This is a short Random episode — 10:30 — and easily the most disgusting to date. I also think it’s the funniest. Imagine Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations if he didn’t need to edit for cable.
This episode has some educational bits, but it’s focus is on enjoying the not-always-so-smooth experience of travel.
Not for the faint of heart.
From Glenn:
The following video segment is a continuation of the randomly shot randomian-thought random show project with Tim Ferriss and Kevin Rose. This time, we’re not in a library nor are we out on a boat dock fishing for fish – we’re on a street corner in Jinggu. At night. And it’s not really cold outside. It’s slightly humid with a dusty breeze coming out of the southwest.
Audio Note: Most of this was recorded with a Shure-VP88 stereo condenser mic (good with headphones). Apologies for when I don’t have it pointed in correct direction (sounds like they’re behind us).
To borrow from Gary Vee, here is the Question of the Day (QOD): What is the most disgusting or confusing travel experience you’ve ever had?
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Hola Tim,
Your book is great! I have been reading it again and again since I bought it a month ago, I always get a lot of good insights that I apply in day to day life. I am unable to somewhat implement your overall principles or lifestyle because I am in an 8 hour job (and happy) but certainly I pick tips here and there that have really improved my performance at work.
I have since endorsed your book to many of my friends. I even bought some and shipped them to friends who recently lost their jobs (It has helped them a lot!). You have inspired me also to start a blog to express my own interests. I have wanted to do this for a long time, you helped my breakthrough. Thank you and keep up the good work. Please visit my blog if you have time.
When is your next book coming out?
Gracias y saludos,
I don’t care what the benefits of squatting are. I don’t travel where there aren’t flushable toilets
Dear Tim,
If this made it passed your outsourced email than I succeeded. I wanted to suggest that you could save more money (instead of renting an apartment) staying with a local family- this gets you the language, housing, food (really good food), and learning challenge for under 50$ a month.
Other than that after reading your book I believe my philosophy matches almost exactly and I would love to take you out for a drink should you happen to be in Katmandu in the next 6 months (I realize you were just in China).
I am 24 and I have lived in/ traveled to Laos, Thailand, Switzerland, Italy, South Africa, Italy, Bulgaria, Germany, Spain, Brazil, Morrocco, Uganda, Kenya, Palestine, Jordan and Costa Rica mostly on study/grants/work (I am a photographer). Thank you for your insight in the book and for reaffirming my life style choices.
Anyway I have 3 months free before getting my master’s in Public health next July if you are interested in traveling in Asia check out my website/ let me know.
….write/call famous person…..check
-Jessica
Two years ago, my first hours in Tokyo, in the men’s room at Tobu Asakusa train station… Hot, humid, stinky, all squat toilets, nothing substantial to hold onto, single-ply John Wayne paper, no source of water other than a sink far far away, no soap by that sink, no paper towels, no hot air hand dryer.
It was horrifying, but I think it might have been pure luxury compared to anything involving maggots. We quickly learned to look for handicapped stalls in Japanese public restrooms. They’re more likely to have a western-style toilet, sometimes with a washlet!
Hello Tim
I just looked at your video about your trip in China.
I live in Japan and had friends visit me from the states and they also had a hard time squatting, as Japan has the same custom as China (just no maggots in the toilet)
As you may say it’s late I just bought your book as one of my friends recommended your book to me while we where doing a trip from Malaysia to Laos. As I only made it to Northern Thailand due to a bike accident and it was time for me to go back to work in Japan.
I love your book and the information it provides I have been reading several other books on making a job that does not pay by the hour nor picks the place.
After living in two different countries and getting a taste of it.
Small travels do not do it anymore and look forward in making remote work happen.
I would just like to thank you the inspiration that you have added.
Cheers!!
One tip in squatting is to stand wide as your shoulders and finish before your legs fall asleep!
That clip just gave me a flashback to the army…. 3 months in Honduras, sick on malaria pills. Ah, the good ‘ol days
haha..good video. You guys should buy a better quality mic tho..
And now time to bust balls a bit:)
that pic of you at 8:58, is too too much.. That shirt, god help china!..lol.
Oh, and South China looks like it sucks, as far as experience vs. quality of life is compared. I think my taste for adventure quality (read: shitty) conditions has waned in my early thirties. I couldn’t put up with that hotel room. Give me the traveled road any day… Bangkok Hilton here I come! (Not the prison, the hotel..)
