Vietnam Fly Out: No Stranger to Being Stuck

How it feels like to be stuck in Vietnam during the July 2024 Microsoft/Crowdstrike global outage

If you can read this, it means, I made it out alive.

About 8 hours before my flight, the Global IT outage happened, and many Microsoft-based airline systems were down, affecting at least 2,500 flights. I was about to take a nap in Hanoi, resting after my 2-week Vietnam and Cambodia trip. My next problem should’ve just been: “Which Michelin restaurant should I spend my last dinner in Vietnam?”. With fear taking the helm of the control room in my head, it turned to “Will I even be able to come home tonight?”.

This kind of fear is not new. I remember having to surrender everything to luck as we zigzag our way across uphill slopes. On top of that, it’s raining, which makes it even more slippery for our motorbike to climb a 28-degree mountain. It was a 36 km two-way ride from Central Sapa, Vietnam to the Glass Bridge area. It feels even longer, especially when you know that any second, anything can happen. I am no stranger to discomfort. 

I remember having to run our way from one bus station to the other, 2.4 km apart, because we booked the wrong pickup point in Mui Ne, Vietnam. I was carrying a 10KG bag; it was 4:10 AM and we aimed to be there by 4:30 AM. I am no stranger to inconveniences.

I remember almost “illegally passing” through the Vietnam and Cambodia borders because I didn’t hop off of the bus. I thought it was just a minor bus stop but it was a border control. I am no stranger to high-stakes mistakes.

One hour before the flight, there was an announcement at Hanoi Airport that they were investigating a fire report. I am no stranger to the feeling of everything burning and crumbling down. After 10 minutes they cleared out that it was a false alarm.

Everything felt like the start of the pandemic, it was a small alarm that we seemed to dismiss but it kept on dragging for weeks, months, and even surprisingly, years. Do I have enough runway if the global IT outage extends for a few days, weeks, or months? Can I even withdraw new money? Even the Philippines’ leading banks admitted they were affected. 

I draw inspiration from the hunger of the Northern Vietnamese fighters with underground camps in Cu Chi tunnels who strategically slowed down and disarmed their more equipped enemies. I mirror the hope of Agent Orange victims who continue to make life more meaningful despite practically having less. Perhaps I might even get the blessing of Ha Long Bay’s descending dragon, defending me from these uncontrollable unfortunate events.

I always tell myself in the worst of times: “ang mahalaga ay buhay tayo at humihinga (what’s important is that we are alive and breathing)” — even when I fail a high-stakes exam, humiliate myself in the corporate world, or even get robbed or scammed.

Fast forward to now, I am writing this as we fly from Hanoi to Manila. My flight wasn't affected by the outage. I no longer have to worry about these things beyond my control.

I definitely will make bigger mistakes, and face harsher critics, even existential crises. However, I am no stranger to them.

And even if they are stranger to me, I know I can make it out, alive.