Brazil 4: Sleepy Rio De Janeiro

29 April 20123 February 2014 Simon

Previously on the Amazing Exclusive race. After spending days relaxing on the beach in and around the seaside town of Trinadade, Team Australia traveled by bus to the Rio De Janeiro. There they took a cab up into the hills to the fashionable suburb of Santa Teresa.

Upon arrival at their accommodation, the team were given their challenge for this leg of the race. They were to undertake two tasks. First they were to locate a Churrascaria and sample Brazil’s take on asado. Their second task was to purchase as many Havaianas as they were able to carry. After they had finished reading the clue, the team set off down this hill into Centro.

Arriving in the centre of town, Simon and Ang immediately noticed the difference in Rio. As it was not carnival there were considerably fewer people about on the streets. There also were few businesses open, but there was almost a complete lack of shoe shops. After consulting the internet, Simon and Ang decided that they would need to head further south towards Copacabana beach.


Dead Rio center	Rio central street

They made their way along the quiet Rio streets into the evening. Eventually it became clear that they would not have any luck as the only places now opened were restaurants. Simon and Ang decided that they would be better off completing the Churrascaria challenge and then starting early the next morning by heading to Copacabana to purchase the Havaianas to complete their second challenge.

Tasty Churras was eaten at a traditional Brazilian place nearby, and the team headed back up the hill to Santa Teresa and their accommodation. On the way back, they decided to check out a couple of the cool bars that had opened before calling it a night.

Funky rio mansion party street

Early the next morning the team woke and headed out. They raced down the hill and were soon on the metro to Copacabana beach. Arriving they ran around the streets until they found an open shop that had Havaianas. Simon and Ang were amazed at the cheap prices and bought as many as they could carry. With their purchase complete, the shop keeper gave them their next clue. They were to head to the beach and there, in honour of the Portuguese word for hello, the pending 2014 world cup and Olympics, complete the aussie aussie, oi, oi video challenge.


Abandoned thongs!	Rio bar (non carnival)

Simon opted to do the yelling and making a fool of himself, much to the amusement of the Brazilians nearby. While they were filming, the team noticed the virtually empty beaches, a stark contrast from the hordes of people seen a few months earlier. With the video challenge completed, the team received their next clue.

Excited, Simon and Ang ripped open the envelope. They were to make their way to Manchester, England! The envelope included enclosed tickets and they read that they would need to be at the airport in two hours time in order to catch the flight! Without a moment to delay, the team raced back to the subway station. There they took the metro back to Centro and then a bus up to Santa Teresa and their accommodation. Their hosts called a cab for them and the team were quickly racing past the Sambadrome to the airport.

At the airport, the cab pulled into drop off bay. The team quickly paid their cab driver, and ran into the airport, where they checked into the flight, and queued to get through security. The first leg would take them back to São Paulo for a third time.

Rio airport

Their flight departed and they were able to see the Cidade Maravilhosa one last time from the air. A quick 30 minute hop later and their aircraft descended once more into the biggest city in the southern hemisphere. The team changed planes, confirmed their luggage had been transferred for the next leg to Zurich with the airline ground staff. Then it was a waiting game until the plane departed soon after sunset.

While they waited for their flight, Simon and Ang reflected on their time in South America. They were both sad to leave that magnificent continent, having thoroughly enjoyed each and every leg of the race there. They also knew that whilst it would be awesome, the Amazing Exclusive Race would have to come to an end at some point. But this reflection came to an end quickly as the final boarding call was announced and minutes later their plane was airborne and heading over the Atlantic north to Europe.

Overnight the plane flew, landing as the sun rose in Switzerland. There they changed planes and joined a small group of commuters heading to England. A short hour later and their plane descended into Manchester.

The team cleared customs and went out to collect their luggage. Simon’s bag had arrived but Ang’s had been left in Zurich! Simon and Ang laughed that out of all the flights through the supposedly disorganised Americas, they had not once lost their luggage. While it was bound to happen, it ironically was caused by the organised and efficient Swiss. Chuckling the team filled out the lost luggage paperwork. Once this had been completed, the luggage lady surprisingly gave the team their next clue. They were to head east to the small town of Hexham, the pitstop for this leg of the race.

