It’s
the one place in the home we rely upon the most yet take for granted. We use
toilets on a regular basis, however, it is only when we need a plumber, or travel
away from Melbourne that we begin to appreciate the humble loo. For many first
time travellers, it can be a surprising and sometimes confronting moment when
you come across an international toilet. Many of us expect to travel across the
world and see a familiar toilet equipped with a rim, seat, flusher, and of
course toilet paper. Reality is though; there are very few countries in the
world that share the same toilet as us.
There are many factors that influence the design of foreign toilets that many
Melbourians would never consider. While we in Melbourne are blessed with
running water and an abundance of paper product, many counties do not have this
liberty. Furthermore, understanding of hygiene and cultural traditions make
toilets from country to country differ. Below is an outline of the different
toilets you can encounter across the world.
American Toilets
When
visiting America, you can breath a sigh of relief because the toilets areessentially
exactly the same as the ones we find in Melbourne. The western style toilets we
are familiar with are white and porcelain. They rise about 40 centimeters off
the ground and have a rim, set and of course a flush. Just like in Melbourne,
you will find toilet paper provided for free.
The western style toilets have been in existence since the 1880s, when Thomas
Crapper made the water closet popular. While we find them completely normal,
those not from the west don’t find them very hygienic. Travellers from outside
of the west don’t like have to sit their bare backsides on a rim or seat that
has been used by coutless other people.
Chinese Toilets
Chinese
toilets are not for the faint hearted. If you like your privacy then you will
have to stay close to your hotel. While you will find western style toilets in
most upmarket hotels, on the streets of China you will not be as lucky. When
you enter many public toilets in China the sight will most likely shock you.
The majority of toilets do not have doors and furthermore they sometimes even
don’t have partitions. They are also squat style, so you better have done some
gym sessions beforehand to ensure your thighs are up for the work out. For the
locals, the communal style toilet is very normal and you’ll observe them often
chatting with others whilst they use the lavatory. With their trousers down
around their ankles they squat and go about their business without a care in
the world.
Japanese Toilets
When
you visit bathrooms in Japan, the high tech toilet that awaits you will
intrigue you. While on first glance it looks very similar to an average western
toilet, on closer inspection you will notice it is very different. With a
control panel featuring various options, you will experience a toilet trip like
never before. The toilet called a washlet now is used in 72 per cent of
Japanese households and is topping the list of toilets in first world nations.
The toilet has some amazing features that will take some time to get used to
including seat warming, massage options, blow dryer, wireless control panel,
anus watching and automatic lid opening.
Comments
Post a Comment