Monday, February 16

I had arranged to meet Chad and Sally at Rock Café this evening, and it took sometime to convince/trick Rosie into letting me go on my own. I set off in time, assuming that I could walk there briskly.

I got to the banana plantation just before the kiosk to find a group of pedestrians and scooterists waiting. In the distance I could see another group waiting to come the other way. As I approached I could see that the space between the two groups had an occupant. More accurately it had two occupants.

I have never seen a cobra before in real life. I have certainly never seen two, and I have absolutely never stood three metres from 2 cobras as they perform an elaborate mating dance, intertwining and moving with a languid grace.

For the first time I wished I had a “proper” camera. The photos I took showed what happened but not all the details of the colours and skin.

Eventually I got a high-speed ride past them on the back of the motorcycle next to me, and then walked hurriedly, still arriving late.

At the end of the meal everyone implored me to get a rickshaw home, and I agreed. Walking up the road in the dark, using my phone as a flashlight and looking for deadly snakes, did not appeal.

Rosie seemed glad to see me home, but not as happy as me.