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Close Calls with Australian Creatures

April 24th, 2009 No comments

Right before I moved to Australia with my husband, who is Australian, I watched a television show about the ten most deadly creatures in the world. I looked right at my husband and joked, that, if all ten were from Australia I was not moving. Little did I know I was not far off. Nine out of the ten creatures were from Australia.

My first, creature sighting, was with an arachnid. It was late in the evening when I spotted a large shadow, the size of my hand, on the wall. When I turned on the light, the spider stood on it’s hind legs and jumped towards me. Both the spider and I ran in different direction. The spider turned out to be a Huntsman spider, which apparently are good to have in your home and harmless. I also found out that a large can of bug spray will not be able to kill these guys.

Needless to say I am no better in the water .The slightest touch of something on my skin while in the sea sends me swimming faster than an Olympian even if it does turn out to be seaweed. I am not a strong swimmer so the currents terrify me , the knowledge of the fact that box- jelly fish AND killer sharks dwell in these waters petrifies me ” so when Husband suggests a romantic sailing holiday in the Whitsundays , North Queensland , I have to admit to not being immediately keen but I agreed .

Whitsundays, was breathtakingly beautiful. Turtles were swimming in the shallow waters and dolphins surrounded us in the deeper waters. After trip I became a little braver about swimming in the ocean.

The water is so amazingly crystal clear here and so blue it is mesmerizing, that is until you see a dark shadow in the depths below you that seems to be coming nearer and nearer. It would be an understatement to say that I almost ran on top of the water shrieking like a banshee. I leapt up the ladder to find my Husband in fits of laughter pointing to what I had been swimming from ” not a shark as I had automatically assumed or a jelly just a Clown Fish . Well it WAS the size of a dinner plate but I guess I was the clown!

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How to Stay Safe on A Tropical Island

April 19th, 2009 No comments

Though it is a pleasure to laze around in the sandy beaches of tropical islands, there are many things to that can get in our way of having a memorable and wonderful holiday. Islands can be a lot of fun but if you don’t practice good safety, they can be a disaster. You could get sick or injured. Though most people only get sun stroke or a few bug bits, there are many things that can happen to you while away. Here are some tips that can help you stay safe during your next island holiday:

It is very important that you guard against tropical insect bites that can be dangerous to your health. Since most tropical islands have thick rain forests and have a lot of humidity, they have many dangerous insects that may bite and cause you harm. You want to make sure you dont get malaria or dengue fever as well sick from some other insect bit. Mosquito repellents should be carried with you at all times. If you are outside a lot, you want to always make sure you apply bug spray, especially during sunrise or sunset when mosquitoes are the most active.

Don’t forget your common sense at the airport. Be sure to watch your belongings and other personal items while you are away. Most islands have a lot of tourists going to them making them rich with cash and the target of thieves or con artists. Be sure to watch your valuables and don’t flash a lot of money around. Being on vacation is no excuse for not practicing common sense.

Make sure to spend a limited amount of time in the sun. You don’t want to get burnt or end up with sun stroke. Be sure to apply a lot of of sunscreen while outside. Make sure to choice a high SPF and let the sunscreen dry before you go outside as sunscreen doesn’t work when it is wet. If you are getting burnt, get out of the sun. Getting burnt can lead to sunstroke and you don’t want that to happen. You want to go home with some color not looking like sick lobster.

Lastly, be careful about what activities you do. Scuba diving, parasailing, jungle trekking may all seem like fun things to do but they come with many risks. Make sure you go with licensed tour operators with a proven record of safety. Moreover, make sure your travel insurance covers you if you get sick or injured. The last thing you want to do is go on vacation, break a leg, and then find out you don’t have insurance to cover the costs.

In general, island vacations are very safe. In general, tropical islands are very safe but they do contain some hazards you need to look out for. Next time you go on holiday make sure you practice good safety to make sure your trip is a good one. If you follow these rules, you’ll have a great holiday at your tropical destinations.

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