点评:Brothers Surf Tours is the best! Surf with anyone other than Brother Surf Tours and you’re doing it wrong. Simply put, the name ‘Brothers’ is descriptive - you will be treated as family.
Disclaimer: This is a long review for a reason, read it if you want the full picture on Brothers, skip if you want some stock-standard bullsh*t.
My first contact with Brothers began before our 12 day stay in Fiji, when my friend Tom and I searched for the best surf charter and eventually decided to email Brothers for more information. That same day, the owner of Brothers, Pana, responded to our email by welcoming us and providing us with the information we had requested.
We decided to give Brother’s the first shot, with the intention of trying other charters if we felt anything amiss. Little did we know at the time, Pana’s quick and substantive response set a tone that resonated throughout our entire trip.
Fast-forward to our tiredly offboarding our 11 hr flight from LAX to Nadi airport with 6 boards and 4 bags with clothes, hardly able to pull all our gear and searching for our pickup. We make it through customs and there stood Pana, smiling big the way we’d learn to love. Pana identified us right away, said “Welcome Home Brothers” as he pulled us both in for big bear hugs, and immediately helped ease our burden by taking some of the luggage to load onto and into his badass Toyota Prado. Pana’s warmth and love for life was infectious from the get - Tom and I instantly felt at home despite neither of us ever having been to Fiji before.
Pana honked, smiled, and waved to what felt like every third car on our 30 minute drive from Nadi to the Double Tree Hilton on Sonaisali, explaining in perfect English answers to our many questions about the land, the waves, and culture we were seeing for the first time. We stopped for snacks and drinks along the way, with Pana speaking to the locals at the market.
I recall thinking, “are we getting a ride from the mayor or something?” It was clear from the first 30 minutes - everyone knew and loved Pana.
The next day, it was time for my first surf. Tom was feeling sick and so Pana offered for me to surf with two other men headed out and I accepted. This is when I met Captain Bete.
Captain Bete picked me up right from the dock of the Hilton I was staying at, as Brothers keeps their boats right across from the Hilton. We loaded my board and gear into the boat, Izzy, dropped money for Pana on the nearby beach where he was waiting, and began zooming - and I mean ZOOMING - off to Cloudbreak.
Captain Bete drove Izzy as if it was an extension of himself, deftly whipping around shallow parts effortlessly, not in any rush but driving like we were late to the surf. 20 minutes passes and I’m looking at perfect, glassy Cloudbreak for the first time.
Being from localized, camera-free parts of San Diego, I asked Bete if it was ok to film with my GoPro. He said “My family runs this reef. If anyone has a problem, tell them to speak with me.” Bete’s delivery left no room for doubt.
Once suited up and ready to surf, Captain Bete drove Izzy right up to the lineup so we could jump straight into position to catch waves. We surfed our brains out, overfilled our spirit with stoke, and paddled back the short distance to Izzy, where Bete was smiling and waiting in the channel. Bete made sure we got enough waves and that we also stayed hydrated, indicating for us to drink from the water Brothers had packed in the ice chest. We zoomed back to shore and the first surf was complete.
Tom was able to surf the second day, and we again picked up a stranger who soon became a close friend I still am in contact with.
Unfortunately, both Tom and Jason had encounters with the sharp Cloudbreak reef section at Shish-Kabobs. We still got to surf a full session, with our Captain Eddie driving us to a couple other spots to check nearby waves. We ended up surfing Wilke’s Pass for a bit before heading back.
Once back, Pana reached out to check-in on Tom and make sure he was okay. Pana’s checking in on us quickly became habit, him seeing if we were doing well and needing anything. Us occassionally taking him up on his offer to drive into town for groceries or to exchange currency.
The next day, with Tom back out of commission, I was unsure of surfing again for the third time in a row or just taking a break to recover. I ended up texting Pana around 1 pm asking if it was too late to go out for a surf at Cloudbreak. Pana, responsive as ever, indicated there was still plenty of time. Within the hour, I was in aboard Izzy with Captain Bete again, on our ZOOM to Cloudbreak.
It was a windy afternoon, with Bete and I arriving to only two other surfers out at Cloudy. As I was suiting up to surf, the only other two surfers got their last waves in. Having seen Tom and Jason catch cracks the day before and having only surfed Cloudy twice before then, I shared my nervousness with Bete. Bete assured me, “I am right here brother, I will watch you.” Again, and even despite being scared sh*tless, Bete’s delivery left no room for doubt.
I jumped off the boat and into the best session of my life at empty Cloudbreak, kicking off wave after wave to Bete standing on Izzy, smiling and throwing shakas. Somehow, in the middle of the ocean and surrounded by razor sharp reef, I felt safe knowing Captain Bete was there to watch my back and help if needed.
