R.P. BenDedek
Snakes Alive!
By R.P. BenDedek
Sep 7, 2008 - 1:20:41 AM

Recently William Jud  sent me an email about his experiences with snakes and I penned the following reply which I thought I might share with Magic City Morning Star News Readers. 

Harmless variety - Carpet Snake

Australia has some of the deadliest snakes in the world and my life has had its fair share of them.
 
As kids we spent each weekend in the countryside rafting the  rivers and exploring while our parents played lawn bowls, and additionally every couple of years my parents would take over the running of two different dairy farms while the owners went on holidays.  So snakes are a part of life.
 
This is not to say that snakes aren't also found in the cities.  One night I was bidding farewell to guests at their car and as I turned around, there was a 2 meter monster slithering across my driveway.
 
Once I was walking a trail on a hill (australian mountains are just hills) with my cousins.  The track was narrow and I kept a close eye out for snakes.  When the track widened to 3 meters I stopped looking.  Suddenly my cousin grabbed me and held me back.  She pointed downwards.  There just 2 meters in front of us was a snake.

Whale watching Moreton Bay - Humpback whale going under the boat

 
Once when swimming I dove into the creek and as I resurfaced, I saw a snake coming straight for me.   Another time as I grabbed for my clothes I was shocked to see a snake sunbaking beside them.
 
Once at school I was sitting on a log with other students, and I stood to stretch my legs.  When I turned around - there was this green tree snake hanging from a branch just above where I was sitting.  (they are harmless).
 
I was also a manager of a tourist resort in which was located a 'Gow's Reptile World'.  One day I knocked on the door to deliver a message.  Steve Delean the manager said: Come in!  

Dolphin surfing at Point Danger

I said:  Is it safe?
 
He said:  Sure!
 
While we were talking I looked down and there was this snake slithering across the floor.  I screamed!

'Oh it's harmless!' he said.
 
Another night we saw a small snake in reception just opposite the door to the reptile world.  We called for Steve but he was no where to be found.  His 16 year old apprentice finally came and retrieved the snake from under a chair.  

 "Is it a harmeless snake?"  I enquired. 

 'Nope!' he replied:  If it was a little bit older it would kill you!.    

BUT HERE IS THE SHOCKER!   It had not escaped from the Reptile world, it had wandered in from the wild.  DEAD FAINT!!

Byron Bay at sunrise.

 
Alice Springs in Central Australia was named after an actual Spring.  One day I accompanied some tourists out to the actual spring.   Here were all these tourists walking through the bush as quietly as possible so as not to scare the wildlife (so they could take photos)  without realising that snakes need to feel vibrations on the earth to know you are there.
 

Thankfully a wall of glass between us

So while they are quietly going about their business looking upwards toward trees and outward toward scenery - I was looking downwards stomping my feet hoping to hell that the snakes would take off.
 
Snakes definitely are not my cup of tea!  

And nor are sharks - with which I am well acquainted!

The Bible records a person walking on water - but have you ever seen anyone 'run' on water?

R.P. BenDedek

Email: rpbendedek@hotmail.com

Photographic Stories from China at Kingscalendar

"The King's Calendar" is a chronological study of the historical books of the Bible (Kings and Chronicles), Josephus, Seder Olam Rabbah, and the (Essene) Damascus Document of The Dead Sea Scrolls.