This Game Is About Minutes is the fourth episode of The Amazing Race 2.
Story[]
During the teams' rest period, drunken shenanigans ensue.
- “At the dinner table it started.”— Peach
- “Chris and Alex and Wil, they were getting loud and getting vulgar. Wil a little more so than everybody else.”— Dave
- “Last night, I had a lot of drinks.”— Wil
- “I think a couple of lines got crossed and I think Wil played a key part in that.”— Mary
- “The preacher got a little upset because were were all swearing.”— Wil
- “And Russell did say something last nigh to 'em. He said "Tone it down, guys. You don't have to talk that way.”— Cyndi
- “He had reasons to be upset, I guess. Plus he's in a bad situation right now, because he's fighting for last place with Chris and Alex. Obviously at some point we have to split apart from everyone and really fend for ourselves.”— Wil
Also during the rest period, Alex and Tara get close.
- “She's a little flirter. She can see whoever she wants, and I can see whoever I want, but just as long as we don't stick it in each other's faces.”— Wil
Oswald & Danny are the first to depart at 2:52 am from Lanzerac Manor. The clue tells that teams have to travel to Cape Aviation Business Centre to find Ryan Blake Air. They only guided a map for reference. They must sign a charter flight to Walvis Bay, Namibia. The first four teams leave at 9:00 am and the last four at 12:00 noon. They were given $210 for this leg of the race.
Tara & Wil depart second at 2:52 am and Gary & Dave depart third just seconds later. The first three teams are all going together by taxi. They arrived at the Cape Aviation Business Centre and they are able to take the 9:00 am charter flight. They, along with Oswald & Danny head for a waiting taxi cab for all three of them. As they're walking Oswald feels some pain in his foot.
- “Early this morning, I started feeling some pain in my left foot.”— Danny
- “Danny's foot was a little bit out of whack. I think he pulled a muscle trying to do yoga.”— Oswald
- “And it got progressively worse. So I tried to keep it under cover, because I didn't want any of the other contestants to know.”— Danny
- “Wil: So Gary and Dave, Danny and Oswald, and—.
Tara: Ourselves decided in order to save money, we would take a taxi and all stick together.”
They all arrive at the Cape Aviation Business Centre. They all assume the fourth team on the flight will be Mary & Peach.
Mary & Peach depart fourth at 5:56 am.
- “I have been sick, so I was really weak today, but we're just trying to hang in there and do our best.”— Peach
Blake & Paige and Shola & Doyin depart together at 6:02 am.
- “I feel very good about our current status in the race right now. I think we're in the middle of the pack. Eventually we'll get to the front of the pack. At the same time, we're humble enough to realize what we've learned in this race, anything can happen.”— Blake
- “The competition is extremely stiff. These guys want to win. It makes me want to become more competitive. You gotta stay up with them. You know, eat or be eaten.”— Doyin
Mary & Peach arrived at Cape Aviation Business Centre and they are the last to get the 9:00 am charter flight.
- “We were the last team to sign up for the first plane, so that was a good feeling.”— Mary
Shola & Doyin and Blake & Paige just miss out so they have to take the 12 pm charter flight.
- “We got there probably a minute or two after Mary & Peach did, so we missed the first flight.”— Shola
Chris & Alex depart seventh at 8:50 am.
- “It stinks being low. It's just easier to be at the top. It's actually getting the competitive juices going again. We're just going to try twice as hard and try to kick ass again, you know?”— Chris
Cyndi & Russell depart last at 8:51 am.
- “We're going into the fourth leg, I think now all of the teams that are left are very, very, very aggressive. I don't think you have to play mean or trick someone to win this game. We just believe God that we can still win and not compromise.”— Cyndi
Oswald & Danny, Tara & Wil, Gary & Dave and Mary & Peach depart the first charter flight at 9:00 am.
- “We knew we were in the top tier, because we knew we had the first plane out of Cape Town. Feels pretty good up here.”— Gary
Chris & Alex and Cyndi & Russell arrive at Cape Aviation Business Centre.
- “We were on the second plane, so were quite a bit behind. We're at the end of the pack, the last four teams.”— Paige
The first charter flight arrives in Walvis Bay. Teams note how isolated the area around Walvis Bay is.
