Day 45

O....M....G.....

I remember when I was on (ahem) my first honeymoon.  Actually that makes it sound like I have had more than one which I haven't as my second darling Husband took me to live in Sydney for my "honeymoon" - 3 days after we got married, which although I have a lovely happy life over here, doesn't really count as a sitting-in-the-sun-sipping-cocktails-out-of-coconuts kind of holiday. 
I digress. 
So on my first honeymoon, my ex and I went to Rarotonga which had those stereotypical, picture post card beaches and turquoise water....but....the the water was full of fat, slimy, absolutely freakin disgusting sea slugs.  Which were hopefully magnified and not that actual size when seeing them through our mask underwater when snorkelling.  They were grey, the size of my forearm, often mating, or dropping eggs or crap or ....such an unpleasant memory, must erase it now!
So I often bag Australia about it's vast array of wildlife that confronts me (although I must be getting used to it coz I haven't posted about a wildlife experience for yonks, even though I have them regularly), and New Zealand seems to have got off scot free and sits there on my I-am-loud-and-proud-to-be-a-kiwi pedestal ...however......check out this.  Repeat after me...OMG.

I hate to have to do this but...what is a sea slug? (and I'm not sure if I can bring myself to post an image).

Sea slugs are also known as sea cucumbers and are echinoderms (ok, I don't know what that means either). They are marine animals with a leathery skin and an elongated body containing a single, branched gonad (see what I mean - gross) . Sea cucumbers are found on the sea floor worldwide. There are a number of species many of which are targeted for human consumption. The harvested product is variously referred to as trepang, bêche-de-mer or balate.  (ok, I think I may have to stop).  Most sea cucumbers reproduce by releasing sperm and ova into the ocean water (oh shite, I might have accidently swallowed some).

Enough.  My last words....Aussie, aussie, aussie!!!!!
And kiwis, don't forget to click that link - read and weep Peeps, read and weep.