03-09-2026 Hike

Travel day. Slept okay but woke up early and couldn't really get back to sleep. So I read for a bit and then got up to take a shower. Finished packing and drank a couple of cups of Cafe Au Lait coffee before we walked over and had an early breakfast. The scooter rental was 150k YND. Bus was a little early, smaller than Saturday (8 passengers on it). The trip took about 3.5 hours, including a 30-minute rest stop, again at a place where disabled people (polio victims, in this case) were making crafts for sale. Thankfully, we did t really experience any heavy traffic, as we bypassed going near Hanoi. Got to the dock for Amanda Cruises a little before 11:00. Boarded the Hai Long Dragon around 12:15 and went to the dining room for greetings from Tom, the ship's entertainment director, and then a huge lunch. I got a fair share of food from the buffet, and then they brought even more vegetarian food to the table. I over ate, which wasn't the best choice. We had some time in our cabin before the afternoon's activities. This is when it took a turn. I was feeling a little queasy when we walked to the reception area, concerned about gastric distress and no place for relief on the launch to a nearby island. Sat inside (a mistake) and near the engine fumes (another mistake), and I felt progressively worse as the boat made its way to the dock. It was like an out-of-body experience, all I could do to avoid throwing up on the boat. Somehow, I don't know how, I made it off the boat, still wearing my life jacket. I felt a little better there but still in troubled straits. No opportunity to find a bathroom before we got into this crazy queue to walk a path through three caves. It started to rain while we were exposed (why not?) and the line of people was just inching along. It was a sublime form of minor torture, somehow we got through it, Ann stayed with me the whole time, and we got back to the boat launch. There was a bathroom nearby but it was in no condition to be used. So I sat on the launch outside and concentrated on not getting sick on the ride over to Ti Top island. As soon as it hit the dock I was off, thought I was going to throw up right there but again held it back. Ann walked with me over to the restrooms by the beach, and I was able to relieve some of that built-up upset stomach. Felt a little better, not much, we just walked around this area until it was time to get on the launch. Was a short ride back to the ship, and I was the first one off. I just made it back to the cabin and threw up again. Had fever and chills throughout the early evening while Ann went out and talked with others, had dinner. I dozed off and on and battled the chills, threw up again right after she got back, was really sweating then. The night was supremely restless, but my chills were subsiding a bit. Got up in the night, drank water, took Imodium, then some acetaminophen. Was finally able to sleep less fitfully early in the morning and woke up before 6:00 feeling better (not all the way back).