Toilets probably aren’t a topic you are going to be researching before heading out on vacation, even internationally. More often than not, you just assume that everyone else’s toilets are just like ours.
But they’re not. (I was quite surprised when I found this out in my travels, because I had never really thought about it.)
Here’s your crash course on the world’s variations of Thomas Crapper’s fabulous invention.
1. Let’s start close to home with Mexico.
Toilets are pretty much the same as far as the toilet itself. The only catch is that, in a lot of places, the piping and water system can’t handle the toilet paper. So… when you are finished with your business, you need make a conscious effort to not drop the paper in the bowl. Instead throw it away in the trash can next to the toilet. Oh and just as a warning, the weather is always hot so the toilet room will smell ungodly thanks to this modern inconvenience. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
2. Water-conserving Europe: the royal flush
The United Kingdom, Switzerland and other varied countries have a two-button toilet system. This system is super confusing for someone who is just delighted to have found the button on top of the tank instead of its usual place as a lever.
So which button do you push? The key to this is to remember that the little button is for a little water (i.e. #1) And the big button flushes the big stuff (i.e. any number after #1). This helps preserve water and keep everything more environmentally friendly. In many places around Europe, you have to pay for use of a public toilet, even in dining establishments like McDonald’s and Burger King. Also as a note, if staying with a German family, use as little water as possible. Even five minute showers are frowned upon. They see it as wasting water. I digress. If you forget which button to push, no fear. The big button will make all your problems disappear.
3. Italy/China
The squatter. You stand over it or squat, as the case may be. Yes, females too. When I saw this in a stall, I looked for a shower head because I thought I had stepped into a shower stall instead of the toilet room. Good luck with this one.
4. Parts of India/Africa
Hole in the ground. Outhouse into hole in the ground. Outdoors. Or beside the roads.
5. Russia
Regular toilets with no seats. Women should be used to this when their men forget to put the seat down. Anyway, there are several ways to handle this kind of toilet. I’ll let you be adventurous and figure that out yourself.
To finish off this filthy post, I would like to leave you with this thought.
If you ever walk into the bathroom and see this:
Walk away calmly.
