A turbulent adventure on the South China sea

The Da Nang Museum of Cham Sculpture houses.[Photo by Lin Qi/China Daily]

They had been too sick to get out of their beds and relied on their roommates to bring them food. Rather than taking pills, an auntie at our table found a more effective way to combat the nausea: "Have fun!" she said.

Despite the constant swaying, the woman enjoyed her food and after the meal began singing a Chinese song that was popular in the 1980s, called The Sea, My Home.

The ship's management team did their best to shift passengers' attention from the vastness of sea to more exciting activities. They held a masquerade at the top deck one night. People were given a mask and followed the lead of three woman dancers. The background music was a mix of Western pop and Chinese shen qu (brainwashing instant hit songs), such as Little Apple and The Most Dazzling Folk Style.

On Valentine's Day, a party took revelers back in time, as they donned hai hun shan, a blue-and-white T-shirt resembling navy sailors' wear, as well as the Young Pioneer's red scarf.

The outfit was popular among students in the 1960s to the '80s who had ambitions of joining the military. Today, it's a hit with nostalgic young urbanites seeking a traditional sense of style.

It was great fun to see people in their 30s, 40s and 50s dressed in outfits popular during their teenage years. Together with their children they sang old Red-themed melodies from their childhood years.

The ship docked in Vietnam twice and Malaysia once. Each stay was only a few hours long. But for these who had never been to Vietnam or Malaysia, it turned to be a good introduction to the countries' abundant tourist resources.