Eco info

So, I've found out a bit more about what we have here.

The composting toilet actually smells delightful. Rather than using the regular expensive specialist compost, they use sawdust from a local carpenter, which smells of pine and fruit, mixed with huge bags of cheap potting compost. The brand of the toilet is Biolan. Lights are solar powered where possible, though everything is hooked up to electricity too. It looks like the water for the shower and sink is heated by gas, with a gas tank round the back of our shed. Incidentally, there seem to be acres of wind farm round here too, though I'm not sure what they power.

The yurt itself cost about 2,500 euro, but required a floor. It is raised on wooden stilts and breeze blocks, with little wooden steps going up to the door. Inside, we have a double bed and other furniture and it feels very strong and sturdy. The only problem, apparently, is water. They have monsoon type rain here in winter - which explains how the acres of arid corn-row olive groves of further north have been replaced by the lush green vegetation in these parts - and so they expect to have to wax the outer cover at some point and probably replace it eventually too.

You open the door and roof (as with the toilet shed) when the sunshine is not on them and close them when the sun moves round. This keeps a good temperature. Even with daytime temperatures of high 30s, the yurt was deliciously cool at night and still is, though mid afternoon, yesterday, we needed to put the fan on inside. Outside in the shade was cooler, with a light breeze. Apparently in winter it only needs a small heater to keep it warm enough in subzero temperatures. These are Mongolian yurts and so designed for extreme cold and extreme heat.

Now I've relaxed a bit, I don't mind the bugs or miss the air con. The air here is fresher and less humid than in the cities. The hum of background noise is soothing, even the odd distant aeroplane mixed in with donkey chatter, cow bells, birds and chugging farm machinery...and still the roosters with their poor sense of timing!