Thanks, Frank. @@ Rats, actually not a fear of mine.

::not thinking about the poisonous toilet spiders::

Oh, great. Now I'm thinking about poisonous toilet snakes. I'ma get more coffee.

I'm reminded of that bit in The Milagro Beanfield War, where Amarante Cordova cautions clueless gringo sociology grad student Herbie Platt about using an outhouse in New Mexico: "...be sure not to lean too far back on the seat in the outhouse, or let your testicles swing up under the wood--black widows."

Still one of my most favorite movies ever. Roaringly funny and desperately sad. Also good storytelling, decent acting, and gorgeous scenery.

I think the Feared Toilet Spider story was snopes-slapped, although I'm too lazy to check it out at the moment.

As a New Mexican whose grandparents' farm was still outhoused for the first few years of my life, I will say that most people keep the place free from black widows. I mean, New Mexicans are tough hombres, but a couple passes with a broom every so often is a small price to pay for not getting black-widowed in the testicles.

My grandmother did have to use the woodaxe to kill a rattlesnake that had taken up residence in the outhouse, though.

This is Snopes' debunking of the Toilet Spider In Public Bathroom scare story-- but note that at the end it adds "some spiders prefer dark, cool places and can sometimes be found under (mostly outdoor) toilet seats", and names the Australian Redback Spider as an example. So I'd say: on an airline? Probably no spiders. In an outdoor toilet in a country where spiders are common? Might be more of a concern.

That said, the outdoor toilet at my grandmother's cottage in Cornwall is free of posionous spiders, but tends to be absolutely crawling with slugs. They like to live inside the cistern.

Pah! Snopes may have debunked some US urban myth about killer spiders in public toilets, but I'm talking about the Australian Redback Spider.

Which lurks under toilets.

Waiting for your arse.

Pah! Snopes may have debunked some US urban myth about killer spiders in public toilets, but I'm talking about the Australian Redback Spider.

Pfft. Outhouses out back of Bourke that haven't seen a toilet brush in the better part of a decade? Maybe. Toilets in suburban Melbourne? Nah.

OTOH, Sydney is the centre of the domain of one of the world's most venomous spiders. Still. Compare the life expectancies in Australia and the UK. The odds on you seeing, let alone having trouble with, one of our venomous denizens, are pretty small. Unless you let me plan your itinerary.

Hopes Jilli and Jessica don't wander in on the spider talk unawares

Pfft. Outhouses out back of Bourke that haven't seen a toilet brush in the better part of a decade? Maybe. Toilets in suburban Melbourne? Nah.

AAAAAAAActually

I've mentioned it before but I did have a redback under the dunny. Admittedly, it was in Adelaide, and admittedly, it only happened once in 18 years. However, it was a redback spider, and it was under the toilet bowl.

I've mentioned it before but I did have a redback under the dunny. Admittedly, it was in Adelaide, and admittedly, it only happened once in 18 years. However, it was a redback spider, and it was under the toilet bowl.

Ok, you may wanna stay away from Jimi's dunny.

Good point, duly noted.

Mr tea, do I remember rightly that you might be in the UK some time this summer? Or am I on crack?