After again surfing until my whole body ached, I motioned to Bete I was done and he brought Izzy over to pick me up. I must not have been good at concealing my stoke, as Bete commented on how happy I looked and how big I was smiling during the session. We both chilled on Izzy for a couple minutes Fiji time, rejoicing in the beauty of the place and the session I had had. Whatever high level of trust I already had for Captain Bete skyrocketed and he remained our Captain for just about the rest of the trip.
Next session, I gave Bete my personal camera I had brought from home and shared that he could take photos of whatever he wanted - locals, landscape, other surfers, etc. Boy was I happy he did.
The photos Bete got were amazing, capturing a richer perspective than merely my GoPro could ever provide. The pictures of Tom and I sharing waves with locals at Restaraunts are my favorite. The pictures of the other boat captains in their element are a close second. Like with Pana, one look at the photos reveals the familiarity and respect everyone has for Bete - both men undeniably possessing true character worthy of admiration.
Time and again, surf after surf, over the course of twelve days and countless hours in the water and communicating on land, Brothers went above and beyond any expectation Tom and I had - every need attended to; every desire accommodated.
Suffice to say, Pana and Bete are both amazing people that have inspired me to become a better version of myself.
All that said, I cannot recommend Brothers more highly. I cannot imagine a surf charter more attentive, more reliable, more trustworthy.
Our stay culminated with Tom’s foot becoming inoperable on the very last day. We informed Pana of this, who promptly arranged for a wheelchair to be ready for Tom at Nadi airport and for one of his boys, Sam, to help me carry all our luggage up to the check in - one last act of service representative of the thoughtfulness and attention to detail that colored our entire experience with Brothers.
Simply put, booking with Brothers is not just employing a surf charter. It is being welcomed into a rich local community filled with love, gratitude, and respect for all that is Fiji.
I really hope you get the opportunity to become Brothers with Pana and his crew. If you are at all like me, becoming their Brothers will not only ensure you are on the best waves at the best times, it will also enrich your experience and change your life in the best possible way.
翻译:Brothers Surf Tours 绝对是最佳选择!选择 Brother Surf Tours 以外的任何公司冲浪,那你就错了。简而言之,“Brothers”这个名字就很贴切——你会被当成家人一样对待。
免责声明:这篇评论很长是有原因的,如果你想全面了解 Brothers,请阅读全文;如果你想听一些老掉牙的废话,请跳过。
