queensland
Car to Wild World Tropical Zoo, Queensland
Same car to Wangetti Beach, Queensland
Horse at Wangetti Beach
Same car to Off Road Rush, Julatten, Queensland
Car to Ellis Beach, Queensland

THRUSDAY 13 FEBRUARY - Day Twenty-Seven (Thank you EmeraldFire!)
Ellis Beach, Queensland, Australia
Car to Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park, Queensland
Same car to General Aviation Centre, Cairns Airport, Cairns, Queensland
Plane to field, Cairns
Taxi to Cairns Airport, Cairns
Plane to Tokyo-Narita Airport, Tokyo, Japan
Plane to Honolulu Airport, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

THRUSDAY 13 FEBRUARY - Day Twenty-Eight (Thank you TheSchnauzers!)
Honolulu Airport, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
Plane to Kona Airport, Kona, Hawaii
Car to Kaulana Bay, Hawaii
Same car to Chain of Craters Rd, Hawaii Volcanoes Ntl Park, Hawaii
Same car to Hilo Airport, Hilo, Hawaii
Plane to Honolulu Airport, Honolulu, Hawaii
Plane to Sky Harbor Airport, Phoenix, Arizona, USA

FRIDAY 14 FEBRUARY - Day Twenty-Nine
Sky Harbor Airport, Phoenix, Arizona, USA
Taxi to USS Arizona Anchor, W Washington Street, Phoenix
Taxi to Sun Devils Stadium, Phoenix
Taxi to Papago Park, Phoenix
Bicycle at Papago Park, Phoenix, Arizona, USA

THEME

Well, we're still at the Mooloolaba Yacht Club in Australia, site of last week's Clown Carnage and The Chipsters Penalty.

David and Jeff depart at 10:41pm. Teams must now more than 80 miles to the town of Ferny Hills, find the Australian Woolshed and search through one of these giant piles of wool for their next clue. The teams get $1 for this leg of the race. Guess there's no cabs, no hotels - no international travel this leg. Jon and Kelly depart at 10:59pm. Reichen and Chip depart at 11:33pm. (wow, Jon & Al must have finished around noon then). Ferny Hills must be small because teams are having trouble finding it - in the case of Kelly & Jon, even with a map. Team Who? arrives at the Woolshed first, and find that the Hours of Operation are 6am to 4pm, Team Mean (Kelly & Jon) arrive 2nd, the Chipsters arrive last. All decide to sleep in their SUV's until the morning (they have about 4 hours). I have to call them Team Mean only because they're mean to each other and what they say behind the backs of the other teams (and, at times, to their faces) is just mean. So, the teams are all bunched-up again when the gates open at 6am and the teams take off. OK, there are sheep and Wallabies here? What kind of place is this? They take off sprinting trough the facility and find a shed with three huge piles of wool. The teams rip through the piles. For once, the producers really took their time and really camouflaged and buried the clues. This wasn't easy. Jon find the clue, and he and Kelly quietly run away and open it away from the others. Teams must now drive themselves to Brisbane Airport and fly more than 1,000 miles to the city of Cairns. When they land, they'll chose one of these cars (looks like Toyota Land Cruisers) and drive to Wild World Tropical Zoo , where they'll find their next Route Marker. Team Mean takes-off. The boys keep looking. Team Who winds up going back through their piles because they missed the clue. Reichen finds their clue, whispers that he has it, and The Chipsters leave. Team Who still searches.

