Survivor Nicaragua November 17/10

It's night 24 and the Libertadites have returned to camp from Tribal Council, having sent Marty to be #2 juror. Benry, Fabio and Dan have now learned that Brenda and Sash are not on their team. Brenda says that she and Sash look like the king and queen, but really she is the king and Sash is the queen.

For her part, Holly has decided that Brenda has too much power and is calling all the shots. She approaches Jane about getting rid of Brenda. "Something has to change", says Holly, "and change soon".

The next day it is raining. In order to keep the fire dry (pay attention here folks, because this is important), they put their two wooden chests on either side of the fire, run some bamboo poles between the two chests and stack some stuff on top. The fire thus protected, the scheming continues.Holly recruits Benry to help get rid of Sash and Brenda. Jane helps out by going to talk to NaOnka. Everyone is in until Holly gets to Chase. Chase wants to vote for Benry instead. "Dpn't trust the guy", says Chase.

Dimples (in a sea green shirt) presents a challenge that involves the tribe dividing into two teams. Each team receives 4 barrels, 2 planks and 10 feet of rope. With these materials they must get all five team members onto a nearby platform without touching the ground. If any tribe member touches the ground the whole tribe goes back to the start. The team comprised of Jane, Kelly, Fabio, Chase and NaOnka win the challenge and head off in a helicopter for a day of volcano surfing (sliding down a really really steep volcanic hill with a stick of wood up the wazoo). This is followed by a feast of pizza, beer and brownies. As they are eating, Fabio comments that everyone should talk about how they are feeling about who should go next. NaOnka stands, takes Fabio by the arm, and marches him off to the side where she tells him that it is already decided. Brenda is going. "Cool, dude" says Fabio, once again having been relieved of any need to think.

Back at camp, things have taken a definite turn for the nasty. Brenda, Sash, Benry, Dan and Holly return to camp to find that the chests they had set up to protect the fire have burned. Gone is most of their food, half of their tarp, the handles of their machetes and almost everything else in camp. They are devastated, but life, Survivor and skulduggery go one. Chase arrives home after the reward trip and promptly pulls Brenda aside to tell her of the plot to oust her. He fingers Holly as the ringleader, then tells NaOnka that he told Brenda. So NaOnka tells Benry that Chase can't be trusted and wants him out.

For the immunity challenge, Survivors hang onto a knotted rope and lean back over the water. Every few minutes they must take a grip further down the rope, making their lean over the water more extreme and hanging on more difficult. Amazingly Jane hangs on longer than any of the nubile young women and the studly young men to win. While basking in the respect of the tribe, Jane tells us that she believes Brenda is going home. Chase and Sash want Benry gone but worry that they won't have the numbers. NaOnka approaches Sash and manages to get him wondering if he too should vote for Brenda. But, remembering he is in an alliance with her, tells us that he will give Brenda his idol and blindside NaOnka instead.

At tribal council, when Dimples asks if anyone wants to play the idol, Sash and Brenda exchange looks. What the looks meant was unclear to this humble scribe. It might have been "play that *&$* idol NOW loser", or perhaps "no need to use the idol this time Queen Sash, I've got this one covered". Whatever the look meant, no idol was played. When the votes are counted Brenda is heading over to join a rather inhospitable jury composed of Alina and Marty. And so ends Rick's journey in our pool (his mind still reeling from how quickly Brenda went from King to jester). No one voted for Brenda to win.

Until next week,
Outplay, Outwit, Outlast
Pat (aka Jill remember me Behm)