The Amazing Race All-Stars -- The Road To Sri Lanka

Last week, Team Big Brother came in last, but were saved because it was a non-elimination. So this week would it prove the end of them or would they find some way to overcome the odds and remain in the race?

The first destination was to take a plane to Colombo, Sri Lanka. The only problem is that there was only one plane and there weren't enough seats for all the racers to get a ticket to ride. Generally, the race gives the racers a choice of a couple of ways to get there with one plane being later than the others, but that wasn't an option this time. There was a plane with a connecting flight but airport officials didn't believe there was enough time between flights to be able to connect the connecting flight.

Anyway, two teams, Team Big Brother and Margie and Luke, were shut out from the only flight to Colombo and they had a choice to make. Take a risk on the flight with the connecting flight or ask to be put on standby and hope a seat opened in time for them to make the main flight. Team Big Brother took a chance on the connecting flight, and even though they had to run through the airport like maniacs they made the connecting flight and even got to Colombo first. Margie and Luke chose standby and ended up having to take a flight that took off ten hours later. Some times it's better to take a risk than try to play it safe.

Unfortunately the lead Rachel and Brendon got was wiped away when the temple with the next clue was closed and wouldn't open until the next morning. Apparently, all the racers were bummed that Team Big Brother didn't get eliminated, in particular the Barbies. Yeah, I know they're country singers, but every race has to have these two blonde human Barbie dolls on it and there all interchangeable to me with very little personality to them. Everyone was also wondering where Margie and Luke were. They were waiting in the airport for their flight to take off.

When the temple opened teams had to don temple garb and be blessed before getting the next clue directing them to go by train to the King Coconut Stand. Upon arriving there they were greeted with a Detour:

Fish Pole -- you sit a top a tall pole and you and your partner must each catch a fish, put it in a bag and take it to the fishing hut for your next clue.

Spin Control -- You have to learn a dance which requires you to spin these bamboo plates on top of a large pole without dropping them. I figured the Globetrotters would be good at spinning something on a stick considering the tricks they do with basketballs and they were.

Both tasks were time consuming and John and Jessica had to quit the fishing task and do the dancing task to get through this Detour.

The next destination was Trendy Connection Garment Factory where a team mate had to sew a shirt together from scratch. Then a heat transfer machine would tell them where the pit stop was.

This was also another time consuming task as most teams didn't know how to sew.

Before being able to do the sewing task, Rachel and Brendon had to do their Speed Bump which involved them applying the final layer of color to the Sri Lankan flag on 15 T-Shirts. They were actually able to do it rather fast, than Jessica and Brendon teamed up to figure out how to do the shirt thing.

Rachel and Brendon actually finish the sewing task before the Globetrotters but somehow they were able to check in at the pit stop before Team Big Brother and I have no clue how they got ahead of them and they definitely didn't show how they did it on the show.

Margie and Luke finally arrived in Sri Lanka and were trailing behind the others as they did the tasks and when they finally checked in it came no surprise to them that they had been eliminated. I was the one shocked when I heard they'd been brought back three times. Seriously? They were never one of the greatest teams to begin with. It astonishes me they were brought back three times. Hopefully the next time they do an All-Star edition they won't be on the list.

The teams checked in as follows:

1. Dave and Connor and they each received $5,000 as the prize for being first.

2. The Barbie's aka Caroline and Jennifer

3. The Cowboys aka Jet and Cord

4. The Afghanimals aka Leo and Jamal

5. Jessica and John

6. The Globetrotters aka Flight Time and Big Easy

7. Team Big Brother aka Rachel and Brendon

8. Margie and Luke -- who were eliminated.

In a strange way I'm kind of rooting for Rachel and Brendon. She seems to have really mellowed out [Brendon not so much] so she's more likable. And she doesn't mind helping another team. The good karma she spread by helping Luke and Margie last week may be why she and Brendon were able to make it and survive in the race, this week.

I checked in on an online Amazing Race message board and was shocked to see that there's a lot of Dave and Connor hatred. A lot seems to be because Dave is always mentioning his injury on the past race. Personally, I like them and I'm kind of rooting for them to win. And so far they've been among the top racers along with The Cowboys.

I was just thankful the race didn't get all nasty with the Double U-Turn when a team has to do a Speed Bump. However, with the plane fiasco that was almost worse than a Double U-Turn.

To all potential racers out there learn from the lesson of Margie and Luke. They could have take a for certainty but went for a pie in the sky hope it happens. The plane with the connecting flight was a certainty that they'd get on a flight, yet they chose the pie in the sky hope that someone wouldn't show and they'd get on the main flight by being on standby. Dumbest move of the race so far.