Recap: The Amazing Race Australia 7 (Celebrity Edition), Episode 2 – “It’s just, like, really smelly pancakes.”

The teams are on a bus taking them from New Dehli to Agra where it is currently 38°C. Upon arrival, they will exit the bus in the order they arrived at the Pit Stop and search the station for the first clue.

The first clue tells teams to take a rickshaw to Ruchi Chaiwalla Tea Stall at Sanjay Place and deliver the correct chai tea order to a local business by memorizing its address and with help from locals. They will be given a business card which they can exchange for their next clue. Teams will be armed with 2700 Indian rupee (or $50) for this Leg.

Darren & Tristan, Emma & Hayley, Harry & Teddy, Alli & Angie, Jana & Cor and George & Pam easily make their deliveries. The daughter and mum, however, forget their backpacks.

The next clue reveals the Detour: Make it Slick or Make it Stick. In Make it Slick, teams will grab a bag of laundry and take it to the banks of the holy Yamuna River to wash them by hand. In Make it Stick, teams will prepare 64 handmade fuel bricks using cow manure and hay and stick them onto a wall.

Alli & Angie get to the river first and they excitedly begin the washing. Darren & Tristan, Jana & Cor and Emma & Hayley also choose the laundry. Harry & Teddy, meanwhile, are fine with choosing poo since Harry grew up on a farm. George & Pam also choose the poo. Pam is grossed out, but George tells her to get over it.

Harry & Teddy have no problem speeding through the task and open the next clue telling teams to head to Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar University where they must learn the dance of love with a Bollywood dance troupe.

Back at the laundry, a monsoon arrives while the teams are washing then stops when it’s time to hang the clothes out to dry. Ben & Jackie arrive at the river and Jackie recalls her childhood washing clothes in a similar way.

Darren & Tristan get the thumbs down after getting a check and complain about how dirty everything is, even after they’ve washed it. But Alli & Angie, with no such complaints, get the thumbs up as do Jana & Cor. Alli & Angie, however, realize they’ve left their bags and they have to hurry back to the tea shop. Emma & Hayley are next to finish the laundry followed by Darren & Tristan, Ben & Jackie and Peter & Frankie.

At the poo, Bec & Kate arrive just as Grant & Chezzi start smashing the poo on the wall. The sisters calm themselves about the poo by amusing themselves with Pam’s whining. Grant & Chezzi get the thumbs up with George & Pam and Bec & Kate not long after.

Jana & Cor arrive at the university first, but discover that this is an Intersection and they will have to team up with another team to create a group of four for the performance. Harry & Teddy arrive next and they team up. Alli & Angie arrive next and are excited to pair up with Team Wiggles Emma & Hayley.

Darren & Tristan partner with Ben & Jackie and get started with learning while the first pair go for a few attempts. Cor, however, is having trouble getting the steps down and begins to get frustrated and upset, surprising his mum. Harry & Teddy think they’ve made a mistake teaming up with them. Especially after ten attempts.

Meanwhile, two-time Dancing with the Stars winner Grant & Chezzi team up with Peter & Frankie. And George & Pam team up with Bec & Kate.

Alli & Angie and Emma & Hayley go up for their first attempt and immediately get the thumbs up. The two teams are now separated and can head to the Pit Stop at Mehtab Bagh, overlooking the Taj Mahal. Emma & Hayley check-in as Team #1 while Alli & Angie take second. After them, a relief washes over Harry & Teddy and Jana & Cor when they finally get the thumbs up. They finish the Leg as Teams 3 and 4, respectively.

Back at the dance, Grant starts to get concerned when Chezzi starts falling and looking exhausted. After an hour of practicing, George suggests they just take a penalty.

So George & Pam and Bec & Kate have to wait an hour before moving on. But they start regretting their decision when only a few minutes in, Darren & Tristan and Ben & Jackie go for their first attempt at the dance and get the thumbs up. The uncle and nephew and husband and wife finish the Leg as Teams 5 and 6, respectively.

Peter & Frankie and Grant & Chezzi go for their first attempt and get the thumbs up. But Grant collapses and medics suggest he rest here for 15 minutes before leaving. George is worried for Grant, but sees this as an opportunity to make up some time. And sure enough, George & Pam and Bec & Kate are able to finish their penalty time.

Peter & Frankie get lost as it gets dark. George & Pam and Bec & Kate step on the Mat in 7th and 8th, respectively. Peter & Frankie settle for 9th.