To Tim or anyone willing to help with suggestions:
Situation: My friend and I are planning to go to China for two weeks the only problem is I only have one week of vacation time left. What could I do to squeeze out another 5 days (work week) without getting fired?
My job can’t know I am going to China*
There are no more Vacation days*
Thank you in advance
-Louis
I really liked that tattoo. Nothing more to say about that. I used to think that backed-up exploding toilets would be my biggest worry, but now I have a new bathroom foe to face: Maggot holes. I must face this challenge soon ::bows::.
What really interest me is the tea tours and the street food, love it. I hope to see a lot more of that.
Hello Tim.
I have to say that I love your posts, I love your blog and I enjoyed every single page of your book. I can’t wait for the second one to come out. Do you have some prelim release date already?
Anyway I just wanted to tell you to keep on the good work and I posted your site as a link on my own web site. Feel free to drop by and leave some stories to fill the pages if you have some.
Regards
Thank you 🙂
Pura vida,
Tim
awesome. Bathroom stuff reminds me of Ukraine 😉
I hope you get through your tough times and don’t forget you have many people who care and admire you.
Keep up strong
– Jose
Tim,
I’m almost finished writing a book, and I’m about to embark on my life’s adventure in 4 weeks. I can safely say that none of it would of been possible without your inspiration. No joke. None of it. You’re like a real life Zarathustra. All I can say is thanks, and (even though I know you will be)…. I hope you’re OK.
Best,
Max
When people ask you to stop talking about menstrual clots and hot loose bowel movements when eating with them, then Iyl let you know about some harsh moments I’ve seen/noticed/experienced.
Health professionals have high tolerance to “disgusting” things. We end up trying hard to top each other.
:o)
I went to the Kumbha Mela in 2001 with the Himalayan institute, they have a compound by the Holy Ganga. Its the largest spiritual celebration and gathering in the world, looking forward to 2013!!! Toward the busiest day of the celebration I took a raft out with my brother and sister. When we got to the water where the two rivers, Ganga and Yamuna, cross I decided to jump in and take a bath in the holy water. The experience was great, however for days later and a 16 hour flight back to the states I was deathly ill with flu symptoms. Although, if I had it back I would have done the same thing.
Craziest episode yet! Good experience for Kevin! I can’t wait for the next one.
Tooo freakin funny. Kevin, don’t let em tell you otherwise, your mozzy net pyjamas make perfect sense to me too!
Man looks like the sequel too the Dear Hunter ! You sure your trailers are not around the corner w/all the luxuries, Beday and Shower? You need to take this act to the Comedy Store on Sunset! Love it!! Couldn’t stop laughing..
Randy
here’s a current one. We are completing our first mini retirement (thanks for the book Tim) learning to surf. A month ago we were crossing the border via TicaBus from Panama into Costa Rica. Though learning Spanish, my wife and I are not yet fluent. What seemed to be a (relatively) painless border crossing soon became pretty scary. About 45 minutes into Costa Rica we were stopped by the Police, who found that though we did indeed have our passports stamped 2 hours ago when leaving Panama, we did not have the entrance stamp into Costa Rica. The ensuing 8 hours of travel nightmare peaked the moment we were LOCKED IN THE BACK OF A PADDY WAGON, SEPARATELY! Luckily this was only about 15 minutes of sweating and freaking out, after which a different police man came and unlocked us, letting us wait outside the vehicle the rest of the time. I have a suspicion that the first, younger cop was just messing with us. 3 Police stations and 3 Police escorts later, we got our stamps and were relieved to get back on the road (which turned out to be a monster LOCAL bus the rest of the journey.)
You live and you learn…..
Mosquito nets do nothing if they’re lying flush against your skin – they will just land on you and suck through the holes. So that mosquito suit is a bit of a swindle…
I call it the phenomenon discussed in this video “splashback.” And yes, it can happen to you.
After 12 days in India. Delhi India airport bathroom. floor toilet, no tp, empty mangled plastic bottle, and a faucet w/o a handle low on the wall with no drain in the floor. I survived but it was the nastiest way to end a trip to Ludhiana, Agra, New Delhi, etc. Make sure you go at your hotel before you leave for the airport and take a z pack, aka cipro.
Ok, you guys are hilarious. Food looks interesting. Bathroom story makes a good case for fasting while traveling…….
Great episode. So funny. Just thought I’d post the 100th comment on this post!
