Insect 101

Two blog posts in one day? I promise you there is a reason.

Where to begin with this tale?

Once upon a time, I thought that I could avoid any major skirmishes with insects during this trip. However, I was greatly mistaken. My three housemates were gone at dinner and I was left home to endure this harrowing experience. Innocently, I walked into the kitchen to make dinner. As I was cooking, I noticed that every so often a bug or ant would make its way to my prepped food. This was extremely obnoxious. After eating, I decided that I could take it no more. I began by just wiping the ants away, but I soon realized that would not suffice. I followed the trail of ants to their source...spoiled fruit and coffee that my housemates had left on the counter.

I must digress for a moment...In Gabon, we warn everyone to store fruit and almost everything else in the fridge to prevent from ant invasion. My housemates had left their fruit on the counter for over a week, so at this point the fruit was moldy, rank and ant-infested.

I cleared the counter of the coffeemaker, toaster oven, etc. and proceeded to exterminate the ants by using highly toxic spray. When I removed the toaster oven, a lizard jumped out at me and I also discovered a plethora of spiders. The spiders and bugs had also infested our napkin basket. Counters were sprayed and washed with soap & water. Only then did the kitchen return to its normal state.

Thus ends the tale of Christina the Exterminator.

Now you know the dangers of food in Gabon. Should you ever travel here, please be careful in storing your food.