Day 16 - Challenge Day
If you were hoping we'd make our way around to Henford-On-Bagley, then today's your lucky day! It was a long flight, but we've finally made it to the rolling hills of this countryside region!
A local gardener as enlisted our help in the care of two oversized pumpkins. They're almost fully-grown, but the gardener is on vacation and won't be home in time to harvest their crops!
That's where our challenge comes in. The teams will spend 24 hours off-the-grid in these makeshift cabins we built, doing their best to not just survive, but also to take care of the oversized pumpkins! The pumpkins will be harvested after the 24 hours are over, and the team that has the heaviest pumpkin will win first class and invincibility!
Today's Confessional: Alanna Castillo
"Oh my goodness, I think this challenge- and this neighborhood- is gonna give me so many ideas for my writing. I can feel the gears in my head starting to turn! I'm imagining there's this country girl living in a cabin like the ones we'll have, and she makes her living growing oversized pumpkins! Ugh! It's such a cute idea for a character, I wish I had paper so I can write all this stuff down!"
Our 24 hours begin with both teams taking initiative on the pumpkins! Estrello (IN) and Raylan (OD) water them both to ensure proper hydration
The pumpkins don't need constant supervision, so in a way this challenge is essentially a bonus socialization day too! Matteo (IN), of course, made sure to entertain himself with some singing, which attracted most of the contestants to Team Integrity's cabin to hear him! It got pretty crowded in there... The cabins are pretty tiny 😂
Meanwhile, Marilyn (OD) decided to spend her time exploring the neighborhood and came across a white fox! Nite (OD) caught up with her and the two had a nice time observing the fox together
Marilyn and Nite eventually returned to their cabin and spent time with Touma (OD). Meanwhile, Alanna (IN) and Estrello (IN) spent most of their day together (with Nite observing approvingly). These two have been spending a lot of time together lately and have been getting very close!
However, things aren't looking so bright for Elio (IN). They've been feeling dizzy and within the last few hours they developed swirly rashes all over their skin... Seems to me that Elio is sick!
Normally, we cure any illnesses right away with our generous stock of medicine, but since we're in an off-the-grid challenge and not in the plane, Elio will have to deal with their illness until the challenge ends... Team Integrity gave Elio a free pass on challenge participation and had them rest on one of the beds inside the cabin
As I said before, the cabins are tiny, so we were only able to fit 2 beds inside each cabin. With not enough beds for everyone, the teams have to make important decisions on who sleeps and who doesn't. Marilyn goes inside to find that both beds are occupied, while Matteo was quick to claim a bed for himself so he wouldn't lose out on beauty sleep 😴
In the end, morning eventually comes and the teams ended up sleeping in shifts so everyone could get some sleep. Tomiko (OD) is awake bright and early to make some salad for herself! She eventually joins Nite in caring for their team's pumpkin one last time before the 24 hours are up.
Meanwhile in Team Integrity, it was Matteo who volunteered to care for his team's pumpkin!
RESULTS:
Team Odyssey: 25.25 kg
Team Integrity: 25.59 kg
WOW! This result is EXTREMELY close, but in the end...
Congratulations once again, Team Integrity! First class and invincibility are yours once again!
And Team Odyssey... What a shame to lose so narrowly! You will have your second elimination ceremony as soon as we board the plane. I'll see you there!
