The beloved Amazing Race is back! Phil gets ready to send the 11 teams of two off on their race around the world. Is it just me, or did Phil really emphasize the word "world"? In other words, "please watch, this won't be anything like the crappy Family Edition!"

The race starts outside Denver at the famed Red Rocks amphitheatre. I don't see U2 anywhere, but you never know where that Bono will show up next! While I already made some snap judgements about the teams, the video intro for each team adds a little more info. Of note, Lisa and Jonie are whizzes with the Beadazzler (no, really), Fran had a beautiful wedding dress and Wanda & Desiree think the other teams might call them "hot little tamales". But that's enough of the pre-Race festivities. As Phil and his eyebrows say, "The world is waiting for you." GO!

The first clue sends teams on their way to Sao Paolo, Brazil. Teams have to get on one of three flights. On the way to the airport they engage in one of my personal favorite Race activities: nicknaming the other teams. Dani & Danielle are, rather predictably, referred to as "The Pinks" or "Double D". David & Lori are "Einstein", Monica and Joseph christen themselves "Team Mojo", but they're perhaps more accurately described as "Ken & Barbie". My favorite nickname comes courtesy of John & Scott, who decide to call the bottle blondes Lisa & Jonie the "Frosties". I love it.

Once in Sao Paolo, teams have to go to the rooftop of the Hotel Unique. As Phil sets the scene I notice that he seems to have gotten a haircut (a very bad haircut) somewhere between Denver and Brazil. What can't you get at airports these days?

Anyway, delays cause the planes to arrive in a different than expected order, but the first two flights end up being bunched pretty close together. Teams go to the Hotel and get a clue directing them to a bridge. Traffic in Sao Paolo is a bitch and while the tasks so far aren't particularly hard, it is hard to get to them. Once at the bridge, teams hit their first Detour. A detour is a choice between two tasks, each with its own pros and cons. In this detour teams either find a building in a pilot's guide and take a helicopter to it or assemble a motorbike. Okay, I can't believe any of the teams did the bike. Are they crazy?

Even at this early point in the Race, you can start to tell what teams are strong and who is weak. Fran & Barry (who finished 8th) had a horrible leg. They couldn't find the clue box on the bridge, they picked the motorbike detour and then stayed too long and counted on other teams to help them finish it before they aborted that option and did the helicopter task. They were very lucky to avoid Philimination. John & Scott, on the other hand, weren't so lucky and were the first team to be Philiminated. They were behind the entire leg and because they were impatient sitting in traffic they left their cab and basically wandered the streets of Sao Paolo looking for the bridge.

On the other hand, Eric & Jeremy (1st), BJ & Tyler (2nd) and David & Lori (NERDS! in 4th) worked well together and got through everything with a minimum of difficulty. Wanda & Desiree (3rd) did a great job and were definitely helped by their language skills. Notes on some of the other teams:

Lake & Michelle (5th): I hate Lake. He marginalizes his wife and is way too hyper. They're the team that's going to lose simply because they failed to read a clue.

Monica & Joseph (6th): She's the female Lake. She almost cried when they didn't get on the first flight and then moments later she's jumping up and down and "woooing" over something else. I don't think she's emotionally prepared for this.

Ray & Yolanda (7th): They were barely in the episode, but I was impressed by how calm they were when they were putting together the motorbike in a very uncomfortable position as hordes of Brazilian men gathered to lear at Yolanda.

Dani & Danielle (8th): They were smart to abort the motorbike detour, but probably stupid to try it in the first place. I like this team a little better than I thought I would.

Frosties (10th): Screechy. They're like last season's Godlewski sisters with an extra 10 years and 6 inches (they're both over 6 feet tall).

Overall, it was a great start to the new season. Right now I'm rooting for David & Lori, Wanda & Desiree and Ray & Yolanda. Well, I'm rooting for them and for next week's episode to have some wacky animal hijinks. Nothing beats wacky animal hijinks!

Want more? Check out Viking Pundit's recap.