As the birthdays celebrations draw to a close we reach a milestone in our trip. It is our last night of drinking and smoking on the pillowed bench seat with the long term locals. It's been a great laugh crawling into bed at 5am each night. Someone asked if we were in training for our big walk. We probably should be. I'd imagine people work out before walking 2000 km.
It's time to stop 'shagging flies' as the frenchies put it. Our custom bits of kit are ready to collect. We say goodbye Auckland and jump on a bus for the bush...
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Goodbye Auckland.
ReplyDeleteBtw, determined that they were definitely sandflies, but no leishmaniasis in SE Asia so that's good.
Vaguely relevant quote about NZ:
[Maori legend] says that when the god Tu-te-raki-whanoa had just finished creating the landscape of Fiordland, it was absolutely stunning ... so stunning that it stopped people from working. The goddess Hinenuitepo became angry at these unproductive people, so she created the sandfly to bite them and get them moving.
And given that NZ clearly has sandflies (at least in Fiordland!) here's what the Singapore aunties recommend as repellent.
Base oil (any, but you have to put it on your skin so I'd go baby or sunflower over sump),
Tea tree oil (a few drops),
Dettol (a few drops).
Apparently the oil base is the key; given my half-hearted eco-friendly insect repellent is mainly citronella oil, that makes sense.
Oh, put it on OVER sunscreen, obviously, or you'll shallow fry.
Btw, FINALLY test-drove (test-ran?) the bag, and it is exactly what I was after - best one I've tried. Right size, right weight, good compression. Woo!
ReplyDeleteThought the straps were gonna rub but it was fine once I did up the chest strap. And waterproof is a nice bonus in a country with monsoons.
THANK YOU!
PS I've commented three times previously using three different logins. The bastards will never catch me...
I am sitting here all cosy in my bed reading your posts with my laptop slowly overheating on my duvet. It sounds great Ed. You will find what you need, it will come to you. You will overcome all your obstacles and feel free and grounded all at the same time. I am looking forward to your next post.
ReplyDeleteLove
xxx
Groovy, glad the bag's good, it's one of the best designs I ever saw. Cheers for the advice on sand fly/mini-whips deterrant. I am slowly becoming accoustomed to the bites and they are becoming less itchy. I am telling myeslf this anyway. I like the sound of the shallow fry, sounds relatively theraputic ;-)
ReplyDeleteRight more posts on their way...
Just a fan saying hi! Agree with you about fire, its a human right. Anyone who stumbles across you...where you're going to start it...well its kind of a silly law eh?
ReplyDelete