Days 18 to 20 – SPIDER ATTACK

Sunday 9th – Tuesday 11th October

Sunday we were meant to go to Phillip Island, but after a super busy couple of days we decide not to. Mainly because it would involve getting up early and a long drive. We honestly are the worst backpackers ever. Truly awful. Anyway, its nearing to the end of our house sit so we need to make sure the house is spotless and comfortable for when the owners return on Wednesday.

We spend good portions of time blogging and updating our YouTube/Instagram/Facebook with our latest adventures. As well as spending lots of time with the dogs, as we only have a few more days with them. The most exciting thing that happens is a poisonous spider attack. Thats right – POISONOUS.

Before leaving for Australia, a number of people had said to me that I wouldn’t see the bugs out here. Spiders was one of my major concerns about Australia, I seriously hate them. They give me the heeby jeebies more than the creepy ghost tour guy. Just any kind of bug – I hate. Generally I’m an animal lover. But bugs – just no.

So myself and Erin have finished a day of cleaning and blogging and are about to watch a movie. Erin gets up and walks to the kitchen to get a drink. Next thing, she’s screaming and saying something but I can’t work out what. So I also begin to scream and run around like a complete loon. I run to the kitchen and realise she is screaming ‘SPIDER’ ‘SPIDER’ ‘SPIDER’. By this point the dogs are also going mental, but they are both keeping their distance from the spider. I see the spider and immediate get a shiver down my spine. I then feel like spiders are crawling all over me. So so so gross.

It isn’t particularly big – but just its existence means its big enough. I just stand and watch it and it starts to run. Myself and Erin begin to scream – she loos at me as if I’m supposed to kill the spider. But by this point all my brain cells have melted with fear and all i can do is make weird noises and jump up and down on the spot shaking my limbs about. So its down to Erin to get rid of this rank spider.

Its still making a run for it and Erin dashes to grab a book. On her way back she screams and slams the book on the floor – a good 5 yards away from the spider. I wonder what on earth she is doing. Why is she throwing a book on the floor so far away from the spider. She then screams ‘EARWIG’. Literally, attack of the bugs. So a squished earwig is under the cooking book. And Erin is now without a weapon, spider is still on the move. I’m still making unknown noises and blobbing about like a weirdo – so Erin grabs the degreaser, we were earlier using to clean the oven, and begins to spray the spider. It stops still in its tracks and we think the war is over. But no, the spider begins to run again. As soon as the spider starts to move we both start to scream and Erin proceeds to spray the spider again. The screaming and spraying continues until we are 100% certain the spider is resting in spider heaven.

I leave Erin to clean up the mess, as I’m too freak out and immediately have to start googling to find out what spider it was. I also have to immediately spray myself with bug spray, spray my entire room and bed, check all my shoes and put on some socks. After some research and comparison of photos (obviously amongst all the screaming there was time for a quick snap – theres always time for a snap), it turns out the spider in question was a White Tail. A spider that will happily bite you and can cause necrosis to the bitten area. Oh lovely. I literally don’t sleep for the entire night and spend the remainder of our time in the house googling spiders, smelling of bug spray and tip toeing everywhere.

So, to everyone who said ‘you won’t see any spiders’ ‘you don’t see the spiders’ blablabla. I saw a White Tail and a suspicious looking Earwig, in one night. Please subtract your misleading statements. To anyone travelling to Australia. YOU WILL SEE THE SPIDERS!! Im hoping the next house will not present us with any more eight legged freaks.