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Before we dive into the first episode of the Amazing Race, let’s meet the teams

Twins- Idries and Jamil

They are black identical OBGYN who work in Chicago.

Newlyweds- Max and Katie

They got married 3 weeks before the race began!

Roller Derby Moms- Mona and Beth

Soccer moms in Denver that let out their aggression on the rink.

Hockey Player – Anthony and Bates

Brothers from Raleigh, NC.

Alabama Rednecks – Chuck and Wynona

Chuck is a taxidermist, hunter and eater of what he kills.

YouTube Stars- Joey and Meghan

They have a half a million subscribers to their channels.

Best Friends- Pamela and Winnie

This Asian duo hail from Los Angeles

Dating – John and Jessica

Another LA pair; dating for four years

Firefighters -  Matthew and Daniel

Friends in South Carolina.

Bandmates – Caroline and Jen

These blondes come from Texas

Father and Son – David and Connor

Both had cancer, 3 years apart.

I was upset at first when I realized there will be no ‘Twinne’ to root for. Then I saw Idries and Jamil and my heart was lifted! AND, Winnie is on this season so I can annoy my co-workers with chants from the  Sri  Lanka Twins and replace it with Winnie!! Another funny thing happened. I placed a bet with a coworker to see who will be the first team eliminated. I said the Asian duo and he predicted the YouTube stars. A solid dollar was on the line, high stakes…high stakes. Will he or I win? Or neither?

The race starts at the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles. This is home-turf for a few of the teams. Phil shocked the teams by announcing this season’s twist. The winner of the first leg will win an Express Pass for their team.. AND another Express Pass to be given to another team. They have until the end of the 4th leg to give out the pass. The stakes are higher to get to the mat first or be close friends with the team that gets to the mat first.

That is what some teams did. As teams raced to the airports to get on the first airplane that holds 5 teams and departs an hour before the latter, some teams sought the time at the airport to be beneficial. It was social hour for teams. Newlywed Katie is not a people-person. She faked her way to being nice and friendly. She hated her life at the airport, it was brutal. The black twins lied about their profession to the Asian friends. The girls quickly sniffed out the lie that they were “delivery men”. I mean come on.. at least choose something believable, like unemployed.

Alabama, Asians, Twins, Father and son, and Cali Dating are on the first flight to Bora Bora. Oh yeah, side note: those lucky travelers get to go to Bora Bora. Super jeal… always wanted to go after the episode of ‘Keeping Up With The Kardashians’ in which they take a family trip down there and Kris Humphris throws Kim in the water and she loses an expensive earring and has a BF (White Girls)… err I digress.

At the connecting flight in FAA Tahiti, the 5 teams make a pack that the express pass should go to the team who gets second on this leg. That way no feelings get hurt. They all agree, with hesitation.

Once teams land in Bora Bora,

 ROADBLOCK

 One teammate has to skydive down the beautiful sky going nearly 120 mph while the other takes a water taxi to them. Can I say how much I hate all of the teams right now? I told some coworkers that I have added another thing I want to do before I turn 30 (hashtag bucketlist).

Once one of their partner’s lands they precede to Eden Beach.

 ROADBLOCK

 The other partner has to search 400 sandcastles to find a clue that is buried underneath. The catch is that they have to rebuild the sandcastle. OUCH! Plus, with the hot weather, this is no picnic at the park.

The 2^nd flight lands and Mona accidentally skipped a line to reserve her name on the sky diving list. She is upset.

Back at Eden beach, Jessica finds her clue! The Cali team has to build a canoe to travel across the water to the Pit Stop at Motu Café. They are the first team to arrive and win the two Express Passes.

Unfortunately for me, Asians come in 4^th and not in last so I didn’t win the bet. But neither did my coworker because the YouTube stars come in 6^th.

The final 3 teams at the sandcastle beach are beyond exhausted. They need a break but can’t. They make a deal to QUIT the roadblock and take a 4 hour penalty. It will be a foot race to the Pit Stop to avoid being eliminated. They Agree.

This has to be the one of the most thrilling finale to a premier episode of TAR.  The Country Blondes vs. Firefighters vs. Newlyweds! Of course I am like – bye bye Blonde girls. There is no way those two can out muscle a guy or 2, especially since they are firefighters. I was wrong. The two men tipped over allowing the other two teams to canoe away for the “victory.” The firefighters are eliminated and the other two do have a penalty that starts at the next leg.

Race Leg

1. John and Jessica

2. Anthony and Bates

3. David and Connor

4. Pamela and Winnie

5. Mona and Beth

6. Joey and Meghan

7. Chuck and Wynona

8. Idries and Jamil

9. Caroline and Jen

10. Max and Katie

11. Matthew and Daniel