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Filipinoys, do you believe it when Filipino migrants to the US...?
...endlessly whine about how work is "beri-beri hard" in the US?
I thought it odd that such Filipinos, who most now earns $90k a year doing 40-45 hours a week of work in a predictably super-safe and comfortable work environment free from harassment complete with health insurance and a retirement plan; who now commutes to and from his $400,000 home in his $40k Lexus (or two) and has a nice 16oz steak dinner with red wine, would think that "hard" lifestyle is not preferable to his/her former life in the Phils. eking out at best a sporadic P15k a month payday for 60 hours (when there's work) with no insurance, commuting to and from work through filthy and polluted streets in deathtrap jeepneys and working in a steaming office with a boss who can legally subject you to horrendous abuse?
Ami I missing something here?
Well, it could be the lack of salves er I mean maids in the US to make them feel "special".
I have no idea what work is like in the Philippines but I can imagine it is not all that great.
But with the conversations I've had with people here the main difference is lifestyle. Back in the US people complain that they work like slaves. Well a lot of these people own homes that they couldn't afford, own cars they couldn't afford, have major medical bills, and are in major debt. Americans don't spend much time with family anymore and can't really change careers because of financial obligations.
To the people I've spoken with, they told me its easy to get a job in the Philippines if you have the right connections (of course most of the people I talk to are upper class from Alabang). Also they love the fact that they have maids and servants and wouldn't think of giving up what they have in the Philippines to revert going back to a working-middle class lifestyle.
In the US if you don't work you are out living on the streets begging for money or food from people who would just walk by you and could care less about you. While in the Philippines if you don't work you can always live with some relatives and have something to eat and ask some OFW relative for money. In some ways things are more difficult in the US because you are chained to the high stress lifestyle of the US.
Plus, people in the Philippines don't seem as moody and stressed out as Americans. Lets face it Americans (regardless of ethnicity) can be very rude and cruel to one another. **Notice all of the complaints I get from other Filipninos on YAP**......Americans are rude up front and in your face. I think a lot of these Filipinos miss that old "lets be happy and not care about anything" type of attitude of the Philippines. Plus a lot of Filipinos that my parents know work for a Chinese or Indian boss which they all hate!
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Maldives End of Season
Q – Richard, you just got back to New Zealand after another season in the Maldives working at Hudhuranfushi. How was this season?
Richard- What can I say? It was epic…. but if I must be specific, it was quite a slow start this season, well, just a lot of mid sized, fun days to start with. The first solid swell of the season was the week following the QS comp (early June) but remember that even when the surf is average, most guests are having the best surf of their lives. That’s the thing with the Maldives, as I have said before and I will say again and again, it is simply the most idyllic place in the world to go surfing. Sure there are many amazing places to surf and travel, Tahiti is beautiful and sitting in the line-up is breathtaking but you don’t truly have time to appreciate it because the very real “fear factor” means that you are not truly relaxed in your surfing. The beauty of the Maldives is that it’s comparatively “user friendly” yet can get big and hollow enough to be challenging no matter where you’re from. I have had guys who charge in Hawaii come to Lohi’s for a romantic get away with their partner, not really expecting to surf much and they end up surfing more than they do at home and really love it… at the other end of the scale are the guys and girls who’ve not really surfed over reef before, perhaps they are on a first trip overseas, they’re a bit nervous, worried that it might be too big and heavy for them but they ease into it, and end up having the best surfing experience of their lives…there is just something for everyone here.
Q- So, when is the best time to visit the Maldives?
Richard- If it’s the surf season (April – Nov) then any time is a good time!! In 2008 September and October were virtually deserted and pumping, we scored back-to-back swells with no one around for two straight months. July was good as well but the crowds were in full effect. This year July was empty and pumping and on-island crowds at Lohi’s were at a record low, but Sept and Oct were quite busy and the swells not quite as big as the previous year. Early season seems to be slightly more variable, it’s typically smaller, though often very glassy…crowds are usually lighter too…. I wasn’t joking when I said that any time’s a good time! You can get really good waves at any point in the season. When you book anything in advance, it can be a gamble if it involves the fickle moods of Mother Nature and the weather. It’s reassuring to know that the winds and storms that generate the waves we ride do follow seasonal patterns, so don’t stress the dates just book when you can!
Q-What boards should one bring to the Maldives?
Richard- Anything goes! Whatever you normally ride will be fine. I’d always pack for a slightly bigger day and also a board that goes well when it’s small and then you have everything covered. I’ve talked about boards in a previous blog so go to the World Surfaris blog page and check it out!
Q- Do I need a wetsuit, how’s the weather?
