Flies Ruin My Life

So it's been said by many (including myself) that Perth is uncannily similar to San Diego and I'd have to say it's true. For the most part. The people are definitely warm and friendly in both places. There is a big beach culture and palm trees line many streets. There's a lot of native brush (that, sadly, burns quite easily leading to huge brush/bush fires) and locals really like the outdoors. The list goes on.

There are also, however, large differences aside from the obvious driving on the wrong side of the road and using plasticpaper money. The flies, for one, are not my friends here. They invade Perth during the spring to such an extent that scientists have brought in African dung beetles to help cutdown on the fly population. Despite their origin in, well, dung, I welcome these beetles with open arms. In fact, I would probably carry a few around with me if it meant a reduction of flies. There's also this option:

But I'd probably rather become a hermit than cruise around in one of those. So...yeah. That leaves me and the dung beetles. But why would I carry around small poo-insects with me just to brave the outdoors, you ask? Well that brings me to another difference between San Diego and Perth: their beaches. Yes, both cities have beaches but only one has no seaweed, water like the Caribbean, and sand that's like buttah.

Behold: City Beach Beach and the impetus for my sudden interest in dung beetles. We went for breakfast at a cafe overlooking the beach this morning and were literally attacked by every fly in the southern hemisphere. Bob has advised that the flies aren't usually this bad and I just need to "wait it out." I, however, refuse to give in to these creatures and will instead be obtaining some beetles and heading back to the beach pronto. Of course, Bob will be in charge of carrying the poo-beasts as they are Australian flies after all and therefore entirely his fault.