Indonesian Bathroom Hygiene Practices?

[drrich2]

Between you and I, this subject has never been discussed in such detail before at all. I should write a comprehensive manual and posted here and on FB.

That's why I started the thread, and I appreciate all of you who've contributed. There are subjects that, for whatever reason, seem to run afoul of subtle, unspoken social norms, or just against the grain of normal conversation.

I dislike surprises and spontaneity and prefer to know what I'm getting into (and what to pack in preparation for). Some of these subjects are practical 'need to know' matters. Bathroom hygiene is one; whether someone who only speaks English will run into hassles (and if so to what extent) in a foreign setting is another.

Two Fish Traveling has Pooping In Indonesia: A How-To Toilet Guide.

I did a quick Google of Indo-Siren bathroom, curious as to what a liveaboard might offer, and found this TripAdvisor photo (click link). I see a small 'sit on' toilet (with no obvious flush tank, so I'm guessing one pours water into it to make it flush, common in Indonesia?), and that metal hose that comes down and loops...guessing that's the 'bum gun?' (As name's go, that's not too bad...guess they could've called it the 'crack blaster').

 

[BoltSnap]

with no obvious flush tank, so I'm guessing one pours water into it to make it flush, common in Indonesia?

Not necessarily, although I don't know About the Siren specifically, but sometimes flush tanks are behind the wall. Common in modern toilets. BUT, I don't know about this specific boat.

that metal hose that comes down and loops...guessing that's the 'bum gun?'

It is the one right between the toilet and the wall way in the back closer to the floor. It seems that they have TP and bum hose on the boat.

 

[Lorenzoid]

I recall leaving a comment in one of these Indonesian toilet threads about my one memorable experience. At a hotel/guesthouse in Labuanbajo I forgot I was no longer a youthful, penniless backpacker and opted for an economical hut with no A/C and, I discovered, a non-flushing toilet. It was a Western toilet, but flushing was done by pouring a bucket of water into it. Used toilet paper was thrown in a basket, as in a number of other places in the world I've been to, so no surprise there. The toilet was not really a problem. The real problem was that my cheap room had no A/C, and sleeping in a pool of sweat made for the most uncomfortable night of sleep of my life. We still joke about that night. Aside from that, I have stayed at normal hotels and had Western toilets.

The worst toilet I ever encountered was in Eastern Europe. Just holes in the concrete floor, and for some reason it seemed people had had difficulty hitting the target. It made Asian squat toilets seem luxurious.

Do I have a point or am I rambling? If there is a point to the story, it's don't obsess over toilets, always bring some spare paper, and don't be too cheap to get a room with A/C.

 

[Centrals]

@drrich2
Just wait when you see the big banga boat used for diving in Philippines! Only use it when the boat is moving or you can upset a lot of divers if they are around by the boat and on the surface!

 

[BoltSnap]

The real problem was that my cheap room had no A/C, and sleeping in a pool of sweat made for the most uncomfortable night of sleep of my life.

don't be too cheap to get a room with A/C.

I'd rather have A/C and no toilet and have to do it out in the wilderness than no A/C.

 

[Lorenzoid]

I'd rather have A/C and no toilet and have to do it out in the wilderness than no A/C.

Indeed. Maybe the point is to avoid the worst combination, which is having a basket full of used toilet paper made more aromatic by baking in a hot and humid room.

 

[Dan]

Nowadays I save a 500ml water bottle after drinking it during traveling for my toilet flushing tool. After boarding a liveaboard or checking in a hotel, I check the toilet in my cabin or room for bidet. If they don’t have one (90% of the times), then, before going to bed, I fill the empty water bottle with tap water and place it under the toilet for my morning #2 routine. Afterwards, I’ll safe the empty water bottle somewhere where the janitor won’t mistakenly take it out as a trash.

 

[Centrals]

Indeed. Maybe the point is to avoid the worst combination, which is having a basket full of used toilet paper made more aromatic by baking in a hot and humid room.

I burnt mine when I was trekking in Nepal! But there was always some left over!!!
Pink soiled toilet paper along the trail! Tried not to breath through the mouth but that was impossible when I was well over 4000m.

 

[lowwall]

The German sit to pee thing is the result of a PR campaign that only became nationally prominent in the mid-2000s. One might wonder about the marksmanship of German men, but the root cause is their traditional toilet construction which features a dry shelf over much of the bottom of the bowl making splashes nearly inevitable.

The (in)famous German toilet

If you travel to Germany, you may encounter a peculiar creation of the German culture: the shelf toilet. These toilets (also found in the Netherlands and Poland) come with a shelf where you leave …

flushitblog.wordpress.com

With the Flachspüler style toilet becoming less and less common, one might think that German men would return to upright peeing, but apparently sit peeing has become culturally ingrained and Germans are not about to break even unwritten rules.

 

[agilis]

I once was on a very poor Caribbean Island where local people went out into the bush to defecate, and used one of the plentiful small smooth stones to wipe afterward. I did the same, worked ok, not great, but ok. When I was a kid I used an outhouse when I spent part of the summer on a farm, so third world conditions are no big deal. My go-to is dampened newspaper, better than dry toilet paper. On hikes here in NJ and on trips I always carry handy-wipes. You'd be surprised at conditions in some places here in the US; there are still plenty of places, shared toilets and the like, that would curl your hair. Hang out with poor rural people and you will see surprising things. The worst, though, was India. Used toilet tissue carried along the ground by the breeze, men openly defecating in public spaces.