You can be forgiven for thinking this next story is something directly out of a Hollywood movie…because it pretty much is! Qantas cargo handlers were somewhat mystified over four missing snakes that managed to escape from a container in the belly hold of a B737- 800 last month. The snakes – four Stimson’s pythons – slithered off during a flight from Alice Springs to Melbourne and guess what? They haven’t been found! Qantas officials are still scratching their heads as to how the wily pythons made their great escape, but swear they were travelling in an “appropriate” container.

Oh, but don’t worry the pythons, which can grow up to one metre in length, are not venomous and these ones were only 15cm in length. But, never-the-less, imagine the surprise when one of those babies drops out of the overhead luggage compartment! Which, reminds of a movie. You see, here at Bellyache us fancy ourselves as quite the fine art, film buffs. Oh yes, we’re into the finest Hollywood has to offer – like that 2006 cult classic, Snakes on a Plane!

We don’t want to spoil the movie, but but in essence the plot revolves around a crate full of every possible venomous snake in the world that is time-released to open mid-flight aboard a B747-400 passenger plane. The snakes then make their way through the plane killing pretty much half the passengers and the plane’s captain! The first to go are a couple in the toilet who are in the process of joining the ‘mile high’ club, followed next by some poor sod who gets bitten while urinating. We’ll leave it to you to figure out where he was bitten! Ouch.

And so, should you spot it on the in-flight entertainment system of your next flight be sure and watch it! Oh, and by the way, the film grossed US$62 million! See, we’re not the only cinema buff s around.