The Much Anticipated Return
It’s been a brief hiatus, probably due to the necessary recovery time from the experiences had in glorious Asia. After a grueling 7 day travel schedule to Cambodia, we finally arrived in Phnom Penh. But, for our team, to trek wasn’t over. We still had to travel by van 8 hours to our destination. About 4 hours in, the van pulled over for us to eat breakfast. This breakfast joint served only one meal, rice and soup. Starving, we were glad to have a chance to sit down and enjoy some food. When it was time to leave, I asked to use the bathroom before we drove 4 more hours. I was directed past the tables and chairs to behind the restaurant, where outside people were washing dishes in tubs of water. Across from them was a door to the bathroom (which unbeknownst to me was a portal to another world). As I entered, I looked down – the floor was covered in water, a scrubber in the corner, a hole in the ground, and what looked to be like a trough where people pee. Suffice to say this wasn’t a place I felt like spending much time. I pee’d and left without a way of flushing. I later found out that the trough isn’t where people pee, but where you scoop out water and dump into the hole to “flush” the toilet.
Thankfully, the bathroom we used all month wasn’t such a disaster. After a little bit of training, and some practice, I was able to adapt to this new world. Even though the bathroom we used all month wasn’t a disaster, it was also the shower. To shower, you filled a bucket of water and poured it over yourself, so, if you wanted to use the bathroom after showering, be prepared to go deep sea diving.
*Note: While our host’s wife was using this bathroom, a snake slithered underneath the door – so, there’s that.
Enter Thailand
Not particularly one of my favorite stops on the race, but Thailand did provide some good content. I was excited to be closer (but not close enough) to leaving squatty potty central. The church we stayed at for the first half of the month had a whole side of the building dedicated to real toilets! But…. only a few were properly working.
It just so happens that out of all the options, I had to walk into the stall that someone decided not to flush…
During the second half of the month, we stayed in a building that also had the bathroom and shower combo in the same stall. This building was being repaired though, and the bathroom above ours would leak toilet water onto our heads whenever we were inside. Moreover, the water wouldn’t drain when using the shower and would stagnate, making getting to the toilet quite an aggravating obstacle. The smell of this room can not be described and sadly couldn’t be captured on camera.
Overnight In a Village
We were driven 4 hours into the mountains to stay at a village for the night. Proving to be quite the experience, I had to take a couple snapshots of the outhouse which I forced myself not to use as much as possible.
*Yes, that is a pig running around the backside of the outhouse.
It was hard to find a dry place to stand.
WELCOME TO OUR NEW SEGMENT!
THE SUBSCRIBER’S STALL
Our loyal fans and subscribers have been recently sending me photos of the encounters they’ve been having while on their journey. We here at ‘Jon Meets John’ value community involvement and participation and have created a new section of our series to further expose the world of bathrooms.
The U.F.O. (Unidentified Flushing Object)
While visiting a recently built state of the art mall in Chiang Mai, Thailand, my wife sent these images of what looks to be the most elaborate and high tech toilet I’ve ever seen – this might be a space ship folks!
Back to Planet Earth
During a bathroom break while traveling, my teammate ran to the bathroom to be the first one in line. He later returned to the truck shaking his head and said “It’s bad Jon, it’s real bad.”
How is this possible? What even happened here? Was someone vaporized? Or did someone pour gasoline down the toilet and set in on fire to de-clog it causing an Atom Bomb to explode? Your guess is as good as mine.
When Ya Gotta Go, Ya Gotta Go.
While walking the streets of Bangkok, Thailand, this picture was captured and sent to me, in case… you know… I might not be able to make it back to the hostel in time. Never mind indecent exposure, here in Thailand, every telephone post is at your bladder’s convenience.
I’m sure there is more of Asia to be seen and to be utilized, but I’ve had my fill. It’s time to venture onto Eastern Europe, where I hear those in need of Asian relief instinctively flock like the salmon of Capistrano. Join me next time when we come to you straight from Serbia!
