A friend called in yesterday who's just returned from a year living on Pitcairn Island.It cost her a large part of her life savings to make the move, and sadly it didn't go too well for her. Among the many interesting stories she had to tell, the very worst thing about the place, she said, is the spiders. That's a 'small' one there on the right. Click on it to see it closer to full size -- unless of course you're arachnophobic. Like my friend.
These are the ones that Stephen Spielberg should have used in Arachnophobia, she reckons. They're everywhere, and they're enormous -- and unlike other spiders that run away when you move towards them, these ones move towards you.
13 comments:
The spiders are the worst thing? How about the menfolk?
Looks like the good ole' Australian Huntsman Spider, a-la the Avondale Spider - which actually were used in the movie Arachnophobia.
Australian laws relating to the export of native species prevented them from being sourced from Oz, so the movie makers got them from New Zild.
They have one great redeeming feature - they have absolutely no inclination to bite whatsoever, apart from suitably sized insect prey, and only when hungry !
*shudder*
Both the natives and the spiders are inbred, living on Pitcairn for yonks, so are unpredictable. However with those eyes fastened on me I think I'd opt for the natives.
True story, I was living with a girlfriend at the time. There was an enormous spider downstairs in the laundry, neither of us was up to removing it and called in a work colleague to come and do the deed. Neither of us wanted it dead, just removed far away. Across the street seemed like an ideal spot. So the huge beast was lifted by crane and taken across and put on the other side of the neighbours fence, across the street. The next night, one of us had gone down the the laundry and what do ya know? (cue jaws music), the damn thing had come back and was exactly in the same place.
EWWwwwwwwwwwwwww.
They are not welcome anywhere near my body, but I do have a soft spot for spiders. It's like window shopping, they always look better when they are draped over a dummy and not me!
What does one do while living on Pitcairn Island? What are the options? I'd love to try it for a few months, but it'd be great to hear from someone who actually had the experience. Spiders don't bug me too much. E-mail me please! kates.engel@gmail.com
Who is Stephen Spielberg? Is he related to Steven?
i heard that the men rape young girls there. its horrible. guys put there hands down the girls skirts n stuff.
I saw spiders like these while living in the jungles of Bolivia. I didn't think spiders could fly until I saw one jump off a wall and float slowly to the ground.
If you want more information on Pitcairn Island and the trials that took place I recommend reading the book "Trouble in Paradise" by Kathy Marks. I think I would take my chances with the spider after reading that book.
The island is only 1 x 2 miles. I would go crazy. Mostly cliffs and steep hill sides, so maybe a few hundred feet of usable surface? You gotta be hard core to live there. It's like a prison. In fact I would rather be in a state side prison than be there.
hell on earth from the sounds of it,.acute isolation, spiders the size of ones hand, perhaps that is why it is a tax haven & there are so many inhabitant's (? interbreeding must be acute)
Post a Comment