We're in a traditional Mongolian camp located in the steppes of Asia, outside the capital city of Ulaanbaatar, the home of yaks, Genghis Khan, and world-famous Mongolian Beef.

This 360-year-old city, which has the coldest average temperature of any national capital in the world, was the ninth Pet Stop, in a race around the world.

Certainly, this is the most remote location we’ve ever been to on the Amanxing Race. Koko, do you have any comments?

“Koko love clown monkeys. Clown monkeys last. Bad bad monkeys. Koko love All Ball cat. Koko love big cows, little horses. Koko love Mongolian Beef. Koko love everybody.”

Will the Welsh Corgi team's paws hold their grip on first place? And will the team of Bella and Douglas avoid being distracted again by small animals?

"Take the Trans-Siberian Railroad to Beijing, China, and look for your next clue at the Forbidden City.”

Teams must now travel by rail more than 1,000 miles, to Beijing, China. Once there, they'll need to go to China's symbol of sovereignity, the Forbidden City, the imperial palace during the mid-Ming dynasty. There, they will get their next clue.

The corgis, followed by the bulls and donkeys, are driven back to the station in their Land Rovers, but the next train to Beijing doesn’t leave until the next morning, so all the teams are able to catch up.

As they ride the train into China, the locomotives are changed every few hundred miles or so, and the Racers all get the chance to get off the train and stretch.

Bella and Douglas remember their friends Mei Xiang and Tian Tian from the first two Amanxing Races. Fermin shoots the bull with the other passengers. Monty and Holly enjoy the view and the fresh air. Stravinsky and Zhivago are upset that they didn’t get to go to Russia, but all the cats catch up on their sleep on the train…that is, until Ibrahim brays loudly and wakes everyone up. He has a good reason, though – he's looking out the window as the train passes the Great Wall of China, and he wanted everyone to see it.

Upon arrival in Beijing, Bella starts to howl repeatedly, causing the Russian cats to give her strange looks. Bella has remembered from the first Amanxing Race that the Forbidden City has a large picture of Chairman “Mao” on one of the buildings, and she and Douglas arrive there before any of the other teams.

Bella and Douglas are first to receive their next clue:

"Go to the Longtan Park Bird Market and look for the man selling the green parakeets."

They run down the steps to find Ernesto and Fermin and show them where the clue box is.

As each Racer finds the Bird Market, they receive their next clue:

Search the Jinsong Market for the seller who will give them their next clue.

The Market doesn’t open until 5:30 the next morning, however, so the Racers have to camp out the night before and wait until it opens. Even Joey and Larry Lemur go to sleep and don’t dance like they usually do. Monty and Holly, who are getting tired of being on the Race, snort at their competitors and try to look for a hotel room. They run around, exhausting themselves, and finally decide to go back and stay with the rest of the group.

At 5:30 am, Douglas is awakened by a curious little boy as the Jinsong Market opens. The Racers run through the stalls looking for the right seller. Douglas thinks he sees some catnip, but it’s only Chinese tea. Fermin gives the camera a strange look.

But it is Ibrahim and Omara who are the first team to find the right seller. They get their clue:

Fly to Darwin, Australia, and find the George Brown Darwin Botanic Garden, the Pet Stop for this leg of the Race.

Teams must now fly more than 4,000 miles to the capital of Australia's Northern Territory and the port city of Darwin. Once there, they will have to find the George Brown Darwin Botanic Gardens.

This 42-hectare, 125-year-old conservation park is the Pet Stop for this leg of the race. The last team to check in here - may be eliminated.

There’s a mad dash to the Beijing airport to secure flights. The bulls, donkeys, corgis and Bella and Douglas will be flying through Hong Kong, but the Russian Blues and the lemurs get stuck on the flight through Bangkok which leaves an hour later.

As the Hong Kong flight lands, Bella stops to pick up some Hong Kong Disneyland souvenirs, while Ernesto follows her into the shop and again gives the camera a strange look.

But oh no – the Bangkok plane has to wait for a part to arrive, delaying those two teams.

When the first flight lands, the bulls are the first to get a cab to the Darwin Botanic Gardens, where they’re met by Mel Gibson with an Australian Stud Saddle Pony.

“Welcome to Darwin! Ernesto and Fermin, you’re the first team to arrive, and you’ve both won parts as extras in my next movie, which we’ll film after the Race.”

Come on in, Bella and Douglas! You’re the second team to arrive.”

Ibrahim and Omara are next, and they’re too kind to bray at Mel about how he portrayed their famous ancestor in The Passion of the Christ.

The Bangkok plane lands, two hours late, and the lemurs and Russian Blues both run for the mat. In the end, it’s Joey and Larry who arrive first. Phil has to tell Stravinsky and Zhivago that they’re finished rushin’ in the Amanxing Race.

WRITTEN BY BECKY BANFIELD
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS DAVE HUNTER & BELLA T. MANX
Inspired by The Amazing Race on CBS
Dedicated to Bella T. Manx

Special Midseason episode > | Racers react to Bella