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AUSTRALIA — Showering when you’re camping is a luxury, but it comes with the inherent risk of wildlife intervention, especially in Australia.
When the Internet isn’t about cats, it’s often about all the wildlife in Australia that can kill you. From bird-eating spiders to sharks, snakes and the weather, being vigilant and prepared is the modus operandi in Australia. Even the iconic kangaroos and emus can clobber you to death.
Indeed, when my brother moved to Australia, he inherited a dog that played the vital role of warning his family when snakes were in the backyard, which is handy when you have two children.
Generally, camping in Australia looks different than camping in the U.S. Here you find the flattest part of ground, pitch a tent, put on bug spray and pretty much call it good. But many campsites in Australia include well-sealed tents “pitched” on raised platforms to aid in keeping critters out. The sites also tend to have decent but basic bathrooms and showers.
Stephen Paice attempted to visit one of these showers on a camping trip, but encountered a wildlife problem when he went to fill the canvas water bag in the gravity shower.
Luckily, it wasn’t a life-threatening problem, but rather a slightly adorable (as long as it doesn’t make any noise), frightened problem of a common brushtail possum bogarting the shower bag.
The situation is made even more adorable as Paice narrates his experience, then talks to his “problem” like it’s a toddler. Which is probably the smart way to go since the possum has the “if I don’t move he can’t see me” look that may turn into a fight situation.
Sweet dreams, little brushtail possum. You win this time, but thanks for being adorable instead of dangerous.
