Siberia
There were so many mosquitoes, too. And they were big.
The worst time was when I was putting up my tent. Before I
went off the road to find a campsite for the night (in Russia
you can pitch a tent anywhere), I slipped on Gore-Tex top
layers over my short sleeves and shorts, pulled on some
gloves, and wore a mosquito net over my head, to make sure
I was completely protected from the mosquitoes. I also used
an insect repellent spray around my neck area. It must have
been bitterly disappointing for those hungry little critters . . .
Once the tent was up I zipped it up tight, then lit
mosquito burners and got plumes of smoke going. Any
stubborn mosquitoes still left alive uttered their death wishes
as I squidged them one by one with my finger. (Siberian
mosquitoes are big, but don’t give you too bad a bite, and
they tend to move rather sluggishly.) Even when I went to the
loo I sprayed everywhere . . . liberally. There was no way the
little fellas were sinking their teeth into my behind.
(from "Against the Wind" - Poolbeg Press)
