Baby Rat Snake - Upclose and Personal !

One fine morning, I was on a walk towards the coffee lounge at Orange County, Kabini. Just as I was leaving the cabin, the intercom rang like hell. It was from one of the restaurant service boys. In a much hurried voice and in his uncanny mallu accent, he said " Sir, come fast, there is a snake in the coffee lounge"[ to be read in a mallu accent too, mind you]. The next few mins, people saw my friend Dina and me flying out of one door into the garden, over the grass, and into the coffee lounge.[ which literally took us about 3 mins flat]. Upon seeing the little snake, we slowly made our way towards it [ still huffing and panting]. The snake turned out to be a baby rat snake [ and a very cute one at that] and it was hiding in a small hole between the wooden flooring. The only thing separating us from the snake was a pane of glass, kept clean by the service boy. Dina tried hard [ and in different angles too] to get a couple of good photos of the snake.... and after 15 mins of clicking away, she gave up. taking the camera from her, I tried the same stunts[ not in the angles that she tried]. Lying on the ground, i was so close to the snake's face, that i could have kissed it good morning !!! [ it could have done the same too]. But there was this pane of glass to avoid the " close encounter" from happening. Well, that did not stop me from going close enough to get " Saint Gobain-ed"[ a must see ad, hilarious !!] and this is what i could get.... first time i'm seeing a rat snake, and my first photo of that !!! And all thanks to Dina for this opportunity...