When we were young my sisters and I always knew where the bathrooms were in every store or restaurant that we visited. I guess as a kid it was like an adventure to see the bathroom and know where it was at; now that I’m older this has not really gone away.
In Abu Dhabi everywhere I go I know where the bathroom is or I find out very quickly. Here I have found that there are many types of bathrooms and I have learned to not be surprised by what is behind that female bathroom sign.
Most women here use the sprayer instead of toilet paper, so I know that the majority of bathroom floors will be covered in water, but I always hope that I can find one without it. Many mall bathrooms have a cleaner that walks around and mops the stalls, keeps the towels and soap filled, and wipes down the counters, so in general the bathrooms are clean. The great things about the restrooms (no matter where I have been) are the stalls – they are fully enclosed! This means that the walls are tiled and solid, the doors close all the way (no cracks for people to look through) and they are almost floor to ceiling; there is so much privacy I wonder why we can’t have these at home!
While visiting Oman I have seen different types of bathrooms. My first experience was during my first visa run – the one where I became very ill and almost passed out due to lack of water. The Omani visa check-point was packed with people and when I visited the restroom I also found it packed with people and the floor covered with water; the toilet had no seat and there was no toilet paper. This put me right out of my comfort zone, but I survived! My other experience was more recent, while wandering at a new visa check-point we stopped at a gas station; I knew that the toilet would be a hole in the floor and it was, but I also survived that.
Even at work the bathroom is a constant issue. Without going into too many details I have found that the teachers are very messy and the toilets back up frequently. A few weeks ago they had to hire a plumber to come out and unplug the drains due to the back up and I thought we were without a bathroom (at least for a few days). While nursing a full bladder one day I wandered into an unused part of the school building and found a hidden restroom! It was meant to be and even though they have cleared up the other bathroom I still insist on venturing to my “off-the-radar” bathroom on a daily basis.
I know that this is an unusual topic, but it is something that stays on my mind while venturing in and around Abu Dhabi. I hope you found it interesting.
In Abu Dhabi everywhere I go I know where the bathroom is or I find out very quickly. Here I have found that there are many types of bathrooms and I have learned to not be surprised by what is behind that female bathroom sign.
Most women here use the sprayer instead of toilet paper, so I know that the majority of bathroom floors will be covered in water, but I always hope that I can find one without it. Many mall bathrooms have a cleaner that walks around and mops the stalls, keeps the towels and soap filled, and wipes down the counters, so in general the bathrooms are clean. The great things about the restrooms (no matter where I have been) are the stalls – they are fully enclosed! This means that the walls are tiled and solid, the doors close all the way (no cracks for people to look through) and they are almost floor to ceiling; there is so much privacy I wonder why we can’t have these at home!
While visiting Oman I have seen different types of bathrooms. My first experience was during my first visa run – the one where I became very ill and almost passed out due to lack of water. The Omani visa check-point was packed with people and when I visited the restroom I also found it packed with people and the floor covered with water; the toilet had no seat and there was no toilet paper. This put me right out of my comfort zone, but I survived! My other experience was more recent, while wandering at a new visa check-point we stopped at a gas station; I knew that the toilet would be a hole in the floor and it was, but I also survived that.
Even at work the bathroom is a constant issue. Without going into too many details I have found that the teachers are very messy and the toilets back up frequently. A few weeks ago they had to hire a plumber to come out and unplug the drains due to the back up and I thought we were without a bathroom (at least for a few days). While nursing a full bladder one day I wandered into an unused part of the school building and found a hidden restroom! It was meant to be and even though they have cleared up the other bathroom I still insist on venturing to my “off-the-radar” bathroom on a daily basis.
I know that this is an unusual topic, but it is something that stays on my mind while venturing in and around Abu Dhabi. I hope you found it interesting.
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2 comments:
Unexplored topic - nice work, sista!
-Jill
Hey - check this out:
http://failblog.org/2009/03/02/privacy-fail-2/
I just came across this after reading your blog :)
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