- “We took the charter plane over. I got a little scared. There was nothing. No civilization, nothing. We pulled into that airport, it was a couple of buildings, that's it.”— Tara
Teams find their next clue outside of the airport. The clue tells that teams have to make their way to the top of Swakopmund Lighthouse in Swakopmund. Gary & Dave, Oswald & Danny, and Tara & Wil attempt to rent a large van to share, but run into the issue that they need a credit card. Gary & Dave and Tara & Wil decide to find taxis. Oswald & Danny manage to get one of the employees to take them to Swakopmund in exchange for money.
- “We found out, again, how much it is worthwhile to be polite to people when you're asking for things. What the lady at Avis said to us, what I can do is have one of my drivers take you into town and take you to where you want to be. You give him what you think is appropriate as a payment.”— Oswald
Gary & Dave, Mary & Peach, and Tara & Wil are able to order a taxi for R560. Wil believes that they're being ripped off by the woman who's ordering the taxis, though she mentions the distance between the cities is long.
The second charter flight departs from Cape Town.
- “First four teams left about three or four hours before us and we were on the second plane, so we're a little panicky.”— Paige
- “Alex and I were pissed because we know we belong up top. We sort of want to be up there. I sucks knowing that we're down below.”— Chris
Oswald & Danny arrive first, finding the clue.
- “I don't know how I climbed up to the top of that lighthouse, but I did.”— Danny
The clue tells them that there are 4x4s in the parking lot next to the lighthouse and the next clue is on the windshield on the car. They spot it, an walk over to the parking lot.
- “I had to really let Oswald know that I was in trouble and to consider the Fast Forward at some point.”— Danny
Oswald & Danny got the clue from the car, finding the next route info and the Fast Forward. The route info tells them to drive to the base of the Matterhorn Sand Dune located in Dorob National Park and hike to the top to get their next clue. Due to Danny's injury, they decide to do the Fast Forward. To get the Fast Forward, teams have to look "Where railway tracks used to run". Once the teams realize that the Swakopmund Hotel had been a railway station, they have to find the route marker which is in the center of a swimming pool.
Tara & Wil arrive at the Swakopmund Lighthouse, getting their next clue.
- “Our cab driver rocked.”— Tara
Tara & Wil pass Mary & Peach on the way to the parking lot. The sisters think that Tara & Wil's cab driver brought them closer to the lighthouse then theirs. Tara & Wil open their next clue, and drive to the Matterhorn Sand Dune. The sisters get their next clue at the top of the lighthouse.
Gary & Dave make their way to the lighthouse, attempting to spot their next vehicle.
Mary & Peach get back out to the parking lot and decide to do the Fast Forward because Peach feels too weak to climb.
- “I feel we're sisters from heart, always sisters, regardless of the outcome of the race.”— Mary
Meanwhile, Oswald & Danny arrive at the hotel.
- “We had to find the old railway station and found this fabulous hotel. We're like, okay, let's go in there and ask a question, where the railway station was. You know, wo go in there, and we see the little flag swimming in the pool. We're like, oh, we don't need to ask questions anymore.”— Oswald
Danny swims to retrieve the clue. They open the clue saying that they have won the Fast Forward and go directly to the Pit Stop at Amani Lodge near Windhoek. They head back into the hotel to exchange some money in the event they need more South African rand.
- “We're attempting to exchange money, just in case we need it on the way over to our destination.”— Oswald
At the Matterhorn Sand Dune, Tara & Wil are the first to find the route marker.
- “We've had a few breakdowns with—he's broken down on me and called me names, but other than that, we're doing pretty good.”— Tara
- “I wouldn't want anybody else to be traveling with me. And I think that she not only holds her own, but she sometimes keeps me in line.”— Wil
They open the clue, finding a Detour, where they must choose between Slide or Stride. In Slide, teams will have to take a safety briefing from an instructor. Then they will have to slide down a steep side of dune using a sandboard. The speed will take up to 50 mph (80kph). It's scary but it will take them directly to their next route marker. In Stride, teams will have to stride down to the opposite dune of sand, following a path of flags to get their next clue. It's not scary but it's slow. Tara & Wil choose Slide. Wil goes down the Matterhorn, but Tara is reluctant.
