This sucks...
This definitely puts a damper on the trip. I'm currently in Malaysia(KL) at the moment but I think I may have picked them up as early as Indo. I noticed linear bites on my arms a few days back when in Singapore and more and more kept occurring, mainly on my arms and legs. I thought they were mosquitoes but it was weird cuz there were hardly any in Singapore. Well tonight after getting in I was resting on my bed and felt something on me and I saw a bed bug trying to escape. I grabbed it and tried crushing it as hard as I could but it was still moving around. I then found another, smaller one and flushed them both down the drain.
I have become so paranoid now because of this. I'm guessing my bag is contaminated and I'm planning on vacuuming all my items first thing tomorrow, I'll probably be taking a couple of hours just on my bag alone! I'm then gonna put them out into the sun and hope whatever creatures might be left will run off. I had better plans for tomorrow than this, but unfortunately this is now my top priority. Anything else you guys can suggest? You think this will even work at all? Should I buy a garbage bag and start keeping my bag sealed inside when I'm in a hostel and on trains and buses?
It's now 3am here and I'm not afraid of insects in general but this has got me freaked. The bites itch so bad dammit! I don't wanna go to sleep now but I'm slowly passing out. I hope this won't ruin the rest of my trip.
P.S. Can the hostel kick you out if they suspect you brought the bugs in?
Reply to this Hello Danny 😊
I was bitten by bed bugs once in a hostel in Berlin, Germany. It wasnt too bad, just a bit itchy on one of my elbows. As far as I understand, the real problem happens when a place becomes infested with them, and the owners dont do anything to control/get rid of them. They then get everywhere and become a disgusting nuisance.
Here are a couple of threads which may intereste you.
Bed bugs
Bed Bugs in Europe
Mel
Reply to this P.S. Can the hostel kick you out if they suspect you brought the bugs in?
HaHa! They probably can, but it is a bit late to kick you out, after the place gets the bugs.
Reply to this Forget about vacuuming. Hang your bag out in the sun for a day and you'll probably be rid of them.
Reply to this The dreaded bed begs! Got them in Buenos Aires. Had over 60 bites each between two of us. We got them there but were afraid to complain in case they said it was us.
We were asked to move out of our room one day as renovations were to take place in it. They moved us across the building but we could see straight into the room we had just left. No renovations happened for the time we were there but we could see the mattress was taken off the bed. I checked hostelworld for comments and the last comment for the place was a guy complaining he got destroyed by bed bugs. We put 2+2 together and realized it could have something to do with the mysterious renovations in our old room. We were plagued for the next few nights and I guess we had brought some from the old room. We had to wash every single piece of clothing at high temperature and pray they were gone by the time we reached our next stop. I did kill two and they are very visible if you see one.
Reply to this Does anyone know if DEET containing insect repellant does anything to keep them away?
Reply to this We used it but I honestly don't think it worked as we still got bitten.
Reply to this Well I've vacuumed everything very carefully. Very tedious effort. I sent all my clothes to the wash and made sure to tell them to wash hot and dry hot. There hasn't been much sun here in KL so I couldn't put my bag out but I am heading to Penang so hopefully there'll be plenty of sun there to do that. Can these things stay on your skin or lay eggs in your skin? Also what do I do in case they've gotten into my laptop?
P.S. Does hanging out the bag in the sun also rid it of the eggs that might have been layed?
Reply to this I don't know for sure - but on the few times I've had them the sun trick has cured them... I put everything outside in the sun including laptops and books - just for an hour or two. Clothes for longer.
Hanging my backpack out in the sun also worked - with a number of bed bug corpses dropping from it proving it...
Reply to this Can these things stay on your skin or lay eggs in your skin?
Time to get to a beach and lie in the sun. 😊
...including laptops...
Wouldnt that damage the laptop? I dont have a laptop, but curious about this.
Reply to this Luggage, Mattresses, and cracks in wood is their favorite haunts. I think your laptop could be safe for now ; )
Reply to this > Wouldnt that damage the laptop? I dont have a laptop, but curious about this.
Not for just an hour or two - but longer term yes - that faded plastic thing for starters...
(Note: A guess based on experience not any materials science or in depth experiments)
Reply to this Thanks Ali 😊
HaHa! I could live with the faded plasic thing. As long as it doesnt cause faded data...! 😉
Reply to this Reached Penang and tomorrow, weather permitting, will head to the beach with all my crap. It's time for some payback...
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