Richard- No wetsuit required! Boardies and a T-shirt or rashie is all you need, though I sometimes wear a 2mm vest if it’s windy…but I’ve softened right up!! The weather is usually wonderful but it can rain and when it does, it’s torrential! Each season there seems to be a week when it rains pretty much everyday. As much as I know it sucks for those wanting to relax poolside I quite like surfing in the rain – it’s quite refreshing and saves sunscreen. “Lohis perfection after the rain, nice shot Darryl!”
Q- What is the reef like? Do you need booties?
Richard- The waves break over a fairly flat rock bottom reef, but of course if you hit the bottom hard you can always get cut. The Maldives reef is pretty forgiving compared to Indo or Tahiti and some people bring booties but not many wear them, especially if they’ve got a surf pass and they are jumping from the boat out the back twice a day.
Q- Do you have to have a surf pass?
Richard- You have to be staying on island at Hudhuranfushi to surf Lohi’s. To surf any other waves you will need to go by boat and there are limited spaces on the boats. The boats go twice a day, morning and afternoon. Having a surf pass guarantees your spot on the boat. If you don’t have a surf pass and would like to surf another spot besides Lohi’s you can pay as you go but only if spaces are available. Surf pass holders have priority on all boats, which is a great feeling when it’s pumping at the other breaks!! To answer you question, you don’t have to have a surf pass but I do recommend buying one.
Q- Where do the boats go?
Richard- We have two boats; they both go morning (9:30 am) and afternoon (3:30pm). Typically, one boat will go north to the Cokes/Chickens breaks and one boat will go south toward Sultans/Honkies/Jails. Of course, it’s dependent on the conditions but if it’s on, we’ve got it covered!
Q- What are the waves like? Does it barrel like Indo?
Richard- I have talked about the waves on my past blogs so I’ll be brief! The waves are super fun and rippable, yet there are some days with epic barrels at all the breaks. Cokes can be the heaviest wave in North Male. It is a right hand barrel with a heavy inside section over fairly shallow reef. Chickens is the perfect left across the channel from Cokes – long and fast with some good barrel sections. In the other direction from Lohi’s is Sultans which is a super fun, very consistent right with many good sections…Honkys is the left breaking next to Sultans, another perfect wave that is so much fun when it’s on! Across the next channel is Jails, a long, perfect, slightly softer right, warm water J bay is how it’s often described! Does that sound appealing? Lohi’s is the very consistent left at Hudhuranfushi. It’s surfable pretty much every day and can be epic. It really is a wave of many faces from 2-3ft super fun and glassy perfection, to heaving stand up barrels.
Q- Can you learn to surf in the Maldives? Are there any beginner spots?
Richard- The Maldives is not really a good place to learn to surf. To be honest, you need to have a certain level of competence to surf over any reef. It is not ideal for someone who has never surfed before. However it’s the best place in the world to improve once you’ve learned the basics. The waves can be so perfectly mechanical you can really work on every aspect of your surfing…
Q- On average what are the crowds like?
Richard- Like anywhere it can be crowded, but most of the time the crowds are manageable and you can often get a session with no other boats. What I must stress is that compared to so many of the great waves in the world, the waves in this area have a number of take off spots so the crowd gets spread out. Again, I know I’ve been spoilt so my perception isn’t necessarily reality. I’ve surfed the best waves of my life in the Maldives with no one but a couple lucky guests…just lucky timing….so now even if I think it’s crowded the guests are saying ‘wow, there’s almost no one out’!! Like I say, no matter how many surfers are in the water you can always get waves….all the spots are surfable on any tide so it’s not a case of everyone in the area surfing the same waves on a certain tide before it goes un-rideable…
Q- Last time I went to Indo it seemed like every pro surfer and want to be pro was there on photo shoots. It was almost impossible to get waves. Does this happen in the Maldives?
Richard- No not really, of course around the contest there’s a huge influx of pro’s and cameras but I find they’re pretty cool to surf with and I actually quite enjoy it. Over the rest of the season you hardly see any, perhaps one or two boat trips or pro’s traveling with their girl but it’s inspiring rather than a problem.
Q- Who have you seen in the water? Any standouts?
