Day 7
Yaxha
We open on Lydia, collecting wood and as usual working her butt off. Lydia: “Last night was our first tribal council. Morgan got voted out; but, I really believe that my head was on the chopping block. I’m a hard worker you know! I don’t deserve to go. The person I would have voted out is Brianna because she is kinda on the weak side and we need a strong tribe. We HAVE to start winning.” Brianna joins Lydia by the fire and you can tell by the body language that they don’t really like each other. They talk about the thunder and if it’s going to rain. Brianna tells us, “I don’t get along with Lydia. WE don’t fight, I'm cordial with her, but she just isn’t my cup of tea!”

Stephenie marks another notch in a tree near the camp signifying Day Seven! The group have all congregated around the fire and discuss the vote last night. Brian is impressed at how it all went down, bragging: “Last night was so great. I was SO happy with the outcome. That was 100% me! I engineered the Morgan ouster. I'm going to do whatever I need to do to make sure it’s going my way.” 

Over at Nakum Tribe, Judd is complaining about only sleeping a couple of hours in seven days because of this loud monkey. Cindy, a zookeeper tries to explain why the monkey is so loud and that it might be lost. The look on Judd’s face is “Like I care!” He explains: “It's miserable. It goes on and on. And Cindy is like a Dr. Doolittle. The monkey is lost and he's looking for the brother that's all the way across the other side of the jungle. And I'm like, dude, that is the most annoying noise I ever heard in my entire life. It just drives you crazy, man. It makes you nuts.”

Reward Challenge:
Jeff greets them and points out that Morgan was voted out at the last tribal council. Jeff: All right, let's get to today's challenge. Here in Guatemala, you guys are surrounded by ruins that are in various stages of excavation by archaeologists who are searching for more clues into the Maya culture. That plays into today's challenge. You're going to build an archaeologist tent. You will be blindfolded and tied together in groups. One person on each tribe will be your set of eyes. They will guide you. Scattered amongst these ruins will be nine bundles of items. Once you found all nine bundles, take off your blindfolds, start putting the tent together. He says there are poles to build the frame, a tarp for the top, and rope to keep it all together. The first tribe to complete it correctly wins reward. Jeff: “Want to know what you're playing for? Comfort!” (Everyone really wants this reward!) Jeff: “Pillows, a lantern and fuel, tarp, rope, blankets. Brooke is identified as the caller for Yaxha and Gary will be the set of eyes for Nakum. 

Gary does a great job calling to his tribe while Brooke falls short in this department. Danni is hit over the head a few times with the poles. The Yaxha Tribe are the first ones back with all nine items and start to build the tent followed by Nakum. The Yaxha Tribe falls apart here and can’t seem to work together putting the poles in the correct position. Nakum catches up because of Yaxha’s lack of teamwork. Both teams are dead even and are struggling to work out what ropes go where. In the end, Nakum manages to get it together before Yaxha and Nakum wins Reward. Again, a deflated Yaxha is sent back to camp with nothing. Part One [15 minutes]  

Day 7
Yaxha
Stephenie says the challenge was easy and then they clustered and fell apart. Stephenie is visibly disappointed but still hopes it’s early on and that they will pull it out. Amy is shown entertaining Stephenie and Lydia about the state of their clothes and their odors. Even though her foot is bad, she knows what she has to do to keep going. Amy has no outdoor experience but will not give up no matter how bad it gets (determination and resolve are apparent in her face and voice).

Nakum celebrates their victory. Bobby Jon said it felt good to be finally winning. Brooke says they intend to build a shelter after the heat passes. Brandon says the heat is hard on them. The whole team discusses the many alligators that are probably in the water. Out at the boat, Brandon and Bobby Jon slip into the water holding on to the boat anyway to escape the heat. Brandon: “The brave may not live long, but the cautious don't live at all.” Brandon says he felt so alive.

Back at Yaxha, Brianna is pounding corn into a corn mush, described as like oatmeal but crunchier. Rafe says it all just tastes the same and he is craving something new. Rafe and Gary eat termite, live, for protein.  Steph is visibly disgusted.

At the Nakum camp, the focus is on using their newly won tarp to make a canopy. The guys do a lot of discussing but little moving. Margaret sarcastically tells us how long they are taking, but is shown barking directions (suggestions) to the men. Bobby Jon says that at 28 years of age he doesn’t need a supervisor and that it was supposed to be fun. Both he and Judd are not impressed at Margaret’s directions. Judd says starting to bark orders this early in the game is not a smart thing to do, the only ones going to tell him what to do are his boss and his wife. Part Two [8 minutes]  

Tree Mail

“The ancient Maya civilization embraced sports.  The warriors would adorn themselves in ceremonial garb and body paint.  When a team of warriors would lose, the cost would be a human sacrifice.  You will do the same tonight at tribal council.”

