Recap: The Amazing Race Australia 8 (Celebrity Edition 2), Episode 4 – “Don’t think of anything gross.”

The Race moves on to South Africa and the 4th Leg begins in Johannesburg. Upon arrival, teams must purchase their own train tickets to Park Station in the heart of the city where their next clue awaits.

Walking to the platform, Bam Bam & Logan end up helping a passenger who falls down the escalator with her luggage.

Making the first train are Chloe & Emily, Bam Bam & Logan, Havana & Steph, Jett & Lily and Pete & Bridget. Brooke & Adam, Billy & Oscar and Thorpie & Christian have to wait for the next train departing in 25 minutes.

While waiting, Brooke & Adam give an impromptu harmonica performance.

At Park Station, teams rush to the cluebox which reveals the Detour: Healer or Styler. In Healer, teams must pack and prepare a market stall with medicinal items to be ready for business. They must then ask a local to help them with labels written in Zulu and correctly identify the items on the shelf to receive the next clue. In Styler, one team member will use a sewing machine to put together a traditional dahiski top. The other will sew a matching tote bag by hand.

Teams hop into taxis and head to the Detours. Chloe & Emily, Bam Bam & Logan, Havana & Steph and Pete & Bridget choose Healer. Jett & Lily choose the sewing as do the trailing three teams who just arrive at the station.

The market teams all ask for a check, but repeatedly get the thumbs down as they do not understand the clue tells them to pack all the items on the ground to place on the shelves. Chloe & Emily are the first to realize their mistake and the others get clued in right after.

Chloe & Emily ask for their third check, but they still get the thumbs down. Havana & Steph wave their Argentinian obsidian stone for good energy during their check and they get the thumbs up. They give the Tillies the crystal to help them before leaving and it works. They as well as Bam Bam & Logan and Pete & Bridget are able to move on.

Meanwhile, trailing teams arrive at the sewing station, catching up to Jett & Lily. Brooke & Adam, who arrived last, are the first to ask for a check and they get the thumbs up. Jett & Lily are next followed by Thorpie & Christian and then Billy & Oscar.

After the Detour, teams will face the Road Block: Who can walk the walk and talk the talk? For this Road Block, teams will head to Diagonal Street where they will enjoy a traditional street dish known as Walkie Talkies. What they don’t know is Walkie Talkies are grilled chicken head and feet. When they eat a serving down to the bone, they’ll get the next clue.

Havana starts eating and she and Steph are surprised that they are in first. Emily, Logan, Pete and Brooke arrive next and get started. Lily arrives and is dreading having to eat head and feet.

Bam Bam tries to get in the other teams’ heads about eating head and it seems to work as the others start gagging.

Logan is first to hand his plate over and he gets the thumbs up. He and Bam Bam open the next clue directing teams to make their way on foot to the historical Rand Club. They must search each room to find one of the Big Five animals that appear on the South African currency, of which the teams have some. Once they’ve found them, they must search the area around the animals for the next clue. Teams will end up finding the clue in a box next to a golden buffalo.

Havana and Pete are next to get their plates approved as Thorpie and Billy arrive and get started with their special meal. Emily and Brooke are the next two to finish followed by Lily and Thorpie. Billy is in last.

At the Rand Club, the teams search through the rooms. Bam Bam and Logan are the first to find the clue and stealthily walk out of the Rand Club to avoid the other teams. They can now head to the top of Hallmark House in Maboneng for the Pit Stop.

Havana & Steph are next to find the clue and Chloe & Emily are clued in to its location after watching where they came from.

It’s a three-way taxi race to the Pit Stop. But Bam Bam & Logan step on the Mat as Team #1. Havana & Steph and Chloe & Emily are just seconds apart from each other arriving at the building. Havana & Steph even have some trouble with the elevator, but they manage to step on the Mat as Team #2. Chloe & Emily have to settle for 3rd.

Brooke & Adam and Pete & Bridget are the next to find the clue and they head to the Pit Stop. Jett & Lily and Thorpie & Christian find the clue together and Billy & Oscar are seemingly not far behind.

Brooke & Adam make it to the Mat as Team #4. Thanks to traffic, Thorpie & Christian manage to check-in as Team #5. Pete & Bridget are right behind them in 6th.

It’s now down to the last two teams. Jett & Lily get dropped off in the back of the building. And that is enough to allow Billy & Oscar to check-in as Team #7.

That means Jett & Lily are last and eliminated.

Episode Thoughts

It’s hard to watch a season when you actually like all the teams and are sad to see each one eliminated every week! But I think that’s a good problem to have. Especially when it’s paired with good Legs and tasks and good episodes!

I think this was the best episode of the season so far. Solid tasks, unpredictable competition and a manageable episode length! Hehe

First up, very sneaky of the show to deliberately release teams in an interval that coincides with the train schedule so some teams would miss the first one. Lol That’s okay though since it’s the start of the Leg and the teams managed to catch up at each task anyway.

The Detour was good. The market side of the Detour was certainly easier and less time consuming. And the sewing side was a bit more interesting and involved than the infamous Trendy Connections Road Block in Sri Lanka. Lol

I don’t get the crystal though. Lol I’m sure that wasn’t what got Chloe & Emily the thumbs up. But it’s whatever. Amusing I guess. But now Havana & Steph don’t have their good energy? Lol

The Road Block was fine. Another eating challenge. But it’s a good cultural task. And the teams were pretty good about it as well.

Not sure about ending the Leg with that searching task though. Maybe switch it with the Road Block instead. Or at least have one more task where teams are actively doing something or have to complete something instead before the Pit Stop. But it’s alright.

Some great classic TAR editing this episode too. The one moment especially was when the leading teams were enjoying the fancy club and then the show cuts to Lily and the others gagging back at the Road Block. lol

Overall, it was a fine Leg. But maybe the most enjoyable episode of the season so far, at least competition-wise.

Also, it’s interesting that the show seems to have been edited expecting another 3x a week airing schedule. But thankfully, Network 10 thought better of it and went with two episodes a week instead. Which is much better for me, at least lol

Team Thoughts

Like I mentioned, it’s hard to see teams get eliminated when you like them all. I don’t think there’s any boot order I would prefer over another because I’d hate to see any team go!

After four episodes, I think I’m rooting for Bam Bam & Logan the most. They just good guys, very fun and great competitors.

I also really like Havana & Steph. They’re stepping it up week after week and they’re one of those teams where you are pleasantly surprised to see how tough and fierce they are as competitors.

Chloe & Emily are certainly still one of the teams to beat. And unless they suffer a huge collapse, I definitely see them making it far, if not to the end.

Brooke & Adam continue to make their underdog case. They have a knack for coming from behind! That’s a very good quality to have on the Race, for sure.

Thorpie & Christian, I’m kinda worried they could fall off at any time. I don’t sense the biggest amount of urgency from them. I don’t know why. But hopefully they can pick it up in the next Leg.

Pete & Bridget are moving along fine, but with less teams, they could be in a bit of trouble soon. Same with Billy & Oscar. Though both are great teams to watch.

And again, sad about Jett & Lily. Aside from the cow head quitting, they’ve been a solid team. And like Havana & Steph, Lily has been great as a competitor. It was great to see her push through with the Road Block when certainly in recent TARAu seasons, people quit for far less. Too bad to see them go. But they had a solid run.

Episode Quotes

Havana: “This was a magic market!”

Bridget: “Is it supposed to be on fire?”

Driver: “Don’t think of anything gross. In your head, just keep that it’s a chicken, just in your head.”

Havana: “Okay, I’m eating the toenails.”

Billy: “I’m not going to be beaten by a swimmer and his mate.”