to the edge of the middle of nowhere - and back.

This week a friend and I drove out to visit one of our families. The two kids used to live nearby, but a few months ago they moved with their dad out into the province. Even though it was going to be a long drive, I was excited to be going. I had never driven this direction on the moto before and I really love these kids.

The directions we were given said to go to the main market in the district and ask someone there which direction their village was. They live a $2.50 moto ride in is what she said - about 11 kilometers from the highway. The first person we asked knew just where it was. Along with her further directions she added it's not a great road and what are you doing looking for that village?

Let the adventure begin!

When we got to the village we called the step-mom to tell her we were getting close. She asked where we were and told us to go back, that we weren't supposed to cross that bridge.

We turned around and drove back to the place she told us to go to and called her back.

No joke, she said cross the bridge and turn left. . . . really? We just came from there.

Her next direction was to keep driving. They live really far from there, but just keep going. Their house is the one on stilts and she and the kids are sitting underneath the house.

Could you be more specific please? There are a lot of houses on stilts around here. Is it near anything else?

No.

Okay, we'll keep driving and try to find you. At least we know what you look like.

After several more kilometers we passed a school. We called her back. Are you near the school?

No. Keep going past the school. We're very far from the school.

The longer we drove the more I became convinced maybe we could get the boy the bicycle he asked for to help him get to school. We drove a couple more kilometers before we passed another school.

We called her again. How many schools are you past?

How many have you passed? Is this the one in the pagoda? Keep going. We're very far past that.

Driving on. . .

There aren't very many houses out here anymore.

Good. Keep going. You will see no houses and then you will get to a place where you see houses again. We're one of those houses.

Okay.

She was right. It is very far from the main road - and quite possibly a $2.50 moto ride (at least.) There is another school in the village further past their house, but one little boy may find himself the owner of a bicycle soon. I do believe I have now been to the edge of the middle of nowhere. I know there are beautiful children living there and I am so glad I was able to go visit them.

Our ride home was much shorter, because we knew where we were going. And to end a pretty fun adventure - we hit a cow on the way home.