Recap: The Amazing Race Australia 7 (Celebrity Edition), Episode 3 – “I’m ready to go monkey mode.”

The third Leg has teams arriving in Kochi, Kerala, India where they will be racing through the West Coast Canal System. Teams begin by hopping into a taxi to take them to Musical Walkway Bridge.

The waiting clue reveals a Detour: Stripe It or Strike It. In Stripe It, teams must paint the bare belly of a Tiger Kali Dancer replicating a famous local folk art. Once correct and he has danced to the drum, they will receive the next clue. In Strike It, teams must train with local children playing the ancient Indian game of gilly danda. Once each teams score 100 points, they will receive the next clue.

While describing the game, Beau accidently hits a little boy with the stick. He apologizes after.

Emma & Hayley and Alli & Angie choose the painting. Darren & Tristan, Harry & Teddy and Jana & Cor all choose Strike It, as do George & Pam, Ben & Jackie and Bec & Kate. In last, Peter & Frankie help a local family take a nice photo before opening the clue and choosing Stripe It.

As the other teams slowly try to understand not-cricket, the sisters and daughter & mum use their own unique ways to communicate what needs to get painted and how to do it. Emma & Hayley’s mother is an artist, but they haven’t necessarily inherited that talent.

Once the gilly danda teams get the hang of the game, they finish pretty quick with Darren & Tristan now in first place with Harry & Teddy close behind. They open the next clue which contains a Road Block AND a Fast Forward.

The Fast Forward clue only tells teams to find Parakkat Jewels where they will receive instructions upon arrival. Both teams decide to go for it.

Darren & Tristan arrive first and learn that to win the Fast Forward, they must get their noses pierced. They don’t believe the show would actually get them to “do such a stupid thing” and Darren thinks the show would just find a way around it. They go in to make sure and yes, they will actually get a traditional Indian nose piercing. Tristan is open to it, Darren is a bit unsure.

Meanwhile, Jana & Cor finish the gilly danda next while Alli & Angie and Emma & Hayley finish painting bellies. George & Pam, Ben & Jackie and Bec & Kate are next to score their points. Peter & Frankie are still in last. They all decide to move on to the Road Block

Back at the Fast Forward, Harry & Teddy arrive to see that Darren & Tristan are already inside getting started with it. So they decide to go on to the Road Block instead. And for that Road Block, teams must decide “Who is a fast learner?” For this Road Block, teams must complete an obstacle course to obtain a tuk tuk driving license.

Inside the jewelry store, Darren has Tristan get the piercing first. But as soon as he sees it happening, Darren doesn’t want to anymore. Tristan reminds him they’re doing this for kids who have gone through a lot worse, so Darren grits his teeth and gets the piercing.

Darren & Tristan can now head to the Pit Stop on a marked houseboat on Meenappalli Kaayal River.

At the Road Block, Cor starts the driving lesson first. Jana is a bit worried about her boy. Cor assures her he’ll be fine. Pam, Ben, Harry, Angie and Bec arrive next.

But Cor passes on his 6th attempt. He and Jana can now travel 90 minutes by taxi and Shikara Boat to find Gopi Sundar house near the waterways of Kainakary. When they arrive, they will grab a basket of 30 bananas and start eating until they fine a blue one.

Ben passes on his first attempt, but the other teams have some trouble. Emma is up next for her first attempt. She is confident since their dad is a rally driver and she is able to pass immediately as well. Harry and Bec are next to pass the driving test. Peter, who arrived last, is next to get the thumbs up. It is now down to Pam and Alli. And it is Pam who passes on her 8th attempt. Alli also gets it on her 8th attempt and she and Angie rush to catch up.

On the way to Kainakary, Cor realizes he’s left behind his bumbag. So they have to go all the way back to get it, otherwise they cannot finish the Race.

Meanwhile, Darren & Tristan actually are finishing the Race. For this Leg at least, as they arrive at the Pit Stop to check-in as Team #1. They hope this is not a Non-Elimination Leg, otherwise they feel like they’ve wasted their time on the Fast Forward.

At the bananas, Ben & Jackie arrive and start eating. But Jackie calls on divine intervention and is able to quickly pick out the correct blue banana. They can now head to the Pit Stop to check in as Team #2 on Jackie’s birthday. Beau has a nice birthday cake for her.

At the bananas, Harry & Teddy and Emma & Hayley are next to find the blue ones, followed by Bec & Kate. Alli & Angie arrive after George & Pam and Peter & Frankie, but find the blue banana before them. The father and daughter are right behind them as well.

