I'm currently training for the Oxfam 100km walk which covers 2 national parks in North Sydney - apart from a few kms of street walking, the rest is in the bush. And the bush brings with it many, many interesting "wild life" to be contended with. For example, last Saturday we were running through the bush taking it in turns to be the lead runner.The problem with being the lead runner is that you run into the spiders webs - we normally run in the morning when the webs are new and no one else has usually been on the tracks. So when it was my turn to be in the lead I ran smack into a large web, and while faffing round trying to get the web off me, Mia started going nuts brushing me off. I had a big Golden Orb spider on me (in the photos!), now luckily for me (1) it didn't bite me, althought they're not poisonous and (2) I don't mind spiders. Now if it had been a snail or a slug, well you'd have heard me in NZ and I'd still be running.
Last week The Husband and I left the boys with Nana at a harbour beach and went for a bush walk for a bit. Now this walk is nothing like where we are training for the Oxfam - it's stepped (rather than boulder hopping), groomed (not bush bashing) and very pedestrian, but a gorgeous walk and view. So we were cruising along when A FOOTSTEP away from me, slithered a brown snake (see above), right across the path where I was about to step. We (the snake and me) both got a fright, and it REARED it's head up (remember it's only a footstep away from me - my foot suspended in the air in the microsecond this happened in). I leapt back whispering to The Husband- "snake", and we both stood there while he found a stick and we watched the empty path. "CLOSE CALL", I thought, and damn straight it was, as those blimmin brown snakes are uber poisonous and dangerous.... quote from Wikipedia:
The Eastern Brown Snake (Pseudonaja textilis), often referred to as the Brown Snake, is an elapid snake native to Australia. It is one of the world's deadliest snakes. This, combined with a native habitat which includes the well-populated east coast of Australia, has resulted in fatalities.
Katie, if you are reading this, don't worry. I have NEVER seen a brown snake on the actual track that we'll be walking for Oxfam. So we'll be fine.
ugh spiders - you would have heard me screaming up a storm if that had been me!
ReplyDeleteoh my god! The only thing I can think of that's good is that there will be people on the tracks ahead of us on the day who will clear the webs in advance and maybe scare the snakes??!
ReplyDeleteYep, of course, perfect. And during the 48 hours that the event is run, those snakes won't want or need to come out until they know the coast is clear. Right?
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