Amazing Race 14 Episode Recap: "Having a Baby's Gotta Be Easier Than This"
The action remains in China for the 10th leg of the race, and a member of each team is subjected to torture! Well, sort of. Let's just say the challenge gives new meaning to playing footsie. Challenges at the site of last summer's Olympic Games go swimmingly well for some, while others drown in their tears. And the first team at the Pit Stop is not first. Are you riddled with confusion? Read on as we sort this out.
Departure
Within minutes of each other, the teams leave the city of Guilin, China and are required to fly over one thousand miles to Beijing for the next set of challenges. The former cheerleaders announce they are given $40 for this leg of the race. Jaime points out that she and Cara have not come in first throughout the race, yet are in the final four.
Tammy and Victor head for a travel agency, quickly get their tickets for the 5:10 pm flight and go to the airport. While wondering how she arrived before Kisha and Jen — the first team to leave — Margie attempts to secure her tickets, also for the 5:10 flight. As Jen repeatedly asks in vain for another ticket agent to help her, Margie is informed that the service does not take international credit cards. Upon hearing this, Kisha and Jen zoom to the next line, leaving mother and son to wait. Tammy and Victor show up and, speaking in Chinese, ask the ticket agent to assign the others to seats in the back of the plane. As they all smile and make nice-nice, the brother-sister team have maneuvered better seats. But after all of the shenanigans, the four teams have booked the same flight and arrive simultaneously at their destination.
Seemingly jet-propelled, Tammy and Victor find a taxi and are off for the next clue. While making a beeline for the cab stand, Luke, most likely oblivious, repeats the fracas of last week and bumps into Kisha. It appeared that while he was running, Kisha and Jen turned around the same moment he was there. Agreed?
Roadblock
One team member is required to receive the "therapeutic powers" of a foot massage, accompanied with a complimentary cup of medicinal tea before and after. If the procedure becomes unbearable, it can be stopped by saying "uncle," but the contestants must then restart the massage from the beginning. Considering all the running that the players do each week, you'd think a foot massage would be welcome. But what should evoke relief and pleasure actually appears to bring pain.
Cara is first up for the foot massage. What begins with sounds of laughter ends with tears and screams. Jaime threatens her with more pain if she cries uncle. As I've been waiting for someone to do this, Cara becomes my new hero telling her partner to shut up. Kisha also is none too happy as evidenced by her biting on her vest. After his sister announces she's not into feet, the playful Victor turns his hand into a talking foot-puppet with wiggling toes that teasingly say: "Tammy we're waiting for you."
Detour
Sync or Swim. Having heard Phil Keoghan read the clues, it initially appeared that synchronized diving would be the easier, time-saving task. But after watching Victor and Tammy, a re-evaluation was necessary. Victor is too enthusiastic and regularly jumps before his sister. They were never in sync. Unable to jump off the boards in "perfect unison" for what seemed a long time, they cut their losses and switched tasks.
The swimming challenge required everyone to don the full-bodied Speedo LZR — as worn by gold medalist Michael Phelps — and alternately swim eight lengths of the pool. Margie and Luke did well. Tammy and Victor took their time but managed. Jen, we learned, has such an intense fear of the water that she was willing to give up and go home. Kisha did her best to comfort her sister as she sobbed. This team, who started out the day in first place, came to a screeching halt having switched from swimming to diving and back again. Kisha totally kept her cool and eventually coaxed Jen out of her meltdown to successfully finish the Olympic-sized task.
Running to the next cab, Victor's legs begin to cramp. Anyone who has experienced that intense pain will know why he was unable to immediately get inside the vehicle.
Pit Stop
The four teams are all in taxi cabs looking for Drum Tower. Jaime and Cara finally get their wish and are the first team to arrive. But, this leg of the race is not over! I was expecting it would be a non-elimination round instead of a double-length leg. Argh! To be continued next week...
Return Trips
• At the airport ticket counter, Kisha starts taking on the unattractive traits of Jaime by making fun of the way the local women talk and act. Was this just done as a revenge tactic for being ignored by the other agent? Later, while searching for their cabdriver, Jen says: "they all look alike."
• Jaime, about Cara's foot massage: "I never expected it to be cry-worthy."
• During his foot massage, it was humorous when Luke actually signed "ow".
• Victor, after putting on a teeny bikini: "This is like Skimpyland!"
• If you're interested in purchasing a Speedo LZR — "the world's fastest swimsuit" — they sell for $550 at speedousa.com.
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