The Amazing Race 10, Episode 6: Can’t Hardly Kuwait

Previously on Crocodile Rock: Seven teams left Vietnam for Chennai, India. Kandice & Dustin formed a flimsy alliance with Peter & Sarah. Teams wrangled crocodiles. Sarah verbally smacked Peter, but they came in first anyway. Mary & David had airport difficulties and came in last, but weren’t eliminated. This leg, though, they’re marked for elimination, and if they don’t come in first, they’ll be slapped with a 30-minute penalty. There are still seven teams remaining:

Peter & Sarah - Recently dating/Sentimental favorites (well, not him)/Shut up already, Peter

Dustin & Kandice - Friends/I hope you haven’t been underestimating them

Rob & Kimberly - Dating/Need to stay as calm as they did on the last leg

Erwin & Godwin (Team ErGo) - Brothers/Please make a shirt for me, guys!

Lyn & Karlyn (Team Dublyn) - Friends/Meh

Tyler & James (Team Zoolander) - Models/recovering drug addicts/Meh also

Mary & David - Married/Sentimental favorites/Run fast!

Thanks for everyone who e-mailed about the new non-elimination twist. The results are overwhelmingly in favor of the last team being “marked for elimination.” 19 voted yay, only one voted nay, and three said they would have to wait and see.

Chennai is the gateway to south India, and the racers’ Pit Stop there is quite beautiful. Will Mary & David avoid their 30-minute penalty? Sarah & Peter are the first to leave at 12:54 p.m. They get a video phone message from Phil telling them to go to Kuwait and find a “mystery location,” which they only get a physical view of. They first have to go to a travel agency for plane tickets, then drive a marked car to the location. Peter is confident that they’ll keep doing well; even on their worst day, they’re better than a lot of the other teams. He notes that he needs to be careful about pushing Sarah, since her knee is shot. Sarah interviews that the last leg was tough because Peter kept pushing her and she couldn’t keep up.

Dustin & Kandice leave second. Dustin says that some of the teams may be jealous because they came in second. Kandice doesn’t think anyone wants to be beaten by “a couple of blond girls.” Peter & Sarah get to the travel agency and Peter uses the medical emergency line. Sigh. Dustin uses a different tactic, telling a ticket agent that she and Kandice are Miss California and Miss New York and need seats on the plane. Eh, I’m sure he gets that one all the time. Both teams get a flight with a 7:50 a.m. arrival time. Dustin asks the ticket agent for a high five but he leaves her hanging. Sarah & Peter smartly get the name of the mystery location from some agents (it’s Kuwait Towers), plus a printout with some information on it.

Rob & Kimberly leave third. Rob interviews that he’s dramatic and sometimes it gets him in trouble. ErGo leave fourth. Erwin is wearing his “let’s hug it out” shirt again, and Godwin’s shirt says, “Will flex for food.” Hee. They note that they’ll be sticking with Dublyn, who leave fifth. The two teams want to be in the final three with David & Mary. At the travel agency, Rob & Kimberly learn that one of the ticket agents lived in Kuwait, and they get info on the Kuwait Towers from her. Another smart move.

Zoolander leave sixth as Tyler says that coming in sixth in the last leg was like “a dagger in the side.” James pretends to use the phone to call Phil and ask how to get to Kuwait. Try a plane, genius. Wow, there is a monkey sitting on top of a traffic light. That’s so cool. More travel agency stuff. Zoolander use the Internet to find the name of Kuwait Towers. Rob & Kimberly get the same flight as Sarah & Peter and Dustin & Kandice. Zoolander overhear and ask if they can get on the same flight. No, but there’s another one, and it leaves three hours earlier.

David & Mary are the last team to leave, and they’re six hours behind Sarah & Peter. Ouch. Mary has never had a cell phone. That’s not a hick thing, by the way; I didn’t have a cell phone until about a year and a half ago. Mary interviews that this is a scary situation, especially with their competitors. “Nobody’s going to lay down and let you win a million dollars,” she says. I think she’s smarter than a lot of past racers who would probably say, “Why aren’t people helping us?” Yeah, that’s right, Mirna, I’m talking about you. What are you going to do about it?

The other two-thirds of the Back Pack alliance (it’s just easier to type) get to the travel agency. Meanwhile, Sarah & Peter get to the airport, followed by Dustin & Kandice, Rob & Kimberly, and Zoolander. Mary & David meet up with the rest of Back Pack at the airport and Erwin tells an agent to get them on the same flight. David likes having friends in this race. Zoolander’s flight leaves at 8:05 p.m., before Back Pack even gets to the airport. They’re on the same flight as the other remaining teams, and at their layover in Mumbai, they all get on the same flight as a not-so-pleased Zoolander. So much for that lead.

In Kuwait City, Dustin & Kandice are the first to the parking lot. Back Pack have met a local who will take them to the towers, but they have to wait for him at baggage claim. Dustin & Kandice have done one better by getting directions from the pilot. James thinks there’s a lot of oil in Kuwait, so gas must be pretty cheap. Rob & Kimberly pass Zoolander. The price of the gas doesn’t matter if you don’t drive your car fast enough, boys. Back Pack set out with David hoping they can pass up some teams. Peter talks about Saddam Hussein, and Kandice mentions that her father fought here, so it’s weird to be there.

Rob & Kimberly and Zoolander reach the towers first. They have to go up an elevator to get to the clue box, and before they can get to it (it’s in a portion of the tower that doesn’t open until 11 a.m.), they have to take numbers. Kandice & Dustin get there third, followed by Sarah & Peter. Dustin & Kandice get off the elevator first, but Peter runs ahead of them and grabs a number. Kandice & Dustin complain that it’s annoying, but they don’t whine that it’s not fair. Take that, Tom & Terry and Dublyn. You snooze, you lose.