Richard- hmmm..I guess I’ve seen most of the guys on the QS…All the Saffa’s are classics…Davey Weare and Greg,… Shaun Cansdell, Mick Cambell, Dan Ross…. They all just surf so well… How Shaun Cansdell is not on the Ct is a mystery to me. At Lohi’s, his was some of the best, most precise, stylish surfing I’ve ever seen. He owes me a tail pad though if you see him tell him to bring it next year! Mick Cambo is a legend! He’s all time, he would be talking it up to everyone all day - guests who knew nothing about surfing, who’d never even seen it before all loved him, the full on super gregarious Aussie larrikin. He was surfing more than anyone, hitting the cocktails then paddling out and blowing up!! I watched Dan Ross in a couple heats this year; he’s about 6’5” yet he was destroying these tiny little waves at Pasta Point. His spray was going twice as high as everyone else! We’d be surfing Sultans and we could see when he paddled out for a heat just by the spray he was chucking! It’s humbling yet inspirational to surf with guys like this.
Q- Is it easy to take photos – my girlfriend is really getting into surf photography – will she be able to shoot my sessions!?
Richard-!!!!? Hmmm… yeah for sure!! The deck at Lohi’s must be one of the easiest places to “get the shot” she can sit there under an umbrella, sipping a cocktail and take photo’s of you all day! Just make sure you remember it’s her holiday too, I find those spa packages seem to be a great incentive!
Q- OK, so can you do it on the cheap? Can you just turn up and find budget places to stay?
Richard- It is possible to stay on a couple of the islands, though I don’t really recommend it. More often than not, after a frustrating and fruitless time trying to arrange local boats and missing waves the guys wanting to “do it cheap” end up trying to come down to stay at Lohi’s. It is also a place you would never want to take your lady! With the Muslim religion as law on all local islands, she would have to cover up completely (cant show shoulders or above the knees) and no alcohol allowed, so it wouldn’t be such a fun trip for her.
Q- How is the food at the resort?
Richard- The food is pretty good, there is something for everyone. Fresh fish and salad everyday, and plenty of fruit… you can eat healthy if you choose to. There is a wide variety and many desserts you can hit it as hard as you like. It is a good feeling coming off the boat after the morning surf, and knowing lunch is ready and waiting….
Q- Local culture?
Richard- To be frank, the island is it’s own little world. A complete getaway from reality, however there is a cultural night once a week that is great with Maldivian food and drums and dancing after dinner. There is also the option of a day trip to Male via speedboat for a nominal fee through the resort.
Q-How does the Muslim religion affect the stay?
Richard- Not at all, apart from not being able to bring duty free alcohol through customs and hearing the call to prayer from the mosque at Cokes and Jails. You are at a resort and pretty much isolated which is neither good or bad…as I mentioned before, the rules are very strict for the local islands but the resorts do not fall under that law.
Q- So you can drink alcohol?
Richard- Of course!!! The World Surfaris deal is all-inclusive and you can drink as much or as little beer/wine as you want at no extra cost. The arvo boat arrives back to the resort at beer o’clock most nights! Cocktails are charged to your room and you settle up the night before you leave.
Q-Is it just honeymoon couples? How is the nightlife?
Richard- It really is a beautiful, idyllic little island and a wonderful place for a honeymoon or romantic getaway. At the same time I must stress that it is not just honeymooners, there is a broad spectrum of guests to Hudhuranfushi…. couples, groups of guys who come every year for a boys surf trip, girlfriends coming on girls surf adventure, to Russian air hostesses who seem to bring any party to life. There are cocktail nights and beach parties and a local Dj…but it’s not like Kuta beach in Bali!
Q-What else is there to do if there is no waves?
Richard- You can usually go surfing every single day and most surfers do, be it 2 ft onshore, 6-8 ft and barreling or the Maldivian norm - 3-5ft perfection. However if you happen to not be surfing, the snorkeling and diving is amazing (it’s a great place to get certified) and I do recommend bringing a mask and fins on the boat every session –I’ve been in the water with literally hundreds of Dolphins all around me and I’ve had massive Manta Ray’s gliding right over me. On the island, there’s a tennis court, a gym, table tennis, volleyball (by the beach bar – great fun for late arvo beers) squash, badminton and the Water Sports center where you can windsurf, jet ski, wakeboard or rent a canoe to go snorkeling further afield!
Q- What about yoga/Pilates?
Richard- We don’t have classes as such but the deck at Lohi’s is a great place to stretch out before a surf! I’ve had a number of guests who are Yoga teachers and they sometimes organize a small group and teach a class or two if anyone’s interested.
Q- Massage?
Richard- How could I forget to mention the Spa!! The Coconut spa is great, they offer pretty much every treatment from strong sports massage to facials and other stuff for the ladies that I don’t know much about! Seriously though, it is a great set up and after a good swell there’s nothing like a good massage to ease the aching shoulders.
Q-Can you go fishing?
You can organize excursions for both early morning and night fishing. Also, the surf boat captains are usually quite happy to troll to and from the waves or drop a line over the side while we surf.
Q- Do the boats stay while you surf?
