The Unbearable Itchiness of Being

There are three types of itchiness we have so far discovered in tropical central America.

1. The surface, nagging, itch of a mozzie bite. Its right on top of your skin, almost hot. You don't always notice it but then it kicks in screaming scratch me! It's difficult to resist, especially when half-asleep. Scratching these eases the itch but quickly hurts.

2. The exquisite pain of a sand-fly bite. These are pin-point pricks of intense itchiness that are almost too nice not to scratch. The pleasure can continue for minutes. They are particularly prone on the toes and in-steps of your feet which just heightens the bliss-agony, the delicious demand to scratch but like all itches hurts when scratched for too long. These are truly unbearable before sleep.

3. The deep, under the skin somewhere but not exactly sure where general itch of a fungal attack. Yes, its not nice but we have jungle fungal infections. Trouble is you can never quite get to where the itch is buried and scratching has no good effect at all.

There are ofcourse more itchinesses but we have so far been spared bed bugs or fleas. We have seen lots of dogs squint-eyed in enjoyment from scratching the latter.