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Season 1 Episode 8: "Competition to the Fullest" (October 31, 2001)At the start of this leg, teams had to search the grounds of the Taj Mahal for their next clue, which instructed them to travel to the Palace of the Winds in Jaipur.
Detour: Elephant or Rowboat
This leg's Detour was a choice between Elephant or Rowboat. In Elephant, teams had to ride an elephant up to the Amber Fort and then find a holy man who had their next clue.
In Rowboat, teams had to reach the Jal Mahal water palace using a rowboat and then find a holy man who had their next clue.
Tasks:
Elephant: Read a book with an amber (yellow or orange) cover.
Rowboat: Read a book with a title starting with J or M.
After the Detour, teams were instructed to travel by train to Bikaner and then travel to Karni Mata Temple, where they found their next clue.
Roadblock: "The person who performs this task may want to put on some extra socks."
In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to search the temple, filled with rodents which the locals consider holy, for a canister that contained their next clue.
Task: Read a book with all the letters of RAT in the title.
This directed them to the Pit Stop: the Laxmi Niwas Palace in Bikaner.
I can do the Elephant or Rowboat. Do you have a preference?
Just to clarify, both players need to read for the same detour. So you must both read for Elephant, or both for Rowboat.
Pooja wrote: "Just to clarify, both players need to read for the same detour. So you must both read for Elephant, or both for Rowboat."ok thanks!
Anastasia wrote: "Are we reading for Rowboat?"Oh right, not both books. Yes Rowboat lol
Roadblock: "The person who performs this task may want to put on some extra socks."
A Dream about Lightning Bugs: A Life of Music and Cheap Lessons by Ben FoldsDate read: 02/09/2026
Task: Read a book with all the letters of RAT in the title.
How it fits: RAT in title
Detour: RowboatRowboat: Read a book with a title starting with J or M.
Murder in the Garden by Faith MartinDate read: 03/09/2026
How it fits: Title starts with M
Book: Money Mammoth: Harness The Power of Financial Psychology to Evolve Your Money Mindset, Avoid Extinction, and Crush Your Financial GoalsAuthor: Brad Klontz
Date Read: Sep 3rd
Rowboat: Title - starts with J or M
How it Fits: M
Hi Richard, just letting you know, I was sent in to hospital due to ongoing health issues and so may be not as responsive as usual over next few days
Oh no! That's okay, you take care of you. Health is the main priority. Take your time. I'll be here when you feel well enough to return. Thanks for letting me know. All the best in your recovery! 🧡
Richard wrote: "Oh no! That's okay, you take care of you. Health is the main priority. Take your time. I'll be here when you feel well enough to return. Thanks for letting me know. All the best in your recovery! 🧡"
Thank you
Season 4 Episode 6: "I Could Have Never Been Prepared For What I'm Looking at Right Now" (July 3, 2003)At the start of this leg, teams were instructed to fly to Mumbai, India. Once there, teams had to travel to Film City, where they were directed to ride bicycles through the movie backlot to a Bollywood sound stage, where they found their next clue.
Detour: Suds or Duds
This leg's Detour was a choice between Suds or Duds. In Suds, teams had to find an outdoor laundromat in Dhobi Ghat and hand wash a bundle of clothing to reveal their next clue imprinted on one piece of the clothing.
In Duds, teams had to locate a clothing shop, search through hundreds of saris, find one imprinted with their next clue.
Tasks:
Suds: Read a book with the word 'soap' in the text.
Duds: Read a book tagged 'fashion' at least x5.
After the Detour, teams had to travel to the Sassoon Docks where they found their next clue.
Roadblock: "Who feels like the catch of the day?"
In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to carry twenty fish out of a large catch of mixed fish to the market manager to receive their next clue, which directed them to the Pit Stop: the Gateway of India.
Task: Read a book with 2 or 0 in the page count.
Which one do you think, Richard? I think soap in text might be easier. Are you able to do roadblock this time or do you want me to do it?
I think Soap would be easier. And I can do Roadblock.
