My brother took his kids to Disney World for the Easter holidays, but really, how scary is Magic Mountain compared to being charged by a black rhino?
The thrills in Africa can catch you when you least expect it. Take our first night at Hlane, a beautiful game reserve in Swaziland with electricity-free, screened houses for our accommodation. The paraffin lamps added a real romance to the whole African experience. We were cooking our own dinner that night and pottering in the kitchen. I reached for what I thought was a tea-towel behind the dish rack but it was cold and scaly and moved - eek. I'd just tried to grab a snake.
The thrills in Africa can catch you when you least expect it. Take our first night at Hlane, a beautiful game reserve in Swaziland with electricity-free, screened houses for our accommodation. The paraffin lamps added a real romance to the whole African experience. We were cooking our own dinner that night and pottering in the kitchen. I reached for what I thought was a tea-towel behind the dish rack but it was cold and scaly and moved - eek. I'd just tried to grab a snake.
 |
| It really did look like a cloth in the dark. |
Unsure if it was poisonous, we sent for the guide. He arrived fresh from entertaining other guests with a traditional dance routine, resplendent in warrior skins - how appropriate!
'Not poisonous', he declared as he grabbed it by the tail, making me think it must still have a decent bite the way he held it at arms-length and avoided the head-end.
It wriggled quickly and made its escape - back through a hole in the tiles above the kitchen bench. Hmmm. I was quite glad this was our friends' house!! (Not to be out done, we found a wicked-looking black scorpion on our bag as we left our house, so the distribution of scary things was fairly even as it so happened!)
 |
| The chopping board and knife were for marinated chicken...really! |
And check out the spiders!!! We found lots of these walking - I quickly learnt to walk up the back.
8 comments:
OK - So all of a suddeen Africa doesn't sound like so much Fun to this arachnophobe!!
One of my colleagues suggested New Zealand for a holiday - nothing can kill you there apparently!
MWW, you have shoes that look like that snake!
Indeed I do!
It helps not to think to hard about these things or look to closely at strange shapes in the dark... and by the way the guide was kidding you, thats a baby carpet viper.
Love a snake story particularly when I'm not involved. What a fantastic trip. Africa is my dream holiday. Return safely.
What's a carpet viper????? No seriously.... tell me.
I bet it was poisonous and he just didn't want to alarm you any more. I would have crapped myself!
Post a Comment