Some travellers appear to come across extra hiccups than others. The next globe-trotting adventurer falls into the previous class, and serves as a reminder to suppose earlier than you act, particularly relating to deckchair dealing with, diving into murky seas, and selecting the place to dine earlier than a protracted coach journey…
Picture by Peggy und Marco Lachmann-Anke CC0
Deck chair calamity, Perhentian Islands, Malaysia
I met accident-prone Lee within the steamy jungle of the Cameron Highlands, Malaysia. We wound up travelling across the nation collectively, and finally hopped on a ferry to the beautiful Perhentian Islands. After a number of days of snorkelling, swimming, and enjoyable on the island’s tremendous sandy seashores, calamity struck.
One night, Lee needed to look at an outside screening of ‘Gone Woman’ at a beachside bar. I felt drained so went to mattress early, leaving him to benefit from the film. The dozen or so travellers settled into deck chairs ranged in entrance of the display screen, and the drama unfolded – or reasonably, folded.
My buddy hadn’t received the optimum angle for viewing the Ben Afleck/Rosamund Pike basic, so began shifting his deckchair round whereas seated. Out of the blue the movie was interrupted by the screams of my buddy, who had managed to break down the deckchair – and himself – proper onto his personal fingers.
I solely came upon concerning the catastrophe the subsequent morning, when there was a knock on my guesthouse door. I opened as much as see Lee holding a pair of closely bandaged arms within the air.
At size, he gave me all the small print of the earlier night. He had been rushed by boat to the subsequent island, the place there was a medical centre. The nursing employees inside had been greatly surprised by this uncommon damage: they had been extra accustomed to holidaymakers stepping on sharp shells, sea urchins or jellyfish – not getting their fingers jammed in deckchairs.
Fortunately, Lee had journey insurance coverage which helped with the varied prices he incurred – principally regarding getting his arms rebandaged a number of occasions. Ultimately, his digits healed. The bruise to his ego, nonetheless, would take somewhat longer to fade.
A jetty leap gone flawed
Some years later, I used to be travelling with Lee and a gaggle of his associates, when catastrophe struck once more. We had been staying within the tranquil city of Kampot, within the south of Cambodia, when Lee and his buddies determined to go to the beachside settlement of Kep – famed for its crabs and its fairly seaside. I had determined to remain in Kampot for the day, leaving the others to journey the 22km right down to Kep on rented bikes.
After filling up on the scrumptious native crab, the group of associates headed down for a dip within the heat sea. On this explicit day, the water was reasonably silty, making it tough to see the underside. Regardless of this poor visibility, Lee determined to face on a wood jetty, then dive head first into the murky sea.
Relatively than being a metre or so deep, the water was actually inches deep. Worse, the seabed was suffering from jagged rocks.
Lee stood shakily within the shallow water, with a line of crimson streaking down his brow: He had struck his bonce on a rock.
Quickly after these occasions, I acquired a message from Lee’s associates, explaining this new calamity and asking me if I might come right down to Kep by tuk tuk, after which drive Lee’s motorcycle again to Kampot.
An hour later my tuk tuk arrived in Kep, the place Lee was mendacity on a hammock with a Cambodian krama scarf pressed to his head. Lee and a buddy received into the tuktuk, and began the journey again to a clinic in Kampot.
The physician gave him the all-clear, however really helpful he preserve his neck secure. Considered one of his associates kindly provided him a neck pillow, which he wore for the rest of his journey. Evidently, travelling round Cambodia, and later Vietnam, carrying a neck pillow was an amazing dialog starter!
Lee didn’t want to make use of his journey insurance coverage on this event, however he was extraordinarily glad he had it; a extra severe damage might have resulted in massive medical payments.
Border runs
Gastrointestinal issues might not be probably the most glamorous side of travelling, however they’ve actually put a damper on loads of journeys. Lee succumbed to simply such a dilemma whereas crossing the Honduras-Guatemala border a number of years in the past.
My globe trotting buddy had been affected by a chronic gastrointestinal bottleneck for over every week. And whereas such a predicament just isn’t nice, it’s preferable to the alternative drawback – significantly when crossing a global border.
Nevertheless, one thing Lee consumed did actually trigger the alternative impact – to the diploma that he needed to preserve hopping out of the immigration queue with the intention to take care of the scenario. Coming into Guatemala took considerably longer than anticipated – each for Lee and his fellow coach passengers (since they may not proceed their journey with out him!).
This story serves as a delicate reminder to take additional care over what you eat abroad – particularly earlier than crossing a border or embarking on a protracted journey on public transport. At all times eat at busy eating places, keep away from ice and washed salad – and at all times deliver some anti-diarrhea treatment, simply in case!
Journey Author Bio
Craig enjoys exploring unique locations globally, however has a specific affection for Southeast Asia. From his momentary base within the steamy backwaters of Cambodia, he strikes out in the hunt for journey, knowledge – and glorious espresso.
Accidents will occur – that’s why you want Journey Insurance coverage you’ll be able to belief!
Our insurance policies are designed to provide the peace of thoughts that if the worst occurs, you received’t should pay massive medical payments, whereas being coated for a lot of different losses, too. We cowl longstay journeys for adventurous travellers, annual multitrip insurance coverage for the frequent traveller and single journey journey insurance coverage too.
We even present cowl if you’re already travelling, so don’t delay, get in contact at present!