Team Who? finally find the clue and leave. Kelly & Jon pull into the Thrifty Car Rental parking lot at the airport (Thrifty has Mercedes SUV's?) at about 6:55am. They go inside to Qantas Ticketing and get on the 7:45 flight to Cairns. The other teams show-up and they all get tickets for the same 7:45am flight. At the Cairns Airport (which looks like it had just rained) the teams jump into their SUV's and take off. They tailgate each other down the highway. Kelly & Jon, in the lead, use a woman in a silver car to help box-in the other teams from passing. Jon narrates that this is getting to Chip (who is driving and trying to get around him) and the says the title of the show in reference to Chip. They find Wild World and park by the marker. There are 3 numbered tags on the Route Marker box (obviously to claim who does a task first, second, third). The clue is this year's product placement task: Teams must now follow the marked path to the crocodile pen. One team member will chose a feeding stick and feed a fish to the 15-foot crocodile named Sultan while the other teammate takes a picture with a Kodak Easyshare Digital Camera. Only one Team may perform this task at a time. Once Sultan has been fed and the picture had been taken, teams must find the souvenir shop, where they'll develop their picture at a Kodak printer dock and receive their next clue. (OK, we'll ignore the reference to "develop" a digital camera image. They're just printing them.) Kelly & Jon, the ones that pulled #1, leave with a curator. But now we see a table next to the Route Marker box that has 3 digital cameras on it. We see the other two teams. Then we see one camera on the table. David says to Jeff, as they're walking down the path "don't let them see this" and they hide the camera. Jeff realizes, as they walk behind Kelly & Jon that they don't have a camera! Team Mean get to the croc pen and we hear Kelly say "Where's the camera? Jon. Jon! Don't have the camera." They take the humbling walk back to the Route Marker. In an argument on the way Kelly asks Jon why he's blaming her. Oh, I don't know, maybe because she's taking the picture and she would need a camera for that. I don't know. Maybe it's just me. So, David feeds Sultan while Jeff takes the picture and they run to the souvenir shop. Chip feeds Sultan, Reichen takes the picture, and they're on their way to the souvenir shop. David & Jeff have docked their camera and are reading the instructions on how to print. Team Mean is back at the croc pen with the camera. Jon feeds Sultan, Kelly takes the picture and they leave. (I don't understand why the curator throws something like a small rock at the croc first - probably to get his attention.) Reichen at the souvenir stand docks his camera in the printing station. Jon gets there and docks his camera. Reichen looks puzzled, and he re-docks the camera. Team Who? gets their picture printed. The back of the paper says Make your way to Wangetti Beach for your next clue. Phil explains it anyway: Teams must now drive themselves 15 miles to secluded Wangetti Beach where they'll find their next Route Marker. Thanks, Phil. David & Jeff leave, followed by Kelly & Jon. Reichen finally figures out how to print an image and The Chipsters leave. (Here's a map for you - the zoo was in Palm Cove and they have to go to Wangetti Beach). Team Who? hits the beach, get the clue and find that it's a Detour - "Saddle" or "Paddle". Phil, over to you: In "Saddle", teams must explore this one-and-a-half mile stretch of beach on horseback and find one of four Race flags. They'll then search within a 25-yard radius for a cluster of clue envelopes. However, only one of the clusters contains the actual clue; the other three instruct teams to try again. The task won't be physically demanding, but searching the beach for the right cluster could take a long time. In "Paddle" teams have to inflate their own kayak and then paddle to an orange buoy to get their next clue. The task requires a good deal of energy, but the clue will be easy to find. Team Who? choses "Saddle". Kelly thinks they just past the turn-off for the beach. Guess what? The Chipsters pull into the beach parking area, get the clue and chose "Saddle". Jon pulls up to a road construction flagman and find out they've gone too far and have to turn around. Surprised? I didn't think so.

