Survival skills lost

I have become weak and stupid living in Finland. It is my own fault. I have allowed my Australian survival instincts to wither and die. I no longer bang my shoes out before putting them to check for spiders. I walk barefoot in the grass with no care for snakes. I collect wood for the BBQ without dropping it a couple of times and waiting to see what will crawl out. I swim in the lake without a thought of a crocodile and in the sea with no eye for sharks.

If I ever move back to Australia, I am as good as dead.

It is funny how quickly some habits can fall away yet also quite interesting how easy they are to pick up again. I haven't been back to Australia since 2009 yet know that those lost survival reflexes will kick back in at the first rustle in the leaves, the first spider in the shower or the first fin poking through the water.

The problem is, I have to survive the first, to make it to the second.

This photo was taken through glass in the nocturnal house at a Cairns zoo. I am not too worried about snakes over all, but have a little (lot) case of arachnophobia. It has subsided considerably since living in Finland since even for me, the spiders here are lame.

There are two snakes in Finland though and one is poisonous, the Kyy (common European Adder). If bitten and allergic, it can be deadly. But so can peanuts. I think if bitten, you have about two weeks to put a bandaid on it or it has a slight chance of getting infected or something. I have promised that if I ever get the chance to pick one up I will.

And if I do find one, I will post a picture to @papa-pepper and show him what real danger is ;)

Taraz
[ a Steemit original ]