Vincent's solitary test in Pakistan - and New Zealand's last - was the Black Caps' biggest test loss (by an innings and 324 runs when Inzamam-ul-Haq made 329).
Vincent says it was surprisingly good to be back: "You can't let fear stop you. You've got to persevere. Pakistan fans have been deprived of cricket at home for too long. At some point they will be back and hopefully this [tour] is a step towards that.
"Terrorism can happen to anyone, any time; it's just in some places it's a greater possibility. I'm not going to pull out of a tour unless there is a war zone. The passion of being involved in cricket excites me too much.
"We were treated like royalty, right from immigration to the hotel. Safety is still a big aspect of operating there. Road blocks and checkpoints are everywhere." However, the fun was not spoiled by cloistering security.
"We arrived at the NCA from the airport about 6pm and stumbled upon a spontaneous match of tapeball cricket on a makeshift 18-yard pitch in the garden out front," Vincent says. "Groundsmen downed tools, a couple of policemen rolled the arm over and one security guard put down his gun, grabbed the bat and played a reverse sweep first ball, casual as you like.
"We couldn't have had a better five days of training. We had full access to the facilities - the gym, indoor nets and meeting rooms. What I witnessed at the NCA showed Pakistan are still a force in world cricket. They're dedicated and disciplined; they work at their games in 2-3 hour sessions each day and deal with the mental concentration side of the game well. We also felt some of their passion. The test team was beating England in the UAE at the time.
"Our five batsmen formed a team with some locals and we played against an under-16 side from the NCA. There was something to be learnt there too, like how to get reverse swing legitimately from a ball after 12 overs. Young guys use the elements to maximum advantage."
Vincent might be dabbling in coaching for the short-term but he still holds ambitions of playing at a high level. He'll return to celebrity side Lashings at the start of the English season but hopes to join a county. His one appearance for Auckland in the T20 HRV Cup means he is also eligible to be picked for Auckland when they attend Champions League qualifying. However, he envisages coaching long-term: "I enjoy passing on the game's skills, helping players work out a problem and fixing it. "Three of the five lads I took to Pakistan have made T20 hundreds in recent competition but it's a challenge finding a balance for a group of amateurs who will soon be playing international cricket in the World T20 qualifier.
"The trouble is, as the best in the Hong Kong, they have a tendency to think they've made it. But cricket's a bit like a computer game; you go from beginner to intermediate to expert levels. I've tried to strip some of their games back and asked them to be more resourceful and think for themselves."
