Day 7: MONKEY!

So here's where we find the difference between Cindy the Zookeeper and everyone else. Nakum is awakened by the sound of howler monkeys, a common sight in the Central American brush.

How Cindy takes it: elated at the opportunity to live so close to nature and pontificated on the monkeys' possible situation, most likely calling out to family members. People pay good money to hear howler monkeys. Judd shouldn't complain.

How Judd takes it: miserably, finding it "the most annoyingest noise I've ever heard in my entire life." The howler monkeys are driving Judd out of his mind. Cindy thinks she's Doctor Dolittle.

R-CHALLENGE: BLINDSIDE (for pillows, lanterns, tarps, and rope; Amy sits out for Yaxha)

Players must reenact a building of an archaeological tent... blindfolded and bound to each other. A caller directs each team to pieces of an archaeological tent. Once all the pieces were gathered, the blindfolds were removed and the tent built. Whoever finishes first wins.

Gary and Brooke will act as playcallers. This is a no-brainer for Gary, as he used to be, say it with me now, and NFL quarterback. Of coruse, it didn't help ANY matters that Danni kept getting hit on the head all the time. Yaxha was the first to collect all the items and disrobe their blindfolds. But Nakum, following Brooke, found their last item quickly after Yaxha had torn off their blindfolds. Working together, Nakum figured out how to build their tent faster, passing Yaxha and winning the comfort items.

Just goes to show you that the power of teamwork overshadows the accomplishments of one. Gary.

Still Day 7: ROBOT! Okay, it's a crocodile...

It is good times at Nakum. Bobby Jon is overjoyed. "I'm not used to being on the winning team. This rocks." Meanwhile, the pyramid's a mess (the rewards fix that nicely). We go from Survivor to Trading Spaces, as the tribe thought about different ways to lay out their hard-earned prizes. Margaret had some ideas... good ideas... but the guys, being, well.. guys, didn't want to hear them. Judd complained, "I ain't here to take any orders. The only people to tell me what to do are my boss and my wife."

But what's probably the bigger concern... it's damned hot. To this end, Brandon, Judd, and Bobby Jon head to a nearby body of water and cool off. The only problem... Crocodiles... Lots... and lots ... of crocodiles. Cindy tries to warn the guys that the crocs are dangerous like some sort of Crocodile Hunter reject. She stays behind. Brandon puts this move in the proper perspective: "The brave may not live long, but the cautious don't live at all. This is the most alive I've ever been."

That's about to change, if this mail has anything to say...

Day 8: Mail...

A challenge based on a Mayan game that is like basketball except it is played on suspended nets, the hoops are hanging down instead of laying flat and you can only pass. No running with the ball. So it's like Ultimate Frisbee... only with a ball instead of a frisbee. The tribe that scores 5 points wins.

Round 1: Brian scores for Yaxha, giving them an early lead, but Amy took a hard crash on the court, giving Nakum a slight edge. With the score tied, an all-female round was next. Stephenie had the ball and fought off Cindy, guarding her closely. Desperately seeking someone to pass to due to Brianna's inaction, Stephenie found an open Lydia, who runs with the ball and gets called on it. That's a foul, and Nakum ball. Steph tries to form a play with Brianna and Lydia but they don't understand a word she is saying. And Brianna might as well be a statue, because she is there doing absolutely nothing for her team.

Final round, Margaret stole the ball for Nakum and found Danni under the basket. Danni fought off the coverage and sunk the winning basket, giving Nakum the victory.

Night 6: Tribal Council:

Jamie says that Brianna is a girly girl, and Stephenie can't stand losing again, so the end result, Brianna is sent on her way, with the only votes cast against for Lydia.... Hers, of course.