Richard- Yes, the boat is usually anchored right next to us in the channel which is ideal if you want to take photo’s! If we have split up, say between Cokes and Chickens the boat usually stays where I am surfing so that I can organize the pick-ups. But it’s never far away!
Q- Is it possible to take a spare board on the boat?
Richard- Yes! If it’s big I think it’s a good idea. Also, we sometimes have “swap a board sessions” where we get as many different boards on the boat as possible and mix it up…always fun!
Q- Does the boat have a roof? Are you sheltered from the sun/rain.
Richard- Yes.
Q- Can my wife/girlfriend/partner come on the boat to watch and shoot photos
Richard – Yes, there’s a $15 charge but well worth it!!
Q- Is there Internet?
Richard – Yes, The Hotel reception is a Wifi zone and there are also a couple computers available. The wireless is reasonably cheap so if you need to get online regularly, bringing your Laptop is a good idea!
Q- Surf shop?
Richard- No, bring everything you think you might need. Don’t forget to bring tropical surf wax – I find that Blue Zoggs is the best. Saying that, as with anywhere that surfers gather there is quite an active board market and it is often possible to buy or sell a board from/to a fellow traveler. I’ve noticed that whenever there’s a big swell and boards are being snapped, that 6’3 round pins are suddenly very valuable!!
Q- Are there any serious health concerns?
Richard- I know I’m always making comparisons but compared to Indo the Maldives is incredibly safe. The management is very strict with food and hygiene standards in the kitchens and water is bottled. The island has a mosquito control program and there’s no Malaria. Saying that, I’d still bring some insect repellant but there’s none of the Malaria paranoia you feel in the depths of Indo. The Hotel has an on island doctor, but he does much more reading than Doctoring! Safe as it is, I still recommend travel insurance. Another important point is to really look after any small cuts or reef scrapes. Even the smallest cut should be well cleaned and kept covered to reduce the risk of infection.
Q- Is it a good place to bring children?
Richard- It’s a small island with water pretty much everywhere so it’s both dangerous and a wonderful natural playground. I’ve had many guests bring their young children and thoroughly enjoy the experience. It’s so relaxing, and apparently there is always something on the buffet that’s good for kids… there’s some great shallow water snorkeling and “Nemo” and his friends appear everywhere! If you are traveling with children do have a back up plan just in case the weather dictates an indoor activity day and make sure your children are water-safe!
Q- Now then, the million dollar question…..How did you get the dream job, and is it the dream job?
Richard- Haha!! I get asked this every single day of the season!! For sure it’s the dream job! I’m living on a beautiful, Maldivian island and can surf every day. I wake up every day knowing that I’m incredibly lucky, though I’ve always said that we make our own luck. In the surf industry and the surf travel industry it really is a case of who, rather than what you know … and I just got very lucky!
The story goes…..I had been spending a lot of time in Indo, I did a bit of work on a boat, I got to know a few people, I met a friend of Jeff -the guy who was working at Lohi’s prior to me. He introduced us, Jeff was coming to NZ and he came to stay with me in Raglan. The next year I spent a month with him in the Maldives…we kept in touch, he hinted that he was getting burnt out and asked me if I’d be interested in taking over from him if he quit! Of course I was frothing!! The following year I was in El Salvador and I received an E-mail basically saying that I was good to go for the following season…Now I have just finished my second epic season!
Q- So that was it? No interview? No meeting?
Richard- Well I was trying to keep it brief! Look, Jeff had worked at Lohi’s for five years and had done a great job. I think that Shaun Levings ( owner of World Surfaris) trusted his opinion, which was lucky for me! We spoke on the phone and exchanged E-mails, but it was hard at first as from El Sal I went straight to Indo and jumped on a mates boat for a couple months, so I was out of contact for long periods of time and just hoping that I still had the job! In fact I didn’t meet Shaun until my first day at work! We surfed perfect Jails together and I managed to not drop in on him and we’ve got on pretty good ever since!
Q- Classic mate! Finally, I spent time with you at Lohi’s last year. You always seemed so positive and amped to surf every day. How do you maintain your enthusiasm over the entire season?
Richard- Thanks! I guess it’s important to remember that you are working and that even if you’re feeling surfed out and tired the guests who’ve just arrived are full of energy and want to surf as much as possible. I try to look at it through their eyes, which motivates me to make sure they get the best waves possible and have a memorable trip to Hudhuranfushi.
About the Author
A surfing enthusiast (or as his friends call him, a surfing 'nutcase'), Andy Griffiths has travelled the world searching for the best spots to surf. His travels have taken him to almost all the surfing destinations all across the world and his articles regarding them are both informative and interesting.
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