Snakes and ladders - 21/10/04

Today was a raindrenched day. Yesterday's snow was all but washed off the summits by the time I went out, in full wet weather gear. The morning I spent in Broadford, shops etcetera. Needed to get some maps and info, and reported that lame sheep to the police. Then hobbled down the road to the Serpentarium. On arrival, a lady gave me a snake to handle, a royal python by the name of Goldie. She was about 3 feet long, but when placed in my hands felt neither cold nor clammy. She was beautifully marked, and her little tongue was going hither and thither. Snakes smell through their tongues. They have infrared sensors at the front of their snouts; they are deaf and poorly sighted. This one took a liking to the water droplets on my coat and gradually crept up my jacket to head towards my neck. Upon which, the lady gently took her off me. I don't mind snakes, I find them fascinating. The creatures in there include iguanas, tortoises and frogs. They are mostly confiscated at UK airports when someone tries to smuggle them into the country from exotic places. Either as an order from an individual or for some strange purpose. The Serpentarium patches them up, ready for someone really dedicated to look after them. After a cup of coffee and a piece of cake, I headed off to the library for some internet access, until the 12.20 bus materialised that would take me to Kyleakin. The driver was on his break, but didn't mind if I sat in the bus. It was pouring with rain, and blowing hard. At Kyleakin, I changed for the Kyle bus, which was having fun on the bridge. On the other side, I dropped my pictures off for processing at the chemists. In the meantime, the bus took me 9 miles down the road to Eilean Donan Castle. Moderately interesting, a good stopgap for a rainy day. Busdriver told me to wait half an hour on the way back, because of some fault on the vehicle. Picked the pictures up in Kyle, which had been put on CD-ROM for me, and headed across to Kyleakin again. Where I allowed the Uig bus to drive off without me, as I was under the impression that there would be a Rapsons bus going to Broadford at 16.10. No such luck. No bus. So I had to order a taxi. £8 is still £8, and that's the second time that the blinking bus company has cost me money because of their crappy time tabling. I know it's Skye time, but... ah, what, I should stop moaning.