Bud the Birdman - my Hitch Hiking buddy

Last week I decided to go camping in Hanna for the weekend.  I packed my gear and my food, and my cousin dropped me off on his way to school at 7:30am a couple miles outside of Piea, Pi-ee-a (Maui hippy town).   Well, I put up my thumb and got a quick pick up and drop off in Piea.  After a cup of tea (equivalent to coffee for me) I parked myself on the curb for a ride to Hanna.   And who should pick me up? Bud the Birdman!!!

Needless to say I had no idea who Bud the Birdman was until we headed off together with a van full of parrots!  Now let’s paint the picture.  Here I am, sitting on the side of the road, standing and throwing up a thumb on the main highway to Hanna.  For all you So Cali’s a highway in Maui is one lane, complete with lights and stop signs.  Anyways I’m sitting on the side of the road, looking at the stores and shops yet to be opened, except two restaurant-breakfast places across the street from each other.  Cars are passing by, time ticks away, the sun is getting higher, a couple different cars pull up and ask where I’m headed.  But I waited for a better ride to swing by.  And here comes a red van (not unlike the war-wagon), pulling up with a couple parrots on the dashboard looking through the window.

Bud asks where I’m headed, “Hanna” and says, “Well I’m headed towards the bamboo forest.”  Okay, let’s go.  Bud jumps out of the car and opens the back door where I through in my pack.  Then I get in the front seat, scooting over a parrot. 

Well Bud is quite the entertainer.  As we head off he tells me all about different projects he’s worked on and political campaigns.  (A product of saying I’m a Political Science Major)  And the birds!!! They have been in all kinds of movies, TV shows and situations.  They climbed on my head and on my arms, as we swung around curves.  They were a bit freaky. 

Needless to say Bud is an expert with these parrots.  They are well trained.  They did not bite, poo, or in any way harm me.  Of course I didn’t make any fast moves – I mean those beaks look sharp.  After driving for 20-30 minutes we pull off on a big shoulder to the road to Hanna.  Bud jumps out of the car and promptly starts setting up the birds on the bars of a gate.  He grabs them by the beak and they hang by a finger.  I even saw him hang one on his pocket.  Then he says, “Come on I’ll take your picture” and starts setting up birds all over me.  People immediately started pulling off to watch the show.  And let me tell you Bud is an entertainer. 

After he took my picture he immediately started on the tourists who stopped to watch.  “$20 and I’ll take your picture with your camera and the parrots.  All proceeds go to the bird sanctuary.”  This man has a ton of energy.  Once he sees interest he coaxes, well more like drags, a wife to the green leafed back-drop and proceeds to dump parrots on her.  He then gets the parrots to spread their wings by snapping at yelling and takes amazing shoots of the women draped with parrots.  Oh but Mr. Husband doesn’t get away so easy.  He takes a picture of husband and wife framed by parrots, then with them kissing and draped with parrots.  Afterwards he immediately starts on the next tourists.  Groups entice groups.

It was a great show from which to get my next ride.  From there I got a two-hour ride to Hanna and the Seven Sacred Pools, in the back of a sweet Jeep.  Anyways this is a Thank you to Bud the Birdman for the ride, and the entertainment.  Thank you!

Jade Colored Waters

We all need a little motivation some times.  When it comes to entering the ocean, there are different kinds of dangers lurking beneath the waves.  Such as these sea urchins, hiding in tide pools and waiting for the misstep of a poor soul.  Or the constant battering and grinding of waves.  For an eleven year old girl, snorkeling was particularly terrifying.  No sound, no air on your face, no ground beneath your feet.  Just a tube sticking above your head while waves threaten to drown your only air supply.

But the wonders underneath scary waves!  Bright corral and fish in a world all their own, where a mermaid and fantastical creatures would not seem out of place.  But how to get a terrified child to see this beauty?

After walking down from my neighborhood to Napili Cove, then around the point of tide pools carved from lava rock, through Napili shores and across another point, I understandably decided to rest in the cove and beach of Kapalua shores to cool down and enjoy the bright blue day.  I sat on the beach and listened to the familiar chatter of families on vacation, and locals getting sun.  Directly behind and above me a little girl dressed in a light blue bathing suit lay cowering underneath the sun.

Every couple minutes a different family member of the girl would come out of the water and try to convince her to come in.  A red faced grandpa, "Why don't you get in the water!"  Sigh, "Or not."  Then mom, trooping out to make sure her chicka has a good time, "It's soooo hot, at least go cool down."  Slightly more exasperated and over-bearing dad, "Just get in the water!  Stop laying on the beach."  And finally silver haired grandma, "You can just stand on the sand and there's plenty of fish to see right there!"  All to no avail.

Eventually the whole family trooped out of the water and sat on the beach and talked about the fish they saw and kept gently repeating the same types of phrases, trying to coerce the girl in.  Finally mom came up with, "Let's just go wash the sand off in the water" and Jade, the girl, walked down the beach and gingerly entered the water.

Soon grandma got her snorkel and stood in the water looking at the fish.  Eventually they convince Jade that the water is harmless and mom walks out to fetch another mask for her.  After standing and looking at the fish she finally decides to put on fins.  This leads to laughter and giggling; as who can really put on fins without falling over?  Ungainly and completely unbalanced, with the extra bouncy of water pushing her over, mom holds her while grandma helps.  And off they go!  Mostly hugging the corral close to shore they do venture out to see the fish beyond the sand.

What a beautiful scene!  When Jade and grandma finally get out of the water they troop back to the blanket.  Grandpa says "Well time to go to see the hula dance," to which Jade replies, "I don't want to see the hula dance!" - An attempt to do more snorkeling.  They leave with higher spirits and a happy atmosphere.  Although Jade drags her feet, she knows that there will be other days of snorkeling and well, a hula show awaits!

This story was a good reminder that sometimes the key to success and a good time is to take that first dunk into the cold water.  While the people who convince us to do it, are actually the nicest people.  And from there take the obstacles step by step until happiness is achieved, and then go on to seek the next hula dance.

The Curtiss plop

This is my new home!!!  (Or at least down the street from it).  It's warm every day, usually sunny, and if it's not sunny you may be able to catch a rainbow on the way home.   I moved here 2 weeks ago exactly, and as a friend of mine said "So you're going to go contemplate life." Yes, I am.  I am contemplating life on a gorgeous tropical island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean - which is bigger then all the earths land mass combined.  And do you know what?  Life is beautiful!  How not?

The air has a tang of salt, the breeze cools down the hot sun, and the best part... There are humpback whales everywhere!!!  For those of you who don't know - I LOVE WHALES!!!  Always have always will. So to top off the illustrious tropical colors, when I sit on the beach I look out for whales.

First there's the blowhole mist signaling their presence.  Then a breach!  And a huge white bellied whale flies into the air and smack! throws its gigantic body onto the water.  (not unlike how dudes drop onto couch's - my mom likes to call it the Curtiss plop but I think it's more widespread then that)  Sometimes you will see a boat speeding up to the whales... a whale watching tour, mostly though they're playing around alone.  The whales can hang out for a while,  but at the end of the show they will dive down with a last slap of the tale - saying 'until next time'.