With the breakdown earlier, we don't get to Hue until about 9, which was later than I was expecting. There is the usual commotion when we get off the bus, so I take my bags over to the other side of the road and have a wee look at a map on my phone to see what direction I should be going in. I have marked down a couple of streets that have hotels on them, so I am just going to dander over and take a look. As I'm sitting there I get approached by a number of people, one guy in particular speaks good English, and uses a different pitch. Asks me if I have anywhere to stay, and if he can recommend me a hotel. I say sure, why not, and he shows me the card and location. He tells me that he will drop me there for free, I can take a look at the room and then if I don't want to stay I can go somewhere else, no problem. I tell him I normally stay in hostels, he tells me that for $2 more I can have my own room, which will be much better for me to bring sexy ladies back to. I laugh and tell him that he spends too much time with foreigners. Against my better judgement I decide to go with him. He takes me to the hotel and it's fine for me. I get a private room for $8 so that's grand. Vin takes my bags up the stairs and tells me to take a shower and he will wait for me downstairs.
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I come downstairs after my shower, feeling alive after my bus journey. Vin tells me that he does tours of the city and shows me his leaflet. I take a look and he is covering everything I wan to see, and it's on a motorbike, so I decide to go for it. I don't plan on staying here long because I only have 10 days left on my visa. It is an overcast rainy drizzle day today so not really the best for sightseeing, but not having the luxury of time I just roll with it. Vin takes me round the Citadel, the tombs and some pagodas. At one point we get the ponchos on because the rain is so heavy. After my day of sight seeing Vin suggests we go and get a beer, why not? He takes me to his local place and he orders up a load of beer and some nuts. He is a funny guy, more like a westerner than a Vietnamese in his attitudes and humour. He tells me about how he is supposed to marry his wife, but he doesn't want to, he is 29 and she is 18. After our 5 bottles, Vin orders up another 5, not shy of a few this boy. He then invites me for dinner in his house with his family.
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His house is just round the corner. I am invited in and there are about 20 Vietnamese people there and a heap of food, and of course more beer. As I am the only white person here, I am a favourite for drinking up. Everyone is raising their glass for me to drink up every 2mins. The food is super spicy and I am told not to be shy and just reach for whatever I want. We are all huddled round the on the floor and it is also Vin's nieces 2nd birthday. So there are kids and birthday cake and everything, with happy birthday being played in Vietnamese. After dinner I am ushered to the aunts house for more food, beer and karaoke. By 8 I am well an truly drunk. I have to go home. I say goodbye to everyone and thank them so much for their hospitality. It is only when I am on the back of Vins bike, whizz ing through the rain, that it occurs to me that Vin has had as much as me to drink. I should really not be on this bike. I reassure myself by thinking that he does this all the time. This does little to subside my fears. I get back to the hostel in one piece. Say goodbye to Vin and get up to my room. I try to get the AC to work, I can't. I try to get the fan to work, I can't. I collapse on the bed, fully clothed and pass out!