Timothy,
I love you to death, but for the love of Xenu, please please please refrain from popping your collar in future episodes.
You mentioned an episode or so that you need a stylist. I’m here, ready, and willing, if you are. Come to Denver, we’ll hang.
Ciao.
~Jeffrey
Hahahaha… OK, deal. I just felt too Dead Poet’s Society with it down, but point taken.
Tim
Also to avoid splashback, drop toilet paper on the surface before doing your business
Tim,
I have friends w/crazy clothing styles. What I enjoy most is their uniqueness. You have the confidence so keep popping your collar.
by the way, funny stories on this post. @ Nestor, thanks for the tip!
dude, who was that hottie sitting behind you guys? i hope you bought her and her friends a round of skewers.
This site is so fun — can’t believe I am just now “discovering” it. The video made me laugh out loud, and the dialogue amongst you all was really charming. Wish I could have been there eating chicken skewers too!
Hey Tim,
Ah this post just screwed my rehab from pijiu and jiaozi!
I just finished your book by the way. Thanks 😉
Popping the collar is more than 5 years old at least…..not a stylish move anymore and soooo old school here in Oz…..the only guys that still do there here are the jock type – i don’t think u want to be a jock type do u Tim?!
P.S. Awesome episode, funniest ever. When are you going to post more about the trip? I am a tea fanatic and want to know everything about your findings. I will also be in China (Beijing only) in October so would luv to get your top tea tips!
Thanks for the great read.
Good read as usual.
Thanks
O….M….G
not since my welder days have I heard such talk! my sailor-mouth-loving heart is warmed….
trip story: not my own. my sister was just in Portugal and witnessed in DOWNTOWN Lisbon: a buck naked gent squatting on the sidewalk, bestowing it some mocha gifts, then sashaying over to a trashcan to deliver an incomprehensible (to her meagerly Portuguese’d ear) tirade on what she could only surmise was the trashcan’s very very very bad behavior.
no one in the vicinity appeared to bat an eye.
Awesome stuff, Tim.
I personally feel like often times a popped collar is actually more comfortable…
Interesting note on the finger counting. Your language learning techniques have been quite helpful in getting me started learning Chinese before I start taking classes this fall at University.
Keep the episodes coming!
Ted
Thanks, Ted! Agreed on the popped collar. I wasn’t doing it for style in rural China. It was f-ing hot, and popping the collar made my neck sweat less.
Good luck with Chinese!
Tim
I love these episodes, keep it up. Those people watching you while you were making the video must’ve thought you guys were crazy, haha.
Hi Tim
Fantastic post really interesting,I will be visiting more often.
Cheers
Derek Overington
Hi all,
I just came from India where the disgusting travel experiences line up before you are out of the airport. Spitting, burping, and loud coughing is only the beginning! The poor poo on the sidewalk or by the train tracks, and once I saw an old man who could not bend his knees, but still insisted on wiping his butt by the roadside with what I believe was an old rasta braid used to decorate cars with. At a train station an old lady didn’t bother to queue up for the toilet, so she just sat down and peed on the floor where we others were standing, washing our hands …
Key
Brilliant camera work by Glenn.
Loved the episode!
Love the episode. As much as travelling to places like India and China can be a culture shock to many, I love the way you guys embrace the diversity and view it as just another way of living life!
The potty tricks are always a favorite topic of conversation for those who travel. When I was in Hampi, Karnataka (it houses the ancient ruins of the last Hindu empire in India), my friends and I chatted up with another bunch of travelers seated next to us at a restaurant. Within minutes, I was coerced to give a mock demonstration of how to wash your behinds after finishing your duties on an Indian WC (commode / potty?). At first I was quite embarrassed but our conversation attracted a whole group of foreign tourists wanting to learn the great Indian “wash your bum with water” trick.
While I took my own time learning whether to use the toilet paper from the front or the back, I do have a smoother time doing it the Indian way.
Okay I will stop.. and you can skip the “thanks for sharing” replies. 🙂
P.S. A toilet graffiti read “Men who wipe from the front have smelly balls”
I have had occasion to use such toilets (or outdoors) for a #2, and I finally caught on to the trick. DO NOT DROP YOUR PANTS AND UNDERWEAR TO YOUR ANKLES. just push them down (up, once you’re positioned) to mid-thigh. And when you achieve your Bombs Away, you have quite a sense of accomplishment that you don’t have when you sit on a seat toilet.
