Hue used to be the old imperial capital of Vietnam. As we were up early we went for a walk across the Perfume river (that's what it's called) and to the old citadel. It would've been interesting to go in but we didn't have the time as we had to check out by 11 am.

We saw a group of rich-looking Chinese tourists who had two photographers with them and these photographers were taking instructions from the tourists and taking photos so the tourists didn't have to! How the other half live.

Rode to Khe Sanh on, in my opinion, some of the best biking roads in the world. Ryan had messaged me to say he was also heading there and suggested we meet up that evening. We found a Nha Nghi (guest house) down the road from where he was staying. The landlady practically ran out to the road when she saw us to get our custom. As soon as we walked in she brought out all this food and rice wine as it was New year and we sat there having a chat with her and another American tourist called Joe even before we had checked in. After a while the landlady's son and his friends turned up and joined the party. 

Joe is a pastor back in the US and was very easy to get along with and we had a laugh. Joe told us that every year he takes off somewhere for a month and has an adventure. He is not a biker but he had hired a bike in Hanoi and was riding to Ho Chi Minh city by himself.

Later that evening we met Tino - a retired German soldier who was about 50 years old. When he left the army on full pension he did not have any family ties so he got himself a bike and had been on the road for over 4 years, seen 20 odd countries and done nearly 150000 kms. We had dinner with Joe and Ryan, met an Aussie who was in Vietnam to install turbines at a wind farm. We hung around for a bit, ran into more American bikers and then headed back.

180 kms covered / 4 hours riding