New World Wanders

Jump To:
Squat Toilets
Hand Soap Sheets
Travel Toilet Paper
Flushable Wipes
Toilet Spray
Disinfecting Hand Wipes
Head Lamp
Way Off the Beaten Track

---

Using the toilet in a foreign country can be quite an adventure! Off the beaten track, and far away from western ways of life, things can be rather complicated when you are presented with unfamiliar options. Hopefully, though, we can address some of your concerns, and help you feel more prepared to use a foreign toilet.

First, keep in mind that in a number of countries, toilet paper is thrown, not in the toilet bowl, but in a basket in the stall, or sometimes just in a corner of the stall. Ask beforehand or look out for signs in the stall to observe what others have done before you. Also, in some countries, you must first pay an attendant in order to use the toilet facilities, also referred to as the toilets, washroom, restroom, bathroom, loo, the ladies or the gents, WC, etc.

---

Squat Toilets

The first time we were obliged to use a squat toilet, it required a little forethought to figure out how we would do this without accidentally touching the dirty walls, without soiling our feet, and without having a place to hang our bag. Balance was the answer. And aim. And hanging our bag around our neck while squatting over the hole in the floor. It took a moment to figure it out, but it was possible. Entire civilizations of people use a squat toilet all the time. It is possible. You can do this! 😊

---

Hand Soap Sheets

You never know when there won’t be any soap in the toilet facilities. Always be prepared with your own hand soap sheets. They are a great lighter, liquid-free alternative to liquid hand soap! Just be sure to keep them in a small ZipLoc bag to prevent them from accidentally getting wet in your day pack. Also, be sure to remove the individual sheets with dry hands, so that the other sheets don’t get wet before you need them.

---

---

---

Travel Toilet Paper

In some countries, you have to purchase toilet paper on your way into the toilets. Sometimes, there is a communal toilet paper dispenser before entering the stalls. And sometimes you need to bring your own, as none is provided. Sometimes, though, a bucket of water or a hose is provided in the stall to clean yourself after using the toilet, and sometimes it is also used to flush or clean the toilet itself. If you are in a rural area, include a ZipLoc bag in your travel essentials as a place to keep your dirty toilet paper, wipes, or other garbage until you can dispose of them in a trash receptacle.

As another option, if you prefer, in the week or two before a trip, we wait until our toilet paper roll at home is about halfway used. Then we take the cardboard roll out of the inside of the toilet roll and squish the remaining toilet paper into a quart size ZipLoc bag for travel.

---

---

---

Flushable Wipes

Flushable disposable wipes are a convenient way to clean yourself after using the toilet when you want to feel extra clean. However, do not flush them in toilets that cannot dissolve toilet paper.

---

---

---

---

Toilet Spray

Having a travel size toilet spray may save you some embarrassment while traveling.

---

---

Disinfecting Hand Wipes

Disinfecting hand wipes are essential when you need to disinfect your hands on-the-go after using the toilet or after touching things where there may be a presence of germs. They are also useful when you feel the need to disinfect door handles, faucets, or other places that you need to touch before or after touching them.

---

---

---

Head Lamp

‘A head lamp to use the toilet?’, you may ask. Yep! Definitely useful! We will never travel without it again! Many times, when you are out and about, off the beaten track, the toilet stalls do not have lighting. During the day this presented an issue when there was no natural light coming into the toilet stalls, but at night, it was impossible to see sometimes without light. Of course, you can turn on the flashlight on your mobile phone. However, do you really want to touch your phone while you are using the toilet?! Gross! So, yes, a head lamp is the answer!

Also, having a head lamp with you when you travel has many other advantages. It can be used to climb through dark caves, to walk around dark areas at night, to find dropped lost items, and to navigate any poorly lit areas as you travel around. And you can do this hands-free! A common flashlight is also useful, but, of course, not hands-free.

---

---

Way Off the Beaten Track

When you find yourself wandering way off the beaten track, or perhaps while camping or on safari, you may find the need to use various types of outdoor or bush toilets, usually consisting of a small shovel, a bucket, and a small privacy tent. Sometimes these are provided, and sometimes you need to provide them yourself. Here are a few items that may be helpful in these situations.

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

Back to Top ⮝

---