Episodes 9 of The Amazing Race Asia 3 (TARA 3) is just over and it was another scorcher, with the lead changing hands several times and an anticlimactic 'U-Turn' significantly determining the outcome of this episode, for the last two places at least.

From their last pit stop in Cochin, India, teams were asked to go to Pune, India via a plane ride to Mumbai. A good choice of taxi for Ida and Tania proved vital as they emerged on top en route to Pune which is a good three-hour drive. Once in Pune, Ida and Tania's cab driver easily located their destination, the Nehru Stadium (?), where the racers were to be challenged to a game of cricket. Though Ida and Tania were still ahead after this task even if they failed to complete it and received a ten minute penalty, Sam and Vince made up ground by successfully doing the task. Geoff and Tisha
likewise failed, and they were overtaken by AD and Fuzzie for third place. Poor Geoff, he didn't know anything about cricket. Well, I can't blame him because that's one sport where I have zero knowledge as well, or interest.

The next challenge was to locate their next destination using a Nokia phone's GPS. The first three teams were able to use their gadget easily while Geoff and Tisha again fumbled by going in circles. These two are really poor in navigation. Didn't they get lost in Taiwan too? He he. The next challenge was to find the right turban (marked with the word 'correct' inside) from among those worn by twenty or so Indian men walking in a park. There was no change in standings after this task - Sam and Vince were still in the lead with Geoff and Tish bringing up the rear. Good thing they caught up with AD and Fuzzie at the Sony shop, where they had to use a Sony camera to shoot a local telling a joke. AD and Fuzzie's first two jokes were rejected for being corny, while Geoff and Tish succeeded with their second.

Next challenge, Roadblock. Teams must either haul 75 clay pots to a market one kilometer away through India's notoriously chaotic streets using a cart, or manually extract 40 (?) glasses of sugarcane juice using a heavy press and sell them on the streets of Pune. Vince and Sam chose the sugarcane challenge and overtook Ida and Tania who chose the pots. The two girls had a hard time pushing the cart and even broke three along the way. What's surprising about this was that there was no penalty for the broken pots. That left AD and Fuzzie and Geoff and Tisha who were neck and neck at the sugarcane challenge. The Filipinos first a few seconds ahead and this spelled the difference in the next important stop, U-Turn.

A team chosen to do a U-Turn means they have to go back and do the other roadblock challenge they didn't choose. A good tactic to slow down your nearest competitor to either escape elimination or solidify a lead. Vince and Sam chose not to use the U-Turn, though Sam was trying to convince his teammate to use it on Ida and Tania. The two girls, on the other hand, wanted to 'U-Turn' Geoff and Tish, but they forgot their photos, essential since this would signify who 'U-Turned' whom, a lucky escape for the Filipinos, if you ask me. As AD and Fuzzie and Geoff and Tish were in the bottom two and on the brink of elimination, one would surely use the U-Turn on the other if they arrived first at the stop. AD and Fuzzie were even hoping that the other teams had already 'U-Turned' the Filipinos. Geoff and Tish beat them to the stop and used the U-Turn as predicted.

Winners - Sam and Vince, followed by Ida and Tania, Geoff and Tisha and AD and Fuzzie.

1. Sam and Vince proved their strength in this race once again. They have the combination of strength and skill to win this, bouncing from last in the previous leg, to first place in this leg. I am more convinced right now that they won this season, and the Sony commercial is one proof that they did.

Update: As if to dispel speculation that Sam and Vince won this season by virtue of the Sony Cybershot ad they came out with, Sony just came out with another commercial featuring Henry and Bernie! Now I'm confused!

2. With the yield on Henry and Bernie in Macau, and the U-Turn on AD and Fuzzie here, Geoff and Tisha are now doubly marked by the other teams, especially Ida and Tania and AD and Fuzzie who seem to be working with each other. With another U-Turn coming up, and another Yield as well (Allan Wu mentioned at both times that these were the first of this season's race, meaning there's a second, right?), Geoff and Tisha are prime candidates for the next elimination. This supports the theory hatched by some that the Filipinos didn't make it to the final three as there was no mention of them as the most likely to win when the eliminated racers were interviewed in the Caltex commercial.

3. AD and Fuzzie handled the U-Turn very well, and they have earned the our respect. It was a disappointing development but neither displayed anger or hatred, unlike someone we know. These tactical hindrances were placed there for a purpose and should never be taken personally - part of the the game.

4. Placing a U-Turn just before a pit stop was anticlimactic. They should have, at least, made this into a TBC leg (to be continued or a two-part leg). There was no way for the 'U-Turned' team to catch up since it was already the end of the leg. What were the producers thinking?

With two episodes remaining, I'm just wondering how they'll squeeze another 'U-Turn' and 'Yield' into them.

Most likely result for next week: Sam and Vince, Ida and Tania, AD and Fuzzie, Geoff and Tisha (eliminated, only if there is another 'Yield', U-Turn or whatever; if not, it may be goodbye to AD and Fuzzie).

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