Phil's usual recap ends with Steve & Aly, who came in first on the last leg and each won a new 2015 Ford Focus, leaving the Pit Stop at 9:00 am. Teams are now on their way to the Riviera, arriving at Nice in the south of France they'll need to make their way to the Hotel Westminster where they get to dress up in style for a helicopter ride to the country of Monaco. Matt & Ashley are almost an hour behind, leaving at 9:57 am, but likely going to be on the same flight.
At the airport, Steve & Aly managed to get the only seats left on a flight that arrives at 5:05pm, while Matt & Ashley get a flight arriving at 6:15pm, over an hour behind. Jeff & Jackie are off at 10:38 am, with Jelani & Jenny right behind at 10:41, Hayley & Blair at 10:47, and Laura & Tyler at 10:58. Okay, so I was wrong about everyone being on the same flight but this group certainly will be . . . they're all arriving at 5:55pm, which is even ahead of Matt & Ashley. How'd they miss that flight?
Bringing up the rear we have Mike & Rochelle who don't leave until 1:03 pm. They're hoping to end up on the same flight as some of the other teams but unfortunately they've missed that chance and won't be arriving until 8:45 pm. That could actually put them a full day behind everyone else if that helicopter doesn't fly after 9:00 pm. As Mike & Rochelle are crossing the airport they see Steve & Aly and make a play at squeezing onto their flight. It's a classic game move and it's about time somebody made one, . . . and it worked. Mike & Rochelle have now jumped ahead of the pack to join Steve & Aly in the lead.
Still sitting around the airport, Matt & Ashley are a little upset that everyone else seems to have found an earlier flight, but they handle it a lot better than many past teams. The others all figure that Mike & Rochelle are still a few hours behind. Won't they all be surprised.
The first flight arrives on schedule and the first two teams have no trouble finding the Hotel Westminster and dressing up. When the tailor tells them they're suits and dresses will be ready tomorrow it looks like this is going to be where production levels the playing field again. I hate when they do that, especially after one team makes a big leap ahead. As Mike & Rochelle are leaving their fitting they pass the other teams who are amazed they managed to jump ahead.
With the next four teams getting fitted there's a little time for some camaraderie and fun. Jackie loves her red dress and looks pretty good in it, but Ashley is not pleased with hers. At least Matt likes it. Jackie reveals that she and Jeff are actually getting along and may have a relationship after the race. Weirder things have happened.
Everyone's back to get their outfits in the morning and one by one they get flown by helicopter to Monaco. I'm not going to bother with the actual order aside from the fact that Steve & Aly are on the first one and Matt & Ashley are on the last with everyone else in between. Monaco has the most millionaires per capita but the country is smaller than one square mile.
Time for the Roadblock. In this Roadblock one team member will get to spoil their partner with two of Grace Kelly's favorite gifts, Roses and Chocolates. One team member will have to gather the gifts while the other is lounging on a luxury yacht waiting for them. This is definitely a couples oriented task because I think it'd be a little weird having Wayne present me with a bouquet of roses and chocolates.
Steve chooses to do it, as does Mike, Jenny, Laura, and Hayley. They have to run up the stairs to find the roses at a small flower cart, which is a lot of work running in a suit, and probably just as bad in heels and a dress. Jenny and Laura decide to work together. Steve and Mike are first to the roses and now off to find the chocolates. Steve is first to find the chocolaterie and must now choose nine chocolates from the silver trays. Time to head to the yacht where their partners are just kicking back and relaxing.
Jackie decides to treat Jeff, while Matt is more than happy to channel his inner James Bond and treat Ashley. Meanwhile Steve has located the yacht and he and Aly must now make their way to the Casino de Monte-Carlo. Mike on the other hand is having trouble finding the right yacht and can't decide which direction to head down. So much for moving to the front of the pack.
It's interesting to note that the guys all pick chocolates they think the girls will like, while the girls are just picking their favorites because they assume they're the only ones who're going to eat them. I like chocolate and I'm pretty sure most of the other guys do too, especially if there's caramel.
Mike is still lost but he finally makes it down to the water, asks for directions, and finds Rochelle on the yacht. She was looking a little tense for a while. Steve & Aly are less tense as they locate the casino and make their way through to the roulette tables. The roulette wheel gets to decide which side of the Detour they will perform.
If it lands on red they get to perform Don't Slack Off, and if it lands on black they'll go to Win By A Nose. Both sides require them to pick up a Ford Fiesta from the valet, so whatever they're doing they'll have to drive to it. Steve & Aly get Win By A Nose and head out to grab their Fiesta as Laura and Jenny arrive at the yacht and Jackie picks up her roses. Matt gets the chocolates while Hayley delivers treats to Blair.
Mike & Rochelle also get Win By A Nose and head out as the others arrive. Jenny & Jelani get Don't Slack Off while Tyler & Laura get Win By A Nose. As they're leaving the table Laura realizes she still has Jenny's map of Monaco. Mike & Rochelle decide to get directions before driving off, which is when Jenny realizes she no longer has the map and has forgotten she gave it to Laura. As they get ready to leave, Jelani emulates Kurt & Bergen by not being able to drive so Jenny takes over.
