Group 2 has it worse — a lot worse. They are stationed about 50 yards down the beach at Gina's Akaiami Beach Lodge. Actually, lodge is a bit of a stretch; it's more like a bug-infested shack with 10 cots on an enclosed porch. As for the bathroom? Well, what it lacks in a door and warm water, it makes up for with lots and lots of bugs. The mosquitoes here are simply relentless. (So bad, in fact, that producers decide to have the contestants swap camps two days later to make everything fair and square.) Stephannie in particular seems to be having a hard time, covering every inch of her skin with both clothes and insect repellent, yet still slapping herself silly. The other contestants take notice. Though they can't speak to one another, a weakness has clearly been detected. Before the players can go to sleep, they must surrender all of their money. Sekou hands over $180, hoping it will magically turn into a million.

JUNE 23
The players learn Survivor skills

It's time for Survivor school! After breakfast, group 1 is presented with an ''Island Living Guide'' containing instructions on everything from how to purify water to proper latrine etiquette. The contestants sit under a tent and begin a daylong class that trains them to...well, survive. (Producers have not run the program since the Survivor: The Amazon players arrived in 2002, but felt this new cast of novices could use the crash course.) ''Consider this a pre-Survivor gift,'' says executive producer Tom Shelly. Native Aitutakians Nagida and Billy explain how to build a shelter and catch food via a ridiculously complex chicken trap. Everyone is captivated as Billy attempts to make fire by simply rubbing wood together; Sekou rubs his hands together, as if that will somehow help. Maybe it does, because at 10:40, only 16 minutes after he began, Billy has fire. His audience applauds, and Sekou — in strict violation of the no-talking rule — opens his mouth and yells, ''Lunchtime!''

After three hours of instruction, the group hits the beach for a marine tutorial. Waiting for them is another local, Ned, who proves his credentials by turning an octopus head — and their stomachs — inside out. ''Can you eat that?'' asks Sekou. He says this every time he is presented with a new creature, be it a sea urchin, sea slug, or spotted cod (the answers: yes, yes, no). Jonathan is also having a hard time staying silent. ''That puts them at a disadvantage,'' Ozzy says later, ''and shows either they're ignorant or just feel like hearing themselves talk.''

There's more drama at dinner when Candice — who was upset when Sekou stepped on her foot at Survivor school earlier and didn't apologize — tries to find a place to sit. A tight spot remains between contestants Billy and Sekou. While Billy makes room, Sekou doesn't budge. ''I don't think he does it on purpose,'' says Candice later. ''But I think he might rub some people the wrong way already.''

JUNE 24
Contestants meet the press

Finished with their schooling, the players now get a chance to sit down — or, in the case of Parvati, straddle a boat sexily — for photo shoots and interviews. This is their first chance to talk at length in four days, and they don't hold back. Almost remarkably, no one seems to have figured out the season's big twist. Well, almost no one: Yul's taken notice of the increased amount of minority contestants. ''I hope it's not going to be some sort of war of the races or something,'' he says. ''But I can't imagine a network would approve something like that.''

JUNE 25
The twist is revealed

The game starts tomorrow, and everyone is gathered for a pep talk from exec producer Mark Burnett. ''We brought more people here than we need,'' Burnett tells the contestants. ''There may be more going home tonight.'' He then urges everyone to play hard, not quit, and have fun — all in his typically unfettered manner: ''You are total idiots if you don't accept the experience.'' Following Burnett is Jeff Probst (who informs the contestants exactly what he does and does not know during the game), producer John Kirhoffer (who gives instructions regarding the challenges), and Dr. Adrian Cohen (who explains the role of the medical staff on the show).

