The plane dips, floats, touches, bumps, and stops. “This is the termination of flight…Welcome to Calgary.” I made it. Again.

Is this the end of my trip?  No. The end of my short trip becomes the beginning of another journey. My memories are wild and untamed. I wind back the days, reassess the experience, embellish my notes and write. Things I’ve brought home begin to take on a life of their own.

Some of those things are stories about people. Other things are more tangible, like my coffee pot. And some things stay outside.

            My suitcase and everything in it stays outside.

            For once I hope it’s cold. Really cold. It takes seven minutes at -35’C to wipe out bedbugs or four 4 days at -10’C. I Google to learn more facts.

The speedy, light-brown devils are flat and oval. Adults are about the size of a grain of cooked brown rice but bed bugs swell in size as they feast. To prove they’ve enjoyed my warm human blood exclusively for their breakfast, lunch and dinner, I’ve brought home lines of itchy red welts along the most tender and tasty parts of my body. The side effects of bedbug bites are “not serious.” My research explains that I shouldn’t worry, the bites are itchy for only a week or two but, I am warned, “the psychological effects can remain for a long time.” Anxiety, stress and insomnia are common. So true.

I want to cope with the psychological effects in a positive way so I’ve brought home my list of recommendations to use the next time I travel.

1.  When travelling do not leave the suitcase on the bed or the floor. Put it on a dresser or a table, to keep the little beasts at bay. Be especially wary that bed bugs might be lingering around if the beds are wrapped in plastic. The bugs are under the plastic.

2. Pack everything in zip lock bags and throw in a couple extra plastic bags for laundry.

3. Wear long underwear, like a suit of amour, at night. My long johns are incredibly comforting, even if they don’t protect me all that well.

4. Smear on insect repellent with DEET. Although it may foil Malaria and Dengue fever, it is not proven to keep those prehistoric-dinosaur-like bed bugs away. But I’ll try it anyway, for moral support. And I’ll spray the bed for extra good luck.

5. Don’t forget anti-itch lotion, hydrocortisone cream and antihistamine pills. They may help the itch.

6. Pay attention to all bed bug advice and rumours.

Bon Voyage!

Coming next week:   “Desert Coffee”    A story from the Silk Road.

“Did you open the link to my new blog I sent you?”

“What blog?” He said. “All I saw was a photo.”

“That’s my blog.” I said. “How do you like it?”

“It’s not a blog. It’s a photo. You have to write something Mom.”

“I have a lot to figure out… especially the technical. It’s going to be a travel blog. You know – I write about where I am.”

“That’ll be good, at least we’ll know where you are.”

“I always give you our itinerary.”

“But we never know that you got to where you say you’re going in an itinerary. A blog is supposed to be updated from time to time, like an ongoing conversation. You write. We comment.”

“That’s why I’m doing it. I like writing. And when I sent all those emails from China, I loved receiving the comments. It will be an adventure just to write and let it hang out there for the whole world on the web. A scary adventure, but just think of the possibilities. It’ll be a compilation of travel – questions I have, answers I’ve found, people we meet, books I’ve read, and food we’re eating. I’ll post some recipes I’ve learned, mini reviews of books I’ve read, photos, maybe even some of daddy’s sketches, some maps and link to other blogs and websites.  I’ll blog about what it’s like to blog. Then I’ll listen to what the world has to say.”

“By the way Mom, don’t you think it’s about time you and Dad gave up on those adventure type trips. Maybe you should stay around here.”

“Stay tuned. Staying around will happen soon enough.”