Reality Bites

One thing we didn't have to deal with in Lancashire was mosquitoes. And since we returned home, we've been the meal of the day.

We have one major weapon in our armoury - an electrified plastic bat with which we zap bugs. We'd seen them in China, in the street bars of Yangshuo, but never expected that we'd be able to pick one up outside China.

But in NZ with the Accident Compensation Corporation looking after us, we can take all kinds of risks without government intervention and we found this zapper bat in our local DIY store.


Using the bat is a great sport - five points for a bluebottle, ten points for a mosquito, twenty points for a cockcroach...


But our best line of defence is our new mosquito net. Which James cunningly fixed to the joist above. And which gives me a terrible fright on the odd occasion when I wake up and attempt to leap out of bed.