This is THE CRUCIAL DETAIL. Thanks for pointing this out! If you go to the ankles, you are asking for all manner of problems.
Tim
Tim,
Wow, this is exactly how I grow up…. Why do you think all of us (Chinese MaFo) knows Kungfu… because we doing the special squat all day long babe…. ha ha..
That will build up your legs…. If you get fade, or give it up, you will be end up at worst place…
I am glad you went to China… It makes me really thank for my Toilet in the US…
One day soon, I am gonna live the life style like you..
You are a truly inspiration…
BeachBody Coach Han
I think you will like this profile (FT, 9/11) about the man who invented exercise. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/e6ff90ea-9da2-11de-9f4a-00144feabdc0.html
Morris is today a neat, bird-like man who uses a cane to get around. He turns 100 next May but still regularly makes his way to his poky little office at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. It is here that he describes the day he saw the data that changed medicine. “The very first results we got were from the London busmen,” says Morris, in Glaswegian tones undimmed by seven-odd decades in London. “And there was a striking difference in the heart-attack rate. The drivers of these double-decker buses had substantially more, age for age, than the conductors.”
(c) Financial Times
Tim,
I have lived in China for about a year, and though my Chinese is good, my accent needs work. Your other articles about language were fantastic, but the one thing that it doesnt provide for is accent acquisition.
What are some exercises or techniques — especially for Chinese — that you can provide for accent acquisition? Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Hey man,
Great post, this is the first time I have visited this site. I love how you don’t hold anything back, people love authenticity.
So this is a great example of how to balance work and life as I sit here slaving myself in front of the computer living carelessly through you guys. I have wondered as I watched you eat all this stuff, how in the world you prevent getting sick to your stomach but it seems you have been adjusting well. Being the geek that I personally am though my team is not far from me, we work a lot, many times pulling double shifts because we get so many requests for work, thank goodness we love what we do but when I watch the videos Tim, I wonder if I shouldn’t just pack my bags and follow your trail to see little bit of the amazing World we live in, have done some travel yet not enough. Keep them coming.
I love it when rich white men go to poor asian countries and find everything so fascinating. Lovely~
Can’t let the comments stop with the bad one above. So… most confusing travel experience:
I’m sitting in an “Italian” restaurant in Lima, and after traveling for six months I really feel like having a calzone. I don’t see any on the menu, so I ask the waiter “Tienes Calzones?”. He looks at me strangely, mutters No, and I reply, “Realmente queria calzones”. The guy kicks me out of the shop, points to something down the street, and leaves me standing there with absolutely no idea what’s going on.
Two days later, I tell my friend (who speaks much better spanish) about it and he starts laughing halfway through my story. Apparently calzones mean “panties” in Peru… the guy was trying to send me to a strip club!
Great video..Realistic travel in Asia..:)
Hey guys,
Thanks for a funny and a bit … different… video.
As I’m typing this i’m in Chinatown in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on day #293 of a year long mini-retirement. I’ve been all over Asia (Unfortunately not China) And, I can confirm what happened in the video – they do come up to you, look you deep in the eye, and stare for a few minutes. Scary as hell.
As for the toilets public restaurants and sneaking into places have saved me so far – but i’m glad I watched the video. Gotta work on the legs to be prepared.
REPLAY/QUESTION TO TIM +a question:
“…I’d suggest not fixing arrival/departure dates in advance (one issue w/ most RTW tix), so you can spend as much or as little time as you like in each place…”
Unfortunately I found this a bit complicated as most countries (and even flight companies?) demand onward tickets (out of the country) to assure you a tourist visa on arrival. I tried to book a one way ticket to Thailand but were told that my visa nor bording of the plane was guaranteed without a ticket out of the country. So I decided to buy a one-way ticket out of the country (To Bali.) but ran into exactly the same problem. I ended up buying 8 different tickets at once just to feel confident with the whole tourist visa issue. Not the best solution but i prefer that over the risk of getting declined a visa upon arrival. How do you deal with this Tim?
About the cost to travel:
——————————
Regarding the people asking about the cost to travel and hotels / accomodation– Asia really is dirt cheap if you have the patience to bargain and look around for the best deal.
I recently went to an island in Malaysia and stayed in a 4 star hotel for 10 days for around $280 (for 10 days..) for a double deluxe room with breakfast — that’s $14 per person if you’re travelling with someone else. This was during low season, but the weather and experience was still the same.
As for the question of the day I can’t really recall any disgusting experiences.
