While communing with nature, Fiona has an exciting start to the day; discovering a small green snake watching her from under a nearby shrub. Unfortunately, by the time that I arrive on the scene it has departed. I have only ever seen one and a quarter snakes, in the wild, in my life. In South Sudan I saw a snake very briefly as it dashed across the road in front of the car I was traveling in, and a few days ago I saw part of a snake as it made a rapid exit through some long grass. I had begun the Lycian by telling Fiona that I would be disappointed if I didn't get to see a snake. We have even done some internet research on snakes in Turkey. My odds didn't seem too good, as the internet is full of "I've lived in Turkey for 20 years and only ever seen four snakes" stories. Fiona is already running well ahead of the odds, having seen two snakes in two days. She is taking great comfort in the "they are more afraid of you than you are of them" advice that also abounds on the internet.
Today's temperatures are in the mid-twenties, a relatively cool day for late May. We plod on, being overtaken by eight other walkers; a hectic day on the Lycian. By the time that we have put 12km behind us, levels of enthusiasm within the team are starting to wane. It would be great to have the option of camping out, but we are short on food. Then we come across a team of Turkish forestry workers, who are more than happy to replenish our food supplies (at no cost). There is that Turkish hospitality thing again.
Now we are back to having the option of camping out. More plodding on, then a flash of movement at my side. I turn around, but I'm already too late. A snake has shot out of the bushes to my right, passed between Fiona and I, and exited to my left. I dont get to see it; but Fiona says that it was a metre long, black, and close enough to me that she thought that I might have stood on it. I hadn't, or I'm sure that I would have felt it. I still haven't got a good look at a snake, but Fiona has now seen three in two days! This close encounter of the reptilian kind puts a noticeable extra spring in Fiona's step. We are certainly not going to camp in this spot.
Yet more plodding on. After another hour we still have 7km to go, the pace is slackening, and Fiona is complaining that her 2nd wind is becalmed. Then there is a yell behind me. I turn around and get a great look at a metre plus black snake sliding across the road three metres from me. Very exciting. Apparently even more exciting for Fiona.
Kim - "I got to see a snake."
Fiona - "It touched me."
Kim - "I got to see a snake."
Fiona - "It could have gone a different way, but it charged at my feet."
Kim - "I got to see a snake."
Fiona is now totally unconvinced by the "they are more afraid of you" argument. "If it was so afraid of me, why did it charge two metres across the road at me, when it could have just gone the opposite way?" But on the positive side, Fiona's 2nd, 3rd and 4th winds now all arrive. With Fiona pushing me in front with her Leki pole, we make good progress over the final kilometres. All thoughts of fatigue and camping out now vanquished.
Fiona has now seen four snakes in two days (more than most Turkish internet commentators have seen in twenty years apparently) and even had one brush up against her. She is blessed indeed.
Lycian tombs - sorry, but the snakes didn't stay still for long enough to be photographed.
Two bedroom pension and cafe. Our eventual refuge from the day's reptilian adventures.
Today's tortoise count : 1
Full description of the snake that charged Fiona:
- Black
- 1m to 1.2m in length
- Spitting fire from its nostrils
- Secreting acid
- With the words "I kill for laughs" emblazoned on its sides
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