Keeping Nohea (and the Tourists) Happy

Saturday was just beautiful, so Nohea and I got the harness out and went for a long walk. We nipped into the Marriott gold course trails and strolled through the course until we got to the Marriott's beach access. Then we walked along the shore up to the mall and back.

That doesn't sound like much, but amounted to a two hour stroll. Nohea saw no reason why I should stop moving, so we were on the go the whole time.

Idiot that I am, I forgot to bring my camera, but that didn't stop the big green guy from posing. At least four tourists asked to take his picture, and several more took some pictures when they thought I wasn't looking (don't know why they thought they had to sneak).

The Marriott here has a lovely koi pond with swans, nene, and of course, koi, so I took Nohea to see that. We bumped into three young girls from a sports team on the big island, one of whom was also owned by parrots. Nohea, it turns out, is quite the lady's man. He just lapped up the ooohs and ahhs, and when it was time to go I had to pry him (literally) off the girl's hand. As far as he was concerned I was seriously cramping his style.

It's funny how often people would ask if he was real. I guess they think of macaws and toos when they think of parrots, and a male eclectus looks so very different.

By the time we were done I had to phone my wife, Pat, and ask us to come and pick us up (the alternative was to slog back up the hill in the heat of the day). I guess I wasn't the only one all worn out--when we got home Nohea got on his swing ang napped for a few hours. I guess riding on a shoulder is hard work. . . .