MIGHTY Python

Most of us are aware that Australia is a land of snakes, insects—particularly spiders—kangaroos, (roos), koala bears, wallabies, and lizards. It's like living in a David Attenborough nature production. 

There is a bit of a running joke between my Australian X-pal @justkenking and myself over the wildlife she encounters no further than from her back door, or on occasion from behind her refrigerator. Yuck.

The above photo is of a recent sighting of a python that was slithering over her back fence. I don't know how long it is, but Jen tells me it probably lives between her place and her neighbor's. She further informs me she's not sure if it's the same one! she stepped on her in bare feet when she walked out onto the deck one morning. Jesus, give me strength.

Jen does not live in the Outback. She lives in a suburb of Brisbane, that bears all the trapping of our living in the suburbs—except for the wide variety of wildlife that intrudes.

Here on Long Island I've encountered possums, and the occasional racoon, but that's it. We keep garbage can lids closed tight with bungee cords and the racoons go elsewhere, and usually out of sight since they're nocturnal. 

We did have a baby possum make itself feel at home not long ago when it started to eat the cat's dry food that we leave for Socks inside the front storm door in the vestibule. Socks comes in, eats her food, and settles for the life outdoors. She's not too interested in further domestic living, 

Jen and her X posse like to tease me when there's a juicy sighting of a rather large snake or spider. They know my reaction will be one of wonderment as to how they stand it all.

Jen likes to get real mail, so every so often we exchange postcards that actually get to each of us after about a week. I've sent her typical NYC postcards and she has sent me a post card of the giant jumping crocodile statue, I think in Adelaide, South Australia. She's also sent me a koala bear greeting card, and another postcard of green frogs. Just how I like my wildlife: on paper.

The fact that pythons are not venomous doesn't make them anymore appealing to me. I asked if they call someone to retrieve the snake, and Jen basically seemed to answer they live and let live, unless it's behind the refrigerator, then animal control comes. Good to know. Speed dial. "Siri, there' a LARGE snake in the house."

Lately I've been watching Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) about the medical treatment that is provided to Australians in very remote areas—and they've got plenty of that. Not everything is coastal cities. There's the Outback, and what I'll call the Out Outback.

This flying air medical team gets called out for all sorts of reasons and uses a twin engine prop plane to get to airstrips that they have to chase the "roos" off first with a jeep. Runway lights? Not much in the way of them. Get there and back before the sun sets.

The plane is a bit of a flying hospital. Once on the ground the medical teams of a doctor and a flight nurse often have to reach the patients while riding an ATV. One call-out was for a snake bite that could have been venomous. Turns out is was from a venomous snake, but the bite was a "dry bite." Venom hadn't been discharged when the lovely creature's jaws and teeth and the guy's hand met. He still got a plane ride back to a hospital to be further checked out.

I have no idea of how many non-Australians ever moved to Australia and stayed there despite the snakes, spiders, "roos" and all the wildlife there is that challenges the inhabitants. I wonder why they don't just pack up and leave for the U.K. An Australian accent is just as good as a British accent.

But of course we know why. When you're born there, you know what to expect. And wouldn't trade it for anything.

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