when i was a kid i remember just reading everything i could about their habitat and visiting zoos and such. pretty soon my dad realized i wanted to just learn more and more and the only way was to get one. it's about husbandry, not having something cooler then some one else.
can you really be sure you can take care of cleaning it's poop, and sheds out, washing it's water bowl daily, keeping it's cage temps right? finding the right types of food and lot's of it? and what happens when your girlfriend says she like turtles better? hope you know something about herps in general and such before just buying a cool snake. Ensuring proper husbandry is the most important task you have infront of you, not buying an animal. heck my pastel was free...