About 1.5 month ago I did, however, loose my (and my girlfriends) passport(s), all other forms of ID, credit cards and cellphone in a snatch theft / robbery in Thailand. We went to the police station and they, instead of really doing anything useful, tried to charge for a translation of the police report (which we, er, explained was impossible due to the .. as mentioned in the report… theft of all our money.)
then we went to Western Union who couldn’t help either as their anti-fraud policy prevents collection of funds without a … passport (duh.)
With the embassy 5 hours away, no money, no phone, no passport and nobody to trust it felt pretty confusing. 24 hours later family managed to wire funds which we could pick up with a copy of the police report and some papers from the embassy. 3 weeks later we got new passports and new cards. But, trust me: Those were 3 very long and nervous weeks.
Great Video guys! Fucking hilarious! HAHAHAH
Hey, Tim, that eastern counting system is interesting indeed, but I’d rather count my fingers in binary (http://is.gd/3Pqdd). Just makes more sense to me and I get to count up to 31 with one hand and up to 1.023 with both. Learning to count binary has helped me quite a lot, why don’t you give it a try?
Cheers!
Interesting video. I would think that for a normal bowel movement the squat would be okay but what about when you are sick and things are working as well as they should?
Hi Guys
To move from the normal onto a food cart is the best way to taste the city I totally agree!
It can be a gamble at the best of times but that’s the adventure isn’t it?
I can see the excitement in Tim’s face and the horror in Kevin’s and as he eats the ‘food’ he’s just trying to work out not if he’s going to spend some time on the toilet, but how long….
Ahhh travelling such fun !
OK, I’m about 1/2 way through the 4hww book and am just discovering this site. I simply wish that I had read about or uncovered or discovered this info 20 years ago. Lots of gray in the hair now, but it’s never to late to break the bonds. The blog posts and vids are great, but what is the story with this tea?
Tim,
I’m Chinese but from not from China and I think this episode is argubly the most hilarious of the Random series.
The combination of your approachable infomative personality and Kevin’s hilariously frank but nice personality makes Random a really a watch.
I speak 5 languages (English, Bahase, Chinese, French and Japanese) but all not too well. I find that once I start learning a new language, my brain starts focussing on processing everything in that language format and all my other languages starts mutating. You’ve however mentioned that your ‘base’ language is English and it stays the dominant language to translate the other languages. I hope that makes sense. Do you have a tip on how to maintain languages effectively besides having to go through the books and tapes all over again?
Also I recognise your method of not putting dates on your blogs for the purpose of the new readers, but how does a regular reader find out about the lastest blog update?
Tim, do you practice that hooked-hand over-the-top cup hold to look all macho, or are your arms just so big that you can have your elbows next to your body (and your pinkie extended) like us dweebs?!
You guys should go to a Wal-mart equivalent there and see if everything’s made in the USA. Or find the factory that makes 1000 types of plastic tubs for westerners to hold all their crap in!
crap! mean’t “…can’t have your elbows next to your body (and your pinkie extended) like us dweebs?!” EDIT EDIT!
I was traveling on an overnight train from Vienna to Budapest. It was 12 am and the train was scheduled to leave and I was alone in a sleeping car. All the sudden, two men entered my car and settled in. One was large and fat, the other small and skinny. They both spoke English. They told me that they were just released from detention due to immigration issues from Morrocco. They smelled so bad. They told me that they haven’t taken a shower for a week.
They told me that they were gypsies and started asking a ton of personal questions,ie. my nationality (I became Canadian), religion, etc. They then pulled out a tea set and some bread and asked me to drink with them. I declined. They then asked “do you like porno?” I pulled out a stash. Really odd. I was backpacking alone at the time and all of my belongings were on top of the beds. No easy way of escape. I heard of many stories previously about people riding that route and attempting to steal. Anyway, i decided not to sleep and stood in the hallway next to the car. As I was standing, I stuck up a conversation with a man next to me. He was a fellow backpacker like myself from New Jersey who was training to be a chef.
All ended well, the gypsies never bothered me, and the Chef and a few other Americans I met thereafter on the train hung out in Budapest for the next few days.
I was traveling on an overnight train from Vienna to Budapest. It was 12 am and the train was scheduled to leave and I was alone in a sleeping car. All the sudden, two men entered my car and settled in. One was large and fat, the other small and skinny. They both spoke English. They told me that they were just released from detention due to immigration issues from Morrocco. They smelled so bad. They told me that they haven’t taken a shower for a week.
