Poor Hygiene.

[claverley]

Visited Valley of the Kings yesterday, yes as a visitor you expect a good day out in Luxor's best tourist attraction! It is truly fantastic.
BUT.
NO WATER IN THE TOILET, NO TOILET ROLLS, NO WASHING FACILITY, PLENTY OF FLIES you could smell the stench at the gate it was so bad.
I just hope the authorities read this post, after all you pay to get there you pay to view so you expect something so simple in return.

[Horus]

Nothing new there then

[Who2]

Remember the lady who ran the toilets at Memnon ? She kept the mobile toilet caravan as good as Glastonbury.
Only giving one 3 sheets of toilet paper, the wise traveller always carried his own..
'Bring back toilet attendants in this case any toilets would be good.
They have closed 8 toilets in my manor, I mean just where does one go ? for a bit of George Michael cottaging....

Ps: '1 penny doesn't go far these days....
Pss: Here is a bar in my mate's Kentish Town tastefully called Ladies & Gents...

And here is our toilets twice the size but ran into negative conservative views for a bar...

[Horus]

Some subterranean toilets with the translucent glass block roof lights apparently make very popular conversions into dwellings.

[claverley]

May be so Horus but they would have water!

[Horus]

May be so Horus but they would have water!

good point, but it is Egypt you are talking about
We always carried a half toilet roll, neatly flattened to fit into my wife's bag whenever we visited Egypt, 3 sheets don’t go far if you have the Pharaohs revenge. Now it seems you also need to carry a gallon of water.

[HEPZIBAH]

I don't think the lack of provision of toilet paper is a major issue. The lack of basic hygiene is.

Alas, the problem is not exclusive to Egypt. I don't think there is a country in the world, that I've visited, that I've not experienced foul toilet facilities. Hmm... Switzerland could be the exception, but then I don't remember needing to use many public loos there. Although, surprisingly one of the countries I would have expected lower toilet hygiene standards - India - was better than some others... including many public loos in the UK.

I was in London a couple of weeks ago visiting the V&A Museum and also the Royal Albert Hall. During the course of the day (as a group of five ladies) we visited a number of the toilets in the V&A - but it was a low number in reality as half of them were either closed for maintenance or should have been. I can't help but think that part of the problem is the excessive use of toilet paper, in toilets and drains that just were no built to cope with the amount of use, and (non human) waste, that they have to cope with in the twenty-first century. Thankfully, the loos at the RAH were in a better condition, although clearly some of the users would have benefited by better potty training - this may have become more of an issue since they have changed some, if not all of their loos, to unisex/gender neutral. (Big complaints from the menfolk having to join a long queue, just like women have always had to.)

So, back to there being no toilet paper at the Valley of the Kings.
Should we as tourists expect to always find toilet paper provided - free or for some nominal fee/backsheesh? It (almost) only ever seems to be a complaint when visiting countries where using toilet paper is not a normal cultural thing. In deed, many cultures find using toilet paper taboo and unhygienic, preferring the use of a water hose or bidet. Tourists also seem to find it very difficult to follow a simple instruction of 'If you've not swallowed it first don't put it in the loo. Put it in the bin provided'. Placing used toilet paper, and other sanitary products in (an often uncovered) waste basket, is considered unhygienic by many. It is also often just dropped in the hole out of habit or with the mentality of 'My bits of paper won't cause a problem' (and I won't be here to deal with the problem anyway'.

My own worst toilet experience was many years ago, when travelling overland from the UK to West Africa, and back. I can't remember exactly where we were, but I think it was Algeria. The toilet at a roadside 'pit stop' was literally a large open pit with a beam across it to balance on. One false move and you really would have been up to your knees - if not your neck - in sh1t. It made going out with a sooperdooperpooperscooper and digging your own hole in the Sahara seem a luxury toilet experience. In some areas you had the added experience of watching dung beetles going about their business whilst doing your own.

Perhaps with the increasing issues of water shortages (global warming?), environmentalists, scientists, and engineers, will have to look further than 'grey water' in how we can better use water to dispose of human waste and develop even more sanitary solutions.

[Winged Isis]

I'm surprised regular visitors still don't understand the few sheets of paper you get are for DRYING only.
One of the things I really like when in Egypt is using the shatafa hose or bowl side-knob. It is very efficient, and refreshing in the heat. When I eventually move house I will definitely be having them installed in both toilets. I wish I had known about them during my menstruating years.
As for the bins, not that I've been inspecting them closely , but as Egyptians use the paper as I described, there's really nothing unpleasant to see. It's only foreigners who don't think to drop the used paper dirty side down.
I freely admit to forgetting to use the bins from time to time, especially when I first return to Egypt, as it is of course literally a habit of a lifetime. However it doesn't take long to change, with only the rare memory lapse.

[claverley]

Surely water is the issue here, No water - no flush.
Tissue would have covered the bowl contents from view!.
I only speak from the gents toilet, thousands of dumps on show!
And yes the ladies complained too, scared to sit! because of ****
This was truly disgusting and very unhygienic.
I am sorry Egypt or not they make a charge to enter Egypts number one tourist attraction so why not connect the ONLY toilet to a supply or a water bowser.
OR GIVE YOU A BOTTLE OF WATER, TISSUE, AND A FLY SPRAY WITH YOUR TICKET!

[Winged Isis]

Ah, your point is clearer now, and I totally agree.