Sand Flies

We can't say we weren't warned!

We stopped at Lake Rotoiti to take some pictures and since Hans was just going to step out of the car and snap a few shots, he didn't spray. Mistake.

Not long after we took off, I saw a teensy sand fly in the car and squished it. It was full of blood and Hans was the first victim.

Later, when we wanted to stop for lunch at a picnic site by Buller's Gorge, we first liberally sprayed ourselves, in the car, before exiting. So now the car stank of DEET and we were dodging sandflies who were actively looking for that one spot that didn't have repellent on it. My elbow was such a spot. I finished lunch in the car, windows up, hot as a sauna and smelling of repellent. Yuck. We had to drive with the windows open for awhile to escape the fumes but at least at speed, the wicked sandflies can't get in.

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