David & Jeff go to the right (south?) and Chip and Reichen go to the left (north?) down the beach. The Chipsters find a cluster, but it's not the real ones. The go further down the beach to another marker. It's another "Sorry. Try Again.". Team Who? finds a flag, find the cluster of clues, and actually find the correct cluster! Teams must now drive themselves 35 miles to the town of Julatten and look for Off Road Rush, an adventure sports company where they'll find their next Route Marker. Kelly & Jon pull into the beach parking area. They also choose "Saddle". They also notice that The Chipsters are coming from left, passing them, and going to the right. Team Mean actually see this and deduce that the clue has to be to the right since The Chipsters must not have found it to the left. Team Who? and The Chipsters pass each other on the beach. It seams that Team Who? isn't the greatest riding horses, but they're te first ones that leave the beach. The Chipsters get their clue and leave. Well, they try to leave, but Chip drives the SUV over Reichen's foot while they're still in the parking area (Chip started the car while in gear and without having the clutch engaged. Nice going. Drive a manual much?) We then see the first name-calling argument between the boys. Twelve legs of the race and this is their first argument. Team Mean can't get through 12 minutes. Speaking of them, Team Mean gets their clue and leaves. The Chipsters don't know where they're going, so Chip goes up to someone's house to ask for directions. Kelly & Jon try to do the same other other drivers. Team Who? finds the little sign for Off Road Rush and make the turnoff. At the Route Marker, they find that it's a Roadblock. In this Roadblock, one team member has to choose a race buggy and, along with a racing instructor, drive as fast as they can along a muddy and bumpy 7-mile course. As soon as they make it back to their partner, they'll be given their next clue. David gets suited-up and drives off. He did a really good job at a good rate of speed. Jon is still looking for directions to Julatten. The Chipsters find the turn-off. Chip decides to do the Roadblock. David hits the finish line in great shape, and gets the next clue from his instructor before he leaves the vehicle. Teams must now drive 50 miles to Ellis Beach. This picturesque beach at the edge of the Coral Sea is the Pit Stop for this leg of the race. They drive off, but David has to readjust to driving the SUV instead of the buggy! Chip suits-up, gets in his buggy and takes off. It's like he doesn't know how to drive - he's all over the track. He barely keeps it on the marked dirt. He plows into a line of small trees along the right-side of a stretch of track and totally busts-up the steering. Team Who? is still driving back to the highway. The company sends a new buggy out to Chip so that he can complete the task, which he somehow does. Team Mean passes The Chipsters on the way in to Off Road Rush. Team Mean pulls the Roadblock clue at the Route Marker.Even tough Kelly really really really really really wants to do it (after all, it's her turn), Jon does it. The last thing Kelly says is "Be careful, Jon" as he spits out of the starting area. Yes, spits. He popped the clutch and stalled the buggy. More than once. He finally leaves. and he's a maniac. He's more like David than Chip, tough - it looks like he's in control at least. Jon screams into a tight left-hand turn and... the buggy rolls over!!! Kelly is screaming "Oh my God!!! Oh my God!!!" in a pitch that only dogs could hear. Crew people start running with walkie talkies into the dust cloud. There's a quick shot of a helmeted Jon trapped in the vehicle and then... commercial.

When we're back, we have an overhead shot from the helicopter camera and you can see how many people are running to to the crash site. People help Jon crawl out of the buggy and he's laughing his ass off! He's unscathed. Kelly is screaming "Jon! Why did you do that!" and she runs over and hits him! "What's wrong with you!" The crew rights the buggy and Jon climbs right back in. Of course, we don't see the instructor do that right away. He's probably trying to figure out if he wants to do this again. As they scream off, Kelly yells "Babe! Please be careful! I need you to win the million bucks!" Team Who? pulls into Ellis Beach and the run across the sand to The Amazing Bathmat. Phil proclaims that they're "Team Number 1" and they win a vacation to Europe compliments of American Airlines' website "which you can enjoy after the race". Phis now does post arrival interviews for the teams. We see Jon finish his task. He's still laughing and giggling like a schoolgirl. Kelly takes the clue and reads it. Kelly narrates that Jon is doing all of the things he wanted to do before he got married and "all this race did was help me out!" Chip asks Reichen "Am I that bad of a driver?" to which Reichen replies "I'm not answering." The Chipsters pull into te parking area and "look for Phil". More interviews. Kelly and Jon pull in and jog up the sand to Phil who tells them that they're the last team and this is not an elimination leg (big surprise). Kelly then tells Phil: "We came to one very sad conclusion today, that we cannot have children because we do not want them to inherit our stupidity." Another big surprise.

Next week: so here we are - the final leg (of what may be the FINAL BROADCAST OF THE AMAZING RACE if CBS doesn't get it's act together!!!)

THEME

Oh, well, it's the beginning of a sad episode for certain fans...

