Going into the race I knew I would be shoved out of my comfort zone. I would have my patience tested. I would be dirty. My clothes would be dirty. I would have to put up with bugs and insects I didn’t want to deal with. I would be uncomfortable. There was no way around it.
Well, this month hasn't been any different, I've been pushed out of my comfort zone! I don't like bugs, I mean, I REALLY don't like bugs. I don’t like when they crawl, when they fly, I don't even like when they breathe. So imagine my surprise when we arrive to our new home here in Kampong Thom, Cambodia and we are welcomed by an assortment of insects. Anna and I drag our bags into a room, our home for the month, and start to get ready for bed. Then we see it. One cockroach. Two cockroaches. We are screaming like little girls. Then an assortment of flying insects and crawling bugs swarm our things. GROSS! As I attempt to lay in bed (a thin mattress), I can’t help but notice the thousands of bugs crawling everywhere. I can’t sleep here. I just can’t. Despite the heat, I set up “camp” in the bug net for my hammock. I sweat through my few hours of sleep, but at least I’m mostly protected from the creatures of the night.
But it isn’t until the second night, July 3rd (going into July 4th) that our supposed time bomb starts. As we lay in our newly bed-net-covered mattress, we notice one tick. Then 2. Then 50. Anna and I spent hours with a lighter and some toilet paper in a mass genocide against the ticks. THEY. WERE. EVERYWHERE. My mind was blown. But, after the first few killings we actually had fun, and in a way, our own little Fourth of July. As we lit the little suckers on fire they would go POP and fly off the wall in a blaze. Our own little fireworks 🙂
Think that's bad; just wait, it gets better. Anna and I had a momma tick in our room; and a tick’s only purpose in life is to recreate. This momma must have been doing her job because next thing you know, we have thousands (no, not an exaggeration) of baby, microscopic ticks in our bed (the bug net was no match for their size). Anna and I looked it up; the CDC says that a momma can lay 2,000 – 18.000 eggs. SERIOUSLY?? That’s not even fair. SO….
All we do is Raid Raid Raid no matter what.
Every time we walk up into room the can goes out in front.
The ticks fall down.
And they stay there. And they stay there.
So… Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. The countdown begins… When will someone get bit?