Day 8
Nakum
Judd was excited as he discovered the Tree Mail and the supplies that came with it, strips of colored cloth and body paints. The Yaxha Tribe is just as excited. Lydia comments about how important this challenge is for her and she is determined to do her best to be a star. Brian is downright pumped and fired up.

Immunity Challenge:
They arrive at the Immunity Challenge all painted up as warriors pleasing Jeff who is happy they got into the spirit of it all. Jeff takes back the Immunity Idol from Judd and says: “Immunity back up for grabs.”

The challenge is Court Ball, an ancient Mayan sport. Players catch and pass a ball, but may not walk or run with it. They have to pass it off in place. They have to get the ball through a hoop to get a point. It takes 5 points to win the challenge. They will play 3 on 3 randomly changing after each goal. The first set is 3 men versus 3 men. They are suspended on a net structure that they have to navigate while trying to catch the ball. Jeff throws the ball into the middle and the first to it gets possession.

Yaxha gets Round One. Next up are 2 men and a woman from each team, evening up the score, but resulting in a twisted ankle from Amy. It’s 3 women facing off from each side and Lydia gets called for traveling resulting in loss of possession of the ball and a lead for Nakum. The men get back on the court in the 114 degree temperature followed by 2 men and a woman from each side. Amy is visibly hurting but plays hard. Back to the men only round and the game is tied at 3 apiece. Poor Amy plays in the two women and one man round and Nakum takes a 4 to 3 lead. As the all woman round prepares to begin, Stephenie is trying to talk some sports strategy with Lydia and Brianna making a basketball reference they don’t understand. Stephenie is left on her own with Brianna leaning up against a pole and her team mate Jamie visibly mad and yelling at her to get moving. Brianna didn’t respond and the result was a Nakum loss at 5 to 3. Nakum wins Immunity! A dejected Yaxha will be returning to Tribal Council. Part Three [9 minutes]  

Day 8
Yaxha
Stephenie is very upset and says “here we go again.” She explains they have two women who have never played sports before and one with a sprained ankle. She wonders why she can’t be on a winning tribe just once. Stephenie feels the three women let the team down and hurts them all. Amy is determined not to let her sprained ankle stop her; she is going to tough it out. Jamie wants to vote Brianna off because during the challenge she was leaning against the post when everyone else was playing their butts off. It seems to be coming down to a choice between Lydia and Brianna with Amy as an outside chance of leaving. Brianna campaigns to Stephenie to see Lydia, who she doesn’t get along with, voted out. Gary is clearly determined to keep the athletic and strong and eliminate the weak. Lydia is nervous about being on the block again and Brianna feels concerned about being the weakest link. Brianna is going to base her vote on trust and relationships while Gary says it's all about athleticism and not heart.

Yaxha takes the long trek to Tribal Council where Jeff is waiting. Jeff asks Stephenie if she has a sense of déjà vu. Stephenie says she is having horrible flashbacks and it is making her sick. She is completely frustrated. Both Brianna and Lydia say they gave it their best. Brian says the other tribe is much more athletic but they don’t seem to be as unified as Yaxha. Gary is focused on athleticism and winning challenges. Jeff asks Amy if she is worried because of her sprained ankle. Amy makes it clear that a sprained ankle will heal and won’t stop her. Amy: “Don’t make a mistake and vote me out just because of this."

Jeff sends them off to vote. Brianna is shown voting for Lydia who never talked to her. Jamie calls Brianna a girlie-girl as he voted for her. Stephenie’s vote was not revealed but she said she did what was right for the tribe and couldn't be on a losing streak anymore. Jeff tallies the votes.

Jeff returns and the counting begins revealing a vote each for Brianna and Lydia. Then the next four votes go to Brianna. Jeff: With 5 votes, the third person to be voted out of Survivor Guatemala is Brianna. As Jeff is snuffing out her torch, Brianna turns back to the tribe and says: “You guys are strong, kick some Nakum butt." Brianna takes the walk of shame down the path. Jeff says the team strategy seems to be one of keeping the strong and voting out the weak but that can be risky. He sends them on their way back to camp.

Brianna’s final remarks: She says the game is survival of the fittest. “I was the weakest link.” She says her tribe members are strong people and that she isn’t as athletic as they are. She says they were the best 8 days of her life, the toughest but the best. Part Four [10 minutes]  

Contributors: Jem, MASHEE, marioandluigi82, mo, ranster627, smirnoff and wolfrider. A big Morty's Thanks!

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