The medic says he risks raising his temperature again if they go outside in the heat, but Grant insists on heading to the Pit Stop. Chezzi thinks nothing is more important than his health, but seeing how determined he is, she says she’ll carry him to the Mat if she has to.

Beau decides to move the Mat to meet Grant & Chezzi on the road instead. He gives them a small figurine of the Taj Mahal. But Grant suddenly feels faint once again and he is taken to hospital. The show says he was able to make a full recovery after returning home.

Episode Thoughts

I’ll get to the complaining first. I’m sure there had to have been another task between the dancing and the Pit Stop. Because how in the world did it get dark in the meantime? Apparently there also another task cut out of the first Leg too. And this has become the norm for TARAu under Channel 10. I think they should’ve just kept it in, even if the placements did not change because of that task.

ETA: Actually, after watching the episode again while making screencaps, I saw that yes, there actually was a Road Block after the dancing:

They actually included Bec & Kate reading the Road Block prompt: Who has a love for the Taj Mahal? And also showing them and George & Pam holding a Road Block clue, but the show passed it off as them reading the Pit Stop clue. I wonder if the task had something to do with the Taj Mahal figurine Beau gifted to Grant & Chezzi.

The task is also how Peter & Frankie probably fell behind too, not just getting lost on a half-hour ride to the Pit Stop.

Anyway, the tasks we did get were really good. The tea delivery was alright as again, it got teams out and about and interacting with the locals.

The Detour was classic TAR. Certainly both tasks we’ve seen on The Amazing Race before. And especially TARAu before of course. (From the best season, TARAu2!)

Of course, both tasks again challenged the pampered celebrities. But most of the teams did both tasks with minimal, if any, complaints. Which is good. The “I’m a celebrity” shtick can get very old, very fast.

The Bollywood task was alright. And I think actually a good task for an Intersection. Not a good spot right before the Pit Stop (supposedly). But having to team-up with another team who might suck at the dancing can definitely bring the drama. And it kind of did.

Overall, a solid Leg and episode. But definitely above average for Channel 10 TARAu.

Team Thoughts

Alli & Angie are awesome. And Emma & Hayley really stepped up even more too. I’m rooting for both teams the most I think. Harry & Teddy were alright this Leg too. And I’m liking Jana & Cor as well. This was a good top 4 for the Leg.

But I definitely have to roll my eyes whenever the show puts in those stereotypical “I’m a celebrity” comments every other minute. I know the show wants to play up that aspect. But it can get annoying. And it can definitely affect how I see a team.

Like with Darren & Tristan, Darren seems like the most stereotypical “celebrity” in this episode. And I don’t know if he’s being serious about the wearing a t-shirt once stuff. But the incessant “Everything is dirty and gross” is too much. If it’s for show, then meh. If he’s actually like that in real life? Yikes!

Pleasantly surprised with Ben & Jackie this Leg. Jackie, particularly, was great at the laundry after her “I don’t fly economy” was the first diva-ish comment from any team in the first episode. Peter & Frankie were okay, but kind of got relegated to the shadows most of the Leg.

Here we go again with the quitting! Who does George think he is? Justin from The Amazing Race Canada 9?! lolnotlol Or maybe fellow Survivor Rob from TAR7. At least he didn’t curse poor Indian people like he did in the first episode. It really sucks that he had to have that moment because he would otherwise be hilarious. Like when he has to egg his sister Pam on while she’s whining.

Also kind of disappointed in Bec & Kate. I give them (and the other teams who did the poop Detour) props for enjoying the experience and getting down and dirty, especially as supposed fans of the Race. But having to see them quit was sad. I’d like to see them make up for it in future Legs.

Finally, I wasn’t a big fan of Grant’s personality in the first episode. But what a tough way to go for them. Good to know he’s fine after what happened. I think Grant & Chezzi could’ve grown on me as the Legs go by. They showed a good fighting spirit this Leg, much different than what they showed in the premiere. But the heat is no joke. Hopefully they did get to see the Taj Mahal in person before flying home!

Episode Quotes

Frankie: “It’s hot as balls down here.”

Harry: “I’ve never been to an office in my life.”

Harry: “Oh shit, that’s a lot of poo.”

Teddy: “It’s just, like, really smelly pancakes.”

Harry: “I would rather pick up shit than do my own laundry.”

Chezzi: “Don’t spill the tea!”

Teddy: “When I was 16, I had the IQ of a house plant.”