I will be leaving in 5 days for Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand. I believe the hotels I am staying at have western style toilets, but just wondering about sites like Angkor Wat, Doi Suthep, etc having toilet facilities. I don't squat very well! The last time I encountered one in Paris, I ruined a good pair of hose! Suggestions?

My guide to using squats is at www.wlhelmswords.com/faq.

Don't wear hose...

Seriously, I've lived in countries with eastern toilets for years and I still haven't gotten the hang of it.

Beware of wet floors.

thursdaysd -

Tried to open your link, but it doesn't seem to be working. Now you've got me curious...

Sorry - I misspelled my own name - blush. Try http://wilhelmswords.com/faq/

don't wear hose...

This "issue" has been discussed before in this forum.

One of the most important thing on achieving a successful squating, is that your center of gravity should be slightly forward by resting your thighs slightly on your calves, so your bum is almost right between your heels, and your back/spine is slanted forward (45 degree) towards the front, so that your head almost just above the knees.

Most western people attempt to squat by assuming the same position as they normally sit on a chair. That is, with a vertical spine and the bum too far behind the heels. That way the center of gravity is too far back, and with no support (like hands resting on the wall to stabilize yourself) you can easily do a back flip into the toilet hole.

Interesting link thursdaysd - I always wondered about the TP. Here in Indonesia, they provide a bucket of water and a scoop - I assumed that was the flushing mechanism, but now I'm not so sure. Maybe it's their substitute for the hose? In any case, it's pretty disgusting.

To be a bit indelicate, assuming you are just going to pee, don't turn around when you get in the stall, keep facing the back of the stall; for women the squat toilet will work out more successfully if you are over the larger rounded end of the basin, this cuts down on the splashing (we don't have quite the control over our aim that men do...)

The bucket is often the flushing mechanism, but a scoop or hose can also be intended for use instead of TP. That's why you don't eat with your left hand in much of Asia...

Always thought the right hand left hand thing was interesting, as it's really a leap of faith. I'm always careful to hand things to Nationals with my right hand, but if they only knew...

What's the big mystery about washing one's hands?

Oh, and regarding the claim that eastern toilets are "more hygenic" - where does all this extra hygene come in? With the notable exception of Singapore, I've yet to run across an eastern toilet that isn't dirty, foul smelling and hazardous from all the water on the floor.

Different strokes, I guess.

Public toilets are dirty. Period. It doesn't matter if you are in the USA, Japan, Singapore, or Hong Kong.

Eastern toilets are more hygienic than western toilets because your body won't touch anything dirty when you squat.

Agree...squat toilets are my choice when cleanliness is an issue, because you don't have to touch anything.

And splashing is only an issue if you try to use the squat toilet standing and/or you aren't forward enough...get where you think you should be and move forward about a foot and it'll be right. No splashing.

Pull pant legs up or they will drag on the wet floor. Skirts can be pulled up and around to the front and held in you lap as you squat.

This thread is giving me post traumatic flashbacks of using these in Italy, and I'm certainly not looking forward to it on my upcoming China trip. Are those "devices" - the funnel-type things made for women - of any help?

Nutella - here's a link to disposable cones - looks interesting

http://magic-cone.com/