- “I was pretty scared, because I couldn't see for the last 150 yards.”— Tara
Tara finishes the task with joy. They get their next clue, informing them that they have to drive 100 miles to Spitzkoppe where they have to find the General Dealer and ask the shopkeeper for the postcard of the day.
Meanwhile, Mary & Peach arrive at the hotel, finding the flag in the pool.
- “Our plan was to take the Fast Forward 'cause I didn't feel really good. It said that we had to run to the top of a sand dune.”— Peach
Peach finds that the Fast Forward has already been taken. The sisters leave the hotel disappointed, as the second flight is very likely not far behind them.
The second charter flight arrives in Walvis Bay. All four teams get their next clue. Chris & Alex separate from the pack to call for a taxi, as the other three teams wait for one.
- “As soon as we got off the airplane, we signed up for a taxi, so we just happened to get the first three taxis that came in leaving Chris and Alex.”— Russell
Conveniently three taxis arrive, and Blake & Paige, Cyndi & Russell, and Shola & Doyin are on their way to the Swakopmund Lighthouse. Blake notes that the alliances are certainly creating this game, and that Chris & Alex were left behind because they didn't want to work with him and Paige.
Gary & Dave have already arrived at the Matterhorn Sand Dune, and decided on Slide. They finish the task quickly, getting their next clue
- “I must have been doing 50 or 60 miles an hour. It was great. It was really great.”— Dave
Chris & Alex are still attempting to get a taxi. They find the other three teams have already left, and find they could've ordered one from a woman in the airport.
- “About 45, 50 minutes it took use to get another cab set up to get us on the first leg, to get us started. So that knocked us an hour back almost of everybody.”— Alex
Blake & Paige, Cyndi & Russell, and Shola & Doyin arrive at the lighthouse together and get their next clue. They head over to the parking lot together.
Mary & Peach arrive at the Matterhorn Sand Dune. Peach is having trouble climbing the sand dune, feeling weak, but Mary encourages her to continue and promise to keep pace with her.
- “I was dragging. I mean of course, Mary talked me through, pulled me to the top again.”— Peach
The sisters get their next clue and decide on Slide. They finish the task fast, getting their next clue.
- “What a blast. It was fantastic.”— Mary
- “I can't believe I did that. It was great.”— Peach
Back in Swakopmund, Blake & Paige leave with Cyndi & Russell following them. Shola & Doyin are having trouble with their truck, as neither are very good with stick-shift.
- “One thing that was one of my weaknesses is driving stick. That was just—that's clear.”— Shola
Tara & Wil arrive at Sitzkoppe finding the general dealer. They receive the postcard of the day which informs them to head to the Woodcarver Market. They learn they are the first team to arrive in Spitzkoppe.
Chris & Alex manage to get to Swakopmund, getting their clue from the lighthouse.
- “The hardest part, I think, was looking down and seeing there was only one car left in the parking lot sitting there. It's been waiting there a couple of hours for us.”— Alex
Gary & Dave find the general dealer in Spitzkoppe, getting the postcard of the day.
Phil Keoghan recaps the team's placings. Oswald & Danny are leading at the moment followed by Tara & Wil and Gary & Dave. The middle teams are Mary & Peach, Blake & Paige, and Cyndi & Russell. The trailing teams are Shola & Doyin and Chris & Alex.
Blake & Paige arrive at the Matterhorn Sand Dune. They finish the Slide Detour, getting their next clue.
Shola & Doyin are finding it hard to know where the sand dune is. They ask the locals, but only state it's in the desert.
Back at the Matterhorn Sand Dune, Cyndi & Russell finish the Slide Detour.
Tara & Wil arrive at the Woodcarvers Market, get the clue, finding it to be a Roadblock. In this Roadblock, one team member will have to use their bargaining and animal skills to find five animal carvings. The five animals are lion, leopard, rhino, elephant and buffalo representing as the big five animals of Africa. Once the team member gets these animals, the team member then gives it to the bushmen with the clue and a giraffe to their collection. Wil wants Tara to perform the roadblock. During this, Tara tries to spend as little as possible otherwise they won't have any money. Tara completes the Roadblock and the clue tells to go to the Amani Lodge near Windhoek with their giraffe carving to check in at the Pit Stop. Gary & Dave arrive at the Woodcarver Market just as Tara & Wil leave. Wil thinks that they were speeding and Gary thinks they're not speeding. Gary & Dave get their next clue. Dave decides to perform the Roadblock.
