The creepies and the crawlies
Museflower Retreat where I’m staying is in the middle of a jungle. There’s about 2 kilometres of unpaved roads to navigate to get here. While it’s nicely signposted, let’s just say you wouldn’t want to arrive in the dark your first time (unless you’re being picked up, of course). The other excitement about living in the middle of the jungle is—you guessed it, the creepy crawlies.
I am happy to coexist with the one-, two-, four-, six-, eight-, many- and no-legged ones as long as I don’t have to see them. This is not always possible, though, and it’s something I’ve made my peace with. Except when it comes to the no-legged. There is no room for compromise there. Unless you’re in a resort in a foreign country by yourself.
Over the past five days at Museflower, I have had numerous encounters, including with a few legless ones. And including some in my room. Though I am careful to keep the net protectors on the doors and windows firmly shut ALL the time, a few stubborn critters have crept in nonetheless. So far, I have escorted three worms, a caterpillar and a (dead, I think) beetle-like thing off the premises.
What’s keeping me from screaming blue murder is:
- I don’t scream; and
- There’s no one to hear me even if I did.
So off I go to negotiate yet another night in my jungle room, and as I do so, I leave you with these images of some creepies and crawlies I encountered in Chiang Rai’s walking street market. I don’t mind these at all. While I didn’t have the nerve to try any, I’m told they are delicious and very nutritious.
Stir-fried larvae, anyone?
~PD