Announcement
- Come see my new website at: www.wulander.com
I'm also Twit on Twitter at "wulander"
Wow! I think I'm finally catchin on to this Internet thang! ;-P
My blog
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U-TURN Me On, Geoff and Tisha...
Saturday, Nov 8, 2008 8:42PM / Standard Entry
Well, we just finished up another leg in India, and the teams are really starting to look as tired as they must feel. Actually, all of us in production are really wearing down, but we all still have no qualms cuz where else do you get to see so much of the world in such a short span of time? I'm not sure what this lady below is all about, but I think she must be some sort of a portable religious shrine with the display and small figurine perched atop her head...
I think I might have posted this photo earlier in some other blog, but I absolutely love this shot so here's a boy and his pole again...
If any of you have future aspirations to make it as an air hostess, then this advertisement is pretty compelling. I wonder if "air hosts" can apply too??
With the race trimmed to only four teams, it's become really tight and anything can happen. Singapore team A.D. and Fuzzy were absolutely devastated when they discovered that they were the unfortunate recipients of the dreaded U-Turn from Philippine team Geoff and Tisha. Even though I know some people aren't the biggest fans of Geoff and Tisha, I think they are doing exactly what they need to do to stay in the race and to win it all. Malaysia team Ida and Tania have been really lucky in getting the breaks they need to stay in the race, and it's inspiring to see these two moms continually forge ahead with such a positive and optimistic attitude throughout. Hong Kong team Sam and Vince are really starting to look like the team to beat at this point, but we all know that anything can happen!
When A.D. and Fuzzy finally arrived last to this leg's pit stop, I have never seen them so beaten up mentally AND physically. But then again, a lot of people would probably feel the same way if they had to do both of the Detour tasks while already being in last place. For a moment, people might have thought that they were going to just outright give up and quit. But not A.D. and Fuzzy...I'm sure they've already blown away a lot of people's expectations in terms of how they'd fare in this race, and they only need to make it through a little bit further to at least be in the top three.
Now, while the teams were all roaming aimlessly throughout the crowded streets of Pune to ultimately meet me at the pit stop, I'm once again busy trying to hit up all the spots for my shots...
At last, when the final team has arrived, we can all start wrapping up and take a few pics with the local production crew...
The sun was pretty wicked that day so I figure'd I can even out some color on my face...
And of course, you KNOW I'm more than ready to leap into the next location...and possibly new time zone!
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Into Incredible India
Saturday, Nov 1, 2008 10:38AM / Standard Entry
We finally raced back into India, which is definitely one of the most visual stunning places in the world. No matter where you are in this vast country, there will always be something new for you to see. Everyone is always ready to stop for a photo...
Even the elephants are more than prepared to shake your hand...
Of course, the five remaining teams were too busy trying to complete this leg of the race with the Detour we threw them...
Lugging the 20kg fish to the designated location was no easy feat, but it was probably easier than having to fill in the geometric column design.
The Detour in this leg proved to be critical because the race was down to two teams trying to hold on to the last place to stay in the race. Hong Kong team Sam and Vince and Malaysia team Bernie and Henry both chose to take a flight that ultimately left them arriving later than the rest of the teams so it came down to choosing carefully which Detour could be completed the quickest. Sam and Vince chose wisely with carrying the fish while Henry and Bernie chose to do some coloring, which required a lot of skill and accuracy. With Vince transporting two fish at a time, the Hong Kong team was able to reach the pit stop before Bernie and Henry.At our pit stop here in Cochin, India, we had one of our coolest greeters ever. Wouldn't that be one cool costume for Halloween? Even getting his microphone on was a challenge...
Once he was all "mic-ed" up and ready to greet, it was time to get set for the arrival of the five remaining teams.
...or at least our greeter could sit down and wait while the teams are making their way over to us. And what was I up to?It was time to take it to the air...even if we wouldn't be flying for at least a few hours later!
While one of our crew was really sad over the elimination of Bernie and Henry, I was really happy to wrap up another leg in the race...
And when the day's fun is all done, it's time once again to race off to the airport to prepare for the teams to start the next leg!
C ya again next week!
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Getting Wet and Wild
Saturday, Oct 25, 2008 12:41PM / Standard Entry
With only five teams left in The Amazing Race Asia, there's even less time to waste because there are fewer people to check in at the pit stop. Therefore, our team has to keep running just to stay ahead of them all...
Now, some viewers think I can be a "serious dude" when I'm on camera so I try to "yield" to everyone and strike a balance off camera to even everything out...
But of course, there are just some moments when I just gotta let my hair down and make the most of my time during the race...
...and when I don't feel I'm "camera ready," I'll even try to be the cinematographer myself!
But no matter how much fun we have on the race, it's never fun when you're waiting for hours in the pouring rain for teams to reach the pit stop. This was the "wettest pit stop ever"...and even my shoes refused to work at one point!
But once my Salomon shoes remembered that they're made of Gore-Tex and are waterproof, then it's time to have a splashin good time...
