It's almost too unbearable for me to write about that which I hate and fear so much, but it was a true Australian experience nonetheless. A girlfriend, Dena, and I decided to take a last minute trip to Tourquay beach over the long weekend. We set out Saturday afternoon, with visions of beach time relaxation in our minds. No doubt the weather was perfect, the scenery was, as always, amazing, and everything was looking good. Until we arrived at our cottage for the evening. At first, we entered uninhibited, with nothing but excitement in our hearts. The last thing either of us expected to stumble upon was a pair of Huntsman spiders taking refuge in our nice little cottage.
For those who are unaware of the Australian outback reputation, let me inform you that there are some nasty, nasty creatures that inhabit this part of the world. Australia is home to some of the world's most painful and poisonous creatures, including the box jellyfish, blue ring octopus, red back spider, red-bellied black snake, and great white shark. Mind you, Huntsman spiders are not on this list - they actually do good, like Daddy Long Leg spiders. However, Huntsman look like Tarantulas, and travel in pairs, and those who know me best know that I am most definitely not ok with spiders, let alone big furry ones that travel in pairs, and that as soon as I set my eyes upon these ugly beings, my life's mission was to end theirs. After our shrieking had subsided (we overheard a guy outside commenting about a possible murder that may be occurring in our cottage....), Dena and I set out to obtain some very strong spider killer. I was elected terminator, and Dena elected herself photographer of the event. Very nice of her, I thought.
We tiptoed back into the cottage (as if the Hunstman might hear us). I slowly approached the ugly fellows, and proceeded to do something that my sister, mother, and father know I do quite often - I blew on the spiders to make sure they were alive. They were most definitely alive, and were now on the move. Lots and lots and lots of spraying, and more shrieking, happened in this moment. I think I must have emptied half a can of killer on each spider. In fact, so much of the indoors pesticide was sprayed that Dena and I weren't sure if we could actually sleep in the room for the smell. But, the spiders were dead. Mission complete. It was a traumatizing experience, as most of you can imagine. I would like to be able to say that it was a character-building exercise, and that I have conquered my fear of spiders. But, alas, this is not the case, and I will probably shriek just as loudly in my next encounter.
Australia Day is probably one of the largest days of celebration throughout the country. Marked with its name as recently as 1935 and only celebrated as a public holiday for the first time on January 26, 1994, Australia Day commemorates the establishment of the first British settlement (a penal colony) on the continent in 1788, and is a chance for Australians to celebrate all things - well, Australian.
And celebrate we did. The day is very dear to the hearts of citizens, and is infused with memories of family gatherings and outdoor barbie's (BBQs) in the summer heat. So, we grilled, and ate, and grilled some more, and ate some more. It was a fun (and hot!) day.
Below, Sarah and I prepare some of the skewers. And there is Oscar the puppy (Erin - this is not a koala).
It's almost too unbearable for me to write about that which I hate and fear so much, but it was a true Australian experience nonetheless. A girlfriend, Dena, and I decided to take a last minute trip to Tourquay beach over the long weekend. We set out Saturday afternoon, with visions of beach time relaxation in our minds. No doubt the weather was perfect, the scenery was, as always, amazing, and everything was looking good. Until we arrived at our cottage for the evening. At first, we entered uninhibited, with nothing but excitement in our hearts. The last thing either of us expected to stumble upon was a pair of Huntsman spiders taking refuge in our nice little cottage.
For those who are unaware of the Australian outback reputation, let me inform you that there are some nasty, nasty creatures that inhabit this part of the world. Australia is home to some of the world's most painful and poisonous creatures, including the box jellyfish, blue ring octopus, red back spider, red-bellied black snake, and great white shark. Mind you, Huntsman spiders are not on this list - they actually do good, like Daddy Long Leg spiders. However, Huntsman look like Tarantulas, and travel in pairs, and those who know me best know that I am most definitely not ok with spiders, let alone big furry ones that travel in pairs, and that as soon as I set my eyes upon these ugly beings, my life's mission was to end theirs. After our shrieking had subsided (we overheard a guy outside commenting about a possible murder that may be occurring in our cottage....), Dena and I set out to obtain some very strong spider killer. I was elected terminator, and Dena elected herself photographer of the event. Very nice of her, I thought.
We tiptoed back into the cottage (as if the Hunstman might hear us). I slowly approached the ugly fellows, and proceeded to do something that my sister, mother, and father know I do quite often - I blew on the spiders to make sure they were alive. They were most definitely alive, and were now on the move. Lots and lots and lots of spraying, and more shrieking, happened in this moment. I think I must have emptied half a can of killer on each spider. In fact, so much of the indoors pesticide was sprayed that Dena and I weren't sure if we could actually sleep in the room for the smell. But, the spiders were dead. Mission complete. It was a traumatizing experience, as most of you can imagine. I would like to be able to say that it was a character-building exercise, and that I have conquered my fear of spiders. But, alas, this is not the case, and I will probably shriek just as loudly in my next encounter.
