Xuyên Việt ngày 21: Lần đầu phượt Phú Quốc và cuối ngày combo mưa + mất thẻ nhớ

Vietnam Cross-Country Diary Day 21 (June 2, 2026): Ha Tien - Phu Quoc (120km) Despite ChatGPT's repeated warnings, Phu Quoc was too close, and I couldn't wait for my future wife to show up and join me. Since I'd already been to Da Lat, I might as well go to Phu Quoc too! 😎 My original plan was to leave for the island in the morning. But like many days recently, I got caught up in the whirlwind of filming, editing, and creating thumbnails. I only intended to fix a few small details on the previous day's video, but by the time I looked up, it was almost noon. Driving is just a side job now; editing is my main profession. I finally arrived at the Ha Tien ferry terminal at 12:30 PM. After buying my ticket, I wheeled my motorbike down to the assembly area to prepare to board the ferry. Still having some time, I quickly grabbed a bowl of noodle soup and a coconut – a true taste of the Mekong Delta! Eating while constantly checking the clock felt like being a student running late for an exam. At exactly 1 PM, I boarded the boat. At 1:15 PM, the Superdong V8 departed. It was the first time in my life I'd taken my motorbike to an island. It was also the first time my motorbike had experienced the sea after more than 20 days of traveling together from Northwest Vietnam, the Truong Son Mountains, all the way to the Southwest. The 56km sea journey took about 1 hour and 17 minutes. Initially, I sat quite peacefully in the air-conditioned cabin, dozing off for 40 minutes as the boat rocked like a lullaby. Then, suddenly awakened by curiosity, I ventured onto the deck to admire the sea. And then I realized something: the wind out there was incredibly strong. The boat sped across the sea, white waves crashing behind it. The wind was so strong that I felt like I'd lost several pounds. I had to hold my action camera or phone tightly with both hands. There were times when I stood so close to the railing watching the ship cut through the waves that if I let go, my belongings would probably end up in Thailand! 🤣 The funniest part was when we docked at Phu Quoc port. One hand carrying a 40-liter backpack, a helmet on my head, the other holding a gas tank bag full of miscellaneous items I needed to quickly grab along the way, along with my dashcam. I trudged through the crowd of tourists, looking like someone moving house to an island. While everyone else was empty-handed, wearing shorts, floral dresses, and flip-flops, enjoying their vacation, I was carrying the full gear of a true backpacker. Afterward, I stood waiting for the staff to bring my motorbike from the ship's hold to the dock. For some reason, I felt strangely nervous. For over 20 days, I'd been sitting on my motorbike every day, and now watching it disappear into the ship's hull for over an hour made me feel nostalgic. I finally breathed a sigh of relief when I saw it safely roll onto the pier. Upon arriving on the island, I decided to drive north along Phu Quoc. I have to admit, some of the coastal roads here are incredibly scenic. Passing through Ham Ninh, Bai Vong, Mui Da Chong, Bai Thom, Mui Trau Nam... many sections are overgrown with trees, the roads are deserted, and you drive on and on without seeing anyone. If you ignored the sea breeze, I might even think I was driving somewhere in the Western Truong Son Mountains. The feeling of unspoiled nature remains, the roads are long and sparsely populated, only the distance isn't mountains but the deep blue of the sea. Interestingly, I gradually got used to the island's steel mesh bridges, the kind that make you want to slow down to 30 km/h just by looking at them. At first, I was a little apprehensive, but after crossing them a few times, I found it quite enjoyable. In the afternoon, I wandered to Thach Thoi pier to watch the fishermen. Nothing special, just a few anchored boats, some people fishing, the sound of waves lapping against the pier, and the idle chatter of the fishermen. But sometimes, those moments of nothing to do are the most relaxing. At the end of the day, as usual, the rain found me. I don't know how, but throughout this trip, the rain and I seemed to have a telepathic connection. I rushed to a local homestay called Peach. And literally, it was just one step from my room door to the beach. I could still hear the waves from my bed. A nearly perfect day. Until I opened my bag to back up my data. My 512GB microSD card was gone. The card containing backup data from previous trips that I hadn't had time to process yet. I searched my backpack. I searched the car trunk. I searched every compartment of my bag. It wasn't there. I called my younger brother, Phó Đà, who manages Kanu Homestay in Hà Tiên, and asked him to check for me. Still nowhere to be found. The feeling was exactly like dropping a diary that recorded an entire period of my youth. The real value wasn't in the card itself, but in what was inside. Sigh... Bad luck, forget about it. Well, I guess I'll just consi...