Book: Thirty-Nine Years of Short-Term Memory Loss: The Early Days of SNL from Someone Who Was ThereAuthor: Tom Davis
Date Read: Sep 5th
Suds: Text - "soap"
How it Fits: "Jeff put a bar of soap in his sock" p.64
Detour: Suds or DudsSuds: Read a book with the word 'soap' in the text.
Wonton Terror by Vivien ChienDate read: 05/09/2026
How it fits: p29 “inhaling the scent of fresh soap.”
Book: The Sheikh's Batmobile: In Pursuit of American Pop Culture in the Muslim WorldAuthor: Richard Poplak
Date Read: Sep 6th
Roadblock: Pages - 2 or 0
How it Fits: 408 pages
Season 4 Episode 7: "We're Going Down the Wrong Side of The Freeway... and the Lights Are Off!" (July 10, 2003)At the start of this leg, teams were instructed to travel by overnight train to Ernakulam Junction in the Ernakulam neighborhood of Kochi. Once there, teams had to search along a stretch of highway for a clue hidden amongst thousands of yellow-and-red billboards.
Roadblock: "Who can put up a lot of bull?"
In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to take part in bull racing by hanging onto a team of bulls running across a mud course to receive their next clue.
Task: Read a book with a brown cover.
After the Roadblock, teams had to travel to Beach Road to find their next clue.
Detour: Baskets or Trunks
This leg's Detour was a choice between Baskets or Trunks. In Baskets, teams had to load ten live chickens into baskets on a bicycle-powered wagon and then pedal to a farm, where they could exchange the chickens for their next clue.
In Trunks, teams had to load two bales of coir onto an elephant and then ride the elephant to a coir shop, trading their cargo for their next clue.
Tasks:
Baskets: Read a book set (at least partially) on a farm.
Trunks: Read a book set in a tropical climate.
After the Detour, teams had to check in at the Pit Stop: Punnamada Lake in Alleppey.
I can do the Roadblock. Works for another challenge for me.I have a book for Farm.
I think Farm might be easier, as that's the one where it doesn't have to be set there for the majority of the book.
What do you think?
Let’s go with farm then as I have to hunt around for either. Shouldn’t be too hard to find
Season 4 Episode 7: "We're Going Down the Wrong Side of The Freeway... and the Lights Are Off!" (July 10, 2003)Baskets: Read a book set (at least partially) on a farm
The Man in the Brown Suit by Agatha ChristieDate read: 07/09/2026
How it fits: Characters take refuge in a farm outside Johannesburg
Book: Bridge of Words: Esperanto and the Dream of a Universal LanguageAuthor: Esther Schor
Date Read: Sep 7th
Roadblock: Cover - brown
How it Fits:
Book: Farm City: The Education of an Urban Farmer
Author: Novella Carpenter
Date Read: Sep 7th
Baskets: Set - farm (at least partially)
How it Fits: Set partially on a farm, & then on an urban farm
Well done! You've earned your first badge for this challenge.
Season 6 Episode 9: "If You're Going to Whine, Just Shut Up!" (August 31, 2004)At the start of this leg, teams drove themselves to Wild Wadi Water Park, where both team members had to ride down the Jumeirah Sceirah in order to receive their next clue. Teams were then instructed to fly to Kolkata, India. Once there, teams found their next clue at the Shaheed Minar, which instructed them to travel to the Globe Brick Factory in order to find their next clue.
Fast Forward: Shave Heads
In this season's only other Fast Forward, one team would have had to travel to the Kripamayee Kali Temple, where both team members would have had to have their heads completely shaved in order to win the Fast Forward award. Brandon and Nicole traveled to the temple, but when they discovered what the task entailed, they changed their minds and returned to the Roadblock.
Task: Comment in the Check-in thread with a number from 1 -6 to request your mystery task. This is an optional task.
Teams who did not attempt the Fast Forward had to travel to the Globe Brick Factory in order to find their next clue.
Roadblock: "Who's ready to get down and dirty?"
In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to use a mold to make 20 mud bricks to the satisfaction of the factory worker in order to receive their next clue.
Task: Read a book with a red cover.
