[An Song Tao]

As the primary care giver to my two young daughters, the "potty" and its various compents seem to occupy much of my time ! On that note, I was wondering if any of you who have been to China have had any issues finding or adjusting to the unique toilet situation in China, particularly if you happen to be walking around town. I have heard quite a few horror stories and wonder if these people are just blowing things out of proportion. Do they make split pants in adult sizes! LOL!

[Marshie]

I haven't been to China yet but I hear in the metro areas such as Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou they should have western style toilets. In the child's province you may find yourself faced with having to use a "squatty potty".

Want to see what they look like? http://www.cromwell-intl.com/toilet/loo-guangxi.html
http://www.cromwell-intl.com/toilet/...volution-2.jpg

If your wife and daughters have camping experience, where you just walk to the nearest tree or bush....they might just do fine. I guess it wouldn't hurt to practice not getting your jeans dirty but I dunno where the heck one would practice that!

[Trace7]

I have used the squat toilets many times in Japan, and I do not find them to be a big deal at all. My thought is - when you have to go - you should be happy you have a place to go!! As far as kids go - it might be a little harder for them to use them - but maybe if you show them pictures before you go of what the toilets look like, and then help them when you are there (if you do have to use any toilets like that), it will be okay.

[thundrrds]

In your hotels there will be western style toilets. I think in the Guangzhou airport (which is new) there are some western style ones too and the HOng Kong Airport has some western style toilets.
In Hong Kong it's hit and miss with stops you may make as to what kind of toilets there are. At the Big Buddha there are only squat pots. There are actual stalls there and hand rails so it's not too bad.
In some places you'll go to there are no stalls and/ or no hand rails... for women this can be quite challenging as can the odors! When we went some 4 hours each way to visit Shona's orphanage I greatly reduced my liquid consumption for the day. There was no way I was using some of the squat pots that were available (I was not going to pour water from a bucket into the hole....)....
I think generally it's alot easier for men (yes that sounds sexist!!!). For women you just have to 'get over it' and figure it out. Always always have tissues or some toilet paper with you and hand sanitizer. Except for hotels there usually isn't any TP in public bathrooms..

Joanne

[stephdpenn]

I have a book that says while you are still at home to use a roll of TP till it is about half gone. Then to take the cardboard roll out of it so you can mash it flat and take it with you to China. I plan on doing this with a few rolls because I have also read that the TP even in the motels is more like tissue paper than what we are used to, don't know if it is true or not. I know Charmin makes travel size packs but is expensive when you can just take your own from home much cheaper.

Stephanie

[Lissa]

All my hotels had Western toilets. Every public restroom I saw had pit toilets. I managed to only use one once the whole trip. It was fine, just bring TP in the diaper bag as some had TP and some did not. (The one I used did not.) Also the TP you pick up before you enter the toilet area. It's not a roll next to you. It's in a dispenser near the door as you enter the restroom. I took 3 rolls of travel Charmin. Since I only used a pit toilet once I took 2 too many.

As for the TP in hotels. It's not like "floating on a cloud" but it's not like sandpaper either. It's your typical thinner/courser than usual stuff you use in just about any public restroom. No biggie.

[AmoyGirl]

This might sound weird, but when I was in public places in China, I actually preferred squatty potties--not to be graphic, but it's easier to "do your business" without touching anything!

In our province, nice hotels, most McDonald's restaurants, and fancy restaurants had western-style toilets. So did most private residences I visited, by the way--including our own apartment. I never did see a squatty potty in Hong Kong in the four months we lived there, either, though I am sure they are around.

Anyway, just make sure you have plenty of pocket-sized Kleenex or toilet-tissue with you, bring some hand sanitizer, and be prepared to hold your breath in the bathrooms--they can be, um, not so fresh smelling. And as another poster suggested, you might try practicing your "stance" before you go. It's really not that bad or that hard once you get the hang of it, and, like I said, I preferred squatty potties when in public! (My mother, on the other hand, refused to use them when she came to visit, and would hold it all day--until we got back to our apartment--rather than use a squatty potty! To each their own!)

Morgan

[twoinblue]

Originally Posted by An Song Tao

Do they make split pants in adult sizes! LOL!

Now that's funny! My first thought was "OOH! I wouldn't have to take off all my gear at work!"

For a short person who already practices "hovering" I think the squatty pottys will be easier to navigate. Anyone who thinks they are oppressive should never visit a country like Haiti where they don't believe in public restrooms. Not even at the hospital!

[Lissa]

Just a China recollection about spilt pants.

Russ and I went to a dept store in Guilin called Niko Niko to go shopping for diapers etc. Anyway...the store was several stories high and there were several escalators in service. Each escalator at the bottom to the side had a litter bin. So hubby and I were coming down the escalators and a lady was holding her baby boy (no doubt it was a boy) over one of these bins with his butt and privates exposed through the split pants as she gently shook him and whistled. She was trying to get him "to go" right there at the end of the escalator in the litter bin. Not something I ever expected to see!

[odi]

I made it through the squat toliets and I had my period in China. I know to much info but as bad as they sound it is do-able. Take the toliet paper with you and remeber to use the trash cans nearby they don't flush the paper or it might plug. Just use your hotels toliets everytime before you go out. Never count on their being western ones in the large cities. We used squat toliets in Shanghai and we had to pay to do so.
Diana

[sak9645]

My daughter is from Xiamen, a very prosperous Special Economic Zone in Fujian province. I never SAW, much less used, a squatty potty -- there or in Guangzhou.

I saw some downtown buildings with a sign including the British designation for a restroom -- "WC" for "water closet" -- in some parts of Xiamen, but I did not go in. I assume that these probably had squatty potties, although there may have been some Western toilets, as Xiamen is a very cosmopolitan, modern city.

I normally consider myself to have "tiny bladder syndrome". I have to visit the bathroom frequently. However, it was very hot in China when I traveled, and I got a little dehydrated. As a result, I didn't have to go as much as usual. Otherwise, I probably would have made use of the WCs.

The hotel bathrooms in Xiamen and Guangzhou were perfectly fine. Good Western style toilets, plenty of hot water in the showers, bathtubs for bathing kids, etc.

If you use a toilet in China, whether Western or Chinese, pay attention if you see a wastebasket next to the "throne". It is not just for sanitary pads. Put toilet paper there, too, instead of flushing it. China's infrastructure, such as its sewer system, has not kept pace with the country's development.

Sharon

[An Song Tao]

Thanks for the input, everyone. I posed the question mainly for my wife, who also has the tiny bladder syndrome. Sounds like we will do fine.

[GoingtoChina]

I saw a lot of squatty potties but I checked every stall until I found a western toilet. No problem... Look for a handicap stall.

[jjnanj]

Geez, this is not good news for me. unfortunately i have that "tiny bladder" and Diverticulitus/IBS. I imagine that my diet will consist entirely of Immodium AD tablets.

I knew that I wasn't going to be too adventurous in my dining experiences, but now I know that I will have to really watch out.

My biggest concern now is how hard is it to find these bathrooms in a pinch? Is there usually some universal signage, or someone around that can point me in the right direction?

[phred]

Here is a suggestion. Recently I saw on a runner's website a disposable device that could be useful for women when outdoors, it seems it could be helpful in this situation too. Here are a couple of websites I just looked up that have them. (EDITED....Pmate or Magic Cone) This may be a sanitary option in yucky restrooms.