Jan 01 2009
Old Fears Die Hard
The surprise element in the three-day Ratnagiri mountaineering camp organised by Nature Knights was the ‘Snake familiarisation’ session by the Ratnadurg Mountaineers. For some of us, it was a pleasant surprise while for others it was perhaps a dreadful one.
A bagful of snakes. All captured/rescued from the human habitat around Ratnagiri town, and ready to be let out to the forests. The session was to make us, the city folks, to understand and appreciate the ‘other’ friends around us. There were a few varieties of them. Some of us touched them, felt them, and almost all of us allowed the rat snake to coil around our necks. Some of the smaller ones remained agile and ready to attack while they found their way through the many nimble figures and some muscle-flexing arms. It was mixed feelings for many. Fear, awe, excitement, shock… something unimaginable. All of a 12×10 room. Over 20 people. And about 6 snakes wondering where on earth are they!
‘She’ in thecouple was certainly fearless. ‘He’ said that he was busy clicking the photos and did not get time to try it. But you get the truth. Old fears die hard. 
Super cool stuff…there’s so much see and experience in India..always wanted to an year off experiencing India- but with your blog- at least South and West india gets covered. So maybe I need only 6 months now
Keep it up!
Shalabh
[...] over to the couples’s blog for details. Linked by Cuckoo. Join Blogbharti facebook [...]
I had a similar experience in an Australian zoo with a python.
Have linked this post to Blogbharti.
Here
http://www.blogbharti.com/cuckoo/travel/old-fears-die-hard/
awesome pictures
and she really looks fearless 
Damn neat .. slithering beauties with the couple …
Great Photos! Unny, where are you, don’t see any photo of yours with the snake coiled round your neck?
@Navin,
didn’t you see the footnote below the album? that answers your question.
@Salabh,
thanks. reasons for you to comeback to india.
@cuckoo,
thanks for linking to blogbharti.
@sandeep,
thanks. as usual
@maddy,
high time you start joining for NK trips