Exploring the Mystery of the Mountain Toilet

Exploring the Mystery of the Mountain Toilet

Caretaker's diary

Exploring the Mystery of the Mountain Toilet

01
May

Exploring the Mystery of the Mountain Toilet

I have no idea how it will turn out and what the introduction piece of Carehuttaker will be. The winters on the Vršič mountain are long. We put a lot of effort into this website, and there are stories to tell, believe me. That is why I was sitting one night in front of my computer and decided to start writing in my diary at almost 50 years of age, not because of me, but because of this place where I ended. I have travelled to 85 countries till now, but this place can beat the most of all I have ever put my eye on. But it is never as shiny as it seems at first glance. I have never dreamed that I would start with Exploring the Mystery of the Mountain Toilet.

Ironically, this mountain hut was named after Mr Fran Erjavec (1834 – 1887), a Slovenian naturalist, travel writer and writer who wrote a book titled “Ni vse zlato kar se sveti.” The closest translation would be “Fool’s Gold.” he can’t come more close to it than that. I haven’t been the caretaker of any other mountain hut before, and I can’t say for others, but life is like a caretaker of the Erjavčeve mountain hut. It is just that. 

So, excuse me this time; I will not properly introduce myself as I should at the start or as you would expect. Expect nothing. You will get to know me. This is my free time; this is my website. And because Facebook doesn’t work anymore to be my a free psychiatrist, because people take it fucking too seriously those days, and the right psychiatrist is too far from the mountain, we, like it or not, are stuck here.

Let me be perfectly clear that I will write only about things that happened and my thoughts about them. If you find the power and will to read it, read it like a letter from patient to patient or patient to a doctor. You decide, and you don’t need to tell me.

Ironically, this mountain hut was named after Mr Fran Erjavec (1834 – 1887), a Slovenian naturalist, travel writer and writer who wrote a book titled “Ni vse zlato kar se sveti.” The closest translation would be “Fool’s Gold.” he can’t come more close to it than that. I haven’t been the caretaker of any other mountain hut before, and I can’t say for others, but life is like a caretaker of the Erjavčeve mountain hut. It is just that. 

So, excuse me this time; I will not properly introduce myself as I should at the start or as you would expect. Expect nothing. You will get to know me. This is my free time; this is my website. And because Facebook doesn’t work anymore to be my a free psychiatrist, because people take it fucking too seriously those days, and the right psychiatrist is too far from the mountain, we, like it or not, are stuck here.

Let me be perfectly clear that I will write only about things that happened and my thoughts about them. If you find the power and will to read it, read it like a letter from patience to patience or patience to a doctor. You decide, and you don’t need to tell me.

The cover of the book “Ni vse zlato kar se sveti“

The best time of year

So, first, there was an idea, and still is, to write about things that happen to us in life. You need to understand that we meet new people from all over the world daily, so it’s not boring—not even close. The truth is that we all know that we will not spend much time together, so tension is high, fast, and intense—all the time, 365 days a year, all the time. I remember one particular encounter with a group of hikers who were amazed by the beauty of our surroundings. It reminded us why we do what we do, to protect and share this natural wonder with others. 

As May dawns, we find ourselves in a tranquil interlude, a calm before the storm of the high summer season. The hut, meticulously maintained, is ready to welcome the influx of visitors. Yet, the season has yet to fully bloom, the lingering rainy weather keeping the crowds at bay. The hut is not yet bustling, but there are a few friendly, easy-going travellers and even a handful of adventurous mountainers, adding a touch of excitement to the calm.

Sheep are back cows however, they have not yet

If somebody asks me, this is the best time to visit our places. Just today, the locals released a group of sheep back where they belong—back to life, where they can move freely and enjoy the beauty and privilege of Triglav National Park. This act not only ensures the preservation of our unique ecosystem but also allows our visitors to witness the harmony of nature. You can see how happy the sheep are and also safe because there are not many people yet, so they can enjoy eating grass and not unhealthy chips and people’s food, which can kill them. It happens regularly.

Sheep are back at Vrsic Pass

I still remember how fun it is to watch people who are not used to animals running freely. Even my heart, yes, I still have it, started to beat faster for the first couple of days. I have already been running on the terrace with a brum to scare them off, but anyway. You can’t imagine how fast they can poop the whole terrace, not to mention cow bombs… But cows still need to arrive. They will be in two to three weeks, and the battle will begin. Again!

