'The Amazing Race' Recap: 'This Is the Most Stupid Day Ever (Lijang, China)'

[The Amazing Race - Season 18 Episode 4]

Yokosuka, Japan. The teams left their last pit stop and were given a clue to head to Lijang, China and find the Jade Dragon Mountain. There are limited available flights so the racers were given tickets from Japan to Kunming, China where the racers then could find their own flights to Lijang. In the beginning of the leg, Justin noted that Zev got to sit in the back seat for the first two legs.

Departure Times
1) Zev & Justin 8:44pm
2) Gary & Mallory 9:29pm
3) Ron & Christina 9:38pm
4) Kisha & Jen 9:50pm
5) Flight Time & Big Easy 10:01pm
6) Jet & Cord 10:34pm
7) Kent & Vyxsin 11:33pm
8) Margie & Luke 11:52pm
9) Jamie & Cara 12:42am

Jen recalled that the last time in China, she called Luke a bitch, but was truly sorry. Jet had a dumb moment when he tried to get on the wrong side of the car and quipped how everything was backwards. Kent & Vyxsin tried to believe that they were going to have PMA - Positive Mental Attitude. It instantly went out the window when the two couldn't figure out the car situation. They ran aimlessly and returned to the car and pressed the correct button to unlock their car. Jamie & Cara had one of their lowest points in their last race and noted that they have an opportunity for a fresh start.

At 4:30am, Zev & Justin arrived at the airport. Vyxsin was confused and lost and started to cry. Kent couldn't figure out how to get to a highway and suggested that they should just take the local roads. All the teams arrived except for Kent & Vyxsin at the airport. Night continued to pass as Vyxsin struggled to gain her composure. By 6:30am, all the teams were checking in to the required flight, but there were three hours until the flight left. Vyxsin checked her compass and realized that the two were going the wrong way. Vyxsin waved the race goodbye as a commercial hit.

Vyxsin continued to panic and it reminded her of the team's Italy meltdown. By 9:20am, Kent & Vyxsin still weren't at the airport and by 9:50am, the required flight to China left. The two talked to the counter at the airport and got a flight in the afternoon. The two left at 3:30pm, but by Kunming 7:17pm all the other teams arrived. Jamie & Cara wanted to research a train versus a plane. Ron & Christina talked to a local and he researched train departure times on his computer. They decided to grab a train and left at 8:50pm. Several teams tried to go to the train, but missed the 8:50pm. The rest of the teams (outside of Kent & Vyxsin) left on the 10:16pm train.

At 1:35am, Kent & Vyxsin arrived but had no options to get to Lijang because everything was closed. Early morning 5:38am, Ron & Christina took a taxi to grab some dragon buns for breakfast. Ron & Christina sat in the shuttle until the bus left at 8am. In the morning, Kent & Vyxsin struggled with Vyxsin's passport, but managed to get a flight. All the other teams made it to the shuttle bus. At 8:15am, Kent & Vyxsin arrived and headed to Jade Dragon Mountain.

On the shuttle, teams worried about what they had to do next pointing out the interesting yaks and the landscape. The teams ran to the clue box and found out that they indeed had to deal with yaks. They had to properly saddle and ride a yak. Each team set up their yaks, but Cord was ahead since he knew how to prep an animal for riding. Zev struggled with getting on the yak as Jet watched and laughed.

The teams got a clue to ride the gondola to Spruce Meadow. Jamie & Cara was the first team, as the rest of the teams caught up. Teams started to worry about altitude sickness as they slowly got higher. Jamie & Cara led the pack, but Margie, Flight Time, and Ron started to complain about the altitude. Roadblock asked which person had the "Charmed Life," The contestant had to find the 12 animals of the zodiac and place the correct order. Each of the contestants took notes and started running. Christina knew all the animals and repeated them all in Chinese.

Jen and Jamie had five each while Cord tried to make rooster sounds to get the rooster. Kent & Vyxsin finally arrived at the yak ride as several teams got most of their pendants. Luke was first to collect all of the pieces as he, Mallory, and Christina started to assemble. Mallory was the first to finish and told Luke how to place his pieces. The clue told the racers to take marked busses to "Old Town." She was followed quickly by Christina and Luke.

Cord finished in fourth and he was followed by Cara, Jen, and Big Easy. Each untangled as Big Easy finished first and yelled loudly as he ran past confused Chinese tourists. Zev couldn't figure out where one of his puzzle pieces was. Cara finished and headed out as Zev hunted for the rabbit. Jen left as Zev was still left confused. Vyxsin finished the yak ride and the two headed to the gondola.

