The joys of surfing in the tropics is something surfers live for. Booking that trip months or even years in advance, training hard to get your paddle fitness right and searching high and low for that perfect quiver to take with you…its a ritual and the feeling of traveling to find perfect, amazing waves is high on every surfers list.
But what happens when it all turns to proverbial shit and on your second day of a surf trip you worked so hard for, you break a bone that puts a swift end to your dream surfing holiday!
This is unfortunately the story of World Surfaris client, Kevin Rogers. Kevin sent us the most amazing feedback recently assuring the entire World Surfaris family that our guests are looked after with the very best care in the world no matter the situation. We wanted to share this amazing feedback with you.
Hi Steve & World Surfaris team,
I had the misfortune to get a bad injury to my foot on day 2 of my outer atolls boat trip on Sharifa. I won’t bore you with the details, but the short version is that I had to be taken off the boat.
I wanted to write you just to let you know that the level of help and service I got from everyone at World Surfaris was absolutely above and beyond anything I could have expected. Our surf guide Hoobs on the boat, took me to the nearest local clinic from the boat, then arranged a speedboat transfer to the local hospital, went with me and stayed with me, and helped me with *everything* – all the details, logistics, payment, going to the pharmacy – everything. He got me into a local hotel and stayed in town that night, and got me onto my flight to Male the next morning. He even arranged wheelchair transport with the airline. WOW!
Mickey and Yaamin met me at the Male airport (which I was not expecting), took care of my boardbag, got me set up with a hotel in Male, and Yaamin then went with me to the hospital, where he stayed with me all day – for over 5 hours!! He helped with everything, arranged all my transport including transport to the airport the next morning, and he even hung out with me that evening to make sure I got dinner! Incredible – who does that? I owe Yaamin, Hoobs and Mickey, big time.
I managed to get on a flight home the next day. Thanks to all of the help from World Surfaris, less than 48 hours after an accident I had in the middle of nowhere in the Outer Atolls, I had already visited two hospitals and was on a flight home with the medication I needed. When I sat down on my flight home, I was in shock at how fast and smoothly it had all happened.
I should also tell you – my surf-specific travel insurance that I bought through World Nomads? It was worthless. When I finally did get through to them, they told me that I had ‘no medical reason to fly home’. After I explained the situation I was in, they then told me that they would arrange someone to meet me at the Male airport to take me to the hospital. They failed to do that – their local representative flaked and no one was there when I arrived. If Mickey and Yaamin hadn’t been there, I would have been screwed. Every bit of help I received getting home, I received from World Surfaris.
Hoobs, Mickey, Yaamin – YOU GUYS ARE LEGENDS.
World Surfaris team – you have an incredible crew in the Maldives.
Thank you so much for the help. I hope to be back, once my foot gets back to normal size…
Kevin