| We were well into our African safari having spent | | | | looked several times at what was surely a Black |
| time in Ngorongoro Crater and a couple of days | | | | Mamba hidden in the grass a few feet from our |
| on the Serengeti in a luxury mobile tented camp. | | | | vehicle. It was difficult to discern exactly what |
| With that particular segment of our safari coming | | | | that little sliver of grayish-black was, but she was |
| to an end we rode to the rendezvous area some | | | | almost positive it was a Black Mamba she had so |
| forty-five minutes away to meet our main safari | | | | longed to see. We all took turns looking through |
| guide and driver, Fabian Ngua who drove from | | | | the camera, but none of us could positively |
| some distance to meet us. He would again be | | | | identify what we saw as a snake, let alone a |
| with us for the remainder of the safari. | | | | Black Mamba. What we saw was grayish-black, |
| One of the people in our safari group had seen a | | | | but it was so buried in the grass and leaves it left |
| picture of a Black Mamba snake in one of the | | | | serious doubt in most of our minds. It could have |
| reference books Fabian carried in his vehicle. They | | | | been a twig, a small branch or some other |
| are a highly poisonous snake found in that area. | | | | non-living thing. |
| That person, whose identity shall not be divulged, | | | | After about ten minutes of listening to the |
| to protect the guilty, was fascinated by snakes | | | | comments of the others and looking in the grass |
| and knew Black Mambas lived in the area we | | | | myself (from our vehicle and through my |
| were visiting. For clarity let's call that person | | | | camera) where the snake was supposed to be I |
| Reptilia. As we started our several hour trek | | | | couldn't come to the conclusion it was alive, let |
| down the Serengeti to our next tented camp | | | | alone the revered Black Mamba that by now had |
| location Reptilia told our driver we just had to see | | | | captured everyone's attention. I thought about it |
| a Black Mamba before the safari was over. | | | | for a few seconds and decided it was not very |
| Black Mamba (nicknamed The Shadow of Death) | | | | likely to be one of those poisonous snakes. If it |
| - Size: largest venomous snake in Africa (8.2 | | | | was, it probably would have moved by now or at |
| ft~14 ft) | | | | least rustled the grass or leaves. |
| - Speed: reputed to be the fastest moving snake | | | | So almost out of instinct or rather curiosity, I |
| in the world - up to 12 mph | | | | decided to check it out, hoping against hope that I |
| - Color: Mouth - Black interior, Skin - gray to olive | | | | was right and Reptilia was wrong. I got out the |
| tone | | | | vehicle and walked around to near where the |
| - Venom: Among the most venomous snakes in | | | | dangerous snake was hiding. Reptilia handed me |
| the world | | | | the camera pointing to the miniscule image on the |
| - Bite: One bite may inject enough venom to kill | | | | LCD viewer. I didn't see a snake through the |
| 20-40 grown men | | | | camera, just a short grayish sliver that I could |
| - Lifestyle: Lives primarily in grasslands of Africa, | | | | hardly make out. |
| also in bushes and small trees As we spotted | | | | I cautiously stepped close to where the "snake" |
| different animals and also some A-L-Ts she kept | | | | was hiding while picking up a little twig. Then I |
| saying she wanted to see a Black Mamba snake. | | | | poked around in that area where the supposed |
| We laughed and often shrugged it off. The rest | | | | snake was hiding. Poke after poke and turning |
| of us all wanted to see the wild animals and birds. | | | | over leaves and parting grass I searched that |
| Snakes were the last thing on our minds, a | | | | "snake infested" area. Nothing, absolutely nothing |
| poisonous one at that. However, we were | | | | moved or could be spotted, as I fanned the area |
| frequently looking on the dirt road in front of us | | | | looking for the Black Mamba. Some in the group |
| for any sign of a Black Mamba. We scanned the | | | | were holding their breath during my search of the |
| roadside along our vehicle too for that elusive | | | | underbrush, knowing that if there were really a |
| snake in the hopes of satisfying Reptilia. Partly out | | | | Black Mamba or any other poisonous snake in the |
| of curiosity, partly to satisfy her we really did try | | | | grass it would not be a pretty sight. |
| to spot a Black Mamba. | | | | That little escapade of mine in the underbrush |
| Fabian got a call over the radio that two Black | | | | blew Reptilia's precious Black Mamba sighting into |
| Mambas had been spotted fairly close to us. He | | | | oblivion. I think she felt a bit taken back and it |
| quickly drove us over there and spent some time | | | | quieted her down (somewhat) the rest of the |
| looking, but there was no snake of any type in | | | | safari about seeing a Black Mamba. Her hope was |
| sight, let alone two Black Mambas. We continued | | | | still there, however, of seeing one of those hard |
| our journey still hoping to spot that one sight that | | | | to spot (at least for us) Black Mambas. If anyone |
| was so dear to Reptilia, but instead managed to | | | | is curious as to who Reptilia really is, they are a |
| see loads of wildebeest, zebra, baboons, vultures, | | | | principal in Golden West Intermodal Inc and you |
| elephants, giraffes, and other wild animals. | | | | can find out their name by contacting them on |
| Time went by, no Black Mamba came to greet us | | | | the Contact form on their website. |
| or even scare us. We couldn't spot one no matter | | | | Our safari ended a few days later without the |
| how much we tried. We stopped in an area of | | | | fanfare of seeing a real Black Mamba. Maybe next |
| some tall grass and underbrush and a few small | | | | time we'll have better luck. Yes, if circumstances |
| trees to eat our boxed lunch. Reptilia was looking | | | | permit, we all wish we could come back and |
| around in the grass through her camcorder zoom | | | | experience the whole safari experience again. |
| lens for a Black Mamba while the rest of us | | | | Plans are already being drawn up for a tentative |
| started devouring our lunch. We were all still in the | | | | 2010 African Safari since reservations generally |
| vehicle as is the normal case. Only in areas | | | | have to be made a year or more in advance. |
| deemed relatively safe would our driver allow us | | | | Let's see how many of us will make it back, |
| to leave the vehicle. This was one of those areas. | | | | although everyone would like for that "trip of a |
| Still looking and hoping, Reptilia suddenly blurted | | | | lifetime" to happen again. |
| out "I think I see a Black Mamba." She looked and | | | | |