Angry Snake - Four years in remote Africa - Part One

Angry Snake.

There are  countless stories, situations and adventures, here is one of the interesting ones:

So it was that time of the year where the annual flooding of the Zambezi river had risen up and over the banks and into the massive flood plains, enough, to once again close our roads to the lodge and forcing us to start using boats for all access in and out.

As we were about to drive our vehicles out, navigating the drowning driveway for the last time this particular season, we were informed that there was a "big snake" stuck in a fishing net across one of the flood channels crossing our driveway.  So armed with a knife and a swimming towel we set off to free the frustrated reptile.  To comprehend the situation a little better we waded into the waist to shoulder deep water, with the seemingly relentless current of endless flow, working against us.

It turns out that the fishing net, a very long web of intricate meshed knots, needed to be pulled to high ground to be able to do anything meaningful to help the captured creature.  We decided to drag the net out.  This revealed the gravity and magnitude of this supremely magical animal.  After a few misguided warning strikes this angry and exhausted Southern African python was on full splendorous display.

We managed to pacify the poor thing and it finally calmed down when we threw a swimming towel over its head then quickly grabbing it behind its head to try and secure it.  Instantly and instinctively it started to wrap around arm of the holder.  I got the cutting job because I had a three year old child in one arm and the knife in the hand of the other.  I started to hack at the mess of wrapped and tangled net to try and set the unhappy serpent free. After a few of minutes of hacking at the fine nylon nest we were nearly there, making sure not to do any further damage to the innocent animal.

Then I get this impatiently nervous question: "How much longer do you need? I can't feel my hand anymore!".  I set down child and knife and rapidly started to tug and pry at the more than double bicep thick snake, constricted tightly around his arm, to get some circulation going down to his hand again so we could finish off the job.

Finally the last few vital cuts at the fine mesh and the snake was rid of the evil nylon netting. We cautiously moved away and slowly dragged the towel back, the more than three metre beauty straightened up and silently slithered off into the bush to hopefully live in peace.

That was a privileged encounter with a magnificent inhabitant of this planet, what an honour BUT for about a week, no one would come near us, we smelt so bad, it was overwhelming, overpowering, no amount of washing or showering would have any significant impact in diluting the nauseating stench.  The worst was anytime your hands were anywhere near your face, anything we ate or drank, smelt and tasted like panicked python musk, well worth it.

Part two will be "Stories of elephants"