Men pee everywhere in India, and I mean everywhere. They will squat down on a busy street, whip out the wanger, and deftly piss into a corner or little culvert of streaming waste. Others simply lean against a wall, with one hand of course, and let it flow. Periodically there are “bathrooms” that are no more than a three-sided stand. Pee against the wall and it flows away… about three feet where it puddles and mixes with cow shit.

Outside Toilet For Men & Women

Such is India. That is why this is my favorite, if most boring toilet. It simply resides outside in the wide open, but it’s an actual toilet at least. Not only that, both men and women can use it!

Outside toilet, for both men and women
Outside toilet, for both men and women

Flush Squat Toilet

Squat toilets typically don’t flush, you fill a bucket with water and dump it in the hole. In fact, I’d never seen a flush squat toilet until I came to India—talk about advanced toilet engineering! Thomas Friedman was clearly thinking of this ingenuity when referring to India in his book The World is Flat.

Flush squat toilet
Flush squat toilet

Combo Squat/Western Toilet

This toilet, in my hotel, is the best. It’s a combo Western/still-stand-on-it-as-if-it’s-a-squat-toliet. What I appreciate most about this toilet is that it easily accommodates large asses.

Combo squat/Western toilet
Combo squat/Western toilet

Have you used a squat toilet? How did that work for ya? I usually slip or fall backwards—not good! Share your squatting experiences in the comments section below.

Join the Conversation

2 Comments

  1. Years ago when I worked in Japan I went out one night with my mate and got absolutely trashed.
    On the way home through a park he decided he wanted to go to the toilet and went into a public restroom within the park.

    I was sooooo drunk the earth started wobbling and I feel over then I realised it was a minor earthquake… Then I heard panicked screams from my friend in the toilet block, I thought maybe part of it had collapsed on him and rushed in as quick as I could (well staggered in)..

    When the earth tremor struck he was also knocked off his feet but was standing over a sqat loo & lost his footing, then he slipped on someone elses poo & wee around the edge of the pan thing and slipped into the squat…
    He had shit all over his pants and urine in his shirt – he had no choice but to strip off (hot body too haha) and walk home in his underwear.

    We got some interesting looks from locals, being Japan they are somewhat modest and you don’t wander about the streets in your underwear at night 🙂

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *