Unpleasant Interlude

We spent the next few days at the BeachCamp in Marahau, visiting the pharmacist and Mitre 10 in Motueka, dealing with the bed bug situation, doing everything possible to ensure they are not traveling with us, dealing with the scores of bites, watching to make sure no new ones appear... washing, drying, sealing, spraying, exposing to high heat, inspecting, hoping, even praying, etc. This is our 3rd bout, the previous ones in New Zealand in 2014 and in Argentina in 2017 (chinchas de cama). Ironically, much of the reason we rented a camper for this trip was to avoid any possibility of bed bug infestation. Yet, one night in one hut...it never occurred to us that a place so sparse as a DOC hut could harbor such an infestation...a vinyl covered mattress on a plywood platform. Nonetheless.... We reported the matter to a DOC agent when we got back to Motueka. Neither he nor the pharmacist nor others seemed particularly surprised. I surmise it's rather old news ...a dark side of a place that is wonderful to visit, especially for the young, budget traveler, and especially from so many different nations and regions. Wherever you travel or stay, it is well to learn about bed bugs, how to recognize their signs and hopefully avoid them, and what actions to take should you become a victim. There is a wealth of information on the internet, and Vicki will have some further observations in her "Practical New Zealand 2018" entry on our website.