Teams are still at the Pit Stop at Gyeongbokgung Palace. Kelly & Jon depart at 3:46am. Teams must now make their way across Seoul to Hangang People's Park on Yeouido Island were locals go to fly traditional Korean kites. Once there, they must pull on the string that is attached to a marked pedestal. This will release the clue that's attached to the kites flying overhead. Jon & Kelly try to find a cab driver that speaks English. Reichen & Chip depart the Pit Stop at 3:55am. They, too, try to find and English-speaking driver. Kelly decides they should go to a hotel for help. The Chipsters settle for a cab driver they think knows were Yeouido Island is. Jon & Al leave the Pit Stop at 4:04am. They get a cab driver right away that speaks "perfect English". Kelly & Jon go to the Koreana Hotel and ask for directions at Registration. They get directions on a map and go outside to the doorman, who's standing next to 2 Korean drunks that are mock-fighting each other, and get a cab. Jon & Al see the kites illuminated in the night sky. Chip & Reichen see the kites as well, and Chip is flipping out, trying to get his driver to turn and get over to the beach that the kites are flying from. He's slamming his hand against the window and yelling "Hurry!!! I'm not going to pay you!!!" Jon & Al run onto the beach and start to tug on the line. The Chipsters arrive as Chip exasperatedly say "Just let me out! You speak no English - I shouldn't give you any money! Speak English!" What the hell??? You are in Korea, you idiot! Nice reinforcement of the ugly American stereotype! Jon & Al's clue floats to the ground in the night. Teams must now travel nearly 7,000 miles to Brisbane, Australia. When they land, they'll have to make their way to the Brisbane Holiday Inn, check-in with the concierge and be escorted to a penthouse suite. The Chipsters are on the beach and pull down their clue. Kelly and Jon see the kites from their cab. The Chipsters read their clue. The Clowns get a cab. The Chipsters get a cab and Chip tells the driver "Go-go-go-go-go!!!" before they even get inside, and "Quick-quick-quick-quick-quick!!!" as the sit down. Kelly & Jon hit the island. John starts pulling on a rope. In the background, you can hear someone say "ooooh no..." and that's when you realize Jon is pulling down the kites! What's worse? The string breaks!!!!! Kelly says "That sucks." Jon laughs as you can see the other kites rise further in the air. David & Jeff leave the Pit Stop at 5:15am. Jon realizes he was pulling on the wrong string and finds the marked one and they get their clue and leave. Jon & Al arrive at the airport. Team Who? arrives and pulls down their clue. Jeff hand David the Fast Forward as they read the clue and leave. Back in Kelly * Jon's taxi, you realize that some really bad fog has rolled in and you can barely see the road in front of you. Back at the airport, Jon is making phone calls to a 24-hour travelers network to get the best flight to Brisbane, which is a Korean Airlines flight to Singapore and then on to Brisbane. The Chipsters hit the airport and realize there are two flights - the Korean Air and a Singapore Air flight. Chip goes up to Korean Air ticket counter and requests booking on the flights. The counter books fro both Korean and Singapore Airlines and they find out the Singapore Airlines flight gets in earlier. Kelly & Jon show up as The Chipsters are at the counter. Jon comes up and tells the agent "Could I have exactly what they have?" Kelly laughs an evil laugh. Jon says he wants their ticket pointing to The Chipsters. Jon then says to Reichen to title of the show. The teams wonder where The Clowns are. In the meantime, The Clowns are at the Korean Air terminal, watching it getting brighter outside in the dense fog, wondering where the other teams are. Team Who? arrives and gets the Singapore flight. Lots of shots of the fog outside and teams worried about the fog. The fog starts to lift, and the Singapore flight starts to board. Jon calls Al over to the window to show that what he thinks is their plane is in a holding box on the tarmac, behind the plane that is currently at the gate. They have only 2 hours to make the connecting flight and they find out from a pilot of their flight that the departure is delayed by at least two hours. The Singapore Air flight leaves at 2pm and it's already boarding (as we know). We see the other teams sit down in their seats on the plane. The clowns negotiate tickets and get to the gate, but find out that because they are late - they are being denied access to the plane for security reasons. The door closes, the plane pushes back and The Clowns are left in Korea.

