The Singapore Times Exclusive: THE ABDUCTION OF RORY DYLAN STEPHEN: I WAS ALMOST A CAMBODIAN FATALITY: SAVED BY A VIKING CRUISE PERSON!
All of us were up at the crack of dawn, prior to the availability of breakfast. When you are playing golf in Cambodia you better secure an early tee-off time as by noon any serious physical activity becomes shall we say “problematic”.
A shuttle picked the three of us up. A packed breakfast awaited us at the clubhouse. All caddies are female and they carry your clubs while golfers enjoy a golf cart. I sat in between Amira and Bobby Jr. We teed off at 06:30 as the heat and humidity crept in.
Of course, I could not expect this may be the last day of my life.
It happened like this; on the third hole Amira’s approach shot skittered off the fairway and being the helpful puppy I am I decided to bird dog the ball in the rough. I did not hear the caddies shouting at me, “No dog. No go there!”
The ball landed right beside a black spined toad. Being a vermin hunter and a curious puppy I snouted that toad a few times and the next I remember was lying flat out on the ground gasping for breath with my heart going pitter patter, stopping then starting again.
I heard the caddy making a distress call to the clubhouse. I veered in and out of consciousness and was that a bright light leading me to The Land Beyond to meet Dylan the Westie?
Who do I see leaning over me giving me a needle that woke me up. I was flying but breathing and mostly conscious. It was one of the Viking Cruise people with a big gut!
I must have passed out again as the next time I opened my eyes I was in an animal hospital with a drip line attached to one of my front paws.
That black spined toad was no nuisance toad. You threaten this toad and it secretes a poisonous mucus and if it enters your body it starts messing with your heart and if you don’t receive the antidote in short order you are a goner.
It so happened the Viking people at our resort were veterinarians holding a conference aboard their Viking ship on an optional three-day excursion to Siem Reap and were staying at our hotel Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra Golf and Spa Resort. Fortunately for me Dr. Abigail Animaux had her emergency bag with her at the resort not with the antidote but adrenalin which started my heart again. As she later said she had brought the medical bag because the rabies epidemic in Cambodia. I was transported to Siem Reap Vet and the medical team there administered the antidote saving my life.
I would have dearly liked to jump up and give Abigail a kiss but I was under observation for 48 hours and the Viking people had since returned to their ship. Gosh I will miss them.
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