Nightmare bug experience No.1

Ok well for the first time I feel I may have made a mistake. A recent experience was almost a deal-breaker. I was this close to getting on the first plane home. And when I shared it with my Aussie friends they laughed and said 'Get used to it'. I DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO GET USED TO BUGS! They are horrid.

Anyway, the following story may disturb you if you don't like bugs, so take that as a warning.

Earlier this week I got into bed - about midnight, was dropping off to sleep, and I felt a tickling on my leg, but ignored it for a bit. It persisted, and I thought I might have a little spider or something in my bed, so might have to get rid of it. I turned my lamp on and lifted up the sheet, and... {urgh} it's making me shudder just thinking about it.... There was a big fat cockroach sharing my bed with me. ARGH. I was out of there in a flash. How the hell did it get into my bed?!?!?! And reader, they make the most disgusting noise...

I didn't know what to do - it was 1am and my housemates were asleep - I was feeling sickened by the whole experience. I went to have a shower, and put a sheet on the sofa ready to sleep there. Went back upstairs to see if I could trap it somehow and it was now on the landing, so I put a big bowl over it and went to sleep on the sofa. Well, I didn't get much sleep because I felt icky and traumatised and every little noise made me jump. I can deal with spiders, and pretty much any bug, but cockroaches are really really disgusting.

Anyway, apparently they are really common in Sydney, and THEY HAVE WINGS! Why did I not know this??? That's how it got into my room - it will have flown through the window which I conveniently left open for it. Rachel says we don't get them in the house much, but they are quite common here and are not a sign of dirt like in some other countries, they are just everywhere. And it will get worse as it gets hotter... That's why I called this post 'No.1', as I'm sure this was the first of many bug experiences.

So since then I've been sleeping with the light on and the window shut (yuck, it's so stuffy), and am becoming really paranoid. I've never been scared of bugs like this but they are really grim.

Sorry to share this with you but I feel it has been a defining moment in my Australian education.

Apart from that things are good - will update on the non-bug aspects of life this weekend.

Hope everyone's well and bug-free.
cx