Episode 1

We live another week...our mugs still get screen time and HK does not come in last at the first pit stop breaking the tradition haha... lots of people asked what happened with us ,,,

EATING BUGS

Well we couldn't get a taxi to Khao San Road...  I think it was rush hour and all the ones we saw had fares already... and we didn't know which direction to go.  So we got a Tuk Tuk which took a really long route...argh!

When we got there we realized that we were the LAST TEAMI didn't have time to think ... so I just started shoving bugs into my mouth  People always ask me how they tasted....all I remember is that they were oily and salty , some "exploded" some sort of "juice" when you bit into them ... It was tough because we had to eat the whole bowl quickly!!!!  I remember the scorpions being very tough because of the shell and I found out later that you were supposed to take off the pincers before eating it.... UM no one told me.... I ATE the whole thing.... I couldn't crunch through it and had to just swallow it using water... 

WASHING THE BUS

Next we had to go to this Caltex station to wash a vehicle l ( we had no idea that it was a "HUGE BUS" ... ) we didn't read the address on the clue right and so we got onto the right street but took the local route instead of the highway,,,, which took forever!!!! AIYA! ,,, By the time we got to Caltex I was quite demoralized because I could see some teams already half done... It was already night time and we hadn't really eaten we were tired and thirsty and now we had to WASH this bus,,,???   The bus was physically demanding and we soo tired afterward ( some teams thought that they used eggs and oatmeal to dirty the bus because it really sticks and is hard to wash off...).

SEARCHING AT THE TEMPLE

Then it was a 2 -3 hour bus ride to this temple to search for another clue... It was pitch black outside, the wild dogs were howling and we had to search this huge area.  It was a little freaky,,, and I hate these needle in a haystack tasks...  anyway we combed back and forth a few times before finally finding the clue ... AGAIN we were last ... it was quite tough b/c we were hungry , tired and all the other teams were waiting for us...I felt really bad,  WE WERE LAST in the first 3 tasks.

RIDE TO CHIANG MAI

We then traveled to overnight on the bus to Chiang Mai ,,, I 've never taken an overnighter before so sleeping was difficult ... I kept thinking about how we could be better because it bothered me that we were always last.... I think at 3AM we were able to stop at a convenience store for some food ...THANK GOD.  We only had a certain amount of money for that entire leg so we wanted to conserve our money ...we ate the cheapest food possible ... I had two cup-noodles and bought water...that plus the bugs were the only things that I had eaten the entire day... I bought some snacks in case we weren't able to stop later or needed a quick energy pick up. 

It was a long journey and we chatted with some of the other teams ... no real alliances but just fun banter. 

RACE OR RICE

it was midday by the time we got to Chiang Mai and we raced out of the bus to find the clue box.

We choose Rice and a driver immediately came and asked us "RICE?  I bring you to RICE,,,," and pulled out a map to show us so we followed him.

 I got a lot of flack from my friends because they said RICE... why did you choose RICE..??? 

Well the clue doesn't tell you what the task actually entail ... we thought that RACE would take longer because of all the people needing to queue up ( task vs task it was longer) but it was definitely less physically demanding... Those wooden sticks that we used to pound the rice with were heavy and the handles tore into our hands causing everyone MAJORblisters... We exhausted and it didn't help that we were working under the BLAZING SUN...

Many teams quit half way into the task but I was determined to do it... If the old ladies demonstrating the technique to us could do it ... then DAMN it so can I haha.  I quickly learned that if we used the proper technique it would be much easier. We eventually pounded the rice into a paste and got the clue that sent us to the pit stop.

Finding the Pit stop

Our  driver actually brought us to the wrong place and we had to search for it ...

When we got to the right place we ran towards that temple and sprinted up the steps,,, only to be told that we did not pay our driver,,,,

(now this is what happened  ,,, we had thought that the driver was a "designated" driver because he approached us... and used the terms RICE and RACE  before we even told him... but I guess what had happened is that the first few teams arriving there had caused a stir and all the drivers phoned their friends to go wait for the remaining teams... and they all knew the term RACE and RICE... )

so we had to run back and look for him ... pay him ... and then run back UP those steps AGAIN...

Finally, coming in 7th ...

.....we live to see another day .. Go team Hong Kong!  Stay tuned for the next episode...

VMC