I just have to get this off my chest. What you don’t see in our beautiful photos of “paradise” is that we are antagonized, harassed, molested, plagued by insects. Elizabeth said before that she thinks the plants rule the jungle. I think the insects rule the jungle, and they use the plants for housing and the human beings for convenient snacks. I have been reduced to a bag of blood and other precious fluids for bugs to enjoy.
In the nine months we spent researching Costa Rica and preparing for the trip, nothing made mention of the fact that insect repellent is not much more than a feeble joke to the local mosquitoes. Nobody told me my wife and four-year-old son were going to look like victims of the pox, and both want to rip their skins off. Weirdly, I am almost unaffected. I guess I don’t taste good, and Dean seems to have some of my tolerance. But I would rather they would come for me than my Elizabeth and my Graham. Especially Graham, who has around three-score welts on his arms and legs and scratches them until they become weeping sores. I want this to be a fun summer for him. I certainly didn’t set all this up to subject my little boy to an exotic form of torture.
It’s not all bad news. The situation seems to be improving, so I think we’re all developing a better resistance. We learned that we can secure Graham’s mosquito net to his bed with clothespins so he doesn’t kick it off during the night. Some days are much better than others. We’ll get mosquitoes one day, and gnats the next. Always ants, but at least they’re only after our provisions, not us. The jungle doesn’t need a weather forecast, it needs a bug forecast.
I hope I’m not being too negative. There are plenty of things to love about our setting, this just doesn’t happen to be one of them. This is going to go on the record as one of the prices to pay for the experiences we’re enjoying.
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Poor Elizabeth and Graham!
I’ve heard that eating bananas attracts mosquitoes for some reason. I have no idea if it’s true.
Oh dear! All your insect repellant products from Amazon have arrived and are in our bags for the trip tomorrow. Help is on the way!
I empathize. You are not being too negative at all. Simply spelling out the totalitarian rule of insects in tropical climates. After spending 7 months in the Yucatán, I nearly kissed the ground when I landed in the moderate, relatively insect-free Pacific NorthWest. Nothing like multiple near mises with scorpions or having a cockroach crawl up your back while working on a paper to make you appreciate a good, harsh winter.
Hey guys,
Amie shot me a link to the blog. Hope you are hanging in there with the mosquitos. I’d be in Elizabeth and Graham’s shoes as well. Those punks LOVE me. I’ve heard tale that Vitamin B12 helps ward them off as well. Perhaps worth a try! Best wishes to you all! I think this adventure is WAY cool.
I would agree with Beth. B vitamins help but I also think its a blood type issue. I cant publish your wife and deans blood type on the internet because Im your midwife, but it is interesting. Try LOTS of Bs several times daily( EAT MORE MEAT DANG IT!!)
OH and I LOVE my new 74 airstream office. Check out craigs list Austin from I think May with key words 74 overlander airstream Moody Waco Tx to see photos.
Sam Evans your midwife