After a mandatory rest period in Mendoza, the remaining eight teams, received, in their staging order, with Greg and Lynn first, their next instructions: drive through the lush countryside of Mendoza province, with glimpes of snow covered Andes to the Cabaña La Guatana, a horse farm in the small town of La Lunta where caballos criollos, the creole horses, are raised.
Here, a Roadblock directed each team to have one person participate in a Gaucho challenge. In something like a barrel race, the horse and rider must complete a circuit around barrels and poke a stick through a ring suspended over the course in under 40 seconds. One by one the teams competed, with some riding fast and easily, and others, with more difficulty. Joyce of the Uchenna and Joyce team, fell twice before managing on her third try. Deanna of Ray and Deanna, couldn't control her horse and Ray's comments weren't helpful. Though they arrived late, Rob and Amber made up their time with Rob’s fast circuit. Patrick of Susan and Patrick, rejected his mother's advice.
Following this challenge, the teams drove to Mendoza airport for either a morning or afternoon flight on Aerolineas Argentina to Buenos Aires. The first arrivals on the early flight rejoiced that Rob and Amber were not aboard, but their laughs turned to dismay when the plane was Delayed a few moments to allow Rob and Amber, who had raced to the airport, to board.
In the capital city, because they were last on, Rob and Amber’s luggage came out first,and they took the lead. The teams took taxis to the red-brick English clock, the Torre de las Iglesias, where a mysterious-looking man in a black hat and coat gave them their next destination: Tigre, 20 miles nothwest by train from the Retiro station. See this interactive map and these photos of Tigre. On the delta of the Parana and several other rivers flowing into the Rio de la Plata, the teams faced a Detour: Shipwreck or Island.
If they chose the shipwreck, they had to search the river for a wrecked ferry boat, using a 30 year old photo of the ferry as their only help. If they chose Island, they had to find the island of San Antonio, four miles away in the confusing channels of the delta. For both challenges, the teams boarded rubber rafts with outboard motors. Some raced away, some limped. Some teams had boat problems, with leaks or failing engines and had to be given another boat. At either the abandoned boat or the island, they picked up their next clue.
Another frantic taxi ride took the teams to the beautifully landscaped b]La Martina Polo Ranch in Vincente Casares. When Rob and Amber came in first, they won a five night trip, flights included, to London. Brian and Greg arrived next, then the remaining teams, with mother and son team of Susan and Patrick arriving last and being eliminated from the race.
Discuss The Amazing Race, the behavior of the contestants, and the next destination in the South America for Visitors Forum.
Update: Following their pit stop in Buenos Aires, the remaining seven teams hop a plane for Johannesburg, South Africa. My coverage ends here, but I did watch the Fifth Episode. I wonder if after seeing Rob and Amber in action once again, and this time being the only team not to stop and inquire or offer assistance when another team had an accident and a photographer injured: what does this do to their image of All-American favorite couple? Not mine.
The Amazing Race 7 - Third Stop: Argentina
The Amazing Race 7 - Second Stop: Chile
The Amazing Race 7 - First Stop: Peru