The Amazing Race, Episode 6: Midpoint

I haven't blogged about anything for a while because Jerry and I went to New Orleans for a few days and then my laptop was infected with a nasty virus and I had to call India to get it cured. More on the Big Easy in a separate blog, but I finally caught up with TAR a few days later and was surprised it was not a non-elimination leg. They've only got five teams left and we're only halfway through the whole race.

There were so few teams that it wasn't as exciting. I always prefer it when there are lots of teams competing, but I guess the thinking is they want you to concentrate on a few as they get closer to the finish. It's just that it's only been what seems like a few episodes.

As I hoped, all couples caught up with each other thanks to a late-night flight out of Dubai to Amsterdam. So Megan and Cheyne lost their three-hour advantage. It looks as if the twelve-hour rest period rule is totally abandonded. It was about 12 noon during the day when this leg started and that had to be more than 12 hours since they finished the day before. Maybe they are genuinely concerned about racers' health and are giving them more time to relax.

Once in Amsterdam, Team Zebra really fell behind, first not knowing how to drive the car, then not being able to count the bells, and finally not reading the clue properly and walking in those wooden shoes rather than riding a bicycle. The wife (I forget her name) was constantly nagging and whining "Brian!" It was good to see Megan frustrated at the golf challenge and to see Team Malibu Barbie and Ken come in second to the gay brothers--who finally came out to the others (surprise!) The poker chicks showed some class at the end and admitted they couldn't do either task. Their sneakiness from the first episode came back to bite them in the ass, karma wise, but they accepted defeat gracefully. So it was really suspenseful thanks to editing because we didn't know who was going to finish last--Team Zebra or the Poker Chicks. There were probably hours of difference, but we didn't know that. I thought it was more interesting that stupid Mika being scared of the water slide last week.

Next week will HAVE to be a non-elimination or a two-part leg. I am disappointed that they are starting to rely on challenges from previous seasons with the needle-in-the-haystack thing.

Summary: Day 10: Wait all day at the airport for a midnight flight to Amsterdam. Day 11: Arrive in Amsterdam, count bells at church, dance and eat herring or sport challenge. Sam and Dan win a sand buggy, poker chicks quit. Probably would have not been eliminated if they had stuck it out, but it did look impossible for them to do either task--hitting bell or hitting balls. Only five teams left. Still have to catch up with Project Runway, probably will combine two episodes in one blog. What will I do when both shows are over?