You're correct. I did wonder if there was enough cord in the kit. I have the monofilament thread and can gut the type 4 paracord (275lb) if I need to. My shelter kit includes long guy lines for exactly this use. In this particular case the shelter was situated for the views and so there were no tie points around - not even clumps of grass.
The Cantonese speaking lady in Vietnam is one of those human connections you have if you travel and don't rush about. What made this one remarkable is that I had some followup five years later to see how things had gone for her.