Survivor Redemption Island - March 30/11

It's night 16. Zapatera returns from a tough Tribal Council with some wounds and hurt feelings. David admits that he voted for Serita and Serita tells us that the gang of six has a black hole in it.

At Redemption Island Stephanie is driving Matt crazy with her chatter. He can hardly wait for the duel so he send her away. He doesn't have to wait long as the two tribes get tree mail announcing the duel. Phillip asks to go from Ometepe and Rob goes along as his chaperone. As Rob tells us, Phillip tends to run his mouth off and is dangerous because of his stupidity. Ralph and David watch the duel on behalf of Zapatera.

The duel involves a pattern matching memory game. Matt takes an early lead and goes on to win, thus sending a tearful Stephanie home, along with Georgia from the pool. Matt (my guy) has now won 5 consecutive duels and has spent 12 nights on Redemption Island.

On the way back to camp, Phillip asks Rob how much they should tell the rest of the tribe. "Everything", says Rob. "I don't want to start playing that game". Privately Rob tells us that he is happy Phillip made the comment, because Rob intends to use it against him. Sure enough, back at camp, Rob tells the rest of the tribe that Phillip wanted to withhold information from them. This, of course, makes Phillip about as popular as a wood tick in a nudist colony (not that he was exactly soaring in the polls anyway!).

At Camp Zapatera, David and his cerebral arrogance is beginning to wear on his tribe mates. Serita encourages this as it takes the heat off her. Meanwhile the Ometepids are having a rice controversy. Apparently Rob likes the crispy rice at the bottom of the pot. The girls have agreed to save it for him. Phillip hears the discussion and goes over and asks for some of the crispy rice. "No", say the girls "we are saving it for Rob". Not surprisingly Phillip goes on another rant. "Rob, Rob, Rob - that's all I hear" says Phillip who tells us that Rob gets deference because the girls (literally) sleep in his underwear. Phillip does not explain whether Rob is in said underwear at the time. Phillip feels that as the senior member of the tribe he should get deference from the tribe, not Rob. "I will eliminate him", he tells us, "and that's all I have to say". Listening to this, I was having trouble believing that Phillip is done talking on this, or any other, subject.

The Immunity/Reward challenge is a muddy battle between the two tribes. They must move as a team through an obstacle course that is physically very demanding. On the way they have to collect three suspended bags containing balls. Once they have all the balls and are at the end of the course, they must get all six balls into a basket. Ometepe takes an early lead, but Zapatera catches up when Phillip falters and requires help. Once again though, it is Grant who comes through with a spectacular performance at shooting baskets to pull the challenge out of the crapper. So Ometepe once again wins immunity and reward - a helicopter ride to an active volcano where they have a sumptuous picnic lunch. In 18 days, no one else on this tribe seems to have figured out that in every reward is a hidden clue. Rob sees some Piroline cookies in a jar and thinks hmmmm...cylindrical just like a rolled up clue. Sure enough he fishes the clue out of the jar and, because he already has the idol, tosses into the volcano. In spite of Rob's scullduggery the tribe is having a great time, and even Phillip feels like he is a part of the fun.

Zapatera isn't having nearly as much fun. Serita is trying to swing the vote to David but Serita struggled during the challenge. Once again the tribe is faced with the loyalty vs strength dilemma. At tribal council Dimples asks Ralph about the tribe's cohesiveness and ends up having to explain what cohesiveness means. Cue eye rolling by David. When the votes are counted it is Serita heading to Redemption Island. "I wish I'd have brought my stuff", she mutters as she takes her leave. So Serita, and our own Debbie, join Matt (my guy) at Redemption Island. Will she survive another week? Stay tuned!

Until next week
Outwit, Outplay, Outlast
Pat (aka Matt I'm a machine Elrod)