Meanwhile, Chris & Alex and Shola & Doyin cannot find the sand dune. Finding a sand path that leads to the road, Shola & Doyin turn in there, however their truck gets stuck in the sand. A couple of nearby locals see them, and help the brothers get out of the sand.
- “People are friendly. One local helped us out of the sand dune. Doyin and I have been counted out a lot, and we usually come back to surprise some people So be carefu'. Don't count us out too early.”— Shola
One of the local tells Shola & Doyin how to get to the Matterhorn Sand Dune from there.
At the Woodcarver Market, Peach performs the Roadblock. Despite Mary's insistence to barter, Peach does not. Regardless, she finishes the task, getting their next clue.
Chris & Alex arrive at the Matterhorn Sand Dune. They finish the Slide Detour, getting their next clue.
- “I was just exhausted by the time I got there. I thought we were in a little better shape than we actually are, 'cause we went (gasps).”— Chris
It becomes 7:00 pm, and the teams must now let a professional driver drive for the remainder of the leg for safety reasons. However, they must continue to navigate.
Despite a local already telling them directions, Shola & Doyin are still lost, and ask another local. However the local informs them that he'll have to show them tomorrow, as Dorob National Park closes at 7:45 pm that day.
Oswald & Danny arrive at the Amani Lodge, finishing the leg in first for the second time in a row.
- “It wasn't exactly close from the car to the mat. And I just—I mean, I was running. I was actually still running. I don't know where I found the strength. I really don't.”— Danny
- “We're doing good. I hope my fine-feathered friend can walk tomorrow.”— Oswald
Blake finishes the Roadblock, getting his team's next clue. As he and Paige are leaving, Cyndi & Russell arrive. Russell decides to perform the Roadblock.
Chris & Alex arrive at the Spitzkoppe General Dealer. They get the postcard of the day.
Russell finishes the Roadblock. Cyndi is in awe of the wood-carved giraffe Russell brings back. Russell gets flustered attempting to load the giraffe in the car, asking for help from Cyndi.
- “I'm a very optimistic person, where he tends to be a little pessimistic. I do my best to keep us positive.”— Cyndi
Gary & Dave checked in at the Pit Stop in second.
Tara & Wil are on their way to the Pit Stop, however didn't read the fine print, getting lost.
- “Tara and I were really doing well. When we got to one of the clues we forgot to read the inside details, and so we actually had a hard time getting to the Pit Stop.”— Wil
Chris & Alex pass Cyndi & Russell in their truck on the way to the Woodcarver Market. They get their next clue, and Alex decides to perform the Roadblock. Despite the outrageous prices, Alex finishes the Roadblock.
Tara & Wil check in at the Pit Stop in third.
- “Wil and I have actually been getting along pretty well in this race. We've actually made quite a team.”— Tara
Blake & Paige and Mary & Peach arrive at Amani Lodge. Blake & Paige cut through some of the trees near the Pit Stop, getting them fourth. Mary & Peach check in fifth just seconds later.
- “We thought that you had to run up the trail, and I would have to be honest to say we were slightly disappointed. Whether they tried to hurt us or not, I'm still disappointed.”— Peach
Cyndi & Russell check in sixth.
Chris & Alex checked in seventh, shocking Chris that his team is still in the race.
Meanwhile, Shola & Doyin still on the racecourse, are unable to get to the Detour, and are informed to head directly to the Pit Stop.
- “We didn't make the Detour. I was able to travel around the world with my best friend and my brother It's been absolutely amazing to be able to see different cultures, being able to travel all over the world. I've grown so much and I wouldn't trade this experience for anything.”— Doyin
Shola & Doyin arrive at Amani Lodge, where Phil informs them they are the last team to arrive and have been eliminated from The Amazing Race.
