I was out grocery shopping this afternoon and suddenly, half way down aisle 3 I realised that I needed to pee badly. Seriously badly. I abandoned my shopping trolley and went in search of a toilet. It had got to the stage where I was clenching my pelvic floor muscles so tightly that I couldn’t breathe, let alone talk. Because of this sudden speech impediment I had to rely on sign language to ask the gaggle of giggling girls in Hardys, Sanur where the toilet was. Up 2 flights I was told…by the skin of my teeth, I got to the toilet, bolted the door and just as I was turning around to undo the knot on the cord of my trousers (button popped off weeks ago because I’m so fat) I saw this sign –
Possibly this sign was aimed at people like me…….because on seeing this sign, I never made it to the toilet.
And, if you you are feeling the urge, read this!
https://lottienevin.com/2012/07/17/my-indonesian-potty-training/
Lottie Nevin - The Red House Diaries 
Good commentary in pictures. I can’t see how else one would use the toilet. I suppose some might squat on heels on top of the toilet instead of sitting. Anyway, it will get sorted out. By the way, any paper made its appearance yet, soap? Is the use of hand and water still called ‘tjebokken’?
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Don’t you just love this picture? It’s the first one that puzzles me. It looks like the man is peeing out sausages, either that or he has an incredibly big…..
Amazingly I’ve started to get the hang of the high pressure hose thingy so now don’t get in such a tizz if there’s no paper. That’s not to say that I make any less mess. There is still evidence of dirty feet marks on the toilet seat which makes me think that squatting aloft the toilet is still a common lavatory procedure. Maybe I should make a film based on my Indonesian toilet experiences “Crouching tiger, hidden toilet paper”
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HA! It was the middle sign that gotcha, wasn’t it?! I’ve often wondered: where is the “correct” toilet seat… apparently, it’s in Sanur 😉
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It was the middle sign indeed! Let’s put it this way, thank goodness I was wearing black trousers – if I’d been wearing my green ones I’d have been in a lot of trouble 😉
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At the Green School in Bali yesterday they were separate…one for pee, one for poop. What if I have to do both? Very confusing. But my need wasn’t as urgent as yours. I had time to sort it out.
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When I visited the Green School I had exactly the same thought! I guess it’s like musical chairs, you have to jump to the next one for stage two of the proceedings.
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Can I have a pee, please Bob. Lets play Lottiebusters.
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Very good!! careful, you’ll get me peeing in my pants again!
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And now a fractured rib is hurting from laughing so much!
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It was a particularly good sign this – a bit of winner really. Sometimes theres a price to pay for a good laugh! Thanks Sarah!
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Love the middle picture.
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I Love the middle picture too – it must have been such fun making the graphics for this sign. I wonder if we all sat down together and had to design a new one if we could come up with anything better? I doubt it! I love infographics and Indonesia certainly does have an excellent line in them!
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I got too hung up on the words ie the correct toilet seat wondering what the incorrect one looked like.
I never really had problems with the holes in the floor. Not in France or India, but did notice the feet on the toilets in the occasional western style one in India. Happens in Spain too, usually Moroccan women who don’t want to soil their personal parts by sitting on a toilet seat frequented by a Western woman.
I did read your other post. I am the world’s worst out camping, but even I couldn’t have managed that. You had to have made it up, seriously?
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OMG. Hilarious! Their pictures are a bit on the graphic side though, aren’t they? Hahaha! xoxo
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Info graphics at their best!! No mistaking what is meant here 🙂 xoxo
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I needed the laugh. Almost as much as you needed to pee. I almost fell out from laughing and my pets looked at me as if something were terribly wrong. Great post.
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Great to hear from you Yvonne. I’m glad you had a laugh. Hope all going well and that you have a computer sorted soon. xxx
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This is hilarious! Your story inspired me to blog about my squatting toilet experience in Bali. Thanks for the inspiration :).
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Excellent! Can’t wait to read about it!! 🙂
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