When we raced over to Taiwan this leg, it was a little more special for me because this is where I pretty much started my life working in Asia.  Before that, I was all set to become a starving actor in Hollywood.  However, almost exactly ten years ago, I was offered the opportunity to move to Taiwan to learn Mandarin and become a VJ (video jockey) for MTV.  Of course, I took the offer and it's been one helluva ride since getting bitten by the Asia bug...or lion!



Now, this leg of the race was really challenging for everyone, especially the teams because they had to drive themselves in Taipei.  It's tough enough driving in Taiwan already, but it's even more difficult if you don't speak Chinese cuz not too many people there speak English.  Even though the teams found themselves driving aimlessly in all parts of Taipei city, our host team still worked quickly to pop off the shots we needed.



Along the way, we even found a small pocket of time to hit up Xi Men Ding for some grubbin Ay-Chung Mian Xian...



...and also one of my old favorites, bubble tea with "pearls" (but you can still find these outlets anywhere in Taiwan)...



After that, it was off to the pit stop to prepare for the teams' arrival.  By now, some of the teams were working on the stinky tofu, which really is some nasty stuff.  However, the task wouldn't be so difficult if the bowl wasn't so humongous.  I think the amount that the team member had to put down was enough to put anyone down...even if it did taste good!



People always ask me how long we have to wait for the teams to arrive.  If we're all lucky, the teams all come in within several hours so it isn't too bad.  In this leg, I later found out we'd all be waiting until daybreak for the final team to check in.  Our cameraman Yves was feeling the fatigue...



...I even started doing some meditation in an attempt to make the night "race" by faster.



Of course, waiting for the final team is the worst, especially when you start seeing the sun making its move up the skyline from the east...



And just as everyone is about to run out of steam, father and son team Niroo and Kapil finally arrive after a seemingly endless night and are eliminated.  Even though it's always tough to see another team go, I could still put on a smile cuz we could all now get some much-needed rest...



And with this next pit stop lasting over fifteen hours, I was definitely going to need every single minute of our short rest before our call time. 

Tell you all about that next time! 

I had the chance to play some regulation basketball last week on our celebrity team in the Geylang Serai Basketball Tournament.  And since I haven't really balled in a long time, it was nice to get out there and hoop it up a bit.  Some of the actors who showed up for action included  Christopher Lee Ming Shun, Zhang Yao Dong, Tay Ping Hui, and Brandon Wong Zhong Yao...





The last few years in this tournament, we always ended up in second place.  But this time around, we were able to capture the title in extra time.  We all got a medal to show for it...



and even actress Felicia Chin was entertained with our antics on that court that night...



And on the nights where we didn't have a game, it was time to attend the events leading up to the first Formula One Grand Prix in Singapore including the Tag Heuer exhibition held at Paragon with Kimi Raikkonen...



Kimi really didn't seem enthused about doing all this media-related stuff, and I guess that's why he's known as "The Iceman."  Nevertheless, he was chill enough to take a picture with Eunice Olsen, Li Lin, and me before hitting testing out the street circuit with Ferrari...



...but after last night's results, Kimi, Massa, and Ferrari will probably need to "cool" down after their disappointment display in Formula One's firstever night race. 

The race just doesn't seem to let up on the teams, and I think Natalie from Team Thailand was more than ready to just give up.  Fortunately for her, this third leg was the end of the road for her, but Pai Lin seemed like she still had a lot more "race" in her.  I wonder if Pai Lin really started to wonder if she had picked the right partner for this.  But then again, no one really knows until after they start the race when each team member's "true colors" come out under all the pressure, stress, and duress.  And the heat is on...



Even when the teams aren't required to do anything, it can be extremely stressful.  The twenty-five hour bus ride down to Hue was a harrowing and exhausting experience for all.  If you've ever been to Vietnam, then you'll know what I'm talking about in terms of the traffic.  No one in Ho Chi Minh really seems to care about traffic rules and regulations--you just basically have to pretend you're playing the old arcade game "Frogger" to dodge traffic as you make your way to the other side of the street.  On my first trip to Vietnam about five years ago, our cab even got sandwiched and "crushed" between two big trucks as the driver tried to pass against oncoming traffic on a two-lane road.  After that experience, I can't imagine what it would be like to deal with the constant horn-honking from vehicles trying to pass against oncoming traffic on bumpy roads in shoddy buses for twenty-five hours!!



