I sleep poorly, with people being around I find it hard to go to bed. I am staying at Sus uncle's and I can hear him and his wife working and chatting till gone past midnight, she does some sort of seamstressing, not sure if it is professional or just domestic. Despite the hard work routine the night before, the house rises at 6! I feel very tired but pointless to stay in bed with the family doings and the sound of football on the TV.

About 7.30 Su comes for me, we are planning to visit a famous nearby lake. I am following Su and his cousin on one bike and they are generally riding quite nicely, for my benefit I think, but occasionally I am reminded that they are used to Vietnamese style, they suddenly pull into this place that initially looks like a motorbike shop forecourt. It turns out to be a very popular breakfast place for Pho (pronounced Fe, yes it is a kind of noodle soup). Before the lake visit though we visit his fathers grave, who died 15 years ago when Su was 8. The cemetaries are very elaborate here as I have mentioned before and he explai, that it can cost 10-100 k (DOLLARS) to buy a plot/building. Today (last day of the old year) is important as they have to clean and prepare the grave for the family visit tomorrow (first day of the new year). The Tet has a lot to do with remembering the previous generations. The sign of the Swastika is on most of the graves as it is an old Eastern sign but it is initially disconcerting to see.

On the way back we go the the BienHo (the Sea Lake) named due to its size. Su tells me they dont know how deep it is "no bottom" he says. The lake is very calm but he reckons there are dangerous undercurrents and the place is not used for boating or swimming as it might first be imagined. The scenery is great and the eeze keeps you cool. we stay an hour or so, then head back and check out a guesthouse for me. Then we go back to his uncles (another one) and there is about 15 guys sitting on the floor with variety of food before them. they are a great bbunch, some already partially drunk and we have a lot of fun drinking to one anothers health and so on. THis is Vietnam for me, meeting the real people in family settings, very enjoyable, hospitable and friendly. They are keen that I am looked after, Su keeps asuring me that he will look after me if I get drunk! I have a great time feeling very comfortable being amongst these people and do drink some beer, more than I plan to get on the bike with so I stay a while.  One uncle plays the guitar well, Su plays a good version of The Romance. Later some of the boys sing on a Karaoke machine, Vietnamee songs.

I have a bit of fun with Sus youinger brother who is very shy about his English, I am getting him to drink lots of beer so he does not feel so self conscious, the problem is he gets drunk instead.

We set off to get my luggage and i have front wheel puncture, we leave it to be repaired at a bike shop including making the wheel true while Su gives me a lift witht he luggage to the hotel. This saves me strapping the bag on and off the bike.

I collect the bike and we all go to the internet cafe, Su and his cousin have now gone home , I will finish off here and have a shower and rest at the hotel. He is due to come for me for the continuation of the Tet festival tonight.