The Amazing Race 9, Episode 11: Go Monkey! Choose Monkey!

Previously on My Karma Ran Over My Dogma: Four teams hung out in Perth, some hatching schemes (Tyler & BJ) and some canceling cabs (Eric & Jeremy). The other teams blamed Mojo for the cancellations. Jeremy & Eric got kicked in the pants by karma and fell behind. The hippies yielded Mojo, who were less than thrilled. There was skydiving and whining, then trekking down a river, which took longer than anticipating. Ray & Yolanda played didgeridoos and came in first. The other three teams raced to the mat, and though the hippies came in last, it was a non-elimination leg. There are still four teams left:

Ray & Yolanda - Dating/Sentimental favorites/Yay, they won a leg!

Eric & Jeremy - Friends/Interestingly, not as bad as Mojo right now

Monica & Joseph (Mojo) - Dating/Shut up, Monica, some more

BJ & Tyler - Friends/Sentimental favorites/BJ has no shoes

We’re in the Australian Outback, which is… very green. Can Yolanda & Ray keep being successful? Will Mojo and the hippies screw each other up? Ray & Yolanda are first to leave at 1:13 a.m. Their clue tells them to fly 7,000 miles to Bangkok, Thailand. There, they’ll take a taxi to a bus terminal and take a bus another 97 miles to the Three Spire Pagoda. This is a Buddhist temple where monkeys now live. Yeah, you heard me. Yolanda & Ray make a brief stop to put a pair of Yolanda’s pants on the hippies’ car for BJ. Ha! That’s awesome. Ray interviews that it’s game time and someone has to go home. Yolanda says they have to bring together their physical and mental skills.

Eric & Jeremy read that three teams have money while the other has no money and no pants. Heh. They think the other teams are more worried about them than they are about the other teams. Mojo leave, laughing about the hippies’ lack of money. They’re totally still bitter about that yield. Joseph says there’s tension between the two teams (really? I hadn’t noticed), and since it’s personal, they want to beat them badly. Monica says there’s no way they’ll help the hippies; the hippies are playing mind games because they think Mojo are a threat.

BJ & Tyler leave last, BJ sans pants and shoes. Interestingly, they’re only nine minutes behind Ray & Yolanda. The hippies visit a lost and found (smart), then get Yolanda’s pants. BJ notes that he probably wouldn’t have been able to board a plane without shoes, so it’s good that he got some sandals from the frat boys. Tyler interviews that the lack of money powers them up and proves that they can keep bouncing back. BJ notes that Mojo didn’t leave anything because they’re “not giving people.” He thinks they have a “date” to be out of the race. “We’ve had that date before, but it stood us up,” says Tyler. Hee.

Yolanda & Ray are first to the airport and get to work booking a flight. There’s one via Sydney that gets in at 11 p.m. They get tickets. Mojo are next, telling a ticket agent that ten minutes could be a huge deal. The frats and hippies are next and Jeremy makes fun of BJ’s girly clothes. The hippies totally ignore him. They can’t get anywhere without money, so they start begging. Ray is amused by BJ’s outfit. Mojo get the same flight as Ray & Yolanda, then tell the frats that the agent isn’t helpful; he’s just looking at porn. I hope that agent was really offended and yelled at them. Monica criticizes the frats for giving BJ sandals, which allowed him to get into the airport. Eric tells her they had nothing to do with it.

Eric & Jeremy get the same flight as the others. The hippies head to downtown Darwin, which is a hopping place in the middle of the night. They quickly start collecting donations. One woman chants for BJ to take his shirt off for money; he does, and she chants, “Put it on, put it on.” Ha! Satisfied, the hippies head to the airport and learn from Eric & Jeremy that everyone is on the same flight. Unfortunately for them, it’s booked. As Ray & Yolanda, Mojo, and the frats fly to Bangkok, BJ & Tyler search for another flight, noting that this time, the nice guys might finish last.

After some more phone calls, Tyler learns that there’s another flight to Bangkok with seats that just became available – and it gets in at 10:45. Tyler gets an “Aussie high five” from a ticket agent. On the plane, they note that they’ve gotten this far with no clothes. Phil reminds us of what teams have to do when they land in Bangkok. I can’t wait for the monkeys, you guys. If Buffy has taught us anything, it’s that monkeys equal comedy gold. The other three teams land and head to the bus terminal. Well, the frats and Yolanda & Ray do, but Mojo are fighting. Joseph thinks their cab driver is going to rip them off. I kind of want him to.

The frats get to the terminal and get on a bus that leaves at midnight. Yolanda & Ray get there in time as well. The frats aren’t happy but hope they at least leave before Mojo arrive. They’re in luck - the ticket counter has closed by the time Mojo arrive, and it won’t reopen until 4:50. They decide to get a hotel room. The frats and Yolanda & Ray are happy.