The 20th season of The Amazing Race premiered on Sunday. This season, 11 teams will be racing around the world to try to finish first to claim the one-million dollar prize. The teams started in Santa Barbara, California...
When Phil allowed the teams to begin the race, they had to race up a steep slope to find one of only 11 clues amongst 100 hanging mini hot-air balloons. Once teams found the clue, they were instructed to fly to Santa Barbara Argentina. The first six teams to book their flight wound up on a plane that got them to their destination two and a half hours earlier than the second flight.
Once in Argentina, the teams had to complete a roadblock where one team member had to skydive from 10,000 feet while the other team member had to find their landing location before they received their next clue.
A couple of team members had to face their fear of heights and/or skydiving, which was interesting. In the end, all of the teams completed the challenge without too much drama.
The teams' next challenge consisted of watching a demonstration and then making 120 empanadas - 60 meant and 60 cheese empanadas. Teams had to figure out that the different types of empanadas required different techniques to make, and they all did. Once a team felt they were done, the empanadas were judged by an Argentinian woman who decided if they were good enough or not. Many teams did not get the approval of the judge the first time around. One contestant even referred to the judge as an "empanada nazi."
Dave and Rachel, an army officer and his wife, was the first team to complete this leg of the race, which earned them the, "Express Pass." If at any point during the first eight legs of the race, this team decides they want to by-pass a challenge, they can simply hand over the express pass to earn them their next clue. This pass is very valuable if the team chooses to utilize it wisely. It will be interesting to see when, or if, this team will use the express pass.
Brenden and Rachel, the couple from, "Big Brother," finished second. On, "Big Brother," Rachel could be pretty irritating at times. Will she be able to hold some of her emotions in during the race or will she be a mess like she was in the Big Brother house without Brenden?
Art and JJ, who work as border patrol agents, finished third.
Nary and Jamie, federal agents and friends, finished this leg of the race in fourth.
Vanessa and Ralph, who work as a freelance writer and bar owner, respectively, finished fifth.
Eliot and Andrew, a musician and an MLS player and twins, finished sixth.
Stacy and Kerri, a self-employed woman and a program coordinator, finished this leg of the race seventh.
Dave and Cherie, ambassadors of laughter, came in eighth.
Mark and Bopper, a former state inspector and a motorcycle mechanic, finished ninth. It will be fun to watch these two. Bopper get carsick very easily and actually vomited on the way to the airport in California. His teammate commented that this is a race for a million dollars, they aren't going to stop so Bopper can vomit!
Joey Fitness and Danny, trainer and supplement company owner and nightclub promoter came in tenth, only because another team made a really stupid mistake.
Misa and Maiya, car buyer and professional golfer, were the last team to arrive during this leg of the race and were eliminated as a result. Misa and Maiya stupidly did not bring their bags with them into the empanada-making challenge. They had to go back out to their car after they were finished with the challenge before they could begin to search for Phil on the grounds. A first in The Amazing Race's history, the girls were feet from Phil and didn't see him! They kept running around searching for him instead of slowing down and actually *looking.* These two mistakes ultimately sent them home. I thought this team had really positive, good energy, so I was kind of sad to see them go so early in the race.
I'm looking forward to this season's race! :)
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