After the Roadblock, teams had to travel by train to the Sealdah railway station in Kolkata, where they found their next clue.
Detour: Heavy but Short or Light but Long
This leg's Detour was a choice between Heavy but Short and Light but Long. In Heavy but Short, teams had to travel to Lansdowne Road and push a taxi 1⁄2 mile (0.80 km) to a local garage, where they received their next clue.
In Light but Long, teams would have had to travel to a flower market, find a particular stall in order to receive a garland, and release it into the Ganges in order to receive their next clue. All teams chose Heavy but Short.
Tasks:
Heavy but Short: Read a book with less than 200 pages.
Long but Light: Read a book with more than 500 pages.
After the Detour, teams had to check in at the Pit Stop: the Victoria Memorial.
What number do you want for fast forward Richard. I noticed both our birth years end in 1, so shall we go with 1?
Heavy but short seems the easier option. What do you think?
Do you have a red book on hand? I am being discharged this afternoon so should have better access to my books then and will be able to hunt for something then.
Anastasia wrote: "What number do you want for fast forward Richard. I noticed both our birth years end in 1, so shall we go with 1?"Sure. 1.
Heavy could be good, as the high page count could help for other challenges...
And I can do the Red book
So do you meanLong but Light: Read a book with more than 500 pages.
I'll be happy with that
The red book is yours then, I always find colours a bit difficult
Fast Forward Task1 - Read a book published in 2001, which was when the first season of The Amazing Race came out.
Book: Power Listening: Mastering the Most Critical Business Skill of AllAuthor: Bernard T. Ferrari
Date Read: Sep 8th
Roadblock: Cover - red
How it Fits:
Hi Richard, I'll take the 2001 book. Just have a bit of catching up to do so probably won't get to it until the weekend, so take your time with the other
Just to clarify, both players need to read for the Fast Forward task.
Didn't realise we both have to read for it. I should get mine done for the weekend. Have finished my other book but still catching up with a few other challenges with the books I've read . I am a bit of a novice with the iPad and phone so much prefer doing everything on a desktop.
Take it easy on yourself & your health. You'll get no pressure from me, with reading...I have health stuff going on too...
Richard wrote: "Take it easy on yourself & your health. You'll get no pressure from me, with reading...I have health stuff going on too..."Thanks Richard, just don't like to let others down
Detour: Heavy but Short or Light but LongLong but Light: Read a book with more than 500 pages.
Nemesis by Jo NesbøDate read: 09/09/2026
Task: Read a book with more than 500 pages.
How it fits: 695 pages
Fast Forward Task1 - Read a book published in 2001, which was when the first season of The Amazing Race came out.
Scaredy Cat by Mark BillinghamDate read: 10/09/2026
How it fits: First published January 1, 2001
Book: 15th Century PaintingsAuthor: Rose-Marie Hagen
Date Read: Sep 9th
Fast Forward: Published - 2001
How it Fits: January 1, 2001
Pairs Challenge
Sept 1 - Nov 30 2026
One of the most visited countries on the Amazing Race is India, which with a total of 20 pit stops over 38 seasons falls behind only France and China which hosted 22 pit stops. However, episodes shot in India are memorable not only for the history and the colorful culture, but also for the intense pressure placed on the contestants from the crowds, the heat, and the culture shock. As such, racing through India has produced some of the most memorable moments on the show.
Join this challenge to explore India as seen on the Amazing Race! This is a pairs challenge, in which each partner will read for one to two of the tasks per episode. For the detour tasks, the players must agree on one of the two options and both read for it. Additionally, one player will need to read a book for the roadblock task for that episode.
Each team will have the chance to obtain Fast Forward passes during the challenge. By reading for a Fast Forward mystery task, you will be able to gain a special badge and can use the pass later on in the challenge to skip reading for an episode's worth of tasks. You will also run into a few other kinds of tasks, for which instructions will be given.
For this challenge, you will be reading at your own pace. You will need to read your allotted books and check in on the completion thread when you are ready to read for the next episode.
In this challenge, you can earn up to seven badges, one for every three episodes that you read for. Standard AMMP book qualifications apply for this challenge.