Energised and lighter, the team raced out of the airport into the cold and boarded a train to Carlisle. There they changed to a regional rattler for the final stretch of their journey to Hexham, after 24 hours of travel. Simon and Ang ran the final meters to the door of the Janie and David’s, the pitstop for this leg of the race. There they were welcomed and congratulated on being the first team to arrive.

One more station to Hexham

Wintery Hexham

Simon and Ang promptly celebrated by having a hot shower and celebratory hot Milo drink with Janey and David, taking full advantage of the optional rest period.

Argentina 5: Mendoza Wineries

11 April 201231 January 2013 Simon

Previously on the Amazing Exclusive Race, one team of two raced from the funky cultural town of Valparaiso to Santiago, the capital of Chile. Having received a clue to make their way to Argentina, they book a ticket on a fast Tica international bus over the Andes. While they waited over night for their bus to depart they checked out the city’s best eatery neighborhoods before they returned to their Plaza Del Armas hostel to rest ahead of the next day’s journey.

Waking late the next morning in true Latin American style, the team checked out of the hostel and raced to the bus station. They quickly boarded the midday bus to Mendoza and were soon heading east over the Andes towards Argentina. Their bus was virtually empty of passengers and made its way through vineyards and up the windy roads and switchbacks into the high Andes.


Bus station souvenirs?	Climbing up into the Andes

At the integrated border control (Chilean and Argentine customs officials in the same booths side by side), they got their exit and entry stamps and were once again back in Argentina. The bus snaked its way down the valley towards Mendoza city where they arrived in the later afternoon at the bus station. The team raced to their accommodation and checked in. There they commenced their first Mendoza challenge, they were to wait until the morning when they would be given their next clue.


Snake road	Decaying avalanche protection for a train line no longer functioning

Early the next morning, Simon and Ang were given their next task. They read the clue and couldn’t believe their luck. They were to set off with Trout and Wine tours on a trip around the wineries of Mendoza. Joining them on this challenge were teams from America, Paraguay, and England and New Zealand.

The first vineyard the teams visited was Mendel, a smallish place with limited production focusing on quality. There the team tasted a selection of wines and marveled at the wine making process, and the old adobe construction of the facility.


First winery of the tour	Delicious Malbec

Mendel’s sorting room


Grapes ready for the next stage of wine making	Picking out the twigs

Back in the van the teams all jumped and drove to the larger facility of Dante Robino. This vineyard produces about 100 times the production of the first. The group toured the architecturally designed facilities, then headed to the tasting room. Once again a range of great wines were drunk. For team Australia this was an education as they were able to try some varieties that were new for them. These included a glasses of Torrontés and Bonarda.


Late harvest grapes	Old Dante truck


Vines!	Argentine wine maker next to some barrels


Aging barrels with art works on display	Barrel art


Wine bunker	Dante’s tasting offerings


Dante Robino whites tasting… nice!	Mighty Dante Malbecs

With tasting completed, the team raced back to the van and were driven to their next stop. Arriving at Topaz, they embarked on a quick tour and olive oil tasting before they entered the lunch room. There the team’s challenge was to eat a five course meal that, being in Argentina, involved a huge amount of meat and of course matching wines to suit each course. Simon remarked that “it was a ridiculous amount of meat, easily +800gs of prime Argentine beef, so while probably not good for your long term health, I could get used to doing this”. Sadly the challenge was over all too soon and the teams were allowed to leave the dining room.


Lunch at Topaz!	Non beef entré

Beef based main (Argentina knows steak)

Despite wanting to have an afternoon nap, the team piled back into the van and drove to the last vineyard for the day, the historic Bodegas Lynch. Once again, the facility was of adobe construction, a large collection of historic gaucho ponchos and included a massive asado hall and the typical subterranean aging cavern. The final wine tasting was sublime. The team enjoyed the range of wines they tried and just wished that they could take time out from the race to arrange to ship some of the wines home.


HDR barrel bunker	Final tasting stop for the day

With the final vineyard toured, the last glass sipped, Ang very merry and dancing around, the team received their next clue. They were to head back into the nearby Andes and on to Aconaguaga national park. Happy they had finished a great stage of the race, the team jumped back in the van and were driven back to their accommodation. There they enjoyed an involuntary rest period.

After waking, and because they had yet to have enough Malbec, the team headed out to dinner. They enjoyed another fine steak and with it more fine Malbec before returning once again to their accommodation for rest ahead of the next day’s challenges.


