Rushing through Russia

Let's see if the editing is any better and if I can learn some names this week. From the coffee plantation, shows the frat boys hooking up with Danielle/Dani. BJ/Tyler first off, take a ride on a zip line; frat boys next, continue their usual schtick complete with bragging, they're rapidly becoming one of the all-time jerks. Joseph/Monica next, maybe this'll be a team to root for? Dave/Lori next.

They show the first four teams driving, of course the place is closed; hippies jump out at frat boys to startle them a little, actually funny. They keep jumping out at others. Ray/Yolanda next, 30 minutes before place is scheduled to open. Wanda/Desiree, Wanda has some sort of accent. Place opens, out the first tames jog. Lake/Michelle leave next, don't like him either, he's rude. Danielle/Dani in matching outfits, childhood friends it says. And Southerner Lake gets lost, mad. At himself, the driver, right? Nope.

Hippies zip across valley, no problem--I think they'll do well, are smart and loose. Should be interesting for woman who's afraid of heights. Next, fly to Moscow (Russia they add). Then Chaika Bassein, water facility, in Moscow. Off hippies go to the bus station. Next frat boys, looking a lot more anxious and slow than fearless hippies. Show the next two pairs, nothing happens; then R/Y drive in as frat boys drive out. L/M lost by side of road, this is hilarious, then they start yelling at each other.

Finally, Fran/Barry, not that far behind actually. R/Y finish, they gotta move up to first tier on this leg. For some reason they show everyone reading 'fly to Moscow, Russia'. Top three teams all bunched, with frat boys now in 3rd somehow. 9:15 bus first out of station, J/M too on this one.

And R/Y get 10 a.m. tickets.... Lake unhappy about going to Russia for some reason. Frat boys and girls mess around some more. Southern couple bickers some more, pretty ugly words. Everyone else is on this bus, but... old people. 10:45 for them.

At the airport, let's see if strategy comes into play. Hippies go through Frankfurt, Lufthansa; peole are saying everyeone's gonna be on same flight. Sure enough, next bus pulls up... hmm, but I think some people are being quoted different times... guess not. Married couple makes it, everyone's on same flight.

On plane, some people learning some Russian. Frat boys exert their power over girls. In Russia in no time, funny watching them trying to communicate with taxi drivers. Ray really is just a redneck, he's off complaining already. Some people share cabs to save money. Girls/boys together. To pool, hippies first; Russian word for pool similar to French piscine. Roadblock: 10M plunge in frigid weather, then gotta dive to bottom to get next clue. This is gonnna be tough for some. Old couple next, than R/Y, cool. Woman says she can't swim... but she's gonna do it?! Crazy, they should've known 'who's gonna take the plunge' meant water before she said she'd do this one.

Hippies done, taxi to monastery, look for next clue there. Southern people in 4th. Then lovebirds. J/M next, then D/L. Finally, sightseeing W/D. Old man having trouble diving. Hippies go off with their fast cabbie. Old people done, still in 2nd. Hmm, Yolanda's gotta jump, gets some encouragement from Southern chick; but Southern guy not so charitable; Russians cheer her on, everyone's yelling for her; she hits water, takes a while to come up to top, gets big cheer, this is pretty cool, I like them. She's crying, but did it--apparently she can doggy paddle. Southerners, then frat boys, then chicks.

Frat boys dumbly wait for their chicks; Joseph/Monica, then Dave/Lori, then Wanda/Desiree. People get in cabs and depart, not the most exciting of footage; mother is freaking out, says she can't dive for it, totally freaking out, says she can't make herself go down--wow, just a total breakdown. They're just sitting there, don't know what to do.

Hmm, hippies at clue box already, even take time to check out gorgeous icons and interior of cathedral, these guys are cool. Detour: Scrub or Scour. Either go to a trolley depot and wash a trolley; or go to a theater and look for a clue in 1,000 nesting dolls for one of 10 clues. Uh, duh.... Old people next, about same time as R/Y; hmm, looks like chicks left their bag behind, they separate out, not sure how girls will find taxi.

Frat boys at cathedral, everyone's there at the same time, front-runners have lost a lot of time, frat boys in second now. Wow, everyone's bunched up. Southerners to scrub, frat boys say scrub, they're professional car washers. Seems like everyone's doing scrub. Ugh, R/Y going to the theater instead. Frat boys say just follow other people, not sure if their driver knwos what he's doing. Girls get cab back, daughter trying to pump up mother, crowd cheers for her, and she finally gets it. Daughter is proud her mom overcame her biggest fear. And they see girls on their way out, calls them the pinks. They recover the bag, off everyone goes.

Hippies are out in front with old people; then 2nd big group, then 3rd, then the mom/daughter and pinks. Hippies lose their cab; old people catch up, they can't find trolley cars so old people go to theater, followed by hippies. Wow, R/Y totally lucked out. Southerners chose theater too. There's even a band playing--frat boys there too, apparently nobody could find trolley depot. Pure luck at this point.

J/M and other couple driving around. W/D at cathedral, choose trolley depot, pinks show up too, their cab leaves; can't find a cab that can find it, then can't find a cab period. Poor pinks. They finally get one, after the break.

Everyone else looking in nesting dolls. Hmm, R/Y actually putting dolls back. Frat boys get one, then Southerners right behind. Neither one knows about St. Basil's cathedral. J/M and D/L still looking for trolley park--wow, mother/daughter find first, then pinks. They're looking for less filthy ones. Tough task, it's cold and they're washing trolleys slopping water all over the place. Old couple arrive at theater, R/Y still searching. It's just a matter of luck at this point. R/L find one, off they go, in 3rd at the moment.

Hippies at theater, ask R/L for help, and get it. So they join the search; J/M and D/L still searching, finally they find, ah they're in same cab. Pinks are shocked when they show up. Inspector doesn't like the job mom/daughter did, didn't get roof. Hippies find a clue, old couple incredulous--and they... give up?! Say they do.

Frat boys to Red Square, L/M next off, race is on. Southerners see, then frat boys. Oh no, the two teams I hate most--and the frat boys win. Leg not over, still gotta race--well, it's 10:57 so not a total shock.

Highlights from next leg look so un-Russia like--it's sunny, they're out doing fun things in test cars and wearing funny hats.

Photo of Yolanda from CBS (incidentally, how odd is it that the web sites includes photos that indicate results that haven't aired yet?!)