Now back on a more serious note, it's so great to watch how much the teams are enjoying themselves at each pit stop, especially at this stage of the race. All of the teams have really put a lot into the race, and we see how much they want to keep on racing. Fortunately for Tania and Ida, they were able to dodge the bullet once again and not be eliminated. I wonder if they will be able to make up enough ground and get out of last place next leg.I wish we had more time to show more of each leg in longer episodes because there's so much that happens. One hour for each episode is not really sufficient in capturing everything. However, our story producer Ariel does a fantastic job of showcasing the best action from each leg so hats off to her and the editing team. And believe me...it's no easy feat when you have hours upon hours of footage to sift through.And always, no matter how late or wet it is when we check in the last team, we're all smiles to know we can look forward to racing ahead to the next location!
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The First Non-Elmination Round
Sunday, Oct 19, 2008 4:13PM / Standard Entry
So if you think this season's race is tough, try balancing on a conventional rubber street cone in Stanley, Hong Kong...
Actually, just taking this picture and timing it correctly is pretty difficult so props to my cameraman, who's also Bruce Lee's Homeboy!
With only five teams remaining in The Amazing Race Asia, it was about time we had a non-elimination round. But even though this has been one tough race, it was great to see how much Tania and Ida showed how much they still wanted to stay in the race at the pit stop. When you've made it this far, you might as well go as far as you can go. And believe me...there's still quite a ways too!
This leg in Hong Kong turned out to be pretty fast, especially since there were only five teams left and they didn't have to drive themselves either. Sam and Vince were able to capitalize off their lead from the earlier leg and took first place once again. A lot of people always ask me whether teams racing in their home country will have an advantage. Obviously, there might be some instances where a team might know their native city better then foreign teams. On the other hand, there's the added pressure of everyone expecting the home team to just kick ass cuz they are racing on familiar ground. However, I'm sure a lot of us don't know all the sights and sounds of their respective country...including me! It took me over four years before I went to the Singapore Zoo for the first time, and I still haven't checked out well-renowned Night Safari yet. Maybe this is my cue! In the menatime, I'll walk along the edge of the wall at Stanley Gap and do my shots before the teams arrive...
Fortunately, this leg was not yet another "overnight" pit stop like the two in Taiwan, and everyone got a chance to catch up a little on rest. It's amazing how much older we all look at the end of the race compared to the first day. On the other hand, all the lack of rest and racing around is worth it thanks to all you fans. In fact, I just can't stop jumping for joy (or whatever else) this season, especially when I know the teams are almost all checked-in!
Thanks again for all your comments and support, and I'll be back again soon with more juice about the race!
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The Longest Pit Stop...Ever
Friday, Oct 10, 2008 11:36AM / Standard Entry
Just when I thought this season's The Amazing Race Asia couldn't get any more difficult for everyone, I was wrong again. All the remaining teams really had a difficult time driving around the streets of Taipei--and I totally felt for them, especially since I had to wait at the pit stop the entire time they were struggling to complete this leg. As if driving around town wasn't enough, the teams also had to find a correct Blu-Ray disc and also a "souvenir coin" in a coal mine in the outskirts of town. To top it all off, because this leg also had a Fast Forward, our host team had to "set up shop" early at the pit stop a potential early arrival. Even though we were all happy to see the first team of Sam and Vince stroll into the pit stop with their new tattoos, none of us would come close to seeing any of the other teams until late until the night...and even the following morning.
Now, before we to prepare for the arrival of the teams, we still need to complete other shots in different parts of Taipei such as Yang Ming San...
We then drove over to Xi Men Ding to do another link...
With time running out, we found a nearby street to pop off the the final shot before we headed off to the pit stop location at the Taipei Astronomical (NOT Astrological
) Museum...
On this same street, there's a special Chinese massage where they literally light you on fire. Don't try this at home!!
I sometimes forget how rushed everything is during the race to get from one point to another. Of course, when we do finally set up for each pit stop, then it's time to once again play the "waiting game." During the initial portion, we shoot some more PTC's (Piece to Camera) in close vicinity of the pit stop just in case a team "surprises" us...
The first several hours waiting at the pit stop usually aren't too bad. But when the sun has set and everyone is still waiting for teams to arrive, it sometimes seems like an eternity, especially this particular leg. Personally, I'd rather be doing a task or anything for that matter so all this waiting around is pretty tough for me. While some of the crew can take a quick nap...
I'm usually too amped so I have to resort to jumping around to release that extra energy!
People have always asked me what do I do while I'm waiting for teams to reach the pit stop. I wish I could say I'm more productive with reading a book, playing a game on PSP, or even medidating. But me? After the crew is sick and tired of hearing me talk, I usually end up trying to pass the time by attempting to lay down and rest somewhere. Sadly, it fails everytime no matter how tired I am. So in this leg, by the time I go out to perform my first "mobile elimination" this season with Mai and Oliver, over fifteen hours have passed since Sam and Vince checked in the day before.
It's always tough see a team get eliminated, especially after how much they have put in mentally, physically, and emotionally. But at the very least, our production crew can pack it up and get set to fly off to the next location!
Hmmm...I wonder where we go next?
Find Out Next Week!!
Stats
- After graduating from the University of California at Berkeley, ALLAN WU soon realized that his career would veer far away from his Pre-Med major and biotechnology background...
- Occupation: Actor , TV/Radio Host
- Gender: Male
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