Snakes on a Plain

Ok, I admit. I totally just cracked myself up with the title. Maybe you dont get it because you havent seen the greatest movie ever made about reptiles bringing terror to the skies. Ed, I know you are not in that group.

So this weekend we decided to go to a Snake Park. It is basically the snake section of any zoo you have been to, but way better. They have several dozen snakes, from 10ft pythons to spitting cobras to black mambas (not the Kobe Bryant kind). Black mambas are apparently the deadliest snakes in the world. Their nicknames include "the one cigarette snake" and the "seven step snake", because that is all you have time to do after you are bitten before you die. Kinda scary. We have only seen two in our yard. Ok, not really. Moms...go change your underwear. The park is pretty cool for a few reasons. They are very active in conservation, but not the pansy Al Gore kind. They will collect snakes from villages and release them into the bush. They also have a clinic to treat snake bite victims...which certainly saves several lives each month. There are also crocodiles (watch out Josh Nottingham) and turtles. The turtles were not as impressive because we have two in our yard. This time I am being serious. Rebecca has named them Harry and Sally. Here are a few pictures of our adventure:

Crocodile

One of the stars of The Rescuers Down Under

Black Mamba, aka Kobe Bryant

Scarier than it looks

10 ft + Python

It will squeeze your guts out or swallow you whole. You dont get to choose, though.

Egyptian Cobra

Likely killed Cleopatra. Well, not this one, but you get the point.

Mzungu

I tamed the Black Mamba!

Maasai Country

Beautiful countryside with local Maasai herding their goats, cows and donkeys (Dorothy would not do well)

Sally
She is large and in charge.

Harry

Which end is which?