Misadventures in Okinawa

So Michael and I spent 10 days in Okinawa over the New Years break.

Oh dear, where to start. Might as well get the embarrassing part over with: I touched a wild snake.


I've loved snakes ever since I was little. I remember reading about them endlessly on that education CD-ROM we had back in the day called Dangerous Creatures. Somewhere in Australia I still have a massive book dedicated to snakes. So for some reason I cannot otherwise explain, I decided to touch it. This sea snake, blessed little thing, was just snaking his little way along some rocks when I shoved my bony finger into his squishy side.

Yes, I'm an idiot. Let's move on.

I jumped back like I'd touched a live wire; the snake was even faster, fortunately flinging its body in the opposite direction. It was just so soft! It actually threw itself down some rocks in its sudden, lightning-fast retreat. In mere moments, no animal - neither reptile nor human - remained on those rocks.

I've since identified it as a kind of Banded Sea Krait, a beautiful sea snake with venom 10 times more deadly than the King Cobra.

Oookay. Nothing to see here.

I did end up in hospital the next day, albeit for different reasons. Much to Michael's undying amusement, the glands under my right jaw swelled to gigantic proportions. Turns out I'd caught the mumps or tonsilitis (and before you go saying that I've been vaccinated against the mumps, so too had my friend Kym, who'd displayed the exact same symptoms barely a week earlier, and who had been officially diagnosed with mumps after a blood test). It didn't slow me down, but it was a blasted nuisance taking four types of drugs three times a day.

Then there was Smell-eye. In my defense, I didn't touch this messed-up animal so much as it approached me and started rubbing its face against my hand.


Snakes, mumps, stray cats... Even with all of that, it was still an awesome trip. On our first full day in Okinawa Michael and I bought a chocolate brownie cake.

"Is it for someone's birthday?" the lady in the cake shop asked.

"Yes," I replied without hesitation.

"Would you like me to write a message on it?"

I looked at Michael, who gave me a curt nod.


We proceeded to carry "Glen's" cake to the seaside, where we demolished it in moments, giggling like we do when we bake giant cookies. Glen would've been proud.

Of course, there were so many other incredible moments that I just can't be stuffed writing up properly; like the 6-hour bike ride to a beautiful, pristine bay; or the shinto shrine ceremony we were somewhat forced to participate in in the dying moments of 2010. But no doubt you'll hear them from Michael or myself eventually. After all, I guess I'll be back in Australia before you know it.

Provided I don't get mauled to death trying to touch a bear, or something.