We love a bit of a bushwalk but not the type that involves equipment, beyond a packed lunch, or a long drive. More the type that will have us back home in time to cook some sort of braised dinner we'll have in front of the fire with a bottle of wine (the Child will have sparkling water, if she's lucky, tap if she's not). The type that doesn't involve leaving Sydney, so we set off for Bantry Bay at Middle Head.
After heading into Garigal National Park on the edge of Seaforth Oval, we don't see anyone apart from two joggers and three other walkers for three hours. It was bliss. We do see a cute snake, who is also making the most of the winter sun by basking by the side of the path. We oohh and aahh at the closeness of such a fine creature and bark at the Husband who wants to poke it with a stick to see it move. He gets a stern chat about letting nature be.
We are shaded by by banksias, the air is filled with birdsong and small animals dart about too quickly to identify them.
When we get home, I decide to find out what sort of snake we'd crowded our faces around. "Good photo, Mum," says the Child when I've got a perfect match up on the screen before she realises it's not mine but a Google image. Excitedly, she sees our snake listed in a Top 10 Most Venomous Snakes in the World list.
The New Zealand-born Husband had been threatening to irritate a deadly Eastern Brown snake. The Child and I roll our eyes. Will he ever learn? Probably not, which is fine - as long as he lives long enough to tell the tale.
It's quite unusual to see a snake at this time of year. At least you can rest assured that it was probably sleepy and docile. We had so many brown snake spottings this year in the village... two at the school and one behind our water tank (!). They seem to like the el nino.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds like my kind of bush walk too. But I would have been less fascinated and more terrified of the snake. EEEK!
ReplyDeleteI was going to say - aaaah get away from that brown snake! Great photo though :-)
ReplyDeleteI love a good Sydney bushwalk, great now the sun is back.
Except for the snake, it certainly sounds like a fabulous outing. We have nothing but heat and dust so outdoor activities are out of the question. Have a great week. Tammy
ReplyDeleteAlways good to recognise a brown snake when you see one! The last time we came across one, our brains jumped our bodies out of the way (we'd just about stopped on top of it) even before we realised what we had done. I hope you used an enormous zoom!
ReplyDeleteOh wow, I am glad you and The Child managed to convince The Husband to not poke that snake.
ReplyDeleteDon't think I've been to the Garigal National Park before. Will be sure to avoid those brown snakes should I come across them!