When you gotta go, you gotta go

The bathroom for us continues to be a unique adventure unto itself in every country, city, town, and establishment we venture. When one opens that door marked with the lone blue man, you never know what's on the other side. We have come to expect the unexpected. We have been introduced to pit-toilets right next to your standard stool with signs that read "foreigners only". We have been lead down open alleys to nothing more than an outhouse in the middle of a large city. One door even sent me into a mechanics garage! It was quite the dance over scooter parts and tools to reach that rest area. For some reason, toilet doors are much lower than other doorways here and the floors are always raised to accept the plumbing. No one is more conscious of this fact than Josh who creamed the top of his head on a stall door in Korea! He may still have the mark to prove it. I have seen aquariums, aluminum, tiled troughs, and one urinal was even cut into the side of rock with a natural spring running over the slab to wash away the waste. Quite an amazing set-up.

Have you ever tried to pee with a 50 pound pack on your back, waist-strap blocking your belt and a daypack in front obstructing whatever view you wish you had? This challenge is negotiated at almost every plane, train and bus station. It amazes me I have not completely sprayed my trousers and shoes. Then there are the bus rides. It is never recommended to drink 500ml beers while waiting for your bus. Those things don't have bathrooms, and the 3 hour bus ride to Anywhere, Asia will feel like a lifetime negotiating semi-maintained roads with a bladder on the edge of bursting (learned first hand, on an excruciating trip to Kenting, Taiwan). Of other random note: nobody on this side of the world believes shower curtains are a useful product (many prefer their thrones, floors and TP very moist it seems) and the urinals have all taken on an automatic "pre-flush." What's with that?

Well, once again, it's time to go. Today is our last day in Taiwan. Night markets, big cities, quiet countryside brimming w/ rice paddies, lonely beaches, cheap prices, friendly people...all packed into a tiny island! It started out as a stopover to the Philippines, who knew we'd stay so long? By this time tomorrow, we will be calling Manila our home and exploring all the wonderful opportunities she beholds.