Welcome back my friends to the show that nevers ends..., it only gets retro-
fitted.  At least we have beautiful scenary to enjoy.  Vanuatu is a lovely island,
with it's rich jungles, active volcanoes, and clear blue Pacific waters.  As the
schooner bringing the contestants approaches the shore, large numbers of the
natives board their outriggers to greet them.  For a moment, I thought I had the
TV on Turner Classics, airing my favorite Christmas-movie, "Donovan's Reef"!
But instead of John Wayne, the image of Jeff Probst appears, riding the bow of
one outrigger.

Jeff boards the schooner and explains to our victims that the island nation of
Vanuata is just that, an island nation.  Complete with their own customs and
laws.  None of the contestants may remain on the island until they participate
in a local ritual.  He instructs them to board outriggers, three per boat, and
heads to shore.  Travis, who only learned to swim 6 weeks before, clumsily
causes his outrigger to tip over, dumping all into the sea.  Once ashore, from
out of nowhere, a group of native men charge the players, brandishing spears.
After scaring the hell out of the gang, the natives begin a ritualistic dance,
whereby the women are separated from the men.  The women are forced to
sit to one side on a grass mat.  The men get a front-row log.  A local kava drink
is served to the men.  It's foul tasting, but numbing.  The women get nothing.
A wild pig is then brought out and slaughtered in front of the men.  An elder
paints each man's face with it's blood.  As night falls, the party continues. Jeff
holds up a carved rock, and explains that it, and others like it, ward off evil
spirits, according to the locals.  The rock is then placed a top a high, thick pole
which has been greased with pig fat.  The men are to attempt to get it.  Only if
they should fail will the women win it by default.  But they do retrieve it and Jeff
then hands out buffs to the two teams, determined by gender,  Red to the men,
who are Lopevi Tribe, and Yellow to the women, who are Yasur Tribe.  Both are
then instructed to walk along the shore to find their beach-side camps.  No
map is given, plus it's dark and raining.  Jeff tells them that all they will find at
their camps is a pot, a machette, and a map to their fresh water source.  The
Game begins!

Night One.  After the commercial break, we find both tribes wandering in the
dark.  The ladies find the going rough, and the older ones decide to take a
break.  They're inclined to just crash at a nice tree to rest and stay dry till dawn.
But the young gals urge them to keep walking, which they do.  The men seem
to be making better progress, until Rory chimes in that it makes no sense for
them to proceed in one group.  He suggests they split up, taking different trails
and increasing the odds of finding the camp.  The rest veto this idea.  They all
stick to the main path and shortly find the camp.  The ladies find theirs as well.

Day Two.  Yasur tribe begins building their shelter.  Well, most of them.  The 4
youngest girls decide that playing on the beach is more fun.  Internal rifts are
beginning.  Lopevi tribe finds their water source, a small spring.  But they take
no chances on te local germs.  While some men work on a shelter, the rest
try to make a fire.  John P. (JP) almost got one going.  Discouraged, they all
take a break.  Chad then shows off his prostesus.  He had lost his right leg and
foot to a rare form of cancer.  The others are impressed, and guarded that Chad
will get sympathy votes.

Day Three.  Tree-mail arrives and it's time for the first Immunity Challenge.  It
will also be a reward challenge, with the prize being a flint.  With the women
watching, Chad leads the men as they march, showing off his titanium leg.
The challenge itself is straight forward.  All members of both tribes must first
crawl through the mud, then three from each work a large box maze to get a
ball into a pocket.  Then, all members must traverse a balance beam, followed
by starting a fire and lighting a wok.  A torch is then lit and a final wok is the
last act to bring victory.  Both tribes are even during the mud crawl.  The men
begin to build a lead during the box maze, and increase it on the balance beam.
That is, until it's Chris' turn.  Bubba and Rory had trouble, too, but Chris is ab-
solutely awful.  The women pass the men completely and win before Chris
finally succeeds.

Back at camp, the real fun begins.  Chris becomes a target of the young guys.
They want the weakest link out.  They try recruiting Lea, a tough drill sergaent.
But Lea offers them no guarantees.  JP complains to Uncle Cameraman about
Rory.  He's not on the same page as the rest.  Chris chats up the older guys.
They seem to agree that one of the young guys needs to go now.  JP is con-
sidered a target, but he's the only one coming close to building a fire.  Brook,
on the other hand, appears expendable.

Tribal Council begins with the torch ceremony.  Jeff then prods reactions to
the men losing the challenge to the women after having a substantial lead. 
Lea complains about Chris failing them.  Chris admits he did not do well, but
thinks he has other talents for use later.  He quickly shifts focus on Rory and
his lack of team spirit.  After JP goes on about the lack of water, and Bubba on
how formidable the ladies are, Jeff tells them it's time to vote.  Drama builds
as the votes are counted.  Rory gets one from JP.  Chris gets three, the rest
give Brook the boot!

SPOILERS:  Friction builds on the men's tribe, while the women get exhausted.
Rory is seen complaining loudly about something.  LOL!