...as if I haven't spent enough time talking about my experiences in the lieu in previous posts, I couldn't help myself but to enlighten y'all one more time. I've recently travelled to SE Asia. Not surprisingly, part of this trip included many potty stops. Now, I'm not new to travelling, but this would be the first trip where I wouldn't have a western toilet option. I tried to mentally prepare myself before I left, even checking out the wiki site on squatty potties. Sure enough, when first faced with no other option than to squat, I bailed. Literally, I spun on my heel and walked out of the toilet that I had just paid 2 ringit (Malaysian currency) to enter. Not since early childhood had I been so challenged by the porcelain. My bowels clenched with fear (and morning coffee that desperately needed out), as I thought about the terrifying options - sit on a bus for 2 hours hoping I wouldn't wet myself, or flush away those fears and squat (sorry for the pun - haha). I won't keep you in suspense any longer, I did it - I survived...managing to not get my pants or feet wet.
Being a good documentarian, I've gathered some photo's for examples of what toilets looked like across SE Asia.
These squatty potties also might explain where the term 'water closet' comes from. There always seemed to be an abundance of water in or around the squat toilets. Now, I reckon that the hose type objects hanging from the wall were the reason that the water ratio was higher than the average western toilet stall. I never did really figure out what to do with the hose?
Water closet, bathroom, restroom, bogs, toilet, lieu...call it what you want. But you really haven't lived until you've gathered your trousers at your knees and taken a squat to pee.
