Jumping Snakes

snake, originally uploaded by staarkidd.

So happy to finally arrive in Sumatra, Christian went a little trigger-happy with his camera. Intently focused on the unique features and expression of the kid who seemed to display more alarm and concern than any of the others we had met. It took a moment for Christian to discern between the emotion of tsunami victim and someone in immediate danger, as the kid pointed to the beam directly behind Christian. I noticed the commotion just in time to see a villager swat at the beam with a long stick. Two halves of a snake fell to the ground as bystanders closed in to watch the snake continue to writhe and slip under some planks. The locals call it a jumping snake – a snake known for its potent venomous bite.