We start the episode with a quick recap of the last leg where we discover that Blair has been travelling with not only a curling iron but a blow dryer as well. Seriously? On the other hand, Blair's not as dumb as some may think because she's convinced her dad to carry them in his pack. I guess that leaves more room for makeup in hers.
After that revelation it's Dana & Matt dancing their way out of the gate for leg number two at 1:42pm and they're now on their way to the walled city of Cartagena, Columbia . . . in 28 seasons a first for the Amazing Race. It's nice to go somewhere new and I love walled cities but it still looks an awful lot like Mexico City, not that there's anything wrong with that.
There are a number of teams pretty close behind but it's a good thing Zach doesn't actually end up booking a flight to Cuba because that would be really bad . . . for Zach when Rachel beats him. Darius & Cameron are the fourth to depart only twenty minutes behind the lead but despite all their book smarts they seem to have zero drive. They're the third ones to the airport but then spend all their time just standing around or moving from one non-existent line to the next while other teams move ahead and book the first flight for a 9:00am arrival.
The last team to depart is Scott & Blair at 3:04pm and they know they still have a Speed Bump to deal with, but they're not too far behind. The second flights are all booked and Cameron & Darius are still wandering about when Scott & Blair manage to get the last two seats on that second flight. Third flight gets booked and guess what, Cameron & Darius finally approach a counter and decide to book the last flight. Maybe they just really like Mexico.
Once the teams get to Cartagena they need to make their way to Totumo, a mud volcano almost 2000 feet deep, for the second leg's Roadblock, A Dirty Look. One team member must submerge themselves in the therapeutic mud and dig down to find an emerald. I hate mud so this would be Wayne's chance to shine, so to speak. Once they find the emerald they need to wash it off and deliver it to find their next clue, which is out in the water allowing them to wash the mud off.
Pink is not an emerald. I guess Dana will find that out when she delivers it only to have to go back into the pit. Brodie has discovered that the water to the clue box isn't as deep as he hoped and he's still got a lot of mud on him, but he does have the next clue. They're on their way to Manzanillo Del Mar to get their next clue. Meanwhile Korey drops his emerald coming down the stairs and has to go back in when he can't find it.
The second flight arrives as Korey gets his second emerald. Then the third flight lands with Marty & Hagan who unfortunately grab the slowest cabbie in Columbia, and finally the last flight arrives with Cameron & Darius.
At Totumo we find out that, despite Blair packing a blow dryer and a curling iron, she didn't bother to pack a proper bathing suit. I'm pretty sure that's another first on the race. Maybe a little less preening and a little more planning.
Brodie & Kurt get their next clue and it's time for the Detour; Pop Up, which requires teams to build a car shelter on the beach to keep the party going . . . or Parrilla, which has them cooking up three dishes of fish, rice and veggies. Brodie & Kurt decide to do Pop Up, as do all the first flight teams that are right on their tail.
Back at the mud volcano it's getting harder to find the emeralds as more blue and pink gems are washed off and less bags are left in the mud. Out on the beach the teams are realizing that their beams have to be placed in the correct order and orientation but they're not paying attention to how they're attached.
Hagan hits the mud just before Cameron (I think) while teams begin calling for a check on their pop ups. One fails, then the next, then . . . Hey, Tyler & Korey did it right and they're getting their next clue. The boys are on their way to Plaza Bolivar within the walls of Cartagena to find the Pit Stop.
Speaking of boys, Cameron & Darius manage to get ahead of Marty & Hagan when Cameron finds an emerald and gets the next clue, leaving Hagan alone in the mud. She keeps finding the wrong colour but her mom remains supportive. Way to go mom.
Scott & Blair get notice of their Speed Bump which they need to complete before the Detour. It's a pretty easy Speed Bump, help haul in a net and grab the fish, but those nets can get pretty heavy. A few teams decide to cook rather than build as Brodie & Kurt get the okay and head off to find the Pit Stop.
With this Detour, both sides seem to be fairly balanced and if Wayne and I were in the race I think we may have chosen PopUp purely because of my height, but Parrilla would require a lot less physical effort and we both like to cook so . . .
Hagan is starting to lose her drive all alone in the mud and it's got to be disheartening for her mother not being able to help, but she keeps going. Back on the beach Dana is full of energy, most of it being spent yelling at Matt when she realizes their posts are turned the wrong way, allowing Burnie & Ashley to be the third heading off for the Pit Stop.
Which is where we find Tyler & Korey as Team Number 1 who also win a 5 night trip to St. Thomas. From first place we cut back to last to Hagan who has finally found an emerald while Cameron & Darius drive past the Manzanilla Del Mar looking for a clue box instead of a sign. Watching Blair try to pick up any of those fish was pretty funny, I guess her father never took the time to take her fishing as a kid, but at least now she gets to cook some.
Brodie & Kurt are Team Number 2 and right behind them are Burnie & Ashley as Team Number 3. arriving on the beach in search of a clue box Cameron & Darius find out they missed it and need to head back to town. That's not a mistake they can afford to make when they're that close to the back of the pack. They race back to their cab as Dana & Matt get an okay and move on.
Cameron & Darius manage to get back and get their clue before Marty & Hagan arrive and they're heading back to a Dana & Matt-less beach, who are Team Number 4. Upon returning to the beach Cameron & Darius decide to do Parrilla and that may not be their best choice but it's a lot better than Marty & Hagan's decision to leave their cab in town and jog to the beach. What the heck were they thinking?
The teams that have decided to cook are finally getting it done right and moving on and Marty has just realized their mistake in running to the beach. At this point I think one of them should have run back to grab another cab but maybe they can't do that in the middle of a task. Cameron & Darius are smoking themselves right out of their makeshift kitchen as all the other teams are arriving at the Pit Stop on top of each other.
Marty & Hagan have moved ahead of Cameron & Darius, who are still cooking, but now they need to run back to town. Meanwhile Scott & Blair are Team Number 9 and I'm glad they moved up because I'm actually beginning to like them as a team. Scott gives Wayne and I hope.
As Cameron & Darius complete the Detour, Marty & Hagan are still running . . . and still running as Cameron & Darius drive past them on their way to the Pit Stop. Cameron & Darius are Team Number 10 and realize that their book smarts aren't much help in the race so far. No surprise that a very sad and crying Marty & Hagan are the last team to arrive and they have been eliminated from the race. Sorry to see them go but they can't all be non-elimination legs.
Next week it's sports, kisses and claustrophobia as teams start to fold under pressure. This has been a little bit more thorough of a review than I intended but I hope everyone enjoys it and I'll see you all back her for my review of episode three real soon. Until that time.