Watching Reality TV

If you want to catch up on what went down last week, check out this post.

We’re leaving, today, from The Netherlands. Lorena and Jason finished first so they leave first. During the pitstop, Ronald needed some medical help for a hernia he had developed. To which I say “What goes around, comes around, buddy.” I hate to wish an old man harm, but he was atrocious last week. Anyhow, the next cluebox is in Ouagadogou which is in the African nation of Burkina Faso. Can’t say I’ve ever heard of it, so this will be interesting. The teams, however, don’t KNOW that’s where this city is and they have to figure it out. Fun! Teams start arriving at the airport and they look it up on the computer information terminal and are able to suss it out easily enough. Other teams find out en route so they’re on equal footing, at least. The bad news: only one flight to this particular place today. EEP. That’s not cutting it close at all. It isn’t a problem for most teams (Nathan and Jennifer manage to squeeze on board an earlier flight somehow) and Ronald and Christina are cutting it DARN close. They arrive at 7:30 and have less than a half hour to make it to the gate on time. Of course, Ron’s hernia gives him trouble so he can’t run so well. Still, they make it and the other teams try to hide their disappointment. It isn’t as desperate as it seems (or maybe it is), there’s some technical difficulties and their flight is unexpectedly delayed. They all expect they’ll miss their connecting flight in Paris.

Of course, this puts Nathan and Jennifer WAY ahead. They easily make it on the flight to Africa, but the other teams race through the airport in Paris to make it. Aaaaand.. here they come. They all made it aboard. Nathan and Jennifer are annoyed. All teams make it to this unpronounceable (not to mention unspellable) city and hop in cabs. The teams arrive at the train station and find the clue box. Nathan and Jennifer get their first and find out they must take a train to Bingo. Much easier to spell. They’ll be dumped in the middle of nowhere and have to search for the cluebox. And if they aren’t paying attention, they could miss it. Oh and apparently? The next train doesn’t leave until tomorrow. D’oh. In the meantime, Donald crushes on “the sisters” (Marianna and Julia to the rest of us). The next morning, the train comes and everyone gets on board. Bunching much? Oh, and the train stinks apparently but having watched this show before, I expected that. Shana and Jennifer can’t stand the smell but everyone else ignore it easily enough. The stop approaches and the conductor announces it as “Bingo!” so everyone hops off. Not as easy to miss as we would have thought. They find the clue box and get a Road Block. And? Milk a camel. And apparently getting enough milk can be a challenge. No spilling! Lorena was really scared of her camel or something. Nathan spilled some of his. Oh, and once completed they have to drink it. TK finishes first and he and Rachel are in first place. Now they must lead four camels across the savanna to a bunch of nomads who will give them their next clue. Lorena keeps spilling hers and Nathan is freaked too. Slow and steady wins the race on the milking the camels. The next problem is everyone is not sure of where to go and leads their camels the wrong way and have to turn around. Nathan and Jennifer catch up and are in the lead with everyone else. Lorena is completely stressed out. Azaria is frustrated. Shana is on the verge of giving up and Marianna (or is it Julia?) has an uncooperative camel.

Everyone figures out about trying other camels and tries that. Azaria finally has better luck, as does Marianna (or is it Julia?) and Shana. Azaria and Hendekea get to move on, about the time that TK and Rachel get their next clue, which is a Detour. It’s Teach It or Learn It. Either teach English to children or learn the local language from children. Eep. I’d probably pick Teach, as TK and Rachel do. Lorena and Jason are officially in last place as Shana and Jennifer leave the Road Block. At the Detour, some teams have better luck than others (as usual). Hendekea and Azaria finish first and get the clue to go to the next pitstop, which is on the outskirts of Bingo. Meanwhile, a bad storm is coming in and Lorena and Jason are still milking. She’s losing her marbles, is what is happening. Meanwhile, Azaria and Hendekea (and their Fern) make it to the mat and win a 5 night trip for two to Bermuda. Nice!

Marianna and Julia finish their milking and move on to the camels and then the Detour. I think Lorena needs professional help, at this stage. Having her do the Road Block, in retrospect, wasn’t such a good idea. Lorena tries another camel on Julia’s suggestion and finally hits pay dirt. She drinks her milk and they catch up with the sisters on the walk to the village. The rest of the teams race to the mat. TK and Rachel, Nathan and Jennifer, Ronald and Christina and Kynt and Vyksin and Donald and Nick all pretty much show up at the same time and are virtually tied. Shana and Jennifer arrive at the mat in 7th place and Jennifer breaks down with happiness over not being eliminated. Lorena and Jason and Marianna and Julia are in a dead heat to see who finishes the Detour first. Both chose Learn It. Lorena and Jason ultimately finish first, but just barely ahead of the sisters and it’s pretty much a footrace to the finish line. Ultimately, however, Lorena and Jason make it to the mat first and are still in the game. Sadly, this means Marianna and Julia are eliminated. Sad to see them go, since they played such a clean game, but what can you do? And I never was able to tell them apart.