The Amazing Race All-Stars: You Need to Watch Your Jokes, Guy

Compared to South America and Africa, the Polish people wee rude, ugly and downright greedy. Now I understand why the Poles in the US midwest are the way they are.

Amazing Race is always interesting.

What is with the two overtly gay couples (the Guido's -- What's up with that? and Oswald and Danny)? Can't we see somewhat "normal" couples - friends, lovers, married couples or family members - without the expressions of affection the emotional outbursts over little stuff? I am tired of watching TAR and seeing freaks (Mirna and Chmirna) and really over the top gays. This show has had too many overtly emotional or affectionate gays for my liking relative to the general population. Are they recruited because they don't have jobs?

There have been some very interesting teams in the past. Surely they could have offered some decent money to some of them. This show is getting almost unwatchable with the stuff it down your throat embrace of gays. What they do behind closed doors is their business and I would let them do what they want, but don't be so explicit about it.

If Mozambique is like some other African countries, then drivers were furnished for safety and liability reasons. Accidents were staged when an 'outsider' was driving and fault placed on that driver. A $10,000 settlement was a life-times income to most African natives.

Last season the racers did drive extensively in Mauritius, where they drive on the left. For this episode, I think the teams had drivers because the last time they were in Africa and driving themselves (during Season 7) Brian & Greg got into a bad car accident which seriously injured their camera man. TAR's insurance probably went through the roof in regards to racers driving themselves in Africa, hence the drivers in this latest leg.
On the linguistic note, Mozambique is becoming a popular tourist destination for South Africans, hence the widespread English comprehension in Maputo.

Phil pets a rat the size of his forearm on his forearm.

Anybody know why the teams had drivers while they were in Africa?

My guess is that like India, due to the crazyiness of the driving condiions to foreigners, that its required. In India when you rent a car from Avis, you get a driver with you to get you where you want to go.

Daniel, I stand corrected on the left-side driving thing. Interesting.

My experience in Brazil was that Portuguese-speakers can generally understand Spanish, but Spanish-speakers have a very hard time with Portuguese. I bet the Spanish helped at least a little bit in Mozambique.

About the speaking Spanish thing. As most people probably know, Portugues, like Spanish, is based on Latin. The languages are very similar, many words are even the same. The stems of the verbs are mostly the same, it's just the endings that are different. I speak Spanish and in a pinch am able to communicate just fine with someone speaking Portugues.

"Anybody know why the teams had drivers while they were in Africa?"

I believe it was more of a combination of crazy roads and the driving on the left. Just because Mozambique was not a British Colony doesn't mean they can't drive on the left. Look at Japan. They were never a British Colony and they drive on the left. Check out Wikipedia for more info. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Driving_on_the_left_or_right

Hey James- you are the jerk for getting my hopes up that i could somehow see the remaining episodes without waiting. I hope you and your spam have a horrible day