03/07/08 - Mosquito Misery

Sometimes driving is a bit like dodgems negotiating round the
reindeer. When we stopped and crossed back over the Arctic Circle we
saw two of them just wandering about.They are certainly king on the
road around here.
On one occasion a car up ahead had slowed right down and we spotted a
really large animal just ambling on the side of the road. We got quite
excited cause it might be a moose - but no, it just turned out to be 3
bikini clad girls walking single file in their hiking boots wearing
packs!?!? Only in Sweden? Daniel commented that perhaps they had
better insect repelent than we do.

Because boy could we have used it today. We went for walk at Hakkus
Fallet just south of Gällivare, where Daniel seemed to be on the
mosquitos' menu. At one point I even took off my jumper so that he
could wrap it around his neck and head, I was left in a singlet but
with my long hair acting like a 'tail' and 'flyscreen' they weren't
bothering me half as much as Daniel. Continual movement is the only
preventative option though we were able to take refuge in a
conveniently located hut for a while. Here someone had discarded a
well worn long sleeve shirt with a collar which Daniel 'borrowed' with
relief. One almost wishes for bad weather so that either, the wind
will discourage the critters, or that it is not uncomfortably hot to
cover up.

We were soon on the road again, it was such a beautiful still day but
the conditions so unpleasant that driving with the windows down
provided the only relief from the critters.

But it doesn't end there! We parked up with a beautiful view of a lake
and though we lit a fire, unlike previously this did not seem to
discourage them and, sometimes we stood in the smoke, just to hide
from them. The toasted marshmallows were yum though:-)

And it gets worse! Bedtime came and we risked cancer by spraying the
inside of the van with flyspray, but they just wouldn't die, or so it
seemed. Actually in the morning we discovered that I (Marea) probably
hadn't shut the cab door properly and I bet they were getting in
there. It was impossible to sleep with 100s of mosquitos buzzing
around. We killed as many as we could which is really gross because
now our blood and dead mossies are smeared everywhere. Eventually I
put earplugs in put the sheet over my head and managed to snatch an
hour or so of sleep. Poor Daniel probably got less.
We must go shopping me tinks, mosquito net, insect repellent etc....