A little local knowledge ...

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Geo: 16.3833, 103.933

I go out to the farm as usual in the norning leaving Jai mat making.
Because Jai has missed her holiday taoday I have told her that this afternoon we will go out on the bike for an hour for a change of sceneryand a break from her mats.
Early afternoon I make a brief visit to the farm and burn off some snall stuff that is making it difficult for me to cut the bamboo. Getting back to the house early also meant that I got to have a hot shower.
We got ready to go out then set off. I knew the route I wanted to take with a few uncertainties about direction. We left Khamnadie, passed through Khambonai and on to Ban Dorng Mun. I take a turn to the right here that I believe connects us back to the main Khamnadie to Phon Thong road but Jai tells me no, this only goes to the village temple. We retrace our steps and continue on to the next village, Bataka. They have ideas above their station here as a large sign as you enter the village announces 'Reduce Speed, City Limits'. With a population of just a few hundred I wonder which city they stole the sign from. I was sure that we had missed out turn off and come too far so we turn around and head back paying close attention to all side roads. As we leave Bataka a road disappears into the tree in the right direction and although not the road we were intially looking for Jai seens to think it will neet up with the Khamnadie to Phon Thong road a little further along so we try it. After six bumpy, sandy miles we end up at someones farm and have to backtrack again. Leaving Bataka we bike to Ban Dorng Mun and I take the same turn off that I took before even more certain this is the road we are looking for. Jai is adamant that this only goes to the village temple and bowing to her local knowledge I turn around and we head back to Khamnadie. Needing to satisfy my curiosity I bike along the main road until I find the other end of the road I was looking for then bike along it until we reach, you have probably guesseed, the village temple at Ban Dorng Mun, the very road that I took in the first place !!! We return to the house having been gone for 1 1/2 hours, covered 40kn and not really gone anywhere. So much for local knowledge !!

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