The Visitor

Jan. 5th 2010

The lanti boat is still broke, luckily staff was heading out to visit AT, so I caught a ride out with them today. We headed out bright and early this morning and made it to AT's site before lunch time. It was great to see AT's house and village. His garden hosts the largest pumpkins I have ever seen in my life! He gave us a tour - it was a short one, his village is so tiny! After waiting out a few rain showers, Jono drove me to Wan Hati.

I don't know if it's the travelling, the fresh air or the change in scenery, but I always am so tired when I first get back (maybe it's the thought of having to clean up my house and unpack that drains all my motivation)

Before I can even get all my bags in the house, Jeni is in the front yard smiling at me and just chatting away. Next, Olivia is heading over - as usual she walks right in and takes a seat. We talk about our New Years and how much fun we had during the holidays. She then asks if she could borrow one of my gasbombs. I have two, but one is empty and unfortunately the second is about to be! Since the lanti boat isn't running its hard to get someone to take and fill the gasbombs in Moengo. I made sure to include lots of snacks during my shopping - just incase I have to go a few days without being about to cook. Olivia heads out and I head to take a nap.

Around 5pm the sound of something rustling around wakes me up, I try to ignore it - but it's really irratating me! I battle with a mouse problem in the house, and they keep me up at all hours. I can't take the noise anymore and get up to investigate. The noise is coming from behind my backpack. I peer over it and see a SNAKE! It's head is up and bobbing from side to side. Something compels me to grab my can of Raid and spray its face.

It jumps - I leap onto my bed.

It spews out a slimy fully intacted mouse. Mouse goes airborne landing by the base of my bed.

I'm horrified.

The snake is HUGE. Easily the full length of my room. Huge.

I watch as it slithers it's way into one of my bags. I don't want to leave to get help for fear it will move somewhere else in my house and we won't be able to find it. I see all the guys out on the soccer area and figure I'll wait til they walk by my house then get one of them to help me.

Sometimes I really wonder what I'm thinking...

As I'm standing on my bed - the snake starts to wriggle it's head out of my bag. I grab my broom and jump back up on my bed. Then knowing full well I shouldn't - I wack my pack with the broomstick.

Snake is pissed and bolts out of the bag.

The sound of the snake on my floor freaks me out , and he heads straight for under my bed.

I race into the other room and stand on the table, broomstick and Raid in hand. I look out the window, the guys are still playing soccer - it's starting to get dark.

No sooner do I look back at my bed - I see the snake's head and half it's body on the top of my mosquito net! The rest of him is dangling down the side of the net.

Now addrenaline is coursing through me. Fast as a flash I slide under the netting (opposite side from snake) I take my can of Raid - and fire full on at it's face. As I know from earlier snake doesn't like Raid.

He flies off the top of the netting back onto the floor and into my wash area.

He's big and mad and knocking over all my bottles. I trade my can of Raid for my machete. There's a drain hole in the side of the wash area, big enough for him to fit through--if I can get him to do it.

I have a big pink plastic tub I use as a shield and descide to trade back to my Raid bottle. (machete is long, but not long enough for my confort!)

I'm wacking the area like a crazy women with the broomstick trying to scare him to the drain hole - holding my pink tub in front of me like a warrior incase he comes to close to me.

Somehow now he worked his way to the ceiling and is dangling his head down at me.

I aim and spray - at the same time backing up to stand ontop of my table again.

Snake hates me.

He's back on the ground. I reach out and poke him with the broomstick - he's close to the drain hole. I wack him again and he darts out of the hole!!

I watch from my window as he heads out into the bush.

It's pretty dark as I take the dead mouse outside. The guys are walking past my house - finished playing soccer.

Sleep well, they call out.