Just another day in paradise

Went on a little photo venture yesterday morning. Venture: an undertaking involving uncertainty as to the outcome, especially a risky or dangerous one. This image probably does not look risky or dangerous. My title of this post “Just another day in paradise” most certainly doesn’t make one think of risk or danger. I assure you that even though you see beauty and bliss, there are dangers which are not easily seen by the human eye.

I headed out of the house about 8:10 am and I was home within 25 minutes. There was no danger in the bike ride to the beach. There was no risk in the people I said hello to along the way. Surely there was no danger in the path I chose to enter the beach. The danger assaulted me as soon as my bike tires rolled over the grains of sand. The venture began.

Within seconds, there were 3 or 4 sand flies on my upper arm and when there are that many on my arm that quickly, I know it’s going to be bad. These little white-winged sand flies, as some call them, bite quick and leave your skin burning. In the 15 minutes I was on my photo escapade, I spent most of the time scanning my legs and ankles and wiping these miniature beasts off me.

By the time I walked into my apartment, my arms and feet were burning but I have learned never to start itching them. Even though I feel ambushed and my skin burns for awhile after they get me, the aftermath of their attack is gone within 30 minutes…IF I have enough self-control not to touch them!

I am not complaining about this island paradise and if you are ever wanting to visit this beautiful piece of heaven, don’t be alarmed. There are techniques to keep the sand fly bites to a minimum.