They told me that they were gypsies and started asking a ton of personal questions,ie. my nationality (I became Canadian), religion, etc. They then pulled out a tea set and some bread and asked me to drink with them. I declined. They then asked “do you like porno?” They pulled out a stash. Really odd. I was backpacking alone at the time and all of my belongings were on top of the beds. No easy way of escape. I heard of many stories previously about people riding that route and attempting to steal. Anyway, i decided not to sleep and stood in the hallway next to the car. As I was standing, I stuck up a conversation with a man next to me. He was a fellow backpacker like myself from New Jersey who was training to be a chef.
All ended well, the gypsies never bothered me, and the Chef and a few other Americans I met thereafter on the train hung out in Budapest for the next few days.
Tim – I have serious respect for you guys. That was not only hilarious, but it was done with taste (if that possible on a topic like maggets & nads). I thought the way you guys walked the line of showing the realities of travel in China (or Asia even) while still holding the people and culture in such a high regard was really wonderful. I live in Hong Kong, and have lived in Thailand and sometimes it is just too easy for people to have a laugh at the expense of another culture, especially in Asia where the differences can be so great. Well done and thanks for sharing. Your Chinese sounded pretty good too 😉
Cheers
Perri
Tim’s Chinese accent is pretty good! But at 1:52 when you said “ten,” (i.e., shi), it sounded more like third tone than second tone. 😉
I realize this post is old, but peeps may find my travel story interesting anyway. I’m a traveler, always have been, and have lots of stories. Arguably the worst was in Guatemala for me.
Back in the days, during Guatemala’s simmering civil war, I took on a solo bicycle trek through the Peten region of Guatemala. My original plan was to exit through the jungle to Chiapas. This was at the height of the rainy season – suffice it to say I learned a lesson.
Though vaccinated, I contracted an illness. My urine turned the color of CocaCola. I thought I was going to die – ironic, since earlier machinegun-toting (soldiers? Rebels?) hijacked a bus I was on for several hours. The locals hid me under the seats in the back… to die alone in the jungle seemed anticlimactic.
I struggled (and how) to a hotel. For six dollars a night I got a bed and a concrete shower. When, feverish and needing to cool down, I turned the shower on… it emitted an wheeze like an old tubercular man punched in the gut, and dribbled a brown trickle from the plastic pipe emerging from the wall. The concrete floor was cool with my face pressed against it though, and the trickle was cold.
When I finally, after days of this, had enough strength (after gobbling every antibiotic I had), I stumbled to the nearest restaurant. The cook was asleep on the grill, which should have been a sign. But I was too weak to explore. I saw “hamberguesa” on the menu – good Lord, a hamburger! Comfort food for a very sick traveler. I was in for a surprise.
Inside the bread, the patty was paper thin, and crunchy, like a potato chip. I opened the assemblage, and I swear it looked like it was covered in matted fur. It was incredibly salty. After days of delerium, I needed the calories. I just gritted my teeth and ate it.
This is the worst thing I’ve ever eaten – whatever animal it was – and I’ve eaten things like aged khlea in Morocco. It was worth it though!
Disgusting/crazy travel story: Kevin’s story about going #2 reminds me of when I lived in Thailand. I had to travel to Malaysia from Bangkok by train, and just before boarding I had a bottle of orange juice. The OJ made me pretty sick and I spent most of the 21hr train ride on the toilet, which consisted of a hole open to the ground moving swiftly below. I soiled every pair of underwear that I’d packed, tossing the previous pair out on the next trip to the toilet. At the border, I somehow convinced customs that I was *not* sick, and stumbled about 1/2 mile into town before collapsing in front of what turned out to be a hostel. Fortunately, they owners dragged me inside, and nursed me back to health with plenty of tea and some toast – I’m forever grateful. Lesson learned, stick to bottled water when traveling, and bring extra skivvies! – Dan
Hilarious Tim, reminds me of a trip to Serendipity Beach, South Cambodia! Funny that I still want to go to China after this post! Cheers, Ewan
A tip regarding the dreaded splashback: throw down some toilet paper BEFORE you drop deuce. This works in both regular western-style toilets (lay a strip or two on the water’s surface in the landing zone) and the delightful shit-filled troughs of the world. Somewhere on Youtube there’s a video illustrating the principle. It works well and has kept my ass dry in sketchy pooping situations for years.