By Judy McEuen, Travel Writer
Any veteran traveler has an interesting toilet story to tell. Mine involves a weird receptacle that took me almost an hour of strategizing in different uncomfortable positions before I finally figured it out.
Fortunately, weird toilets are uncommon. What many travelers are familiar with is the difficulty in finding a toilet abroad.
Knowing how to find a toilet is an indispensable skill that needs to be learned by any aspiring traveler. You can only hold your bladder for so long and you certainly need to heed the rumbling of your stomach if it’s acting up. Here are some tricks I’ve learned in finding a toilet quickly and surely.
Learn the term in the local language
First, you’ll never go wrong with learning the local term for toilet. You should know that other people’s capacity to point you to the right direction is directly proportional to your capacity to convey the right question. So, arm yourself with the local word for toilet and practice saying it.
Make sure that you pronounce it correctly if you don’t want to end up chasing after a wrong lead. If you find the word too difficult to pronounce, ask a local to write it on a sheet of paper. You can easily show it to any one couple with a quizzical look on your face and you’ve got it covered.
If you are in a shopping mall, finding a toilet should not be a problem. There are plenty of toilets in a mall and they are usually located on the far end of every corner. Look for the toilet sign and follow the arrows. If you can’t find any, you can always approach the concierge to ask for the right direction you seek.
If you feel the need for a toilet while walking along a city street, look for the nearest restaurant. Most countries require restaurants to have at least one toilet to service their patrons. The bigger the restaurant, the higher is the probability that it has a toilet inside.
For small towns, the local bar or diner is your best bet. Public buildings as well as bus or train stations are also usually equipped with rest rooms. So if you are anywhere near one, you are in luck.
Bring your own tissue paper
Do take note that unless you are in a decent hotel or commercial establishment, tissue paper is not offered for free. To avoid undesirable circumstances involving the absence of tissue, make sure to always bring a decent roll with you.
Finally, if you can avoid the hassle of finding a toilet in the most unlikely places, do so. Make sure to take advantage of the convenience of plumbing in your hotel room. Make it a habit to use the restroom before you head out to lower the chances of needing to go while you are out and about.
Also, avoid # food or exotic cuisines if you still have an itinerary to cover after the meal. Prevention is the key my friends. But if you can’t help it, you now know where to go to shorten your search for that elusive toilet.
Translations for “Where is the Bathroom?”
