7. Building a Bathroom

Down the slope from my lean-to was a bathroom. I couldn't see it because the mud walls it was built with originally had collapsed and covered it completely. All that I saw was a mound of mud in amongst the dense overgrowth of trees and weeds.

Last week we decided to do some repairs around the farm and one thing we decided to fix was the bathroom. 

It took an hour or so to dig through the mud to find the toilet bowl - one of those Asian squat-style ones. It was covered with about a metre of mud! The wood beams that once supported the walls were long eaten up by termites. 

Once we dug down to the cement floor (not a very good one mind you), Khun Tang took over the project and planned what needed to be done to fix it up. He asked me what I wanted, and I said I wanted a really open-concept toilet and shower area. I don't like to be confined in small spaces, so I wanted walls to go up about 3/4 my height and no roof or door. Besides, if it was a proper structure, it would fill up with mosquitoes, ants, termites, snakes, what have you. It is a jungle, after all. So, better to just provide some modesty while doing your business,  but keep it open as possible. 

We went to the farm shed to find some old wood posts for support, some bamboo that we split and used as a lattice, and then some shingles made from dried broad leaves for walls. 

The photos below show the process of constructing the bathroom walls. 

Building a Bathroom, The Easy Way

Site for bathroom finally cleared of all the mud

Khun Tang, project manager, at the toilet site

Putting wood posts into holes and packing mud

Splitting bamboo to make the lattice

Nailing in the bamboo lattice to the wood posts

Bamboo lattice ready for the grass shingles

Khun Tang inspecting the lattice work

Another angle of the open-concept bathroom

Khun Anne enjoying attaching grass shingles with wire

Khun Jom diligently applying the grass shingles to the lattice

Almost finished!

Putting the finishing touches on the bathroom

Bathroom rebuilt. Just a quick wash with water and it's ready!

I built these stairs so I won't slip
going down to the bathroom.

I put stones at the end of the stairs

Now I have a toilet and place to bathe out in nature! Fantastic!

Here's a link to a 360 degree panorama shot of the inside of the bathroom:

360 Panorama of Bathroom 

Enjoy!