It was our clinic anniversary, and we had a planned to travel to Vietnam, thinking it would be more affordable than taking a domestic trip. This trip was not shouldered by the company, we were paying for everything with our own personal money.

To make the trip more fun and memorable, I also invited a few patients or clients to join us. Some declined, while others decided to come along. I invited them in good faith and with sincere intentions. After all, without our patients and clients, we would not have a business in the first place. They are an important part of what we do.

Then, just when everything seemed settled and we were ready for the trip, the travel agency suddenly called to inform me that our returned flight from Vietnam to Philippines has been moved from July 23 to July 22.

It was a disaster, not only for me, but for the rest of our group as well. I immediately told, Nes, my friend and former college classmate who owned the travel agency, that she needed to do something to pacify the clients. I knew for sure they would have questions, and I could already sense that this could be the beginning of heated arguments.

After all the planning and preparations, the sudden change in our flight schedule was the last thing we needed.

And just as I expected on the day of our Zoom Meeting.

The whole scenario was on fire. Everything was a mess, and I was being bombarded with messages from the clients after the meeting. Questions, concerns, and frustrations were coming from every direction. It was overwhelming, especially because I wasn’t feeling well myself.

I had been having a fever for the past few days because of a wound that I have neglected. Little did I know that this wound would eventually contribute to one of my biggest misfortunes during this trip.

I tried to ignore it and carry on with everything that needed to be done. I was taking medication for the wound, hoping it would ease the pain and keep things under control. But on the actual day of our trip, the pain had gotten worse. I was walking almost like a cripple, trying my best to move normally while wearing my favorite jeggings.

The wound had started to feel like pins and needles, and I was feeling increasingly feverish. But there was no time to stop. This trip was happening, and somehow, I had to keep going.

Then, while I was going down the escalator in the domestic terminal, one of the staff members beside me, casually said “paspas man lagi” ( you’re fast!).

I simply stayed quiet. Maybe she thought I had been acting all along or perhaps she simply didn’t realize how much pain I was actually in. There is no point in asking her what she meant or explaining myself and my situation. I had to catch up with the rest of the group because we needed to meet one of our clients, who had invited us to lunch. Since he was based in Manila, he took the opportunity to meet us before we continued with our trip.

At that point, I was already struggling to walk. My wound was painful, I was feeling feverish and every step felt uncomfortable. But I pushed myself to keep up with everyone. Looking back, I should have listened to my body. But at that moment, I was determined to continue with the trip and not let anyone see how much I was actually struggling.

We met the client and had a simple lunch together. Afterward, we headed back to the airport to meet my friend. At least for a moment, things seemed to be settling down. But little did I know that the real drama of the trip was only beginning.

After we checked in, I told the group that I needed to stay with Nes and accompany her while we waited for some of the clients who arrived a little late for the agreed call time.

As soon as the clients arrived, the one we had waiting for was already irritated with Nes during the Zoom meeting. She was someone I considered a sister, a friend and a confidante. True enough, she barely spoke to Nes, and I could tell that she was still upset. She was also frustrated because she had just found out that I would be extending my stay in Vietnam.

To cut the story short, I ended up talking to her privately in one corner. We had a heart – to – heart conversation, and it seemed that she was finally pacified. At least for the moment, everything was okay.

Then our flight finally came.

We landed in Vietnam at around 10 pm. A Vietnamese tour guide was waiting for us and guided our group to the hotel. When we arrived, we were warmly welcomed with a welcome drink and Banh mi.

After all the stress, arguments, messages, and the last minute problems before the flight, we had finally made it to Vietnam. I decided to get some much needed sleep. Tomorrow would be the real beginning of our journey.

© 2026 Eorie Faye.