Related : Natalie Negrotti Spills Behind the Scenes "Challenge" Secrets

Life in a Challenge house has its perks.

This season's iteration, The Challenge: Total Madness, and its war bunker set-up non-withstanding, signing on for the MTV series that started as a way to pit telegenic, engaging Real World contestants against those from the Road Rules franchise and has morphed into must-watch soap opera, incorporating casts from more than a dozen different reality shows usually means sunny climes, a sweet pool set-up and more than a bit of partying.

The trade-off: there are no vacation days. Though there is one day each week free of physical challenges, "There are always cameras," MTV producer and vice president of series development Dan Caster told E! News last year. Because even when they're not competing, they're competing, the angling and strategy and gamesmanship just as key to avoiding elimination as athleticism and a knack for puzzles.