Chambers with a view! / myLot

South Africa

November 11, 2016 1:58am CST

My screen saver was flashing some memories this morning as I was preparing to do some sewing, and this photo from our travels in Africa popped up. Somewhere in Africa you will find more of these! No-entry sign to the right is quite comical and the gap between the ground and the walling is even more comical especially if anyone is looking in that direction, because you can see the FEET and whatever is dropped to the floor! Rural, outdoor chambers are known to harbor snakes, scorpions and other shade seeking reptiles, so I always make sure that before I leave on a long journey, I use the loo! Many years ago we visited one of the Game Parks in SA that had just built new "el fresco" showers and lavatories and I found myself in a situation where the monkeys were the "peeping toms" from the top of the water cans! Naughty little rascals and holding on to ones shower cap and soap for fear of being raided by one of them, was one I will never forget. Have you been lucky enough to have been spotted in one of these? Tell us your story!

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10 responses

Fiacre Banks

@xFiacre (14783)

• Ireland

11 Nov 16

@inlemay my friend Nico has a house on the edge of a cliff on the island of Patmos. His toilet and shower look out to sea and have no wall on that side, just a safety rail. It's quite unnerving sitting enthroned with no wall in front of you, just a fantastic view of the sea. It is also difficult to concentrate on the business in hand because of the fits of giggles that overtake you when using such a facility.

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Inlemay

@Inlemay (17712)

• South Africa

11 Nov 16

I can imagine that being a strange experience - I have been to a few un-nervy Loo's but this one I gave a pass. The other was in Mozambique, that was just a hole in the sand and a shower curtain that was blowing in and out - absolutely NO Privacy! he he he

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Fiacre Banks

@xFiacre (14783)

• Ireland

11 Nov 16

@Inlemay Try India in the 70s for a toilet treat! Another not so savoury experience I had was in Moscow airport the night of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. The men's facilities had porcelain pots aplenty but no dividers between them. There were about 50 pots around the walls, most occupied by a soldier with a rifle at his feet and shining two white knees at everybody. Great sense of camaraderie though.

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Inlemay

@Inlemay (17712)

• South Africa

11 Nov 16

@xFiacre Eeeeeew - another terrible toilet experience was in the Istanbul Airport - this was only 4 years ago where the woman's toilets - designed for the muslim woman, were be-shat and be-pissed one could not even walk through the doors! (they still did with their long hijabs tagging along in the muck) tragic that in today's day and age, this is still happening. I have to wait for the plane's toilet - which to my mind is not always the best option, but in this instance, most definitely was!

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Fiacre Banks

@xFiacre (14783)

• Ireland

11 Nov 16

@inlemay It's amazing to think that in Belfast there were still quite a few houses in Belfast that had a "chamber" in the back yard in the 80s. Needing to go on a cold winter's night was no fun at all since if the seat was damp it froze as temperatures dropped. Oh, and then there are the bees!! A friend used an outside toilet on a game reserve in southern Malawi. There was a fuzzy looking fungus lying on the water in the toilet which he thought was unpleasant looking but nothing more. As soon as he made his deposit the fungus which was made up of sleeping bees took offense and stung him quite comprehensively in the dangly bits! Extremely dangerous but I still laugh vigorously every time I think about it.

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Inlemay

@Inlemay (17712)

• South Africa

11 Nov 16

ha ha ha that is hilarious - I can just imagine the swelling after the sting! Eeeeeeeek

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Judy Evans

@JudyEv (381813)

• Rockingham, Australia

13 Nov 16

@Inlemay @xFiacre Thanks for the wonderful reminiscences here. So funny.

I'm sure you must have a few more to share.

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Jekca

@Jessicalynnt (50523)

• Centralia, Missouri

11 Nov 16

hahaha, the loo is occupied! but you are right about the view in the background.

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Morley Hunt

@Morleyhunt (21741)

• Canada

11 Nov 16

I'm not fond of 'outdoor plumbing'.. I avoid using outhouses as much as humanly possible. When nature calls.....I will break down if I have no other options.

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Inlemay

@Inlemay (17712)

• South Africa

11 Nov 16

my sentiment too

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Judy Evans

@JudyEv (381813)

• Rockingham, Australia

12 Nov 16

We erected our own many years ago on top of sandhiil looking out to sea. Our two families were the only visitors. Beautiful view but with no door. You had to count heads before you visited and tell everyone where you were going.

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Inlemay

@Inlemay (17712)

• South Africa

13 Nov 16

thats hilarious - do you live near the sea then?

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Inlemay

@Inlemay (17712)

• South Africa

13 Nov 16

@JudyEv thats near enough