Laura & Tyler decide to use their middle names as their spy aliases, hence the title of my post, and drive off with the map in hand. Finally, Matt brings up the rear and reunites with Ashley. Hopefully they can make up a little time while Steve & Aly stop for directions but can't understand the accent and are just as lost as before they stopped. They're also heading in the wrong direction but eventually think they got the right directions when they get stuck in traffic.
Matt & Ashley arrive at the casino as Jeff & Jackie are waiting for their car. They get Don't Slack Off and are back on the road while steve & Aly have to run back to their car when they realize they've been directed to the wrong church. It doesn't take much in Amazing Race to go from first to worst. Time to return to Rule Number 1, read the clue.
Mike & Rochelle have gone from last to first and are now looking to Win By A Nose as they run past Phil. They need to recreate a signature perfume and a cologne from a list of 12 ingredients that matches a chosen perfume/cologne before receiving their next clue. Now this looks like a task.
Jenny & Jelani arrive at Don't Slack Off which requires them to zipline 2000 feet above the city, then walk the line back to receive their next clue. Since the choice is made by the roulette wheel I'm not sure if teams can switch, but this would definitely be a much more fun task. Unless you're deathly afraid of heights. Matt & Ashley arrive to hear Jenny scream as she races down the zipline.
The pressure is on for Mike & Rochelle as Laura & Tyler arrive. They have a plan for Laura to gather the ingredients while Tyler creates the scents. That should work as long as they don't mess up the order. At least they're given a recipe to match rather than recreating the scents blind. Hayley & Blair arrive and they definitely have an upper hand here as they both had Chemistry minors.
Just to mess things up some of the ingredients are not listed on the bottles, they're just numbered. It's up to the teams sense of smell to decide what the mystery ingredients are in order to complete the task. Definitely a good task. With my allergies, I'd switch to the zipline, which is where we find Jeff & Jackie.
Jenny & Jelani have managed to wire walk their way back and receive the next clue to drive to Plage de Passable, the Pit Stop for this leg. Mike & Rochelle are still struggling while Blair & Hayley seem to have hit their sweet spot and are doing really well this leg. Steve &Aly are trying to determine the mystery ingredients as Mike & Rochelle present their scents with fingers crossed, but have messed up on vanilla. As they step back to try again Laura & Tyler set theirs down only to find it does not smell like a million bucks. So much for Tyler being cocky about Mike & Rochelle being a weak team.
Back at the high wire, Jeff and Matt refuse to look down and just concentrate on making it back across. The wind doesn't help and my guess is that their added weight probably makes it a little harder to keep the wire from shaking. Matt eventually makes it across moving into second place, with Jeff right behind him to wait for Jackie as they move into third. As long as nobody gets lost during the drive that should be the order on the mat.
At the church the teams start comparing notes on what number is what scent and eventually Steve & Aly present theirs and move into fourth place. I'm not sure exactly when they showed up but there was so little drama on their part that they just went at the task and got it done. Laura & Tyler try again, and this time they've got it right. Rochelle is starting to look a little stressed as Hayley & Blair bring theirs up for approval. Those chemistry courses paid off as they receive their next clue.
Mike & Rochelle were the first team to arrive and are now the last team to present. Fingers crossed again as they wait to see if they got it right this time. Luckily they do and they're not far behind the other teams. They race off to get directions, which is also what Blair & Hayley have done. Maybe Jenny & Jelani should have done the same as it appears they've managed to get themselves lost, . . . but according to Jelani's new map they should head right.
It's a road race to the Pit Stop and everyone is trying to get the best directions to get there before everyone else. Blair is quite happy that he and Hayley haven't fought all day. Baby steps. Jenny and Jelani finally stop for directions to discover they should've gone left. It's still anyone's race as everyone hopes everybody else got lost.
Hayley & Blair are Team Number 1 and have also won a trip for two to South Africa. Aly & Steve run up behind them to be Team Number 2, and immediately after them are Mike & Rochelle as Team Number 3. When Phil asks Steve & Aly if it looks like love for Hayley & Blair, Aly says they look great together but Hayley says that right now they have friendship chemistry. Like I said before, baby steps.
Jenny & Jelani have managed to get back in time to pull in behind Laura & Tyler as they continue to search for the Pit Stop, . . . where we find Matt & Ashley arrive as Team Number 4 with Jenny & Jelani on their tail as Team Number 5. Laura & Tyler must have gotten delayed parking because they are Team Number 6. On the upside, they got Date Night, but Laura's not gonna reveal any secrets. There's no kissing and telling, except from Ashley.
It's unfortunate that Jeff & Jackie are the last team to arrive and have been eliminated from the race, as they actually like each other. I could see these two furthering their relationship outside the race. I guess, if you gotta go, there are worse places than Monaco.
Next week we get a special two hour episode as teams head to Africa where they can feed the hyenas, catch zebras, and ski the dunes. Looks like a lot of fun is coming our way. Be sure and check back for my Big Brother Canada and Survivor reviews while we all wait for next week. Until that time.