I thought TAR already went to Iceland.

The thing I don't like about this show is that very often, all time advantage gained from one leg to another is wiped out because the new leg requires a flight to the next destination, and there is only one flight available. So everyone winds up in a bunch waiting for the flight to board, and the playing field evens out immediately (unfairly, I think).

Yeah, this thread is old (Aug 04). They must have gone to Iceland soon afterwards.

and it's random
 

I like the fact that it all evens out at certain points of the race. It balances out the randomness of some of the events. Most of the time the race is luck. It doesn't really depend on your traveling skills or whatnot. For example, picking the right object out of a dozen. If you pick the right one quickly you get to move on quickly. OTH, if you are not good at guessing which one to pick you are out of luck and may get eliminated.

The only problem is if you don't equalize it at some points team(s) could possibly work up a huge lead on the rest of the pack and then it's no longer good TV. How entertaining would the last few episodes be if the winners were all but determined?

Penalties in Nonelimination Rounds Need Changing
 

The "turn over all your money" and now the added "turn over your backpacks" penalties for teams coming in last at nonelimination rounds have been completely ineffective. In fact, the lack of backpacks may help the team, as they don't need to haul all that stuff around!

I'm thinking of suggesting to Phil that an alternative might be to instead penalize the team upon arrival on the next pit stop mat by 1 or 2 hours.

I'm not sure how things have changed in the last 4 years, but I was in Tirana right after the Kosovo crisis and the streets cleared out totally empty after 9 o'clock at night. That's when the Albanian mafias prey on anyone and everyone.

And there are (were) still blood feuds in the northwestern part of the country.

But my guess is that the population would rise to the notion of the international exposure. The people themselves were delightful.

Rita

asuncion, paraguay

lagos, nigeria

Jakarta, Indonesia

Algeirs, Algeria

Guangzhou or Chongqing China (either one)

They've already done some crapholes like Calcutta and Manila (no offence of course, but neither are very plesant places), but these 5 should round their craphole tour

Canada

I enjoyed that show, and I thought Mongolia looked really beautiful.

Mongolia is a very beautiful country, a little wild sometimes but beautiful. Here are some pics of it HERE ....