In the seventh leg of The Amazing Race Australia, our teams ventured into the heart of the country, the Northern Territory.
As the teams disembarked the plane, there was no time for picking up a Darwin magnet from the airport gift shop. Beau had a surprise waiting in the form of a Stowaway team: The Footy Mates. MJ and Chelsea are premiership winning AFLW players, with the brains and brawn to rattle the Race.
Once teams got over the shock of The Stowaways, it was onto crocs. Under the guidance of trained animal handlers, teams carried a crocodile to be measured and removed the tape from around its mouth, before releasing it into the water. The Besties had a rough time, with Jess visibly terrified throughout the challenge.
At the Detour, teams chose between Treat It or Eat it. Teams that chose Eat It, had to make a Laksa to the satisfaction of Darwin’s Laksa Queen. Teams that chose Treat It, had to go to the Royal Flying Doctors Service and treat three wounds on a patient, to the exact specifications of the field manual.
The Laksa challenge left The Gold Coast Girls in tears, and it wasn’t because of the spice factor. The Laksa Queen wasn’t letting substandard Laksa get past her lips and kept sending the girls back to the kitchen.
That’s not a Roadblock, this is a Roadblock! In the next challenge, teams headed to the lagoon made famous by the film Crocodile Dundee. One team member had to swim in crocodile infested waters to retrieve a knife located on top of a pontoon. Once they had their knife back on terra firma, they threw it at a target in order to receive their final clue.
Much to the dismay of The Besties, Jess’ two worst nightmares – reptiles and swimming – fell in love and made a challenge baby. It didn’t help that Sefa spotted a two metre long crocodile, just as Jess’ guts and determination propelled her into that swamp.
After some hilarious attempts to pull herself up and on to the pontoon (including backward climbing feet first), Skye-Blue once again proved she is the nicest person in the Race and helped Jess by handing her a knife.
In their final challenge, teams headed to Hidden Valley Raceway, where they were driven around the track by a drift car driver, while holding a fishbowl filled with water.
Once they managed to keep enough water in their bowl after the turbulent trip around the track, teams made their way to the Pit Stop, above the Pit Stop (see what they did there?). Powerhouse team, The Super Sikhs arrive first, something they seem to be making a habit of. They were followed closely by The Kimberley Cousins and The Footy Mates.
Sadly, The Besties, Sefa and Jess were last to arrive and were eliminated from the Race