The moment I knew: as two pythons writhed above us, I

Roberto Meza Mont and Craig Ruddy had been together a decade when their relationship reached a crossroads. Then two brazen reptiles showed them the way forward

Craig and I locked eyes on a Sydney street a couple of days after the 2001 Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. I was 23, new to Australia from Peru, and still shaking off the cobwebs of a conservative Catholic upbringing.

To me, Craig looked like someone from another planet: a lean, strong frame, curly beach-blond hair and a smile that seemed to light up the whole city. My English was basic but our shared sense of humour cut through the language barrier.