My neighbor asked me - are the flies this bad in the states? Nope, not at all. The closest thing I can think of is the bees swarming your summer barbecue in the California foothills. But that's nothing compared to these bugs. A fly will seek you out, and then chase you down the street, swarming your face the entire way. There's nothing you can do about it. You can't shake 'em or wave 'em away.  No repellent will deter them. They keep coming back for more. They make it a point of buzzing your face, an inch and a half in front of your eyes where it bugs you the most. They'll keep at it for an hour or more - or until they've found somebody else to bother. They'll land on your nose and do a walkabout. Sneak up from behind and crawl around inside your ear when you least expect it. Don't even think of opening your mouth - it's like handing out invitations to a party with naked girls and free beer...

Nope, I've never experienced anything quite like these tenacious little buggers before.