我第一次接触 Brothers 是在我们去斐济的 12 天行程之前,当时我和朋友 Tom 正在寻找最好的冲浪租赁公司,最终决定给 Brothers 发邮件了解更多信息。同一天,Brothers 的老板 Pana 回复了我们的邮件,热情地欢迎我们,并提供了我们想要的信息。
我们决定先试试 Brothers,打算如果觉得哪里不对劲,再尝试其他的租赁公司。当时我们并不知道,Pana 快速而务实的回复为我们整个旅程定下了基调。
时间飞快,我们疲惫地从洛杉矶国际机场(LAX)飞到楠迪机场,飞行了11个小时,带着6块冲浪板和4个装满衣物的包,几乎提不动所有装备,四处寻找接机的地方。我们顺利通过海关,看到Pana站在那里,脸上洋溢着我们习以为常的笑容。Pana立刻认出了我们,一边说着“兄弟们,欢迎回家”,一边把我们俩搂在怀里,给了我们一个大大的熊抱。他还立刻帮我们减轻了负担,帮我们把一些行李搬上他那辆酷炫的丰田普拉多。Pana的热情和对生活的热爱从一开始就感染了我们——尽管我们俩之前都没去过斐济,但Tom和我立刻就感到宾至如归。
从楠迪到索奈萨利希尔顿逸林酒店(Double Tree Hilton)的30分钟车程中,Pana几乎每隔三辆车就会按喇叭、微笑、挥手,用流利的英语解答了我们关于这片土地、这片海浪以及我们初次见到的文化的诸多疑问。我们一路停下来吃零食、喝饮料,Pana 则在集市上和当地人聊天。
我记得当时心想:“市长会不会载我们一程?” 从最初的30分钟就可以看出——大家都认识并且喜欢 Pana。
第二天,我第一次冲浪。Tom 感觉不舒服,Pana 提议让我和另外两个一起冲浪的人一起冲浪,我答应了。就在这时,我遇到了 Bete 船长。
Bete 船长直接在我下榻的希尔顿酒店码头接我,因为 Brothers 的船就在希尔顿酒店对面。我们把我的冲浪板和装备装上 Izzy 号船,在 Pana 等候的附近海滩上给他付了钱,然后就开始飞驰——我是说飞驰——驶向 Cloudbreak。
Bete 船长驾驶 Izzy 号就像驾驶他自己的身体一样,在浅水区轻松自如地穿梭,一点也不着急,但就像我们错过了冲浪机会一样。 20分钟过去了,我第一次看到了完美如镜的Cloudbreak。
由于我来自圣地亚哥偏远地区,没有相机,我问Bete是否可以用我的GoPro拍摄。他说:“我家经营着这片珊瑚礁。如果有人有问题,尽管告诉我。”Bete的回答毫无疑问。
穿好冲浪服,准备冲浪后,Bete船长开车把Izzy送到了冲浪队伍,这样我们就可以直接跳到冲浪位置。我们尽情冲浪,精神抖擞,然后划回Izzy,距离不远的Bete正面带微笑地在水道里等着我们。Bete确保我们能遇到足够的浪,并且保持水分充足,他示意我们喝Brothers装在冰箱里的水。我们迅速回到岸边,第一次冲浪就完成了。
第二天,汤姆可以去冲浪了,我们又接了一个陌生人,他很快成了我的好朋友,至今仍与我保持联系。
不幸的是,汤姆和杰森在Shish-Kabobs的Cloudbreak礁石区遇到了险峻的浪头。我们仍然完成了一整段冲浪,船长埃迪开车带我们去了其他几个地方,看看附近的海浪。最后,我们在威尔克隘口(Wilke’s Pass)冲浪了一会儿,然后返回。
回来后,帕纳联系汤姆,确认他一切安好。帕纳的问候很快就成了习惯,他会看看我们过得好不好,看看我们是否需要什么。我们偶尔会接受他的建议,开车进城买些杂货或兑换货币。
第二天,汤姆又不能冲浪了,我不确定是要连续第三次冲浪,还是只是休息一下恢复一下。下午1点左右,我给帕纳发了短信,问他现在去Cloudbreak冲浪是不是太晚了。 Pana一如既往地积极响应,表示时间还很充裕。不到一个小时,我就和Bete船长再次登上Izzy号,乘坐ZOOM前往Cloudbreak。
那是一个刮风的下午,我和Bete到达Cloudy时,那里只有另外两位冲浪者。当我穿好冲浪服准备冲浪时,仅有的两位冲浪者正在冲最后一波浪。由于前一天看到Tom和Jason在海里遇到裂缝,而之前我只在Cloudy冲过两次浪,所以我和Bete分享了我的紧张情绪。Bete 向我保证:“兄弟,我就在这里,我会看着你的。” 尽管吓得屁滚尿流,Bete 的语气依然让我毫不怀疑。
我跳下船,在空旷的 Cloudbreak 冲浪区开始了人生中最棒的冲浪体验。一波又一波的浪花向站在 Izzy 冲浪板上的 Bete 挥手致意,他面带微笑,挥舞着沙卡。不知何故,置身于大海中央,周围是锋利的礁石,我知道 Bete 船长会在那里守护着我,并在需要时伸出援手,这让我感到无比安全。
又一次冲浪到浑身酸痛,我向 Bete 示意冲浪结束,他带着 Izzy 过来接我。我肯定没能掩饰住内心的兴奋,Bete 夸奖我冲浪时看起来多么开心,笑容多么灿烂。我们俩在 Izzy 冲浪板上放松了几分钟,享受着斐济时间的美好,沉浸在这片土地的美景和这次冲浪的喜悦之中。我对Bete船长的信任度一路飙升,几乎在接下来的旅程中,他都担任我们的船长。
接下来,我把从家里带来的相机给了Bete,告诉他可以随心所欲地拍摄——当地人、风景、其他冲浪者等等。我真是太高兴他这么做了。
Bete拍到的照片非常棒,捕捉到的视角比我的GoPro相机所能提供的更加丰富。我最喜欢的是Tom和我在餐厅与当地人一起冲浪的照片。其他船长们各自乐在其中的照片紧随其后。就像Pana一样,一眼望去,就能感受到大家对Bete的熟悉和敬佩——不可否认,他们两人都拥有值得钦佩的真挚品格。
一次又一次,在12天的时间里,无数个小时的水上活动和陆上交流,Brothers的表现超出了Tom和我的预期——他们满足了我们的每一个需求,满足了我们的每一个愿望。
不得不说,Pana 和 Bete 都是很棒的人,他们激励我成为更好的自己。
总而言之,我强烈推荐 Brothers。我想象不出还有哪家冲浪租赁公司比他们更周到、更可靠、更值得信赖。
我们入住的最后一天,Tom 的脚无法动手术,这让我们的旅程雪上加霜。我们告诉了 Pana,他立即安排在纳迪机场为 Tom 准备好轮椅,并让他的一个儿子 Sam 帮我把所有行李搬到登机口——Brothers 的服务体现了他们周到细致的服务,也让我们在 Brothers 的整个体验更加丰富多彩。
简而言之,预订 Brothers 不仅仅是租用冲浪租赁服务,更是融入一个充满活力、充满爱、感激和尊重斐济的当地社区。
我真心希望您有机会成为 Pana 和他的团队的 Brothers 成员。如果您和我一样,那么成为他们的兄弟不仅会确保您在最佳时间处于最佳状态,还会丰富您的经验并以最佳方式改变您的生活。