What to do about unwanted mosquito visits
Last summer, when I was counting down the days to my delivery, we were plagued by a mosquito infestation at home. Now, I was already sleeping poorly and was awake on average until two o'clock at night, but thanks to these little pests, I had to jump out of bed every half hour (which is quite difficult with such a huge belly), turn on the light, and go on a mosquito hunt. Not even because I was getting bitten, but because they were flying so close to my head that it seemed like they were having a party in my ear. After barely sleeping for four nights in a row, we fled for a night to the W Hotel to catch a delicious night's sleep . Now, a year later, there is a huge mosquito net above our bed and that seems to be the only effective solution. But yes, goes on vacation. if you don't have this gear at hand, we get completely bitten every night. Now, it seems that 85% of your attractiveness to mosquitoes is genetically determined, so I'm out of luck. Still, there are a few handy tips that can keep mosquitoes at bay: because, well, if it doesn't help...
- Mosquitoes are more attracted to people who emit a lot of carbon dioxide (this happens when you are very active). A perfect excuse to get out of a game of badminton with your father-in-law by saying that you need to exert as little effort as possible, otherwise you'll get bitten.
- Apply pure lemon/eucalyptus oil to your skin (available at health food stores). It's a lot less toxic than all that Deet stuff which, at least for me, doesn't work anyway. Plus: this stuff can also be used for babies.
- Eat a toast with Marmite every day. There's a good chance you've never heard of this stuff; it's a kind of savory syrup with a very specific taste. Thanks to my grandmother, I've been familiar with this stuff for years and I actually like it! However, many people make a pretty disgusted face at their first bite. For mosquitoes, this stuff is said to create an extraordinarily repulsive scent on your skin, which fortunately we humans do not perceive. So, pinch your nose and just take a bite.
- The absolute best against mosquitoes in your bedroom is really a mosquito net: so invest once in a good travel version and you'll always be prepared for vacation. Now just find a way to hang this thing everywhere without having to drill holes in the ceiling.
- And if you do get bitten (which is almost inevitable): apply Luuf or Dampo to your mosquito bites. What also seems to work is a drop of iodine on it, but I haven't tested that yet. Better make a round at the pharmacy today!



