What a rollercoaster!! Crammed with hope, crushing disappointment, tears and... eventual, difficult acceptance.
My sweet, favourite Ciera might not have won Survivor but she came out a shero, looking super in that blue and white retro dress and Do.
The moment she lost the immunity challenge I knew I had to seriously manage my expectations if I wanted to make it out of the finale alive. I was forced to accept that she was so close to victory and yet there was too much against her because she too fab for everyone.
Unlike Monica, Gervase and Tyson, who knew it. I spent about 15 minutes sulking after Ciera left, iffy about the three of them and then Tribal Council hit and things turned weird because I found myself conflicted about who deserved to win.
I've always assumed that my worst case scenario vote would go to Tyson but Monica turned out to be highly convincing. For the first time I understood her and the fact that she's fuming at Brad. She's livid at him!
And she's bottling it up because she totally changed her story in the Reunion Show when she was plastered to him.
I had moments of thinking that the jury might actually vote for her but when they didn't, it became clear that there was just something alienating about her that everyone couldn't connect with - everyone except Vytas.
It was the opposite with Tyson though, especially because he showed a different side to him this season, including an affinity for a blow dry. Brrrrrrrrr. It was the first time that we got to know him properly and he came across as suitably self aware at the final Tribal, which was revealed through his apology to Katie.
Ultimately he deserved to win. Not more than Ciera Obviously but after her. Thankfully she did win something concrete though: a second chance. Yip!!
She's gonna be back to play again in a future season - in three seasons time, in Cambodia. The season was cast by the public for the first time ever. People had to vote online for who they wanted to see again and Ciera was a fave.
Of course we aren't going to see the season on TV unless another broadcaster picks it up now that SABC3's ripped it away from us. I've been snooping for info on who's going to pick it up for us and will keep you posted if I hear anything. I'll definitely be finding a way of watching though - there's no ways I'm gonna stop because the SABC says I must. #SaveSurvivor
As for what's become of Tyson... turns out he went on to another reality show with Rachel - a series terrifyingly called: Marriage BootCamp Reality Stars
2 (ha). He proposed to her on the show and in March 2015 he confirmed that they tied the knot afterwards. The ceremony had a full-on reality theme - it was performed by Tyson's Survivor: Tocantins pal
Stephen Fishbach:
Tyson's terrible, kitsch ring:
Hers is better:
They had a baby in June last year. Reality baby name: Bergen Rose.