The Amazing Race 20, Episode 7: It’s Getting Very Tents

Previously on How Do You Like Them Apples?, Art & J.J. didn’t like Rachel R. & Brandon. Rachel R. & Brandon (Radon) didn’t like Vanessa & Ralph. Nary & Jamie were “kindergarten teachers.” Tonight, there will be fights, confrontations, and a trip to Africa for the remaining six teams.

The teams’ time in Azerbaijan is short-lived, as Rachel B. & Dave are the first of the pairs to leave for Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. They’re told at a travel agency to take a flight through Nairobi to Kilimanjaro at 8:30 the next morning. J.J. & Art leave next, hoping some dead-weight teams will be cut next. Radon and Mark & Bopper depart. Everyone’s excited to go to Africa.

Art & J.J. are at the travel agency and see Radon coming. They ask their agent to keep quiet about their arrangements so Rachel & Brandon don’t overhear. Rachel thinks the guys don’t like them because they don’t deserve to be there. Bopper & Mark are also at the agency, and Bopper stocks up on candy.

Nary & Jamie leave. Jamie tells us that a few years ago she had a training accident and shot herself in the femur. Ouch! Nary was by her side throughout her recovery. Over at the agency, Jamie & Nary are the topic of conversation. Art & J.J. believe they’re not really teachers. They were discussing undercover operations with the women, and Jamie asked what kind of “UC operations” Border Patrol agents do. The guys know a teacher wouldn’t say that.

J.J. & Art are done at the agency and hope Radon don’t just ask for the same arrangements they go. Of course, they do. I mean, why not? Even if they didn’t, the agent would probably figure out what they want and offer it to them.

Nary & Jamie arrive and Brandon informs them that J.J. & Art are on to them. One of the “teachers” says that they can still run faster than the Border Patrol agents. Jamie interviews that if the jig is up (though she says “gig”), at least the truth will come out that their agency is better.

Vanessa & Ralph have made their way to the agency and learned about a 10 a.m. flight. Rachel R. tries but fails miserably to pretend that, oh, yeah, that’s what flight they have, too. Vanessa sees right through it.

Everyone winds up flying to Nairobi together. Brandon jostles Ralph at the airport, and Ralph claims that a bird was also flipped. There’s no footage shown, so there’s no proof of this. Ralph complains to J.J. & Art, who decide to jump in and accuse Radon of playing Follow the Leader. Rachel tells Ralph to back off. She says Vanessa ran into her, and Vanessa says Rachel shoved her. She’s smaller than Rachel anyway. So the women are fighting, the guys are fighting, and Vanessa decides to wrap it all up by telling Rachel to “put on more sparkles.” Jamie’s doing what I’d be doing in this situation: eavesdropping and laughing.

Rachel asks Vanessa how old she is: 38? Vanessa says she looks younger than Rachel. “Get your nose done before you get your boobs done,” she adds. First of all, the ship has already sailed on that. Second of all, could either of these women be any more childish? Leave physical appearance out of this. There are so many other good jabs they could be getting in.

Rachel chooses to interpret Vanessa’s assertion that she’s smaller than Rachel as a jab at her weight. Sigh. Art’s disgusted that Radon are in the same race as them. Brandon tries to calm Rachel down, but she can’t stop harping on Vanessa’s insults about her age and appearance. Art can’t hold it in anymore and cracks up. This sets Rachel off in tears. Vanessa says she didn’t make Rachel cry; Rachel’s self-esteem is to blame. If she can’t take it, she shouldn’t dish it out. Well, really.

Suddenly, J.J. & Art want to know what Jamie & Nary really do for a living. J.J. calls Jamie on her “UC operations” comment. Jamie tries to laugh it off, saying this is the least interesting thing to talk about right now considering recent events. The “teachers” interview that the guys are just threatened and insecure. They also seem a little happy to mess with the guys’ minds. They stick to their story about being teachers, and the guys say they’ll just drop it for now.

After all the drama, the teams finally fly to Kilimanjaro, arriving at night. Cabs take the teams to an airstrip so they can sign up for one of three charter flights. Radon get stuck behind J.J. & Art, and Vanessa & Ralph get stuck somewhere behind them. Art & J.J. make it on the first charter flight, which leaves at 9:30 a.m. Radon are with them. Heh. Bopper & Mark and Rachel B. & Dave are together at 9:45 (Rachel B. laughs at the teams on the first flight), leaving Jamie & Nary with Vanessa & Ralph together at 10 a.m.

In the morning, the first flight takes Art & J.J. and Radon away. The guys predict that the leg will end in tears. A good guess, since there have already been plenty. The fighting is set aside for at least a few minutes while the teams enjoy the scenery. Fifteen minutes later, Bopper & Mark and Rachel B. & Dave leave. Bopper spots tigers, which seem to be a special kind of non-striped, horned tigers. At 10, Jamie & Nary and Ralph & Vanessa leave. There is much oohing and aahing over the views. Nary falls asleep with her eyes slightly open. Spooky.

The first flight lands and the teams find a clue send them via safari vehicles to the Ngorongoro Crater. Interestingly, J.J. & Art tell their driver to follow Radon. (They have to get directions themselves; the drivers are only following the racers’ instructions.) Hmm, now who’s playing Follow the Leader.

The second flight lands and there’s more driving and asking for directions. Dave & Rachel B. are first sent off in a direction that doesn’t have a road. Mark tells us his great-great-grandfather was a slave and may have come from this area. He thinks his mom and family will be amazed by how beautiful this part of the country is. It really is gorgeous.

The first two teams get to the next clue, a Detour. Both tasks require racers to ride bikes. In Marksmanship, teams hunt like Masai warriors with a special weapon, throwing it at a clay target spinning on a bike wheel. In Courtship, teams participate in a ritual that requires jumping for a full minute. Phil points out that they’re almost 8,000 feet above sea level. Art & J.J. choose Marksmanship (makes sense) while Radon opt for Courtship. Bike-riding ensues. It’s entertaining.

Meanwhile, the third flight lands. Some kids run up to greet the plane. Ralph wonders why people are so happy to see us. “They haven’t met us yet,” Vanessa notes. Art & J.J. ride to Marksmanship, which is near Courtship, as Radon are right behind them. They all get blankets tied on them like capes. Cue the flinging of weapons. J.J. tells us he plays for a law-enforcement football team, so he’s used to throwing stuff, I guess. He hits his target first.