Snakes in Uganda
Wednesday, June 3, 2009 at 1:00PM One good friend of mine tried to alarm me before I came to Uganda, warning perilously that she "had looked it up and there are snakes in Uganda!" Of course, she wasn't actually trying to alarm me but rather to find a convenient excuse not to brave the 24 hours of travel time and considerable cost required to pay me a visit. Well, I've been on the lookout for these mysterious creatures since I arrived, my creative imagination conjuring up images of man-eating vipers waiting around every corner. My next door neighbor has seen two itty-bitty snakes in the last six months but I've never seen even a one.
Tonight I finally can claim to have seen a snake in Uganda. Granted, I was on the road in the truck, going some 45 miles per hour, but I saw it! On our way to Entebbe airport to pick up some short-term missionaries my truck passed right over the top of a slithering serpent as it made its way across the road. The question I had to ask myself, of course, was "Why? Why did the snake cross the road?" I'll let you creatively provide a witty answer. If it hadn't, my snake-free record would still be standing! Nevertheless, it did indeed cross my path, and, I can confidently say, it passed underneath my truck with narry a scratch as I zipped on about my business. So, my dear snake-shy friend, you were right. I can now confirm that there are indeed snakes in Uganda. That's still no excuse for not visiting. -Shauen