We started off the season with two teams nobody’s going to like both competing for last place. In the end of The Amazing Race Asia 2 Episode 1, the excessively loud Terri and her husband Henry came in 9th place. They were followed by bickering dating couple Edwin & Monica, but like last season, the first leg was a non-elimination, so we’re still stuck with both teams. On the other end of the spectrum, sisters Vanessa & Pamela managed to stay ahead of fitness enthusiasts Rovilson & Marc to take first place.
Teams depart in the order in which they arrived.
First: Pamela & Vanessa (7:19am)
Second: Rovilson & Marc (7:26am)
Third: Ann & Diane (7:32am)
Fourth: Brett & Kinaryosih (7:35am)
Fifth: Aurelia & Sophie (7:44am)
Sixth: Paula & Natasha (8:21am)
Seventh: Adrian & Collin (8:22am)
Eighth: Daichi & Sawaka (8:49am)
Ninth: Terri & Henry (9:40am)
Tenth: Edwin & Monica (9:53am)
Teams must take a taxi to the Green Star bus terminal, where they will catch a bus to the Pila Municipal Center in Pila Laguna, an hour and a half outside Manila.
Looking at their airport map, Ann & Diane see Marc (of Rovilson & Marc), who’s a TV host/model from the Philippines.
At the suggestion of the boys, the first two teams beg the bus driver to stop waiting and instead take off. It works. The bus leaves every 15 minutes, or whenver the bus driver feels like leaving.
Manila to Pila Laguna
Bus 1: Pamela & Vanessa, Rovilson & Marc
Bus 2: Brett & Kinaryosih, Ann & Diane
Bus 3: Aurelia & Sophie
Bus 4: Paula & Natasha, Adrian & Collin
Bus 5: Daichi & Sawaka
Bus 6: Terri & Henry
Bus 7: Edwin & Monica
On their bus, Paula & Natasha beg for money.
At the road block, racers must travel by tricycle to the rice paddy field, select a carabao, and plow a figure 8 through the field. Animal tasks are notorious for lack of cooperation.
Road block: Marc, Pamela, Kinaryosih, Diane, Aurelia, Natasha, Adrian, Daichi, Henry, Edwin
The road block turns out to be pretty straightforward, as these animals actually listen to commands. While everybody other than Marc struggles, there are no major breakdowns like the camel milking task.
Teams must then proceed to the Caltex Star Mart in Manila, since Caltex is a sponsor. When they get there, they must collect boxes of donations and deliver them to a children’s shelter. It’s a nice task, and the kids are cute… just not particularly willing to share or be patient.
Pila Laguna to Manila
Bus 1: Rovilson & Marc
Bus 2: Vanessa & Pamela, Brett & Kinaryosih
Bus 3: Ann & Diane
Bus 4: Sophie & Aurelia
Bus 5: Paula & Natasha, Adrian & Collin
Bus 6: Daichi & Sawaka
Bus 7: Terri & Henry
Bus 8: Edwin & Monica
Heading back to Manila, Vanessa & Pamela fail to read the entire clue (the part that says to go to Manila), and the boys leave them behind. Bus 2 breaks down, a potential break for the later teams. Vanessa & Pamela decide to take a taxi. Should be a penalty, unless there was something about this I missed.
Detour is a choice between heel or wheel. In heel, teams must match up all 250 pairs of shoes. In wheel, teams must assemble a bicycle. The task that requires no skill sounds more logical.
Wheel: Rovilson & Marc, Vanessa & Pamela, Ann & Diane, Aurelia & Sophie, Daichi & Sawaka, Terri & Henry, Edwin & Monica
Heel: Brett & Kinaryosih, Adrian & Collin, Paula & Natasha
Pamela & Vanessa get dropped off, well, they don’t really know where. Odd considering the show apparently arranged for the transportation and should have told the drivers where they were headed. It doesn’t seem to cost them too much time, though.
Rovilson & Marc assemble their bike first… with the handlebar facing the wrong way. After correcting this, they still manage to finish first. Paula & Natasha look forward to the shoe task because they have more shoes than that.
Paula & Natasha see a taxi with someone in it, get her out, and offer to pay her fare to take her cab.
The next pitstop is Paco Park & Cemetery in Manila, the original resting place of the Filipino hero Jose Rizal.
First: Rovilson & Marc (win $5000US)
Second: Paula & Natasha
Third: Diane & Ann
Fourth: Pamela & Vanessa
Fifth: Adrian & Collin
Sixth: Brett & Kinaryosih
Seventh: Aurelia & Sophie
Eighth: Daichi & Sawaka
Ninth: Terri & Henry
Tenth: Edwin & Monica (eliminated)
Not a particularly suspenseful leg, and not really well designed either. It was pretty obvious based on the leg design that Edwin & Monica had no prayer of catching up. Oddly enough, neither of these two teams that were so annoying last time were particularly annoying this time. Until the end when Edwin started yelling at Monica again and calls her useless.
Stay tuned to dingoRUE for another recap of The Amazing Race Asia 2 episode 3, and don’t forget our live blogs of The Amazing Race 12.
Next time you guys no to say bad words