I wanted to insert a fact about how many (if I remember correctly, the number is enormous, more than half of them) children on Earth think that cows are pink. I started to Google it to support that claim and found this one: sorry, Americans. I have nothing against you; we are all in the same boat, unfortunately.

According to The Washington Post, only in the US, more than 16,4 million people think that chocolate milk comes from brown cows.

That is 328 million people worldwide, considering the US covers about +/-5% of the world’s population. Those 328 million include only adult people. 

link

So, Exploring the Mystery of the Mountain Toilet…

One of this year’s improvements, at least for us, if not for you, was new doors in the hallway. The story starts to prevent noise for the guests who sleep in the hut and vice versa, to avoid noise from them and to where I sleep. Fair point. 

While waiting for the doors to be made, we enjoyed a road trip from Vršič to Paris. We stopped one night in Lyon, France, parked the car on the street, paid 66€ for 24 hours of parking, and ate at a local restaurant. I first saw the doorknob that was not opened if you didn’t throw the coin inside the toilet where I was eating. I have ordered one for ourselves. 

The main reason was that we season before we almost ran out of water. We obviously don’t have a connection to the water supply; the only water we get comes from the mountain. And we share the same strim with three other huts. So there is no need to be a genius to understand that we must save water as much as possible. That is why we have a shower on tokes and two minutes of running water for each guest. Some other mountain huts in Slovenia have one minute. To clarify that fact for those unfamiliar with it, we are not a hotel, not a hostel, but a mountain hut. Same, same, but different. 

In winter, those doors were open all the time. There is no need to close it. There are not so many people around, and there is plenty of snow. But in May, people are start coming, more of them, just to take a piss. Without hello, without thank you, just a piss. So I kick the doors.

Exploring the Mystery of the Mountain Toilet? But why?

We are here because we love what we do, we love where we live, and we love to meet (most of the) people.

What a shock

The same day, I read, not that I cared, a review on one page of what is going on at the hut that we now charge the toilet. The review is on the page where anybody can write a review, even if the person has never visited the hut. Where is the point? Yes, I’m talking about Google reviews. 

First of all, water is THE problem. Second, I remember the fuss about 20 years ago when they started charging for drinking water in Finland. Not for water legally because it is illegal in our country to charge for water, and I conclude also in Finland, but for service. We must pay a colleague to bring the water, clean the glass, pay for the electricity and soap, etc. And for all that, even more water is running through. Believe me, I don’t care about losing some coins, but I can not afford to lose more water. There isn’t any left.

Exploring the Mystery of the Mountain Toilet

Usually, many mountain huts in Slovenia have a suggestion box, similar to a piggy bank, near the toilet doors. Some kind of donation if you will pay for the service. But people avoid putting something in it too often because it is too easy just to walk away. Somebody needs to clean your shit literary, put new paper and soap there, wash the floor and too often a toilet itself after because it is too hard to flush the water. Twice if needed. If somebody comes to clean it just for fun, the cursed doors will stay open. I promise. After that, the septic tank needs to be cleaned more often, and if we are in the National Park, the fees are higher. 

I have travelled the world and can’t remember many national parks with no entry fees in those days. I also don’t remember any of them offering free parking. Do I think that everything needs to be charged? No. But that is the easiest, if not the only, solution to prevent that kind of problem. The people who stay at the hut for at least one night have it for free, sure. But when the BUS stops at the free parking, people visit us to take a leak. Sorry, guys. Go to the Petrol station. Oh, wait. There you need to pay for the toilet as well. Shit.

Europe would need ten very wet years for the underground water collectors to fill up.

We, who are not connected to the water supply network, already feel the consequences when we open the tap and do not see a drop of water come out.

link

Trainspotting stars McGregor as the quintessential ‘90s druggie, Mark ‘Rent Boy’ Renton, and that particular scene shows him clambering into a toilet bowl and swimming down inside it to retrieve a handful of opium suppositories he’s using to ween himself off heroin.

With respect and best wishes,

Iztok
Caretaker of Erjavčeva Mountain Hut

Iztok

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