The Amazing Race

I think the thing that is the most amazing about The Amazing Race is.....

These people have done all of these legs we watched over the months in 21 days. I went to Sri Lanka for work a few years back. The flight with layovers is about 25 hours. I can tell you now, I did not come running off that plane. I was so damn tired I'm surprised I mad it to the hotel.

If you've never been to Sri Lanka, It takes forever to get your bags. Then you spend a while clearing customs. After this, it's out into the heat of Sri Lanka only to be mobbed by crazed taxi drivers competing to get your fare. On the Amazing Race, this is where the pampered folks start to cry about heat, filth, and poverty. Once in a cab, you're off to the hotel. The streets are dark and people and animals dart across out of nowhere on foot. I rode to the hotel half awake, and in awe of all the religious statues adorned in crazy flickering lights.

When I was in Sri Lanka, the war with the Tamils was still brewing. There were military checkpoints everywhere. Streets were closed at random to make it harder for terrorism. It also made the trip to the hotel a lot longer. The checkpoints were a bit brutal. Don't get me wrong some of the guards were nice and wanted to talk about living in California. The other guards leered at you as if you shouldn't be here.

Once at the hotel, I was ina bit of culture shock with the food. The hamburger I ordered arrived with a fried egg on it. This taught me a great lesson, stay away from western food. Once I learned this, the food was amazing. Some of the rice and meet dishes were spicy and wonderful.

I will never be able to run the Amazing Race, and my trip to Sri Lanka was as close as I am going to get. I had to go there twice. I really learned to love the people and the place. Plus, on the way back I got some free time in Thailand which is a cool place to visit.