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!
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