Green is as Green Does

Samantha returns to Hawaii. That was fast. This time though she’s on Maui and going green! In honor of that, this entry will go green...fonted.

Sam joins a bus tour along a very beautiful and winding path. They stop to see “rainbow” trees. It looks like someone painted the trees. Sam and her busmates play “Guess Your Carbon Footprint.” One has a large footprint but feels the bus lessens it a bit. Sam’s going green! They arrive at one very beautiful view before finishing with a stop by the ocean. It’s a scene out of nature film. Sam points out that her driver left the bus running with the air conditioner running. He says it was for their comfort. Makes sense. Sam admits she created the whole in the ozone layer as her busmates look like they want to be anywhere but on her bus. Sam is excited to be on the black sand beach and Sam apologizes to nature. She hits the surf before running out for fear of jellyfish.

She stops at an organic farm. They even grew their own coffee! Sam wonders why there’s a bike in the middle of store. Turns out, that’s what operates the blender. So, when Sam orders a smoothie, guess who puts the pedal to the metal? Sam Brown, that’s right. She enjoys the fruits of her labor and decides to make everyone smoothies! Sam turns in since she says tomorrow is a busy day.

Sam starts her day at my weekend/vacation bedtime—2 AM—to go see the sunrise. She has some fun with her director, who falls asleep on the way up. But they make it and the sunrise rises while some woman sings an ancient chant to welcome the sun. Sam grabs another bike to get back down the hall. She enjoys the scenery and her low carbon emissions.

Sam arrives at the bottom to hear about the Hawaiian Olympic games which celebrated the crops, not victories. They give Sam a spear. Oh boy. She watches father and son battle it out for which stick they shoot at. They grab arms and hop on one leg. Okay…You could’ve just flipped a coin. We learn Sam didn’t do jauvelin in high school as she misses her mark each time until her last one. Next, they call a ladder a sled and go down the hill on it. It looks painful. Sam wipes out and the company groans accordingly.

Sam goes to visit a farm and sinks as it is watery. She helps harvest the main ingredient of the dish Poi as fire ants attack. Sam celebrates that she’s a farmer with the Kashi representative/nutritionist. The real farmer is thinking, “Sweet, free labor!” Sam then learns how to make Poi. She skins it, boils it and mashes it. Then they add water and mix it.

Sunday dawns and Sam finds herself in the water. She goes snorkeling. I tried to go snorkeling on Maui but got too seasick. They threw me in the water with a raft just to get my stomach to calm down. It actually works. So, folks, if you get seasick, get yourself into the water. Sam drags along a water proof camera and gets shots of Hawaiian fish and reef.

Sam finishes off her weekend in Maui by making a PSA. It’s actually pretty funny and true to Sam—she tells a shower hog that they’ll miss happy hour. Hey, Sam actually didn’t consume any alcohol on this vacation. Wow. Sam boards a canoe and paddles off into the sunset. Actually, to the airport.

That finishes Sam’s trip to Maui. So, we say “aloha” to my favorite Hawaiian island and gear up for when Sam goes to Sundance next week.

Quote of the Episode:
“You try being nice to Mother Earth and sometimes she just kicks you in the butt.”—Sam, after her wipeout