New apartment, new bidet, new lesson learned...

Well, for those of you who have not heard, I have moved with my roommate into more spacious accommodations. We were originally housed in a 2 bed 1 bath, which made getting ready in the morning a little slow since we had to take turns in the bathroom...now we are in a 2 bed 2 bath with a larger living area and a separate front area...it is pretty nice...

Except for the smell. I think the two people who lived in here before us smoked quite a bit and cleaned very little. So, 2 bottles of fabreeze and 2 days of airing out later, the place is either smelling better or I am getting used to the odor. Either way, at least it isn't bothering me anymore.

Now to the bathroom. Bidets are very popular over here, and toilet paper is not. I don't know if this has to do with the poor plumbing or just personal preference, but it is what it is. I have not used a bidet yet (not intentionally anyway, but you will find this out later in this paragraph.)

So the general description of the bidet is one faucet, two knobs (hot and cold,) and a drain. I am getting ready for bed last night and I glance over at the new bidet and see this lever sitting on top of the bidet, tempting me to turn it. Against my better judgement, I reach over, turn it a few times...nothing happens. This was not satisfactory to me...I must know what this knob does....I turn side to side a few more times...nothing! The drain stopper does not move, the water does not turn on or off, not one things happens. So I turn one of the knobs on the faucet...and WHOOSH! Like Ol' Faithful, a stream of water shoots about 5 feet in the air from a previously un-noticed hole in the front bottom of the bidet. Water got onto the walls, the ceiling, it was terrible. It was also incredibly foul smelling water also. So the next hour of my night was spent cleaning the bathroom...

Lesson learned: Strange levers on new bidets are not to be messed with. Perhaps they should install training bidets in all areas that may be used by foreigners who are not well versed in bidet usage. At any rate, any interest I had in posibly using a bidet is now totally gone. The bidet and I do not get along. In fact there is a small amount of animosity that has been built between the bidet and I...this disagreement may last until I leave The Kingdom. Warning to all bidets...I hold a grudge!

Cheers!