[island_sands]

actually those machines can come in useful.
the ones they use here in Maldives are quite rudimentary.

they wheel them around in wheelbarrows and they look like big blow-dryers. They emit a disgusting smelling smoke that chokes you.

a couple of years back on one of the islands i was on, the watersports instructor got really drunk on new year's eve. he was 6ft5' and a really nice young good looking guy.

anyway, the next morning his roommate reported that he had not returned after the party. they found him lying on the beach face down close to the shore, with a broken neck. it was suspected that he had been diving off the jetty at low tide (see what liquid confidence does to you!)

anyway, they weren't allowed to move the body until the NSS came and inspected the scene.. it would take at least an hour for them to get to the island. so they covered him with a tarp.

by this time it was 08h00am.. guests were starting to rise and take walks on the beach... to keep them away from the area so they wouldn't see what happened, they put two guys on either side of the body about 25m up... with mosquito sprayers...

kept the guests well away for a while....