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1. Embed this notice
   goatsarah (goatsarah@thegoatery.dyndns.org)'s status on Wednesday, 01-Nov-2023 21:17:28 JST goatsarah

   What is the worst thing in the world?

   That's a rhetorical question. The worst thing in the world is bedbugs. They are the manifestation of pure evil. I have literally never seen one and yet the very thought of them strikes utter terror into my heart. I once eradicated a colony of harmless booklice on Scarlet (our boat) because of mistaken identity. Sorry, guys.

   Anyway, there's currently a huge problem with them in Paris, which means that any random short haul plane you get on in Europe is:

   A: Likely to have been to Paris recently and,

   B: Pose more than a negligible chance of having bedbugs on it.

   I'm flying to the UK next week, and while I am entirely without aversion to thermal warfare, spreading diatomaceous earth everywhere, and filling my environment with pesticides which probably don't work any more (damn you, Darwin!), prevention is far far far better than cure, because as I understand it, pretty much everyone who has ever had a bedbug infestation has post traumatic stress disorder from it.

   So I am enacting a new policy. From now on, my cabin luggage on planes is a dry bag. I have a dry bag rucksack from Decathlon. Small, portable, easy to carry, air tight, bedbug proof.

   • Embed this notice
     Ben Curthoys (bencurthoys@mastodon.social)'s status on Wednesday, 01-Nov-2023 21:53:33 JST Ben Curthoys

     in reply to

     @goatsarah don't forget to remove and boil all your clothes as soon as you arrive!

   • Embed this notice
     goatsarah (goatsarah@thegoatery.dyndns.org)'s status on Wednesday, 01-Nov-2023 21:53:33 JST goatsarah

     in reply to

     • Ben Curthoys
     @bencurthoys Yeah. Going in at 60º immediately.
   • Embed this notice
     Jaq W (jaq__w@mastodon.social)'s status on Wednesday, 01-Nov-2023 22:16:07 JST Jaq W

     in reply to

     @goatsarah I've seen people who have their suitcases shrinkwrapped in a clingfilm type casing, and have always assumed it's to protect against bedbugs as well as theft. Good idea

   • Embed this notice
     goatsarah (goatsarah@thegoatery.dyndns.org)'s status on Wednesday, 01-Nov-2023 22:16:07 JST goatsarah

     in reply to

     • Jaq W

     @Jaq__W Except if airport security want to open it, they'll just cut the clingfilm off.

     If you have hold luggage, consider vac bagging your clothes instead.