Teacake and Blister Bugs

 

I've been out and about with dad, driving down summer country lanes. It's been five years since I last saw the UK in summer, as I've usually been back for Christmases. Lots of interesting woodland smells that you don't get in Rwanda, and it looks like the UK is in for a heatwave this week, with temperatures matching Kigali.

 

We headed over to Bourton-on-the-Water, which is a very picturesque village built on a stream. It's a favourite tourist hot spot full of tea shops and trinkets. I wanted to go to the Cotswold Perfumery there, as they do a gorgeous neroli perfume that you can't get anywhere else.

Naturally, we popped into a traditional English tea room for teacakes and ice-cream.

It's England - that's actually Marmite ;)

Teacake

 

Then back through the sunny country lanes to Gloucester.

On a completely random and non-cream-tea related note, I noticed something on my arm just before I left Rwanda. It looked like a minor burn, but I hadn't been near anything hot. I was slightly horrified to get to England and discover the same red discolouration was under my boob, too! It looked like I'd had a run in with hot cooking oil, all red and dry and peeling. It's been over a week now and it's only just starting to fade.

Apparently, this is called a kissing lesion - awww. Eeew.
Caused when a skin irritant gets trapped between two folds of skin, creating a mouth shape.

I've never seen anything quite like it - some sort of exotic plague? To be fair, last time I did come back with malaria. 

I spent ages Googling skin irritations, and I'm 90% sure it's from a blister bug. I vaguely remember someone mentioning those on an expat forum years ago, though I think he called them 'acid beetles'. It looks very similar, caused by a substance called cantharidin. It takes 12-36 hours to show after contact, and most people - like me - notice it the next morning. Judging by where the marks are (under boob and on upper arm which was probably resting across boob) it might have been in my bed. It's not actually that painful. Slight burning sensation with some moisturisers - very flaky and raw. Apparently skin usually returns to normal within three weeks, leaving no lasting marks.

Just very strange. Other than caterpillars with stinging hairs, there aren't many large or upsetting creepy crawlies in Kigali.