At the Mat, Harry slips on the Mat and falls. Beau rushes to help him up, glad that he didn’t hit is head. Harry & Teddy finish in 3rd while Emma & Hayley take 4th. Bec & Kate are Team #5. Alli & Angie take 6th with Peter & Frankie finishing 7th.

Meanwhile, George & Pam are struggling with the bananas and know they have to hurry even knowing that Jana & Cor had to go back for their bag. But the siblings still have nine bananas left when they see Jana & Cor arriving on the boat. The mum and son have a renewed hope and sure enough, they find the blue on their 8th banana.

Jana & Cor hop on the boat, excited they are not last. They have their bumbags, but suddenly realize they’ve left their backpacks. They cannot believe this is happening. They hurry back to grab them. Just then, on their 27th banana, Pam gets one with a blue tip.

It is a boat race to the Pit Stop.

And it is Jana & Cor who secure 8th place.

George & Pam arrive last, but this is a Non-Elimination Leg.

Episode Thoughts

What is this sorcery?!?!?! I have a really good feeling about this season. Already, these first three episodes are so far removed from at least the last two seasons. And closer to season 4 which is definitely (and obviously) closer to “normal” TAR than what Network 10 has tried to do with seasons 5 and 6.

I am so impressed with this season of TARAu so far. I really hope they can maintain this energy all season. But I’m enjoying this simple, back to basics TAR. It really feels that way.

This Leg was definitely the best one yet. And I don’t think they edited out any tasks this time! (Though the shuffling between the Detour and Road Block did feel sketchy lol)

The Detour was really good. The belly painting is a very familiar task of course. And it’s a good task to pair with the more sports-focused side of the Detour. It was awesome to see the three teams who chose this task enjoying it.

The gilly danda is a great cultural-specific task. And when kids are always great on the show, it was fun seeing their interactions with the teams. The happy kids were even cheering them on too.

Interesting though, the Detour clue said each team member needed to score 100 points. But the episode showed each team scoring 100 points total.

The Fast Forward, though spoiled in the previews, was still quite surprising. I personally would hesitate with getting a piercing (or tattoo, like in past TARs). And for just a Fast Forward on Leg 3, it would be a big deal. So kudos to Darren & Tristan for doing it even if it doesn’t mean much in the end since they were in the lead anyway.

The Road Block was another familiar TAR task. But it was a good one. Again, another good task relevant to the location. And even being a processional task, it was fine considering this was a Non-Elimination.

Same with the bananas. On any other Leg, this would be a horrible spot for it. But it definitely helped to make for an exciting finish to this Leg.

Overall, a really great episode. A good Leg of good tasks. And the teams showing some great Racing. Again, very surprising for a Network 10 TAR!

Team Thoughts

A good episode for all the teams. My favorites are still Alli & Angie and Emma & Hayley. So I was a bit worried about the daughter & mum for a short period! When they were in last, I was making myself believe it was a Non-Elimination Leg already lol But thankfully they had some luck at the bananas too.

Shocked about Jana & Cor this Leg! Forgetting their fanny pack is big, but not impossible. But for them to forget their bags at the end too! Just a bad day for them. Though they could’ve left their backpacks and just continued on since they had their passports and fanny packs. But man, just not a good day and Leg. I think they can recover well though.

Bec & Kate had a solid Leg. A bit quieter than the first two Legs. But great to see them take on every task with a good energy. Impressed with Peter & Frankie getting themselves out of last place. I thought for sure they’d get stuck in last all Leg.

Harry & Teddy are very consistent. Sometimes they even make it look effortless the way they just glide through tasks. Very dangerous for fellow competitors of course! Ben & Jackie had another good Leg. I mean, without the Fast Forward, they would’ve been #1. But in terms of being a team to enjoy, they were good this episode.

I give kudos to Darren & Tristan for getting the piercing. It’s not an easy decision. Especially when they don’t even get a prize for it. But they did it. And they were a lot more affable this Leg, so that’s good.

Finally, George & Pam were alright this episode. Thankfully! Hopefully more of them like this and not like they were in episode 1. It’s funny because when they were in last at the bananas, I think that absolutely confirmed it was a Non-Elimination Leg. Lol I dunno. It just felt like it. And they live to see another Leg.

Episode Quotes

Hayley: “Get your kindling on. Get your kindling!”

Alli: “I want my belly painted.”

Teddy: “I’m ready to go monkey mode.”

Teddy: “We’re going to do a lot better than some of the, you know, mini people.”