Road to Selvadorada V

Previously: Shawn and Aisha discovered the ruins of a downed plane and a hidden chest full of treasure and blessings, while Nadia discovered that maybe agreeing to this childcare gig wasn't her most brilliant idea ever.



Morning arrives, and it's another long, hot day of hacking at vines that seem to grow thicker every time you glance away. Somehow, I'm not at all surprised.


But nothing can put a damper on Shawn's enthusiasm! He's finally grown skilled enough to survey the area for a potential dig site rather than having to rely on stumbling upon one by pure luck.


Shawn: Yes! Got one! I am the archaeological king of the jungle!


Aisha is starting to get more and more into the spirit. She doesn't even roll her eyes anymore when Shawn tells her to go check out an interesting rock. She's had a taste of the jungle's buried spoils, and she wants more!


Aisha: Oh, look, I found more treasure! What can I say? Just another day in the life of being blessed by the gods!


Apparently, the theme for today's adventure is unlucky Sims who had no business being out in the jungle to begin with being rescued by our blessed heroine, Aisha.


No matter how much time she spends in the jungle, though, she still feels like a human garbage can every time she's forced to shamefully exit a bush perfumed with the scent of her urine.


In less disgusting news, look at these beautiful views!!! Just a man and his dog at the edge of the world.


All that digging has really taken a toll on Shawn's stamina, so he sets up camp at the Royal Omiscan Baths to catch a quick catnap while Aisha enjoys the water.


Also, she took a casual sloth walk while he was dead to the world. *shrugs* No big deal.


Shawn: Dakota, my girl, I love it here, too!


Aisha: Guess what I found while you were sleeping? It's only one of those ancient hidden temples you've been so desperate to find this entire time. Those sloths led me straight to it!
Shawn: I'm sorry, did you just say something about sloths?...


The temple is full of sealed passageways guarded by dangerous booby traps Shawn must investigate carefully. One of these jewel-encrusted skeletons opens the first door, but if he chooses the wrong one, it's almost certain death.


Aisha: Ugh, this is going to take longer than I thought! Time for my nap! Wake me when you find something interesting!


Shawn: Geez, this is hard! I really should have read a book or two on ancient booby traps before I came out here!


Aisha woke up refreshed, but Shawn is still inside puzzling over the first unlocking mechanism. Rather than try to help him, she opts to pass the time playing fetch with Dakota instead.


Who's a good doggy? WHO'S A GOOD DOGGY?!?


Shawn: All right, so... After hours of contemplation, I'm basically just going with my gut here. Have mercy on me, guys.


It's a close one. Shawn nearly feels his spirit leave his body as he is supernaturally levitated off the ground in a mysterious cloud of dust, but he survives. That's the important thing.


He has to take a break to process his near-death experience before he can return to the booby traps. Time to disrespect the ancient walls of this sacred temple by memorializing their art via modern technology!


Okay, he at least managed to rule out the rest of the skeletons, so now it comes down to sticking his hand inside a random hole and hoping it opens the passageway rather than biting his fingers off.


SUCCESS! This treasure had better be worth it, damn!


Not one, not two, but three archaeological dig piles?!? They truly will be investigating this temple for the rest of their lives!


Shawn enlists Aisha to cut the dig time in half. She doesn't really know what she's doing with that hammer and chisel, but hopefully she doesn't gouge up any priceless artifacts too horribly.


They don't even make it all the way through the piles before night falls and they have to throw in the towel until morning.


Their intention was not to leave the jungle until they had found the ultimate treasure, but a proper night's sleep is out of the question when their tent keeps being plagued by lightning bugs. Aisha is ready to call in a copter to take them home for the night just to experience a proper bath and sleep in a real bed.


I'll leave it up to your imagination whether they walked all the way home or found some other means of transportation. The important thing is that Aisha finally got her relaxing two-hour bath.


Aisha: Isn't this food so much better than those horrible portable grilled cheeses we've been surviving on?!?
Shawn: You're right, babe. I just hope the treasure remains undisturbed until we can return!


A strong drink tastes nice, too, after days spent rationing lukewarm filtered water from a filthy canteen.


Now that Aisha and Shawn are safely among civilization again (at least for now), it seems like a good time to check back in on Nadia and Gideon. While Gideon actually looks like he's in a good mood for once, Nadia is clearly experiencing withdrawal symptoms from missing so many wild nights out with her friends.


She manages to sneak in a few minutes to play chess by herself every now and then, but it's not quite enough.


Not even an encounter with a friendly stray cat can cheer her up.


Parenting is hard work. It's best she learns that early so that she knows what the future holds if she ever decides to have a family of her own. (On an unrelated note, I feel like Gideon is constantly eating in these pictures, and I love it.)


Madeline, what are you doing in Selvadorada?!? Apparently, Nadia leaving home inspired her parents to start leading rich and thrilling social lives. I don't even know who they are anymore.


Meanwhile, Nadia's just stuck at a boring old park playing pretend with a very demanding little boy.


He is pretty cute, though, she must admit.


Aww, look at him playing with this little souvenir doll from Selvadorada! He misses his parents! I'm going to cry!


Nadia can't help it: she feels it in her bones that she must attend this crazy party. Surely, Gideon will survive one more night with the nanny who should probably be fired from her job, right?


Nadia: Oh god, my heart wants to dance all night, but my body just wants to curl up and take a nice long nap!


Come on, Nadia! If your ghost grandmother can still get her groove on after all this time, so can you!


Madeline: Honey, hey! Fancy bumping into you here! Aren't you supposed to be taking care of your deadbeat aunt's kid, or have you drowned him in the bathtub already?

Wow, Madeline has really changed.


Nadia: Mom, why are you acting so weird? You never even let me near a party, and now you're at one?
Madeline: Listen, kid, you only live once. Your dad may or may not have an exotic mistress squirreled away somewhere, so it's only fair that I have my fun, too.
Nadia: Wait... WHAT?!?


Tayler, come on! You're the one who invited us to this party! Can you even try to look alive?


Nadia: All right! We're both awake! My nephew's at home with an incompetent caregiver! My mom's acting crazy, and my dad might be having an affair! Now, let's party!


Nadia: On second thought, I'm just going to rest my eyes for a quick minute or two.
Tayler: Whatever. I'm out of here.

Also, Elliot has shown up and is now wiggling his ass directly in front of his sleeping daughter. What is going on?!?