- “I don't care which of the seven remaining teams wins. They're going to earn it because it's a tough thing to do. Believe me. i made it through four legs and there's nine more legs to go. If they can finish this, I want to be at the Finish Line to shake their hand.”— Shola
Route Markers[]
The order of departure from Lanzerac Manor are as follows:
- Oswald & Danny (2:52 am)
- Tara & Wil (2:52 am)
- Gary & Dave (2:52 am)
- Mary & Peach (5:56 am)
- Blake & Paige (6:02 am)
- Shola & Doyin (6:02 am)
- Chris & Alex (8:50 am)
- Cyndi & Russell (8:51 am)
Teams must, using a provided map as reference, make their way to the Cape Aviation Business Center at Cape Town International Airport, where they must find the offices of Ryan Blake Air and sign up for one of two charter flights to Walvis Bay, Namibia. The first charter flight could only carry four teams and would depart at 9:00 am. The second charter flight would carry the last four teams and depart at 12:00 pm. Upon arrival, teams would find their next clue outside Walvis Bay Airport.
Teams must make their way to the top of the Swakopmund Lighthouse, where they would find their next clue.
Teams must spot marked 4x4 vehicles at a nearby parking lot next to the Swakopmund Public Beach. Teams will find their next clue on the windshield. For safety reasons, teams were required to drive 20 miles per hour below the legal speed limit and were accompanied by a provided driver who would take over the wheel at 7:00 pm. However, the driver may not give directions.
The Fast Forward instructions were given to teams at Swakopmund Lighthouse. Teams must make their way to the location depicted in a provided photograph, leaving them to figure out that this depicted the Swakopmund Hotel, which was previously a railway station. There, they must "locate the spot where the train tracks used to be", now located at the center of the hotel's pool, to claim the Fast Forward pass. Oswald & Danny won the Fast Forward.
Teams must take their vehicle to the base of the Matterhorn Sand Dune in Dorob National Park, then hike to the top of the dune to find their next clue.
Choice A: Slide
Teams must each sandboard down the steep side of the Matterhorn Sand Dune, reaching speeds of up to 60 mph. At the bottom, they would find their next clue.
Blake & Paige, Chris & Alex, Cyndi & Russell, Gary & Dave, Mary & Peach, and Tara & Wil chose this task.
Choice B: Stride
Teams must walk down the opposite side of the Matterhorn Sand Dune, following a marked path to their next clue.
None of the teams chose this task.
Shola & Doyin fell too far behind the other teams and did not perform the Detour.Teams take their vehicle to the Spitzkoppe General Dealer in Usakos. There, they must ask for the "postcard of the day", which would have their next clue written on the back.
Teams take their vehicle to the Spitzkoppe Woodcarver's Market, where they would find their next clue.
"That person should know his animals."
The team member assigned to this Roadblock must purchase wooden animal carvings representing each the big five animals of Africa (buffalo, elephant, leopard, lion, and rhinoceros) from the market. Once they have purchased carvings of all five animals, they may exchange them with a bushman for their next clue, along with a carving of a large wooden giraffe.
The Roadblock performers per team are underlined:
Shola & Doyin fell too far behind the other teams and did not perform the Roadblock.Teams must take their vehicle to the Amani Lodge near Windhoek, along with their giraffe carving, to check in.
Leaderboard[]
First Place • Eliminated • Last placer on a Non-Elimination Leg or continue racing on a No-Rest Leg • Season winner • Season 2nd place • Season 3rd place • ► Used the Fast Forward
Oswald & Danny
Best Friends |
Gary & Dave
Former Roommates |
Tara & Wil
Separated Couple |
Blake & Paige
Brother/Sister |
Mary & Peach
Sisters |
Cyndi & Russell
Pastors/Married Parents |
Chris & Alex
Lifelong Friends |
Shola & Doyin
Twins |
Trivia[]
- This marks the first time that The Amazing Race visits the country of Namibia.
- This episode had an encore airing two days later on UPN.[1]
- This episode title is said by Blake Mycoskie.
References[]
The Amazing Race 2 Episodes |
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"The World Is Waiting: Go!" · "Help Me, I'm American!" · "My Alarm Clock Didn't Go Off!" · "This Game Is About Minutes" · "Welcome to the World of Being Human" · "I'm Gonna Take His Girl" · "I'm Gonna Throw Up on Phil's Shoes" · "I'm Not a Miner! No, You're an Idiot!" · "Ready to Lose Our Lives" · "It's Hammer Time" · "Follow That Plane!" |