Let me tell you 'bout the birds and the bees and the sand and the fleas...

I love Caye Caulker, really and truly I do. However, am slowly going insane on this little island. Literally. I have become the most popular buffet around for the sand fleas of the island and my legs are covered with red bites. The picture doesn't do them justice because you can't see the back of my knees and my ankles in this photo - which are the two most munched up areas. I can't sleep at night. I can't sit still on the beach and enjoy the beautiful weather. I can only go out of my mind from the torture of the itching that I cannot seem to do anything about.

In the past few days I have purchased every remedy available to me here in paradise - Calamine lotion, Benadryl gel, hydro-cortisone cream, and even some local concoction made of hemp and coconut oil. On line searching brought me suggestions including applying antiperspirant, vinegar, or a lot of rum (this one is taken by mouth, rather than topically). While many of the remedies (especially the rum) do improve my mental state briefly during their use, the relief is mercilessly short lived. For some reason, these nasty little pests either don't bite Andrew, or he doesn't react to the bites in the same way I do. While I am happy for him, this does not ease my suffering in the least.

This afternoon I went back to the pharmacy on the island (my third trip there in two days) and bought some oral Benadryl. My plan tonight is to take enough of them to either stop the itching, or render me unconscious so that I can have a few itch-free minutes. Wish me luck...