Anyone see India on The Amazing Race?

docgirl2005

Hi everybody,

Did any of our American viewers see yesterday's episode of the Amazing Race? The racers flew from Botswana to Lucknow via Mumbai. While watching it, I missed India alot. Any thoughts if anyone seen it? Also next weeks show will feature more of India as the racers continue their stay in India. On last year's Amazing Race, I was disturbed by one of the racer's comments about Kolkata as it being "a beautiful city"....very full of sarcasm I might add. Anyways have a nice night or day wherever you are!

Casey

I wondered if the roads were somewhat "cleared" for the teams to make their way by rickshaw. It seemed they made it to their places with minimal trouble, even with the large crowds gathered to watch. It made me miss India.

SitaParityaga

I also wondered just how "fixed" it was. Agree with Casey, those streets had to have been cleared.

It also seemed the producers had tipped them off to go to the pre-paid taxi stand....I also found it REALLY hard to believe the rickshaw drivers took all these guys directly to their destinations. Hmmmmm. We all know if you are as green to India as those guys were, the drivers would be eating you alive!!!!

They also seemed prepped to "be nice" to the civil servants they were chasing around to give chai to. I was actually glad for that part...on the last race I also winced at some of the sarcasm.

And don't you just love Rob? That man has natural brains for being in India.
Grabs another guy to help him find all the right civil servants...he got the right idea right away. Poor old folks really hung in their, bless their hearts. I don't think the attention they got from the crowds was at all ingenuine. Little did they know they probably had a real edge on the other racers had they known it...to use their age to have gotten alot more help. Just too independent, those two!

All in all, Ed and I laughed and laughed. The producers of that show are a real hoot. How did they come up with Lucknow?!?

It also made us miss India terribly.

Glad you started the thread, docgirl2005.....I actually came online looking to see if someone else had started one up on The Race!

seraph

I watched the episode here in Puri on AXN. I am not sure exactly how this works, but I suspect that it is screened here in India even before it is shown on US television!

I ignore the stupid comments that the teams sometimes make. The show is definitely not about learning to appreciate different cultures. It is about the million dollars. IMHO, the locations are just part of an “exotic” backdrop so that the home viewing public can live vicariously for an hour.

Bigzero

i watched it yesterday in AXN. quite funny in a way.

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docgirl2005

Wow its great to see other Indiamikers who saw the Amazing Race as well. Especially those who watched it on AXN. That would be cool if you guys actually saw it before we did. No idea though. Yea, so far the Racers have been pretty nice about their comments, but the taxi stand incident at the airport was hilarious. My husband commented that things just work differently in India. The gay couple and the older couple asked too many questions and when you ask too many questions and demand answers especially from taxi drivers (who have minimal english skills), then you are going to end up paying more.

Just go with the flow. Rob (although he is not well liked in the show) was right on about India. Minimal fuss, ask for help, short straight to the point questions and he made it just fine. I agree with Edsita, that Rob was smart in asking for help and grabbing onto someone when he needed it. The older couple were very cute, I suspect they were treated that way by the crowds because I think with the cameras and the field producers and two white people going thru the streets of Lucknow, the locals probably thought they were making a Hollywood movie and figured they should ask for autographs while they had the chance. Yes I also agree that the older couple didnt use it to their advantage. Its probably because they didnt how to "work" it in India. I do wish the Racers would speak slower and with less marbled flowy language and less I guess "Americanized" when speaking to the locals, it does make the locals understand better and in turn wil help the Racers out more. Polite but succinct and to the point questions always get the best results in India. Thanks for saying you enjoyed the thread! Have a nice night!

Valentine of 79

Hey everyone... I just read on a spoiler website that the Amazing Race will be going to Jodhpur on this week's episode- (airing April 18th in the US) Jodhpur is the pit stop.

Can't wait to watch it because I will be going there in November.

Shannon

In my experience, if there are video cameras drivers act appropriately.

For example, I lived in one place for 9 months. One day I wanted to film, and my friend filmed me getting a rickshaw. I wanted him to catch the bartering of hiring one. For the first time EVER, I was offered the proper price first - No bartering necessary. This happened several times. I think cameras inspire good behavior

I generally get pretty disgusted by the comments of racers on this show, particularly when they're in developing countries. Last season, someone refused to pay a driver saying "he didn't even speak english, I'm not paying him." Anyone catch that? Hi, you're not in an English speaking country. Get over it. This season's been pretty good so far. the Romber team knows how to play!

timmy

The second half of the India leg airs in the US in about 15 mins, and, although Australia is currently a whole season behind, I have been keeping up with it courtesy of the Internet. AXN does a good job by keeping right up to date with the US eps tho... the night I arrived in Mumbai last year, they were airing the two-hour finale of the season I was watching so it was perfect timing (even if I was a bit tired after travelling).

As for your second comments, I totally agree. The teams travel to the most amazing destinations but don't get a moment to take it in, let alone learn anything. That kind of journey would be far too frustrating for me, but I suppose it might inspire them (and the viewers) to "get out there".

I also got the impression the locals thought Meredith and Gretchen were film stars, what a great reaction... although when Meredith was waving to everybody it was a bit cringeworthy. Good on them tho, I think they must have done better than any senior couple in any season to date, despite Gretchen's fall, and having all their money/possessions stripped for losing a leg.

All I want now is for "Romber" to be eliminated. I can't believe they didn't get yielded in that last ep! How stupid are Ron and Kelly?

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SitaParityaga

Thats very funny.....who knew!

michep2

I'm bummed that Lynn and Alex have been eliminated. These guys had a great drive, they totally wanted to crush Rob and Amber. I would love to be on this reality show.

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jjacquemain

It was a great episode! I love Rob and Amber though! I kept saying that if I were to be lucky enough to be that far in the race I'd lose the last leg of it just so I could stay in India!!!

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docgirl2005

Well saw this week's continuation of the Amazing Race. Racers were off to Jodhpur. Great scenery and palaces in the background. Was feeling kind of bummed that Joyce and Uchenna didnt win a prize (like a 7 day trip to Italy or Caribbean) because they came in first. The one time they placed a fast forward and there was no prize for coming in sooner...that sucks ,,and she shaved off her head too..I dont think they would have been eliminated, but I guess those two wanted to be sure they were in the final four. Comments were pretty polite overall, Rob could have been a bit nicer to Sanjay "his helper" but then it just coulda been editing. Anyways have a good night all!

Bye!

docgirl2005

Ohhh I forgot to add one thing. Wasnt it hilarious when Gretchen (the lady on the older couple team) commented on the two "gay" indian men!!! Its so funny because when I was younger and less aware about the touchng habits of indians, I also thought that there must be alot of gay people in India because the men are ALWAYS touching each other in the streets. The guys in the other rickshaw werent gay, come on....I know there are gay people in India, but when you see two open being affectionate in India..chances are they arent gay, its just part of the culture...two men can hold hands and two women can hold hands but when a couple holds hands..it looks strange....hehehe...anyways forget this and had to mention it...ciao!

timmy

Well I don't think that a couple who wins a leg by using the fast forward deserves an extra prize - even if they do shave their head. They make their choice to do it, after all. I noticed that the (only?) leg Lynn and Alex won didn't have a prize, either, and there wasn't a fast forward on that leg, so I'd argue they deserved a prize more.

I thought Joyce should've grabbed her hair and got a wig made out of it in the meantime.

Meredith and Gretchen got a break yet again when Lynn and Alex went to the wrong palace. They've really had luck on their side. I really don't know why Gretchen didn't get down off the elephant and help push tho.