Rock-A-Hula Luau

Expedia and the Travel Channel send Sam to Hawaii, specifically the Big Island (also called Hawaii). I’ve been to Hawaii, but to Oahu and Maui.

Sam starts off her Hawaiian weekend with a helicopter tour of the island. See how blue that water is? You can go in and see straight down to the bottom. We mainland tourists were mesmerized. Sam flies by a beautiful waterfall which the pilot tells her is taller than the New York City skyline. Sam gets dropped off there so she can go on a hike in the Kahala Forest. They reboard the helicopter to see one of Hawaii’s volcanoes, most of which are underwater and continue to expand the islands—the only state that continues growing. Her guide tells Sam that this volcano is the home to Madame Pele, the Polynesian volcano goddess. She can also be seen in the Enchanted Tiki Room in Disney. Sam gets to see lava, which is beautiful…when viewed safely from my couch.

Sam goes to a lesson to learn about native music. Her teacher plays the conch or “poon” and teaches her to play it. This is all to prepare Sam to be part of that night’s luau. Sam holds a coconut while her instructor threatens to cut it with a huge knife. He doesn’t. At dinner time, Sam tries to blow the poon but the crowd doesn’t appreciate her efforts. Third time’s the charm and they applaud. Sam hits the buffet. She watches her instructor perform the fire dance.

We come back to Saturday morning and Sam joins Michelle in picking coffee beans. She introduces her father. They have three minutes to pick as many beans as possible—the one with most beans and heaviest bucket wins. Sam dives right into the competition. She leaves to meet her friend Daniel, who introduces her to a master canoe builder. Who she met already as a tattoo artist. Okay. Skeet, the canoe builder/tattoo artist, teaches Sam how to make the canoe. Sam goes to a canoe blessing that will allow them to take it out to sea as it is 100 years old. She goes paddling along.

We return, passing Hawaii’s observatories. Sam heads 1400 feet above sea level. Their guide tells them some side effects of altitude sickness—nausea, vomiting, etc. It makes Sam “cranky”—she hasn’t had her alcohol yet this episode. They finally make it to the top in time for the sunset. They don parkas to keep warm. That is a beautiful sunset. Also, the mountain is where Hawaiians believe to have come from.

Sam goes to get some drinks, particularly an herbal one that acts as a stress reliever. The server tells her how to drink it—clap once, chug and clap twice. She warns it can sedate you so to drink it in moderation. She ignores her own advice as she gets comfortable with her new drinking buddies. She joins him in feeding the eels. And there they are, complete with an eel fight over some meat.

Sam finishes the weekend with a trip to a hula class for children. Sam joins them, trying to get the hula down. She learns it’s a lot harder than it looks. She watches their flexibility and tries to do it herself. They have to help her up. And so endeth Sam Brown’s trip to Hawaii!

Aloha ‘Oe!

Quote of the Episode:
“The site for girls gone mild.”—Sam’s drinking buddy

The second half-hour is a repeat of Sam’s trip to Philly. Next week’s episode, Sam spends a weekend in the Windy City!