Indonesian Bathroom Hygiene Practices?

[BoundForElsewhere]

sure make it easier to keep hands and fingernails clean

Fingernails? You might be a little over-enthusiastic with your cleaning method. What the hell are you eating?

 

[Centrals]

As a Muslim and ex-bicycle racer a clean ass has been part of my life for a long time. Toilet paper alone is not as sanitary as a stream of water and your fingers. Always use your left because you eat with your right. In Muslim countries like Indonesia, DO NOT eat with your left hand. Some places are more conservative than others (think Malaysia vs. KSA). Also, if you're traveling local in those areas, eat with your fingers (RIGHT hand). Crutches were made for people who can't walk, utensils were made for people who can't eat.

I always travel with a portable bidet squeezy bottle type thing. If you don't like the conditions of toilet paper/vs none, just get up off the toilet and take a quick rinse in the shower. They are usually right next to each other.

Tourist is everywhere. Of all the places that I had travelled, eating utensil is usually provided. It is entirely up to me to use it or not. What other think about my eating style even with my bare left hand is NOT my concern.
I always have a spoon no matter where in my backpack travelling day.

 

[Dan]

As a Muslim and ex-bicycle racer a clean ass has been part of my life for a long time. Toilet paper alone is not as sanitary as a stream of water and your fingers. Always use your left because you eat with your right. In Muslim countries like Indonesia, DO NOT eat with your left hand. Some places are more conservative than others (think Malaysia vs. KSA). Also, if you're traveling local in those areas, eat with your fingers (RIGHT hand). Crutches were made for people who can't walk, utensils were made for people who can't eat.

I always travel with a portable bidet squeezy bottle type thing. If you don't like the conditions of toilet paper/vs none, just get up off the toilet and take a quick rinse in the shower. They are usually right next to each other.

I’m lefty and grew up in Indonesia. Friends at school knew me as “Si Kebot” (means “The lefty”). They admonished me if I handed stuff with my left hand and asked me to give it to them with my right hand. I remember when I came back home after living in USA for over 10 years, handed my passport to immigration officer in Jakarta. He balked at me for giving the passport with my “dirty hand” and asked me to give it to him with my right hand. I chuckled to myself about it and told to myself how stupid of him to force me to give it with my “dirty right hand” as I use my left hand to pour water cup over my rear end and use my right hand to wipe clean any leftover residue that toilet paper fails to pickup.

I was able to write with both hands up to 3rd grade as every time the teacher or my father saw me writing with my left hand, they would get a ruler and slapped the “dirty hand” and said something like as mild as “that’s a bad hand to use” to as bad as “that’s the devil’s hand, bad omen would come to you” . So, I switched to write with my right hand, whenever they saw me writing with my left hand, until one day my mother said to my father to leave me be and told my teachers the same. So, I lose my right-hand writing skill since then.

You are talking about old times, back in the sixties-seventies. The world has changed for the better. They accept Si Kebot like anyone else now. I don’t feel “special” anymore.

 

[BoundForElsewhere]

I’m lefty and grew up in Indonesia. Friends at school knew me as “Si Kebot” (means “The lefty”). They admonished me if I handed stuff with my left hand and asked me to give it to them with my right hand. I remember when I came back home after living in USA for over 10 years, handed my passport to immigration officer in Jakarta. He balked at me for giving the passport with my “dirty hand” and asked me to give it to him with my right hand. I chuckled to myself about it and told to myself how stupid of him to force me to give it with my “dirty right hand” as I use my left hand to pour water cup over my rear end and use my right hand to wipe clean any leftover residue that toilet paper fails to pickup.

I was able to write with both hands up to 3rd grade as every time the teacher or my father saw me writing with my left hand, they would get a ruler and slapped the “dirty hand” and said something like as mild as “that’s a bad hand to use” to as bad as “that’s the devil’s hand, bad omen would come to you” . So, I switched to write with my right hand, whenever they saw me writing with my left hand, until one day my mother said to my father to leave me be and told my teachers the same. So, I lose my right-hand writing skill then.

You are talking about old times, back in the sixties-seventies. The world has changed for the better. They accept Si Kebot like anyone else now. I don’t feel “special” anymore.

I noticed the lack of extremism in Malaysia and greatly appreciated it. However, KSA, and UAE not so much. Forget about it in Pakistan. You might as well keep your left hand in your pocket until its time to wipe.

 

[BoundForElsewhere]

Tourist is everywhere. Of all the places that I had travelled, eating utensil is usually provided. It is entirely up to me to use it or not. What other think about my eating style even with my bare left hand is NOT my concern.
I always have a spoon no matter where in my backpack travelling day.

Ahh, but nothing says sexy like turmeric stained finger-nails.

 

[Centrals]

I noticed the lack of extremism in Malaysia and greatly appreciated it. However, KSA, and UAE not so much. Forget about it in Pakistan. You might as well keep your left hand in your pocket until its time to wipe.

I have been to Pakistan 3 times and never ever had any issue by using my left hand to eat.
The villages/cities along the Karakoram Highway from top to Rawalpindi. They were happy to see a stranger. The Baltistani porters couldn't careless about bunch of infidel trekking to K2 base camp. Drinking a cup of butter tea with my left hand did not raise any eyebrow/objection! Great people and tough as nut.
Female with blue eyes and blond hair in northern Pakistan! So unreal.

 

[Centrals]

Ahh, but nothing says sexy like turmeric stained finger-nails.

I use turmeric but have to be very careful not to leave any stain behind. Hard to wash off.

 

[BoundForElsewhere]

I have been to Pakistan 3 times and never ever had any issue by using my left hand to eat.
The villages/cities along the Karakoram Highway from top to Rawalpindi. They were happy to see a stranger. The Baltistani porters couldn't careless about bunch of infidel trekking to K2 base camp. Drinking a cup of butter tea with my left hand did not raise any eyebrow/objection! Great people and tough as nut.
Female with blue eyes and blond hair in northern Pakistan! So unreal.

Ha! The FATA in the north are mostly occupied by Ishmaeli and followers of the Agha Khan and have not yet been Saudified like much of the rest of Pakistan. So glad to hear that you have been up north. One of the most beautiful and striking places on earth, no doubt.

blond hair and blue eyes - yup, that's my wife although her hair got darker as she aged.

Another amazing part of Pakistan... HISTORY AND PEOPLE OF CHITRAL -.

 

[Centrals]

Similar reception from Peshawar to Lahore or even Karachi(not a nice city).

 

[BoundForElsewhere]

Similar reception from Peshawar to Lahore or even Karachi(not a nice city).

hahahahaha. No, Karachi is not a nice city by any stretch but the people are amazingly friendly and generous. Maybe the places my wife took me were a little less tolerant. We ate a lot at the street carts on Burns Road and the marina. Restaurant eating was a different experience all together.