The Clowns are now really stressed. They negotiate a flight that is a direct flight to Brisbane. The Clowns start, well, clowning to lighten the mood. (Now, based on other detective work from other websites, this direct flight actually gets The Clowns to Brisbane one 30 minutes behind the rest of the teams.) The teams are shown queuing-up to leave their plane in Brisbane and are talking about not knowing where The Clowns are. The door opens and there's a mad sprint outside - except for Kelly because Jon is still on the plane somewhere. Team Who? grabs a van and they're off to the Fast Forward. In this Fast Forward, teams must drive an hour away to a beach (in Caloundra City) and pass a local lifeguard test. After paddling surfboards through the heavy surf, they must pull a swimmer out of the water and return her safely to the beach before they can claim the Fast Forward award. Reichen & Chip get a taxi at the airport (at least they shouldn't have a language problem here...) Jon finally meets up with Kelly, who finds out that taking a train is faster than a taxi to get into the city. The hotel happens to be at the transit center. Jon gloats over the traffic that their train is passing over. The Chipsters hit the hotel first, followed by Kelly & Jon. The elevator opens on the 17th floor, and a quick walk through the Penthouse Suite door puts then - out on a patio outside, overlooking the city. The Route Marker is here. The clue is a Detour - "Face First" or "Foot First". "In "face First", teams put on safety gear, step out onto the ledge of the building, and do an Australian, or Face First, rappel right off the ledge of the building 200 feet down, one team member at a time. It's a terrifying task, but if they muster the guts, they can finish it fast. In "Foot First" teams must spot the building with the race flag on top. (it's the Sheraton Brisbane) Then, they must travel on foot down the stairs, walk all the way to the building and climb up 30 stories to the roof where the Route Marker is waiting. There's nothing scary about the task, but traveling all the way on foot could tire them out and take a really long time. The Chipsters and Kelly & Jon decide "Face First". Kelly worries about her hand, which is still a mess since the board breaking last week.(she can't make a fist). The Clowns arrive in Brisbane. Team Who is still on their way to the beach. Chip & Jon go over the side and rappel down. Kelly gets nervous. Team Who? hits the beach, grabs two lifeguard long-boards and paddle into the surf with 2-4 foot waves out about 150 feet to the victim. They absolutely struggle trying to get the female victim on the board. On the roof, a worker comes up to Kelly, says "Welcome to Australia" and shakes her hand which now becomes more painful. Reichen & Kelly go over the edge. Reichen just walks down the side of the building. Kelly thinks she's not heavy enough to do this. Kelly comes to a planter at the side of the building, gets stuck, and freaks out and just about loses it.

Reichen gets down, Kelly is spinning. She's afraid. She's eventually down. In tears, she says "I didn't like that!". Teams must now chose one of these cars (more Mercedes SUV's. Sponsor?) drive themselves 43 miles to the town of Mooloolaba and find UnderWater World. Once they arrive, they'll follow the marked path to their next Route Marker. The Chipsters leave, but Reichen can't find the town on a map. Back at the beach, Team Who is still struggling to get the victim onto a surfboard. They seem to be continually dumping her off the side or rolling the board over. They finally get the "solid girl" onto the board and paddle in. They win the Fast Forward and must now drive themselves to the Pit Stop - the Mooloolaba Yacht Club, "a legendary haven for Australia's famed yachtsmen". The Clowns arrive at the hotel. Jon goes over the edge first and makes it - Al looks a bit worried. Turns out, The Chipsters didn't get a map and are trying to find UnderWater World by themselves. The next shot is Kelly reading a map as they approach the exit on the freeway for UnderWater World. Al is struggling to come to grips with going over the edge, but he finally does it and makes it. The Chipsters catch up and both teams find parking spaces at the same time and run into the facility. The Route Marker is a Roadblock - "Just when you thought it was safe to go back into the water". In this Roadblock one team member has to put on scuba gear and cross a tank and grab a clue in a treasure chest. While this task might seem easy, consider this: the tank is home to rogue's gallery of sea creatures including 100 sharks. Man, these sharks are huge! Then again, this is Australia. Reichen & Jon decide to go. One piece of information is overheard as they get their instructions from a handler off-camera: And you're not allowed to stand on the sharks underwater. Otherwise, they'll bite you. Great. Another one: Put your arms together. You must stay like that because you can't trust the animals' behavior. Whoo boy. Jon is first in. OK, they're not swimming. They're weighted-down, so the walk across the bottom, holding their hands clasped together to their chests. Reichen, still above water, says "I asked him if the sharks bite and he said "let's just go'". Jon gets buzzed by a stingray and gets to the treasure chest and grabs the clue. Kelly, outside the tank, has been watching and trying to wave to him. Reichen is moving slower than Jon, and the cross paths just a a huge shark swims by. Reichen is more tentative and definitely more scared than Jon. Reichen slips a little, and instinctively throws his arms out to tread water to stabilize himself - just as another huge shark is swimming up!!!! Could this be it???? The first shark mauling on network television????? His arms are flailing as the shark comes up behind him - Kelly & Chip are yelling at him to put his arms back! And then... commercial!!! Damn.

