The Amazing Race 4, Episode 9: Just When You Thought We Were Done with Poo…

Previously on The Amazing Race, four teams left India and headed for Malaysia. Reichen & Chip had to push Millie out of a travel agent’s office for trying to listen to their plans, frustrating both teams in the process. Reichen & Chip thought they were going to finish first, but a last minute screw-up on the way to the pit stop allowed Jon & Al to pass them and check in first. Kelly & Jon had a hard time with the Detour and ended up checking in last, but were saved when it turned out to be the first of three non-elimination legs. Who will be eliminated next? Well, keep reading! First, though, let’s look at the remaining teams in the order they will leave the pit stop:

Jon & Al (the Clowns) – Best friends/Circus clowns/Positive thinkers/Still have Fast Forward option
Reichen & Chip – Married gay couple/Sentimental favorites/Misunderstood/Still have Fast Forward option
Millie & Chuck (Chillie) – Dating 12 years/Virgins/Sexually frustrated/No Fast Forward option
David & Jeff (the Goats) – Best friends/Think too fast sometimes/Still have Fast Forward Option
Jon & Kelly – Engaged couple/Sentimental favorites/My pick to win/Still have Fast Forward option

We begin on Manukan Island, an island off the coast of Malaysia. This is where the teams will rest, mingle and eat for 12 hours before beginning the next leg of the Race. Will Chillie continue on their downward spiral, or will their lack of teamwork give them a better drive to win? Can Jon & Kelly recover from their last place finish in the last leg? Well, let’s see.

Since the Clowns and Reichen & Chip arrived at the pit stop at the same time at the end of the last leg, both will depart at 2:05 a.m. Their clue tells them to travel 78 miles to Poring Hot Springs. Once there, they must walk a series of rope bridges in order to get their next clue. The Clowns say the other teams admire their positive attitudes. They confirm that they are a happy team and never squabble. Reichen and Chip say they are clicking without asking and that is the most they could ask for. They realize they do things for each other because they have the same goal in mind.

Chillie leave at 2:19 a.m. Millie says the Race is becoming harder because she is so much the opposite of Chuck. She is more aggressive while he is a passive person. Chuck says they are running on very little sleep because all they do is plan and strategize. At 2:50, the Goats head out from the pit stop. David says that sometimes they are a little too impulsive and don’t always follow directions. That is what their problem in the Race is. Cut back to Reichen saying that at this point in the Race, it is every man for themselves. The Clowns tell their taxi driver to hurry, but it’s tough to get to the springs because there are cows all over the place just chillin’ in the middle of the road!

3:36 a.m. and Jon and Kelly are off. Kelly says that they have learned to compromise, are fighting less, and are learning how to be happy. I really do like this team, especially Kelly. However, I’m a little concerned about how far behind they are at this point. Hopefully, a bottleneck will wipe out their time deficit. At 5:02 a.m., Reichen & Chip get to the springs first. They find that it doesn’t open until 6:30 a.m., which gives the Clowns, the Goats, and Chillie time to get there before it opens as well. The gate opens and all the teams are there except Kelly & Jon. Chillie are in the lead on the rope bridges with Millie being the first one to the box. She reads the clue and it tells them to choose a marked car and get to Trushidup Palm Oil Plantation. All the other teams get their clues as well. As they are leaving the springs, Kelly & Jon arrive. Jon has to pee before they can go in and Kelly looks a little pissed, no pun intended. On the way to the cars the Goats pass Chillie and take the lead. Meanwhile, Jon & Kelly are lost because they passed the marked path. The Goats get to their car first, and Chillie second. They are followed closely by the Clowns and Reichen & Chip.

Because their body temperatures are so hot, the windows in the Goats’ car begin to fog fast. Chillie are having the same problem. Reichen & Chip pass both teams because they remembered to turn on their defrosters when they left the parking lot. Back at the springs, Kelly & Jon are still lost and headed further in the wrong direction. The Clowns are having the same fogging issue Chillie and the Goats are having. The Goats start to bicker a little and Jeff tells David to lose the attitude. Chuck looks very tired as he drives and Millie is just about ready to fall asleep. Kelly & Jon? Still lost. Kelly says they are done for, but eventually Jon finds the marked path to the bridges and they get their clue, but not before they do a little arguing along the way. They don’t even read where their next destination is and look right at the Fast Forward. Jon reads it and has one hell of a time pronouncing “orangutans,” so Kelly has to help him. In this FF, teams must drive over 140 miles to the Sepilok Orangutan Sanctuary. Once there, they must head into the Sanctuary, find wild orangutans, and feed them four pieces of wild fruit. Kelly & Jon say they know it’s do or die time.

On the way to the next route marker, Reichen & Chip realize they may be on the wrong road. However, they are on the same road that leads to the Fast Forward. Chip says he doesn’t really want to go for it, but Reichen says that they’ve headed too far toward it to turn around.

The Clowns get to the Detour: Chop or Haul? In Chop, teams must use tools to drop down nut bunches with clues attached. This takes a little less manpower, but for every envelope that has a clue, there are three that do not. In Haul, teams must take 25 nut bunches and load them onto a truck. This could take some time because the nut bunches are heavy, but they are certain to get the right clue when it’s over. The Clowns choose Haul and don’t look like they are having fun. Chillie are having problems finding the plantation and ask for directions. Both of them are getting frustrated. The Goats get to the plantation and because they are rushing as usual, pass the clue. They continue to look for it but eventually ask the Clowns where it is. Even after the Clowns tell them it’s in the green wheelbarrow, they still pass it, so the Clowns basically have to take the Goats’ hands and lead them there. When the Goats finally get their clue, they choose Haul. In their normal rushing fashion, however, they find themselves doing badly because everything they throw on the truck continues to fall off. The Clowns finish the task and get their next clue. It tells them to drive to the next route marker at Gomantong Caves. They get back in their car and drive off.

The Goats finish the Detour and are off as well. Back to Kelly & Jon. They know they are screwed if someone else goes for the FF, but decide that nobody else would have any reason to do it. Reichen & Chip are currently at the FF location. They grab baskets and run off in the jungle. Chillie get to the Roadblock and choose Haul - well, Millie does, at least. She says both tasks are hard, but she thinks she can help more with Haul. Chuck says it’s easier to do Chop and they change to that. After seeing that it requires more physical strength then he thought, they go back to Haul. Reichen & Chip find the orangutans and begin to feed them. This is awesome! The orangutans are shy at first, but eventually go up to them and take the fruit. This FF is a great experience and Reichen & Chip enjoy every moment of it as they claim the Fast Forward. It tells them to get to the pit stop: Sepilok Nature Resort. They reflect one more time and head out.