Episode 1: Jim We Hardly Knew You

Jim We Hardly Knew You
official title: Big Trek, Big Trouble, Big Surprise

No time was wasted in starting Survivor Guatemala. The Survivors were already divided into two tribes and Bobby Jon and Stephenie descended from heaven (a Mayan pyramid) to each join a tribe.

Yaxha Tribe (blue buffs)
Stephenie, Rafe, Gary, Brian, Morgan, Amy, Brianna, Jaime, Lydia

Nakum Tribe (yellow buffs)
Bobby Jon, Brandon, Danni, Jim, Judd, Blake, Margaret, Brooke, Cindy

(to put faces to names: Cast Revealed! )

Reward Challenge
Competition: 11 mile race through thick jungle
Reward: the better camp & fire

The race was a marathon. They started in daylight and spent a night in the jungle before getting to the finish line the next day.

Jim took charge of Nakum and led the way. Gary (left) led Yaxha. Rafe is happy to let Gary be leader. Along the way the men of Nakum had a rough time. Blake fell and got thorns in his shoulder. He then became dehydrated. Bobby Jon also became dehydrated. They both vomited and Margaret (a nurse) helps them the best she can. Judd: "Eleven miles through a jungle is insane. I'm a doorman in New York; I've never even been camping." Gary, the former NFL quarterback, said that he won't tell them about his pro football background (smart move). He'll lie if necessary, he's Gary Hawkins (not Hogeboom) and a landscaper.

Nakum was first to the canoes but just a little ahead of Yaxha. Nakum's lead held up and they won Reward. Yaxha then had more paddling to do to get to their camp. Stephenie said it was one of the most physically demanding challenges in Survivor ever. She likes her tribe, they have heart and determination. Rafe also likes their spirit.

Judd got a touch of dehydration too. Bobby Jon was really bad, his eyes were rolling back in his head. Later he said that Survivor Palau was "recess" compared with Guatemala. However they are all game for the Immunity Challenge.

Immunity Challenge
Competition: boat race - lake & land

To start each tribe had to paddle their boat out into the lake to pick up a torch and then return to the beach. Next they had to drag their boat a 100 yard (meters) or so on land. Five members pulled a rope attached to the front of the boat while the others kept logs (used as rollers) in front of the boat. They then had to light their torch to win Immunity.

This was a close race. each tribe had a member or two get caught under the logs. Nakum had a slight lead but then lost it and the challenge to Yaxha.

Yaxha win Immunity and fire.

Jim was injured in the Immunity Challenge. He said he "snapped" his left biceps muscle (it sounds like he pulled or tore it bad) pulling on the rope (he thought they were all going to pull, but he was the only one to yank it). In private Brooke (left) says the women feel that a man should be voted off since none of the women have been dehydrated. Brandon doubts half of his tribe will make it, he's really concerned about Blake.

Nakum at Tribal Council
(paraphrased by me, not word for word)
Jeff Probst: Tribal council is here at an ancient Mayan ruin. Fire is life on Survivor. It was very tough start this time.
Blake: Don't I know it.
Bobby Jon: I don't like getting beat so early. (Shouldn't Palau have prepared him for losing?)
Jeff P: Isn't it ironic that your strong men get sick?
Danni: In general I think women have better endurance than men. The men tried hard early. (She seemed to imply that the men got sick by working hard - nice move.)
Jeff P: Judd are any of the men worried?
Judd: Hey! I was only sick for about an hour I could do back flips now - wanna see! (bad move)
Jeff P: Woa calm down, Judd.
Jim (arm in sling) tells how he hurt his arm during the Immunity Challenge.
Margaret: We're all worried about how we can get healthy and do our best.

Time to Vote: only five votes are shown and they're all for Jim. In his final words, Jim says that he doesn't blame them and he hopes that no one gets hurt.

Alliances
Too early to tell. However I could see Blake voted off next if Nakum go back to Tribal Council next week.

Heroes and Villains
Everyone seems nice enough. I bet Nakum were glad they had Margaret, a nurse, with them. However Brandon called Bobby Jon "dumb" in private, which I didn't think was a nice thing to do.

Won Reward: Nakum
(nice camp and fire)

Immunity: Yaxha
(and fire)

Voted Off: Jim
(with only 5 votes for him shown on air, no other votes shown)