The Amazing Race 12, Episode 8: They Fight! And Fight! And Fight and Fight and Fight!

Previously on Tattoos are Permanent, Unlike My Patience for Hot Topic: Five teams traveled from Dubrovnik to Tuscany. TK had trouble with an ultralight Roadblock. Nicolas & Donald took the Fast Forward, which required getting an “FF” tattoo but put them in first place. Vyxsin had a meltdown and Kynt threw a hissy. They were last, but it was a non-elimination leg. However, tonight they’ll have to face the Speed Bump, a task they’ll have to complete while the other teams do the regular tasks. There are still five teams left. My gut feeling is that tonight we’ll have either a double leg or a “to be continued” ending. Let’s see if I’m right.

Bon giorno a Boboli Gardens, the Pit Stop for the last leg. Will TK & Rachel stop screwing up? Will Hot Topic (Kynt & Vyxsin) overcome the Speed Bump?

Donald & Nicolas leave first at 10:12 p.m., heading for Mumbai, India (formerly Bombay). They need to find a newspaper stall, buy the Times of India, and look for an ad that tells them their next destination. Nicolas interviews that he has to look out for Donald, whose greatest strength is his drive. However, he doesn’t always know his own limits. They learn that the quickest flight to Mumbai arrives there at 10:30 p.m. and connects through France. Nicolas seems to have figured out how to be very nice with airline employees. They get a hotel room for the night.

Nathan & Jen leave next, and she interviews that they need to remember how bad they’ve acted before and be aware of the situation rather than act on their emotions.

Ron & Christina leave next, and Ron is excited to be in the land of the Renaissance; he hopes this race will lead to his own personal renaissance. He calls for flight information and learns about the same one as Nicolas & Donald. They get reservations.

TK & Rachel leave fourth. TK interviews that for the past few legs, they’ve felt like they’re racing for second-to-last place. Rachel interviews that they’re keeping up their strategy of being mellow, but they still feel like something’s hovering over them.

Last to leave are Hot Topic, and Vyxsin interviews that she feels like they’re waking up from a bad dream. It’s very rare that they’re not totally in sync. We get a flashback to the “stop this car” hissy fit. Kynt reminds us that they’ll have to face something brand new in this leg.

Nathan & Jen get to the airport, which is closed. They realize they’re all going to be equalized. Ron & Christina join them and wonder where Nicolas & Donald are. Jen is sure they’re sleeping somewhere. Soon all four teams other than Donald & Nicolas are camped out at the airport.

At 4:30 a.m., the airport opens but the ticket counters won’t open for another hour. Nicolas & Donald head over as Ron & Christina get in line to get their reserved tickets. Vyxsin wants to line up at Lufthansa, but it doesn’t look like Kynt thinks that’s a good idea. He interviews that they don’t want to screw anyone over, but they have to get through this. Nathan interviews that he and Jen don’t trust anyone; they’ll do whatever it takes to win. Kynt learns of a flight arriving in Mumbai at 1 a.m.; it’s supposedly the fastest one. He and Vyxsin decide to try Air France instead.

Nicolas & Donald arrive at the airport, and Ron figures they have an advantage because they slept in a hotel. Jen is annoyed she and Nathan can’t get flights like everyone else. Ron & Christina get their reserved tickets while Nicolas & Donald buy some. Nathan & Jen are on the same flight as those two teams. TK & Rachel ask for the same tickets, but the flight is full, so they and Hot Topic are out of luck. Hot Topic ask an agent about a flight that will arrive in Mumbai before 1 a.m.

The first flight to Mumbai leaves with Nicolas & Donald, Ron & Christina, and Nathan & Jen. Hot Topic learn about a flight arriving at 10:50 p.m. while TK & Rachel learn about the 1 a.m. flight and buy tickets. Oh, dear. Kynt interviews that they’ve often resorted to “performance art,” and in this case, they’re pretending to be upset, like they didn’t get on the flight. Kynt tells Vyxsin to make sure TK & Rachel get on the bad flight while they get on the good one. TK interviews that it’s hard to stay confident when you don’t know what’s really going on. As TK & Rachel’s flight leaves, Hot Topic express their assurance that they can make up ground.

In Paris, there’s a delay, so the first three teams are now behind Hot Topic, who arrive in Mumbai at 10:30 p.m. The delayed flight arrives at 11:05 p.m. and Nathan & Jen, Christina & Ron, and Nicolas & Donald head for the newspaper stall. Vyxsin is amazed to be in India. Hot Topic find the stall, which is, of course, closed. It opens at 6 a.m. Christina enjoys the ride in the auto rickshaw. She and Ron join Hot Topic and a dog at the newspaper stand. Soon Nicolas & Donald and Jen & Nathan arrive, and Jen interviews that their nerves are all over place, but it’s good because they’re pumped up. At 1:05 a.m., TK & Rachel arrive, and everyone is now equalized.

At 6 a.m., everyone grabs a paper. Nicolas decides that he and Donald should stand next to another team so can get a hint about the ad’s location if the other team finds it first. There’s lots of reading. This is thrilling. Hot Topic find the ad first and are instructed to take an auto rickshaw to the Chauhan tailor shop. They know they have to work hard to stay ahead so they won’t get too far behind when they run into the Speed Bump.

Ron & Christina find the clue next while Jen complains about the dog nearby. TK & Rachel find the ad third, and Nicolas seems to have seen where they were looking. Jen & Nathan bicker, which can’t be helpful. Nicolas & Donald find the ad and head off, so Nathan & Jen are left behind. They argue about who started their fight. Talk about counterproductive. Geez, now they’re arguing about arguing.

Vyxsin hopes her and Kynt’s driver knows where they’re going; she thinks he does. TK & Rachel’s driver doesn’t know which number they’re looking for. Thanks to everyone else getting lost, Nicolas & Donald are first to the tailor shop and spot Hot Topic’s Speed Bump. They get a Detour, the choices of which are Paste ‘Em and Thread ‘Em. In Paste, teams must paste a six-panel Bollywood movie poster onto a wall. The panels are large and must be in perfect alignment or the teams will have to start over. In Thread, teams go to a flower market and create a wedding garland made of - Lost fans, take note - 108 flowers, then give it to a bridegroom. Nicolas & Donald pick paste, and Donald informs us that he used to be in the printing business, so he has experience printing these posters. Ron & Christina are next and choose Paste as well.