Ok, so Reichen rights himself, clasps his hand together and the shark swims on by. Damn. Jon gets out of the tank. Reichen gets to the Treasure Chest and gets the clue. Jon & Kelly are together as Jon gets dressed. Kelly reads the clue. Teams must now race on foot to a nearby marina and find the Mooloolaba Yacht Club, the Pit Stop of this leg of the race. The last team to check-in here will be eliminated. Kelly emphasizes to Jon the words "on foot", and they start jogging. David & Jeff have found the yacht club, as they're parking their SUV in the parking lot. To run onto The Amazing Bathmat and are greeted by a blonde with a white sash, so she looks like a "Miss something". Phil proclaims Team Who? as Team Number One, and that they're one of the three teams racing for the $1 million prize. Oh, they also win a vacation to "exotic Mexico" compliments of American Airlines' website "which you can enjoy after the race". Reichen finally comes up out of the water and they're off. Kelly & Jon find someone who knows where the yacht club is (straight down the road they're on). Reichen & Chip leave the building, with Kelly and Jon already passed them. They start to run after them. Jon asks Kelly if there's any additional info. She says they have to go on foot. Notice how they're emphasizing something here. Chip insists that they should drive. Reaching the SUV Chip is just saying "c'mon - let's go - I've made a decision." Yep, they're going to violate the rules of the clue. Chip pulls out of the parking place. Jon & Kelly are running. Reichen says to Chip they may pass them on foot. Jon & Al reach UnderWater Room. Al will do the Roadblock. The next shot is of Al, hands clasped together, in the tank, waiting for a shark to cross right in front of him. Jon is trying to tell Al to "duck under him, just duck under!" Al nods back a definite "No". Kelly and Jon are now walking and Jon says "I can see the Pit Stop". They start to jog. The Chipsters pass Kelly & Jon as Kelly says "Chip & Reichen! They didn't walk! Jon they got here before us - they didn't walk!" Chip pulls the SUV into the parking lot. The two of them bail out and run around the place, up the stairs and onto the mat. Now, Phil has a few words for them: "Reichen & Chip - you're the second team to arrive. (they celebrate) However, (they stop and turn to Phil with that look of "Huh?) you chose to drive to the Pit Stop and the clue clearly states that you need to walk, (now the audio goes into a post production voice-over by Phil) so you've been assessed a penalty of 5 minutes for the time you've gained by driving the short distance, and an additional penalty of 30 minutes for the mistake. (back live). Your penalty is 35 minutes. You'll have to wait and see if the two remaining teams arrive here within 35 minutes.If they do, you'll be eliminated." YEAH!!! WOOO HOOO!!! The Chipsters are penalized. Come on Clowns! Kelly & Jon run in an Phil has news for them: "Kelly & Jon - You're the third team to arrive. However, (voice over again... I wonder how they handled it live way back when?) due to a penalty given to Reichen & Chip, you're Team Number 2." Al gets the clue out of the treasure chest. Al & Jon meet up again topside and read their clue. They run in, up the stairs, and walk onto the mat. here it is - the big news: "Jon & Al (Phil Keoghan patented long pause here) you're the last team to arrive.Now you do need to know that one of the other teams made a mistake and received a penalty (Jon & Al look at each other, and painfully giggle. Al wipes his eyes) However, the penalty was not enough to put them behind. So I'm sorry to tell you that you both have been eliminated from the race."

NNNOOOOOOOooooooooo!!!!!!! Not The Clowns!!!! Damn you Chipsters! Damn You All To Hell!!!!! These guys enjoyed the journey so much and played the game so hard, they deserve to be in the final three.

Next week: It's the final three - no more eliminations, it's the final run to the finish (OK, the start of the run to the finish since that's in two weeks) Kangaroos! Horses! Dune buggies flipping over!!! (Oh, and Chip runs over Reichen's foot with their car.)