Zev finally found the rabbit after the commercial, but didn't understand how to hang the pieces up. Jet & Cord noticed that on the gondola back that Kent & Vyxsin were on the way up. Gary & Mallory got the first marked bus. As they left, Ron & Christina took a small kart thinking that it was the marked bus. Several teams correctly got on a bus and headed out.

Justin screamed at Zev that Kent & Vyxsin arrived. Kent explained that they had car issues and then wondered if they had a time penalty for taking the wrong flight. Ron melted down as they saw the correct bus pass them. Christina tried to stop the bus and luckily for them, Flight Time & Big Easy saw the issue and stopped the bus and Ron & Christina got on. They thanked Flight Time & Big Easy and the two continued to drive.

Zev untangled the pieces as Vyxsin slowly amassed the 12 zodiac pieces. Gary & Mallory arrived at Old Town followed by Margie & Luke. Each teammate had to locate their sign and make a wish. Gary & Mallory and Margie & Luke then got a detour clue for either Hammer [Pulverize candy with a hammer and then pack them correctly] or Horn [Carry a large horn to a palace]. Margie & Luke and Gary & Mallory both agree to do hammer. They were followed by Ron & Christina and Jet & Cord

Flight Time didn't know what his sign was and just guessed every mix of zodiac signs. Kisha & Jen and Jamie & Cara both knew their signs and headed off. Back at the roadblock, Zev still didn't know what was wrong with the zodiac order, but Vyxsin couldn't find her pieces. Zev realized that he had two goats, but no horse; he ran back and found a horse and correctly placed it. He received his clue and headed out as Vyxsin stood around confused and couldn't think.

Flight Time & Big Easy finally figured out their signs and finally headed out to the detour. Margie & Luke and Gary & Mallory ran to get to the hammer but Ron's mind was on food and wanted to stop to get a snack; Christina had to snap him back into place as they ran. Margie & Luke and Gary & Mallory watched the demonstration and the two started to hammer. Jet & Cord, Kisha & Jen, Ron & Christina finally got to the hammering detour and started to work; except for Ron who just wanted to eat. Jamie & Cara looked at the Horn detour and realized it was too heavy for them to deal with and switched tasks. Zev & Justin got off the gondola as Vyxsin was still in tears trying to look for her last piece.

After the commercial, Vyxsin finally found her twelfth piece and started to untangle as Zev & Justin got shuttled to Old Town. All the other teams started to hammer; Gary & Mallory, Jet & Cord, and Margie & Luke finished. They were given the clue to go to the Eternal Tower, their pit stop. Kisha & Jen left in fourth. Christina chopped the food because of Ron's bumbling ways, but they finished in fifth. Ron continued to eat as they left. Flight Time & Big Easy struggled with directions for the horn detour.

Zev & Justin arrived at the zodiac wishing box, screamed out their signs, and selected horn as Vyxsin finally finished the detour and headed to the gondola. Gary & Mallory, Jet & Cord, and Margie & Luke started to run up as they looked for the Eternal Tower. Margie & Luke arrived in first place and won a trip to Aruba. Phil dropped the bomb on them and they were still racing. We got a montage of all the teams checking in as Kent & Vyxsin took the gondola and the marked bus. Zev & Justin wandered around confused holding on to the horn not even worrying about Kent & Vyxsin and not aware that all the racers had checked in. Kent & Vyxsin finally got onto the shuttle as they realized that they lost their fanny pack at the gondola and needed to turn back.

Standing as of Leg Four
1) Margie & Luke
2) Jet & Cord
3) Gary & Mallory
4) Ron & Christina
5) Kisha & Jen
6) Flight Time & Big Easy
7) Jamie & Cara
Zev & Justin - Still on Detour
Kent & Vyxsin - Lost Fanny Pack at Gondola

Roadblock: Luke, Cord, Cara, Mallory, Jen, Zev, Big Easy, Christina, Vyxsin.

Detour
Hammer
Margie & Luke
Gary & Mallory
Ron & Christina
Jet & Cord
Kisha & Jen
Jamie & Cara (Switched from Horn)

Horn
Flight Time & Big Easy
Zev & Justin

Next Week: Kent & Vyxsin are still in the back, but a double U-Turn may come into play.