Monday, July 7, 2008

A shower every day.

Many fervent and loyal blog readers are wondering how a man living in an expedition vehicle washes himself.
Honours his hygiene.
Because we understand that living is on one location for sometimes three weeks at a time.
At locations where are pelicans and a lagoon but no electricity, no mobile phone connection and no fresh water.

Of course the Fuso Szulc is equipped with two fresh water tanks holding approximately 160 litres (45 gallons).
And it is equipped with a comfortable shower and a water heater.
But three weeks in one place would mean to be able to take a daily shower using only 5 litres (1.3 gallons) of water.
That won’t wash the shampoo from the hair.
That’s like only some drops touching the naked body.

A daily shower and cleaning of the body is highly appreciated and considered essential.
It is known of a fellow traveller in a RV that he showers with the exceptional frequency of once a week and this, as he says: “Only when it is necessary”.

There are parts and corners of the body that are not easily visible but that doesn’t mean they are therefore still clean after a use of let’s say two to three days.

Also, there is the phenomenon of smell and odour.
Maybe some of the fervent and loyal blog readers know of the fact that the own smell produced in a toilet room is not noticed while the smell and odour of a user before can be suffocating.
This is the same with not washing every day.
The body develops an odour after a few days, but the producer of this smell doesn’t notice it.
The smell cells in the own nose believe it is the natural state of odourness and alarms when a freshly washed person is met as the one who stinks.

At Punta Boca del Salado every day a shower was allowed in the small house of the Gonzales family.
At Punta Marquez every day washing was in the Pacific Ocean.
But now at the lagoon a solar shower is used.
A high tree has been planted next to the Fuso Szulc and in the morning the solar shower is filled with ocean water.
This black bag is put in the sunshine and absorbs the heat.
When in the late afternoon the running exercise is finished, the solar shower is heaved into the tree and a very comfortable shower with warm water is available.
With a view of the lagoon and the ocean included.



But isn’t it an issue to stand naked there for everyone to see?
There are no walls or any other visual protection.

It is not an issue.
First of all, there is nobody around here for miles and miles.
And if by any chance someone happened to show up, it’s not a problem on this side to be seen naked.

In the past it has been experienced, when showering, that visiting Mexicans feel so embarrassed by what they surprisingly witness that they turn away and flee.
If this is for the body they see or because of their prudishness is an unanswered question yet.







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