Party on the Nile

After a brief journey into the village this morning, I returned home and popped the shopping on the table....Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a small face, beady eyes and a tongue!
I slowly turned and the face moved back under the basket next to the lamp....'Oh God' I said aloud and tip toed around the basket to get the broom from the cupboard. I hastily jumped up onto the sofa and using the brush, tipped the basket over.

SNAKE! I shivered and felt sick, as it slithered back under the basket. I ran to the door and cried for Maadi, the guy that looks after my neighbours house. My other neighbour had meanwhile returned and we all ran to the house, armed with garden tools to eliminate the poor thing.

I took my position once again on the sofa, armed with the brush, whilst the 2 men stood guard with their implements. I expected a massacre, but was pleasantly surprised that the decision was made to pick it up in a tea towel and take it far away from the houses.

As we waited patiently for Ahmed to return, other neighbours came out to see what had happened. It caused quite a stir, or was it me screaming in the street :-)

Ahmed returned and told us he had taken it across the fields and let it go, because he was told by a Holy Man that you must never kill the snake. You must put it in something and take it away from the house it was found in.

After all the excitement, I went for a rather large cycle ride and ended up at the Nile. What a lovely way to spend a morning, singing, dancing, clapping and playing music whilst sailing on the Nile.