This is the calm before what will shape up to be a very big storm. Each player is then taken for an individual meeting under a big tent with Burnett, Probst, and Shelly. Fewer than 18 hours before the game starts, they are informed that the tribes will be divided along ethnic lines. As Sekou takes his seat before the trio, he is asked, ''What tribe do you think you're gonna be with?'' His answer, in retrospect, seems almost quaint: ''Well, I have a good idea that the people I'm sequestered with will not be in my tribe.'' It then falls to Probst to inform him of the tribal divisions. Sekou pauses, then says, ''Listen, I came here to win a million bucks. That's not gonna be a factor. I'm out here to stay.''

But not all the contestants are. Burnett wasn't bluffing when he talked about bringing more people than necessary, because a total of 21 people journeyed to the Cook Islands. For one African-American woman (whom producers have requested remain nameless should she reapply for a future edition), the road will end here. After getting reports about her difficulties in dealing with the conditions, Burnett sends the woman packing. A boat takes her to base camp, where she'll await the next flight back to America. (''She was having a terrible time,'' says Burnett. ''I did her a favor.'') The remaining players enjoy a last supper of chicken, steak, fried shrimp, and potatoes, and then it's off to bed. Tomorrow, after all, is their biggest day yet.

JUNE 26
The game finally begins

''Good morning,'' announces Brock, as cheerfully as possible. It is 4:30 a.m. Contestants have an hour to get ready before leaving sleeping quarters, and they won't be allowed back in. After changing into their game clothes, the four tribes are split up and placed inside Zodiac boats that will take them to the starting point. But instead of anticipation or excitement, Manihiki team members feel some thing else — nausea. The waves are choppy and the boat is small. It's a bad combination. Sekou feels a tingle in his gut, but thinks he has it under control. Then Stephannie begins gagging. ''Girl, don't you start that!'' Sekou begs. It's too late. A bucket is fetched, and Stephannie coughs up her entire breakfast. Sekou is next. Then Nate. And Sundra. Only Rebecca is immune. The game hasn't even started yet. Welcome to Survivor.

JUNE 27
Sekou finds himself in a Bunch

Sekou is starting to realize that he may have made a tactical error. On the first night of the game, he and his tribemates began discussing their professions. Inexplicably, Sekou informed everyone that he was a psychologist, and he now fears the group thinks he's rich. Things don't go much better at the challenge when his team can't properly assemble a boat. They lose, and the tribe's two men are called out by Probst for excluding the women from their decision to send Jonathan to Exile Island. Yet Sekou still feels safe, believing that he and Nate can convince Stephannie to vote off Sundra.

JUNE 28
The tribe speaks, and Sekou's torch is snuffed

Sekou is counting strokes. Sitting at Tribal Council, he realizes that tonight's bootee will be himself or Sundra, so when his tribemates go to vote, Sekou watches to see how many letters — 5 or 6 — they write down. He can't quite make out Stephannie's vote. Ultimately, the women's bond proves too strong, and his torch is snuffed. Sekou walks away and is stopped by a member of the production team, who tells him that they need to film his parting thoughts. The staffer disappears, leaving Sekou by himself for a good five minutes. He just sits there, looking like the loneliest man on the planet. Then, as if on cue, the rain starts to beat down mercilessly. Finally, a producer shows up with an umbrella. Sekou records his final interview and is thanked for his efforts.

After being greeted with hugs by Brock, Dr. Cohen, and one of the show's psychologists, Dr. Laurel Lippert, Sekou and the group cram into the back of a blacked-out SUV. His emotions fluctuate between pride (''I stood up and I made it. I am a survivor!''), resentment (''They are less one really strong person''), and relief (''Do I get a blanket now?''). After another boat ride — this one vomit-free — the group arrives back at the Akaiami Lodge. The place has received an extreme makeover. The cots are gone, and in their place is a dining room table, 32" TV, PlayStation 2, DVD player (including a library of films like Dodgeball, Top Gun, and — we're hoping this was unintentional — White Chicks), and books like the appropriately titled Going Home by Danielle Steel. Outside are boogie boards, a Ping-Pong table, and a full-on arts-and-crafts station. What once resembled barracks have morphed into Survivor Summer Camp. ''This looks like a totally different place,'' marvels Sekou.