Jill/Thomas and Chad/Stephanie head up the stairs at 7:45, as scheduled. As they start driving, Chad and Stephanie's onscreen subtitle has already changed from "Newly Dating" to "Engaged." Wow, the Amazing Subtitle Writers were really on the ball there. Both teams decide to stop to ask for directions, although Thomas rudely condescends, "Clearly, honey," when Jill suggests it. She tells him to lose the attitude. Seriously, why don't any of the dudes on this season know how to treat their girlfriends? Jill and Thomas get not only directions but also a hand-drawn map from a guy in a convenience store parking lot, who also favors them with a friendly chuckle. Back on the road, Thomas remarks on how nice the people are, "Even though we're right up in their face." I think a lot of Arab cultures are close-talkers anyway, but I could be wrong about that. I just wish Thomas would take their niceness as an example.

The last two teams (Gary/Mallory and Nick/Vicki) get their clues at 8:00 AM. Once they're all in their vehicles, Mallory unfolds a giant map that's big enough for Vicki to spot from the backseat of her and Nick's car behind them. She suggests following the team with the map, but Nick doesn't think that's any faster than getting directions from a local "that for sure knows where to tell you to go." I'd translate this as Nick not knowing how to read a map, but we'll soon find out that he made the right call here. They pull over so she can ask directions at a gas station. This happens to be the same station where Team QVC is just now pulling in for directions of their own, which means their half-hour lead from the burj is already gone. Spotting Brook near the pump islands, Vicki tells her, "Dude, he said going that way, we're going the right way." As Vicki walks back to the car, Nick tells her,"Babe? Shut up. Dude, I'm so serious about that. "Shut up." Vicki responds to this mature and respectful feedback by actually apologizing to him, and he continues to berate her, saying, "You have no common sense in your whole body. I'm gonna go home the next time you give anybody any advice." And what a shame that would be. He adds, "They're probably laughing at your dumb ass right now." Right on cue, here's a shot of Brook and Claire in their car, laughing at Vicki's dumb ass. Or, more likely, something else entirely, and given what we know about their sense of humor, probably something that isn't even all that funny.