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Oh yeah, Brook & Claire basically tell Jill that she is a coattail riding non-factor when Thomas points out that Jill is on the team, too. They proclaim, “We know who the mastermind is.” Way to belittle a woman who is already struggling to prove herself worthy of this Fighting Irishman.

The teams hit the ground in Hong Kong and Jill & Thomas reclaim their lead briefly by being the only team on the first bus to the ferry. But just as Thomas feared/predicted, Team HSN and the doctors jump aboard the ferry at the last minute. Nick & Vicki are feeling the effects of how asthma can slow you down on the race. Vicki’s lack of breath kept them from joining the pack, so they are now 30 minutes behind. Nick reverts to more hostility when she apologizes. She is reduced to tears and he encouragingly tells her to “Quit crying.” Looks like the tears he shed during his interview at the beginning were of the crocodile variety.

As the first ferry docks, the footrace is really only between Jill & Thomas and Nat & Kat as Claire is having a hard time keeping up and frustration is mounting for Brook. The leading teams find the clue and are tied. They are directed to take another ferry back ashore and then locate Majesty Chinese Restaurant. Despite Claire being the albatross around Brook’s neck, the girls get the clue and are back with the other two teams on the ferry.

Back on the pity party ferry, Nick says he wishes they had never come on the race because it is the most stress he has ever had in this life. We just may have our first Amazing Race quitter on our hands, which is insane considering they are so close to the end.

Nat & Kat are the first off the return ferry and the first at the restaurant. Thank you, Amazing Race, for fueling the stereotype about the omnipresence of Asian karaoke. It’s time for a Roadblock that asks “Who is feeling a bit peckish?” On an enormous buffet table of food, the person must find one of only five pieces of fake food. The catch is that if they select a piece and it is real, they have to eat it. It’s like a needle in an edible haystack.

To keep Kat from violating her vegetarian palette again, Nat steps up for them. Jill &Thomas arrive next and Thomas is the one taking on the task. They are all quickly joined by Brook & Claire. The latter is performing the task and the former is performing her own dance club routine on stage with the karaoke singers. With her goading them, Kat and Jill briefly join in but Brook continues to do whatever she can to be the center of attention by running around the dining area.

No amount of “Claire” chants that Brook incites can change the fact that Nat finds a piece of fake food relatively quickly. The doctors are the first to leave the Roadblock. The next clue tells them to find a statue of Bruce Lee on the Avenue of Stars. With no complications, they get there and have a Detour to complete.

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