Jo’s Cafe

So did’ya watch?

This time we didn’t get to see the dividing up into teams — which after last seasons middle school team picking antics, I’m glad for.

Our teams show up already in buffs to get their flags and instructions. The yellow team: NAKUM and the blue team: YAXHA.

Then comes the surprise that we’ve all been hearing about - two more team members that didn’t have to trudge through the jungle to get where you are now, but — ta da!! they emerge from the top of a Mayan Temple.

Who is it? Well Stephanie and Bobby Jon of course!! Stephenie looked amazing and Bobby Jon got — chunky is a nice word I guess! Anyway, Bobby Jon goes to NAKUM and Stephenie goes to YAXHA.

Then the teams are off on a race through the jungle to the “best” camp site - an 11 mile, through the jungle, hike. (The CSM is rolling his eyes at this point). Off into the jungle after getting their maps, compass and some food and water. NAKUM is off to a great start (according to the CSM), leap frogging with the compass through this nasty mess. YAXHA, the only other team playing, of course is behind. (Okay, Stephenie fans, tell me you aren’t rolling your eyes and saying “not again” about now, cause I was.)

Oops Blake gets smacked by a tree with porcupine needles, or as the CSM calls it “black palm”. (Here he has to show me his wound from the time he was down there — don’t ask, it’s probably classified — and he does have in his hand a black dot that is where he got stuck with one of them, through a repelling glove, and it never came out). The CSM tells me here that Blake’s pain is beyond reality — as he got stuck a couple times with this black palm tree.

Anywoo — trudging through the jungle they go and then both teams find a camp site and bed down with the monkeys and whatever else lives in those parts of the country (shudders).

Day 2 - Sun’s up, let’s get moving folks, no time to sleep in and room service is on strike! We watch our teams meander through the jungle until they hit a “hard” road and take off. Oops — the boys on the NAKUM team are having a bit of problem. Blake is in pain and Bobby Jon is cramping from heat exhaustion. Maybe YAXHA has a chance!!

But alas, no matter how ill the male members of the NAKUM are, they win.

Jeff sends YAXHA to their camp site and away they go. But back at the winning camp, what do my wondering eyes see? The boys are flat on their backs or yacking up their guts while the women are running around and taking care of them and getting the camp together. Okay gals, like this is a major surprise??? Well yeah, in a way it is — all the men are down for the count and the women don’t look like they did more than hang out the wash. (Snort )

Day 3 - Immunity Challenge. Move a boat up out of the water onto a point on the sand the way the Mayan’s did it. Going to take strength, and the NAKUM team, although looking rested, these boys haven’t had a good amount of time to recover from the day before. There is hope for YAXHA.

Off to the races, paddle the boats around a floating platform, get a torch, paddle back, and hook the boat up and start pulling and pushing. Move logs from under the back of the boat to the front, keep pulling. People’s feet get stuck, some fall, but YAXHA lights their torch first! Woohooo Not only do they get the immunity idol, they get flint!!

Back at the NAKUM camp we learn that Jim has blown out his left bicep muscle. Doesn’t look good for the male portion of this team. CSM and I are like, “Send him home — he will not be useful and his arm will only get worse.”

Tribal Council: We get to see an old elder meeting place of the Mayan’s. Fitting place for TC Jeff says. They go through the question and answer period, Jim is very quiet after explaining what happened to his arm. Voting goes along without anyone’s choice being shown, but you know in your heart who it is.

Votes are in and Jim gets them all. He doesn’t look too sad about it though, actually he looks like he’s in considerable pain from his injury. Off he trudges to whereever they are staying.

Great start!

Reality News Online has a full blow-by-blow recap here.

– Crossposted via Trackback to Cafe Oregano