Pre dinner drinks	Ang is still impressed by the Argentine Malbecs

….To be continued.

Peru 4: Puno and Lake Titicaca

26 January 201213 May 2012 Simon

Ang and Simon again woke early, pulled on their backpacks and went out to the street. They hailed a passing taxi and were driven to the Peru train rail station.

There, along with about 15 other Exclusive Race teams, they boarded the Andean Explorer, a luxury rail experience operated in partnership with the Orient Express company. This train journey takes passengers through the stunning Andean mountains to the city of Puno, high on the shores of Lake Titicaca.

Classy interior of the Cuzco to Puno train

Simon and Ang’s tasks were to enjoy the luxury, eat delicious food, watch performances of traditional folk music and take photos of the countryside and people on and around the tracks.


The in-locomotion entertainment	Mothers of all pan pipes

The train’s route passed through the suburbs of Cuzco and up the Andes to a 4300m high pass where they briefly stopped to take pictures and bargain for some locally spun llama wool handicrafts. Ang was able to net a fine baby llama wool scarf bargain. The train then descended slightly as it made its way through pastures filled with alpacas and llamas and the occasional busy market town.


The engine	High altitude stop to shop and take in the thin air


Friendly Peruvian road workers	Little wooly Llama


Markets, On train line!	Stalls built right up to the carriage line


Two kids wave the train on	Friendly Peruvian fisherman

Southern Peruvian landscape

During this journey, Simon was tasked with mixing the perfect Pisco Sour in front of all other passengers. This was not an easy task as the whole train rocked, making it hard to complete a steady pour. Simon persevered and after completing the mix was awarded the next clue by the bar tender and he also got to drink his handiwork.


Simon sampling the pisco sour he just made as part of the mix a drink on a moving train challenge	The view from the open back of the train

The next clue required the team to visit the Uros Islands, artificial floating reed islands that lay off the coastline from Puno. However hours of operation were 9am to 5pm, so once they arrived in Puno they found suitable accommodation for the night and tried to stay dry during several mighty downpours.

That evening, Simon and Ang met up with another team from Australia who consisted of a Russian chick and Welsh guy, and had been on the Cuzco to Puno train journey. Maria and Tony had been given the same next challenge, so over dinner they hatched a plan to join forces for the next day to negotiate a boat to the floating islands.

Early the next afternoon the team boarded a classic lake cruiser for the 30 minute ride to the islands. Once there they were given a brief talk in Spanish about how the islands are constructed. The team walked around the spongy islands and were asked by the five families to view their wares.

Simon enjoying the sun on lake titicaca as the team head to the floating island challenge

Simon and Ang lounge inside of their slow boat to the floating islands


The teams are shown how the islands are constructed	The floating village

Both teams completed their short stay on the island and were given their next clue. They raced back to the Plaza de Armas, were both teams were first to arrive at the pit stop for this leg of the race.

United States 5: Los Angeles to San Francisco

11 August 201125 August 2011 Simon

After the optional rest period, the team were the first up and out of the dorm room at the hostel. They headed to Union Station and boarded the Coast Starlight (also known by some as Coast Starlate) for the 10-hour train trip north to San Francisco.


Free IQ tests!	Capital Records


Union Station	Inside Union Station

The team was treated to a rolling scene as the train rumbled north through the sprawl of LA onto Santa Barbara and along the Pacific Coast. The large number of eucalyptus trees and coastline reminded Angela and Simon of parts of southern Victoria. Simon commented at one point that “it was excellent to see so many gum trees, growing like weeds. Finally, a little native Australian battler gets revenge”.


Santa Barbara Station	Coast Starlight by daylight

The train took the team through Vandenberg air force base after hugging the coast for a bit. The base was relatively uninteresting as all launch sites (including the shuttle site) were empty.


Surplus shuttle launch pad	The view at lunch

Feed us!

Sunset was enjoyed in the scenic observation car with a glass of Californian red. There the team, along with a younger version of Charlie Sheen (before he started ‘winning’), played ‘guess what is growing in that field’ and tried to follow the ranting of a rather opinionated northern Californian girl whose topics of conversation included, among others, Vikings, feminism, Obama and cheese.

Sunset over the fields

Eventually, the train arrived 45 minutes late at Oakland and there the team boarded a bus to the Ferry Building in San Francisco. This was the pit stop for this leg of the race.

Finally in Oakland