Luckily for me, I got to catch a plane down to Hue to do my shots before the teams arrived...






...and I still know how to keep moving and have fun along the way!



Our team then heads off to Khai Dinh Tomb to pop off the links for the Roadblock...









Despite all the setbacks for the teams, they always move a lot faster than we think so it's time for me to put my shoes back on and "drop" into the Pit Stop for this leg.





We all had a helluva time waiting for the teams to arrive under the sweltering heat that day.  You could easily how physically, emotionally, and psychologically beaten up the teams were that day.  I really don't think any of them had been pushed that hard (or far) in their entire lives.  On the other hand, I also believe that these teams can look back one day on this entire experience and really get a sense of achievement and accomplishment for undertaking and completing all the tough tasks tossed their way...well, almost all the teams!



...and just as the teams are still licking their wounds and trying to get some much-needed rest, another beautiful morning in Hue is upon race so we'll be off racing again soon!

Catch ya then!!

After over a month on the road working and with the race off and running, it was time to go for a short holiday to Bali last week with family and friends.  And it was great to get away and not have to worry about anything while enjoying the beautiful sunsets there...



I stayed at my friend's secluded villa near Echo Beach to just chill out and keep my head relaxed and "in place"...



To change it up a bit, there's even a really decent waterpark called Waterbom for people of all ages to have fun.  Along with the usual waterslides, you've also got rock walls and water balloon wars...





And when you wanna see the sights, you've got the idyllic rice fields and historic temples to take in too...





This temple above is in Ubud right next to the Lotus Cafe, where you can dine and walk a few feet over to do some exploring.  Although Bali has really changed and become more developed over the years, it still is one of my favorite local destinations to get away from the hectic "big city" life. 

...and just after two episodes, there are only eight teams left in The Amazing Race Asia.  I hope William and Isaac enjoyed their time on the race, but I'm sure they won't forget their experience anytime soon!  I think the teams are really starting to wonder what they "signed up for" because this has really become one difficult race.  And if you happened to apply for the show, are you a little relieved that you don't have to do all of this stuff such as the paintball or eating a bowl of scorpions?  On the other hand, it has been inspiring (and entertaining) to see all the teams really dig down deep and persevere through the various tasks that are thrown their way, especially in this second episode which ended lasting almost two days! 

In my three seasons, this is the first episode that got bumped up to a ninety-minute special because there was just too much that happened to these teams.  And if you were able to catch it, you'll know what I am talking about.  Right from the start, teams had a difficult time getting from one place to another.  I think some people might have been surprised to see Mai and Oliver go from first place in the first episode to pulling up the rear in certain portions of the second leg, especially since they are from Thailand too!  I think that just goes to show you that "home court (or country) advantage" really doesn't mean that much because anything can happen...at anytime.



Well, we finally left Thailand and then flew off to Vietnam, and here's a shot of some of the "extra" baggage that we get to lug around from one country to another...





Right after I arrived in Ho Chi Minh City, our host team immediately went out to get the necessary shots for the episode...



Every time I come to Vietnam, the local people are so warm and friendly, especially the children...



...these boys think we're still shooting Season Two!



And this one really knows how to "ham it" up when I "cam it!"





Since the teams had to wait until the morning due to an Hours of Operation, I was able to complete some last-minute filming before speeding off to the pit stop, and there's just so much to see here in Vietnam...





...and if I run out of clothes to wear, there's always a pile of more choices nearby.



At last, I'm set up at the pit stop for this second leg, and we had a helluva time in the pouring rain.  Luckily, the iconic mat held up fine...



...cuz the conditions aren't going to get any easier for any of us, especially the teams!!

Quite honestly, I really wasn't sure how well this third season would go, especially with the success and popularity of the two previous seasons.  So far, I think it's holding up alright thanks to these teams who are more than entertaining us with just showing us all what they're all about under this tough conditions.

I haven't seen the final cut for next week's episode so I'm psyched to see how it all ends up.  I'm also wondering whether another team gets eliminated?    What do you think??