Snake Bite!

In Innisfail dad was thinking about getting a job putting roofs back on after Cyclone Larry hit. Innisfail was directly in Larry’s path meaning many uprooted trees and lots of houses minus roofs. The day we got there we checked out town, doing a few things. The next morning dad phoned up some roofing companies to see if they needed anyone to work. Unfortunately, there was no work to be done. That morning we went into town again. While Dad, Rennie and Jarra went elsewhere mum and I went to the op-shop to look at some books. Some books were $2 others were as much as $5! Dad picked us up and we headed out of town to the “Johnstone River Croc Farm”. We entered in the crocodile entrance gate. The first thing I saw was that there were snakes. Both big and small, the biggest one there was a Amethystine Python, the biggest snake in Australia, and the smallest was a cool little children’s python. They didn’t have any venomous snakes there, but it was great all the same. We went out on a tour of all the crocs and animals there. They didn’t just have crocodiles but cassowaries, lizards, kangaroos, wallabies and chickens. The first croc we saw was an absolute monster! It was at least 5 metres. The owner, Mick, sat on it, he said some people liked to go horse riding but he liked to go crocodile riding. He also said that Gregory, the croc, had to be protected from the sun so he put his hat on him! We saw heaps of other crocs but the best one was another massive one. It had a huge dam all to himself apart from the females. After the tour we went back to the reception/check-in. Then it was time for the best bit, holding snakes! The snakes that we cold hold were the water python, carpet python and children’s python. We also got to hold a small croc and pet the massive blue tongue lizard. The little children’s python sort of liked me, it was my one there. Mick was trying to persuade two German teenagers to stick their hands in the tank with two young carpet pythons. They kept saying that they wouldn’t do it. While they were arguing I put my hand in the tank and with lightning speed one of the snakes struck out and bit me twice!! Mick grabbed my hand and showed everyone where the snake had bit me. Dad was laughing his head off. Mick said out of all the people who put their hands in I was the youngest. He kept saying I was a very brave boy and let me have a soft drink for free. Finally he managed to get the Germans to put their hands in. He gave them a free drink as well. On our way out Mick gave me a magnet as well. It was the highlight of my trip so far, it was even better than Deamworld.