Living out of a backpack

MANILA, Philippines - If jetsetters live out of a suitcase, what do you call best friends Lani Pillinger and Jacinta “Jess” James, who are out to win the Amazing Race Asia Season 4 (aired on AXN every Thursday at 9 p.m.) plum for the Philippines on Dec. 9?

The word “adventurers” is just fine for the twentysomething ladies. It was adventure that pushed Australian model Jacinta, or Jess as friends call her to nag Lani about joining the race a year ago.

“I was looking for adventure,” recalls Jess. “So I was harassing Lani to drop out of (film) school and join the race since last year. But she told me she had to finish school first.”

Jess knew Lani would say yes eventually. Since they became best friends after they first met in Australia ten years ago, Jess and Lani would watch videos of The Amazing Race together. They also traveled together and engage in sports. They thrilled in the adrenaline rush high action and dizzying speed gave them.

“I drive like crazy! I just feel thrilled at the speed of anything fast,” the Fil-Australian model says.

Birds of the same feather flock together. After graduation, Jess and Lani dropped everything to audition for the race. Turns out it was no walk in the park.

Jess remembers how they went through the eye of the proverbial needle.

“A psychiatrist made sure you’re mentally capable of what you have to go through. If you have depression issues, you’re not a candidate for the race.”

Race organizers subjected them to a three-hour psychological test which quizzed them on their homelife, the intake of alcohol (if any) and others. Everything was done by Skype.

Jess and Lani also went through an extensive medical test. And then, when they finally made it to the battery of tests, Jess reveals that race organizers even looked under the girls’ hotel mattress and examine the hotel room’s paintings to make sure they’re drug free.

They’re that thorough and exacting. And they should.

The race is a test of stamina, quick thinking and grace under pressure.

“You can’t wash your clothes and you have to live off what you have in the backpack for a month,” says Jess. “You don’t get to match your beautiful outfit with your jewelry, makeup or accessories. You don’t have a hair dryer or hair iron.”

The race is not the time to look good or fashionable, the way Lani and Jess do when they’re on the ramp or posing as cover girls for glossy magazines.

“We’d sleep for only four hours,” reports Jess. “Sometimes, you would go without sleep for days.”

The sleepless days and nights and all the running around made Jess lose four to five pounds. She even had to buy a belt to keep her pants from sliding down her waist.

The friends also had to control their bladder until they reached the pit stop. Slowing down could spell disaster at a time when they have to move fast to stay ahead of the pack.

What won the Japan leg of the race for the girls was something not even a single contestant had. That something is familiarity with the travel business.

Lani and Jess have traveled around the globe so many times they can teach a course on Traveling Fast 101.

“We know the Asia travel hubs and different airline options. We got the best flights, and we overtook the other teams,” says Jess.

Lani adds,”While everyone ran to the airport, I’d run to the travel agent. He knows all the flights and travel options.”

It’s a lot faster than going from one airline counter to another asking for available flights. Their reward came soon after. The girls placed first in the Brisbane, Australia and Indonesia legs of the race.

“We won a trip to Japan ,” reveals Lani.

Not all is sunny and bright for them, though. The girls admit other teams managed to pull one over them sometimes. Lani admires the Korean girls for changing their money to American dollars in every country they’d go to. The strategy works since American dollars are recognized in every country. One can always buy and sell with it.

Still, money isn’t everything — in life as it is in the race. Jess and Lani tell you it’s all about focus.

“By the time the third episode came along,” says Jess,”I stopped caring about how I looked to be really focused on everything around you.”

“You live for the race,” Lani chimes in.

The girls even kept their whereabouts a secret from their own families.

Jess and Lani told their families back in Australia that they were filming a documentary in Africa, where there was no Internet and no telephones. Then, they reassured their loved ones they were okay and not to worry about them.

Those days and nights away from home made Jess break down and cry when Lani video recorded her friend’s message to her mom. This, and her other feelings on the race are in a diary Jess wrote in-between breaks.

Life away from home may not be new to Jess and Lani, who have made the Philippines their home base for quite some time. But cutting communication lines with the family you hold dear is nerve-wracking. So Lani went home to her Australian dad and Bicolana mom for a week before going back to the Philippines.

They’re now back to their regular routine. But the lessons from the race remain.

“I gained a lot of confidence,” states Jess. “There were a lot of challenges we never knew we were capable of overcoming. We surprised ourselves that we did extremely well.”

Lani overcame her fear of heights after she finally tried sky jumping on the race. Never mind if it took her all of three hours to finally do it. The point is, Lani no longer cringes when she’s standing on top of the world the way she did before the race.

“I’m still scared of heights,” admits Lani. “But in my mind, I rationalize it differently. I convince myself to just trust the bungee rope. The people behind it know what they’re doing.”

She also learned a lot about sheer will power.

“Reach for the stars and you can achieve anything,” Lani declares.

Her next “star” is a VJ job or a hosting stint. A crack at work before and behind the film camera would also be great for her.

Jess would love to do another show after her stints in ABS-CBN’s Ok Fine and GMA 7’s dating show Take Me Out, both defunct. Lani also appeared in Star Cinema’s You Are the One.

Both hired Tagalog coaches to familiarize themselves with the local language.

Of course, another reality show would be great.

“We don’t want the race to end!” exclaims Jess. “We’d love to join the next season of Survivor Philippines!”

After all that running and racing around the world, why not?