Sunday, November 25, 2012

There's a snake in my hut!

Leleuvia is a place filled with more beauty than one can imagine. However, beauty comes at a price. I suppose growing up in Southern California, and having just spent the last 3.5 years in Sydney really couldn't have prepared me for what lay ahead. The mosquitoes where the most noticeable within the first day. My sweet, unfamiliar blood was like the alluring nectar of an exotic flower for a bee. I had every mosquito within a 1 mile yearning for my untainted B negative cocktail. I had previously been to Fiji and knew this would be a problem, so I made sure to pack an extra stash of repulsive deet. Putting the cancer warnings aside, I generously lathered my body multiple times a day. The scars are still a reminder of the ineffectiveness! After about 6 weeks the mosquito reactions seemed to lesson and it is my firm belief that my blood is no longer as attracting as it was upon my arrival.

Somethings on this island can not be tamed with lotions and creams. One such creature is the Banded Sea Krait, also known as a sea snake. The docile snakes are around 5-6 feet at full length and just so happen to breed on this island. Needless to say it is my worst nightmare. To fully grasp my snake phobia you must understand that my first interaction, as a 3 year old was influenced heavily by a frantic and hysterical mother. The first time I saw a snake was in my garden at the age of three. The snake, trying to find a cool place to hide from the sun began to slither his way into the garage. It was at this point the family matriarch closed the garage decapitating the snake. She then continued carrying on until a neighbor came and retrieved the corpse. So, as you can see I have been wired to react with absolute terror.


Sea snakes can be found at every turn on the island. Under the brush, among the coral and sometimes in unexpected places. I had been living in my hut for around 2 weeks when I got my first of many visitors. I awoke to bright sunlight and the sweet island noises. As I sat up and began to crawl my way out of the layers of protective mosquito net and swung my legs over my bed I noticed the floor begin to move. Not one, but two sea snakes had managed to slither their way up into my hut. This is a great feat considering sea snakes aren't vertical climbers and must find a slight, gradual incline to go upwards.

My initial reaction was one of horror and my legs instantly snapped back up on to my bed! I began to frantically search for exits. There was only one door, however there was a perfectly good window right over my bed. I decided I would shimmy my way out the window to freedom. Luckily the lack of food on the island assisted in my narrow escape. Once I reached the sandy beaches I managed to find Buca or Jim as I called him, who managed to coax the little black and white striped squatters out of my bure!