Kampala, Uganda

Much like my travels in Greece, Uganda has been peppered with myriad varieties of toilet.  The toilet pictured here shares striking similarities to the Turkish toilets found in Greece and other parts of the world.  This toilet, hygienic in nature, does not require the user to come into contact with a toilet seat.  Interestingly, unlike its true cousin, the Turkish toilet, there are no textured surfaces to either side of the bowl, providing traction for the slightly weary, elderly, or inebriated travel.

One must wonder how people accustomed to such utilitarian-seeming toilets view and think about using the restroom.  In America one might read a book, talk on the phone, or even use a laptop while perched upon the bathroom throne; would these too be activities conducted in the bathroom presented here?  I know my lack of grace would prevent such multitasking, especially as there were no handrails to provide stabilization during one's time of vulnerability.

This was my first opportunity to use such a toilet, and of course I had to do number two!  No hand rails and no traction and my natural klutzy-ness could easily lead to tragedy!  With encouraging words from a university professor to "aim for the hole," I did, and sure enough every small nugget of waste made it directly into the hole, rather than becoming stranded in the large, dry basin.  Again, used to American toilets, and having never defecated as some sort of lewd sex act, I was not used to having to position myself in such a way: directing the trajectory of my waste, finding leverage, working muscles, and so on and so forth. 

Luckily I had some toilet paper in my pocket for this momentous event.  A tug on a cord that was the flushing mechanism merely gave the bowl a light rinse, and I was ready.

Entebbe, Uganda Toilet

 

Exhibit A, an African toilet.  Were this my first experience with an African toilet, I might unwittingly find them akin to the average Midwestern American toilet.  However, this is not the case.  Subtle, yet critical, differences exist.  

As a brief preamble, I must state that I feel very comfortable with toilets.  Pretty much everything about them suits me fine; in fact, I might even call myself an amateur connoisseur of these prized porcelain creations.  In Ethiopia, I encountered guts of a toilet, aka their precious insides, that I could not figure out.  Given that I had but mere minutes to submerse my hands into its raised tank, there simply was not enough time to evaluate its flushing mechanisms.  Unfortunately, I failed to photographically document this momentous occasion in my life.  Thus, I start this blog with a toilet from Entebbe, Uganda instead.  

The most obvious feature any toilet-using American would notice, is the raised tank.  I would presume that with the lowered water pressure, the height adds a gravitational advantage.  Perhaps not.  With said low water pressure the handle must be pumped repeatedly with a firm hand in order to attain the desired flush.  Again, the flush only works if the tank has engorged itself fully with water, anything less than full, and you will find yourself with a failed flush.  

One should note that this bathroom stall, a feature of a delicious beach-side restaurant, had floor-to-ceiling walls and was sealed with a hardwood door for maximum privacy.  So secure was the privacy in fact that the sister stall was occupied by a copulating couple that was practicing safe sex. Also present is a roll of toilet paper; a pleasant and unexpected surprise.