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14th
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So, every now and then I give into the uber girlie and pathetic world of reality TV (I can guarantee a majority of you just clicked off this blog, hopefully to return next week when I promise never to mention this fetish again). I know, horrible of me; but I promise you it's a good one.
I've been watching The Amazing Race for nearly a decade now. They're on season 11 and I've watched every single moment of every single episode. I'm obsessed because it's all about travel, the world and the dynamic relationship between two people stressed out of their brains as they race around the globe to win $1 million dollars. It's quite entertaining and I implore anyone who hasn't watched it to get over the reality-TV stigma and give it a go. You won't be disappointed.
After 11 seasons, I was sure I'd stop seeing a common trend amongst the travelling teams; because it never fails: someone always fails to complete a leg of the race (or at least come in dead last and, therefore, be eliminated) because they can't drive stick.
Yup. Out $1 million because you didn't think to learn how to put a vehicle into first gear before heading out to be on The Amazing Race. I would assume those who apply to be on the show are fans of the series and so have seen, season after season, teams stall, breakdown and basically bow out because they can't get their brand new Ford vehicles (which have been the show's only vehicles since the beginning) into that all-important first gear on the streets of Czechoslovakia.
As usual, the last episode I watched which featured the final four teams racing for the $1 million, showed a team of twin sisters who fell dangerously to last spot because the sister who'd promised to learn manual for the race only took one lesson at home and thought that was enough to get by. Lurching, stalling, and causing traffic in Barcelona, Spain only made the situation worse and their strong team spirit dissipated as quickly as their lead did.
While most of us will never be featured on a show like The Amazing Race, that's no excuse not to learn how to drive a manual vehicle. It's an invaluable lesson to learn, in my opinion, and one that will no doubt come in handy down the road (quite literally).
Whether you learn when you earn your license, or choose to take lessons with a friend or family member: Learn. Just do it.
Imagine you have to get a friend home from a party after he's had one too many and his car is manual, or you have to drive a family member to the hospital and they only have a stick-shift available, or you're on a race for $1 million dollars and in the lead...
I've been watching The Amazing Race for nearly a decade now. They're on season 11 and I've watched every single moment of every single episode. I'm obsessed because it's all about travel, the world and the dynamic relationship between two people stressed out of their brains as they race around the globe to win $1 million dollars. It's quite entertaining and I implore anyone who hasn't watched it to get over the reality-TV stigma and give it a go. You won't be disappointed.
After 11 seasons, I was sure I'd stop seeing a common trend amongst the travelling teams; because it never fails: someone always fails to complete a leg of the race (or at least come in dead last and, therefore, be eliminated) because they can't drive stick.
Yup. Out $1 million because you didn't think to learn how to put a vehicle into first gear before heading out to be on The Amazing Race. I would assume those who apply to be on the show are fans of the series and so have seen, season after season, teams stall, breakdown and basically bow out because they can't get their brand new Ford vehicles (which have been the show's only vehicles since the beginning) into that all-important first gear on the streets of Czechoslovakia.
As usual, the last episode I watched which featured the final four teams racing for the $1 million, showed a team of twin sisters who fell dangerously to last spot because the sister who'd promised to learn manual for the race only took one lesson at home and thought that was enough to get by. Lurching, stalling, and causing traffic in Barcelona, Spain only made the situation worse and their strong team spirit dissipated as quickly as their lead did.
While most of us will never be featured on a show like The Amazing Race, that's no excuse not to learn how to drive a manual vehicle. It's an invaluable lesson to learn, in my opinion, and one that will no doubt come in handy down the road (quite literally).
Whether you learn when you earn your license, or choose to take lessons with a friend or family member: Learn. Just do it.
Imagine you have to get a friend home from a party after he's had one too many and his car is manual, or you have to drive a family member to the hospital and they only have a stick-shift available, or you're on a race for $1 million dollars and in the lead...
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| Photo: Sébastien D'Amour |