A Platypus. Furry, cute, unusual. Armed and dangerous.

[Bally002]

I would love to visit Australia some day. Sounds like there is a darn good chance that if I went out into the wild wilderness country, something could very well injure or kill me. Damn! 

Most of our tourists go for the cities and coastal areas where apart from surfing the dangers are remote.  In the bush areas where you may have to take a dump behind a tree, unless you are knowledgeable, you may come across a bitey.  I guess it come from being 'situationally aware".  

Don't go swimming in a lagoon up north where the sign says "Crocodiles inhabit these waters" with a depiction of a croc and jaws.  But people do and get taken.  

Heed the warnings of the locals.  Many kangaroo signs posted but there are those that still exceed the speed limit and are ignoring the warning.  Same with simple cattle and horse warning signs.  

For example.  I was travelling in an 'open' speed limited area in Central Australia some years back.  I was controlling a large 4 x 4 at 160 km/h.  Round about 100 mp/h.  Road was bitumen.  I came over a small rise and had to double check my vision.  Something was sprawled out across the roadway in from of me.  Hitting the anchors I left some marks and smoke. Took a while to stop.  The figure didn't move.  I drove slowly up to within 5 metres or about 15 feet.  The figure still didn't move.  I saw it was a human with a camera pointed to the side of the road and I spied a push bike on the opposite side.  I hit the siren. 

Sure, this short spindly guy gets up.  Stands there with his camera grinning and gives me a bow.  I was on the Uluru Road by the way, going to an unfortunate accident about 1998.  So I get out of my 4 x 4 and walk up to him.  I asked him what the hell he was doing.  He bowed and said something in Japanese.  Then pointed.

There was a 'frilled neck lizard' on the side of the road which he was attempting to photograph at 'ground zero'.  'Now me being me at the time, I lost my politeness as an officer and said, "Get the 'eff' off the 'effin' road and on yer 'effin' bike and don't stop until 'Uluru'.

He bowed and said some Japanese thing but then raised his camera and it indicated to me that he wanted to take a pick of me and the 4x4.  Crap.  Traffic was coming from both directions at speed.  I picked the bike up.  Indicated for him to join it in the back of the truck.  Took his stupid, flamin camera off him and placed him uncomfortably with his crappy push bike.  I dropped him off miles up the road, pointed and then yelled "ride! don't stoppy, understandee".  I indicated to him with using camera as a prop on a rock what a rolled 26 inch aluminium baton would do to his camera. (Add-we were miles from nowhere).

I think 'happy' got the message, bowing, bowing, bowing and jumped on his deadly treadly cutting a fine groove directly to "Uluru" .  I made a 'right turn' and continued to the 'job' at 'Kings Canyon'. 

So Chief, what am I attempting to put out here?  A true story. I'm saying more tourists die from misadventure and no situational awareness than from the flora and fauna.   Try to approach the wrong roo or god forbid, a cassowary and you may end up in hospital.  Lying on a roadway with signage that indicates 'no speed limit' will get you killed.  And for 'f's sake to those out there who would like to cycle around Australia.  Think of the conditions and potential traffic.

I can see it now on a head stone, "Yamamoto Kawasaki died from, you know, a frilled neck lizard in Australia."   

I candidly put these posts out there for awareness. :)  Wait for the "Taipan" thread.  Deadliest snake in the world.  True one :) 

My kind regards and respect to you,

Bally