When it comes to The Amazing Race Asia, there is an unspoken pressure for Pamela, 24, and Vanessa, 29, to bring home the top prize. Yes, both Malaysians realize that there is a lot riding on them to perform well, since the winners of the inaugural The Amazing Race Asia were Malaysian and also an all female team!
But trumping nationalistic pride is a simple matter of family pride as well. Four years ago, their brother, Vince, proved to be a winner by emerging victorious over 11 others in a nationwide reality singing competition.
Artiste manager Vanessa, who now manages her brother's rising singing career, recalls that watching their brother win formed one of the high points in her life. But aside from price, there are also other factors that will be pushing both women to victory.
"I love adventure and I want to see how far we can push ourselves," says Pamela, a professional dancer and assistant dance choreographer.
Surprising enough, elder sister Vanessa admits to being the more timid one compared to Pamela, who she describes as more outgoing. In fact, Vanessa credits Pamela for saving her life once, when out for a drive one evening, their friend fell asleep at the wheel. It was Pamela who woke up and alerted the driver, but not before the car began spinning out of control. It was also Pamela's idea that they both take part in the race. Of course, it was an idea that Vanessa jumped at as it was an opportunity of a lifetime.
"Plus I love traveling and love an adventure. I was to see how far I can push myself in different situations," says Vanessa. For Pamela, choosing her sister as a partner was an easy choice to make as "she's always been there for me.".
In anticipation of the grueling experience, the sisters started increasing their workout sessions and also developed strategies, such as deciding who would be a better fit for the different tasks dished out in the show. But as Pam puts it, there is only so much you can account for especially when watching someone performing a task on television and having to tackle it head on.
"Each task and situation varies so vastly that you can't seem to apply a strategy that you've learnt from a prior task," she notes.
And also expect a certain mean streak inherent in the sisters but not in the way one can expect. The sisters have perfected an evil, insidious laugh, and coupled with the fact that their voices are identical, it certainly bumps up the scare factor when they laugh in unison.
In other words, when the two are laughing together, the other teams better be on the lookout.
