It's not every day you get photobombed by an alligator! Here's the story...

Eleven years ago I was on honeymoon in South Africa & Zambia and took a trip up the Zambezi in a canoe. An inflatable canoe. All was well till the very last section of the day when I felt something hit the boat, looked down and saw a crocodile snout bashing against the canoe! It hit once, twice, three times and punctured the boat, leaving me stranded in the water and my new husband smacking the surface with an oar while we both panicked for our lives!

Obviously we were both okay but since then I've had a deep fear of crocodiles and even the thought of them has made my stomach churn.

Very close to us is a place called Crocodiles of the World and it's come up in conversation a few times - but I've always been adamant I didn't want to go. But Steve mentioned it again today as I was trying to find something to do on a bonus day off, and I thought "No!" And then thought, "Actually, why not? Yes!"

And you know what - we had a really good time! I started off jumping nervously at a lifesize sculpture of a crocodile outside the entrance, and ended up oohing and aahing at feeding time and even holding a two-year-old alligator! I definitely feel like I've come close to overcoming the irrational fear, though I still have a very sensible respect for these intelligent killers.It's not every day you get photobombed by an alligator! Here's the story... Eleven years ago I was on honeymoon in South Africa & Zambia and took a trip up the Zambezi in a canoe. An inflatable canoe. All was well till the very last section of the day when I felt something hit the boat, looked down and saw a crocodile snout bashing against the canoe! It hit once, twice, three times and punctured the boat, leaving me stranded in the water and my new husband smacking the surface with an oar while we both panicked for our lives! Obviously we were both okay but since then I've had a deep fear of crocodiles and even the thought of them has made my stomach churn. Very close to us is a place called Crocodiles of the World and it's come up in conversation a few times - but I've always been adamant I didn't want to go. But Steve mentioned it again today as I was trying to find something to do on a bonus day off, and I thought "No!" And then thought, "Actually, why not? Yes!" And you know what - we had a really good time! I started off jumping nervously at a lifesize sculpture of a crocodile outside the entrance, and ended up oohing and aahing at feeding time and even holding a two-year-old alligator! I definitely feel like I've come close to overcoming the irrational fear, though I still have a very sensible respect for these intelligent killers.

Posted 7 years ago