Bathrooms in Delhi typically have a western toilet, sink, and shower. There’s often no division in the room for the shower area. There may be a shower head that has water presser if you’re lucky or a faucet that you can use to fill up a bucket to wash with. Although there are often two faucets (presumably for cold and hot water), no water comes out of the “hot” water faucet. Sometimes no water comes out at all (Delhi has chronic water shortage problems—a whole other topic). Water is heated by either stove top or with a small portable heater. I prefer the cold showers (keeps the nerves healthy!) but I may be singing a different tune come December.

Sometimes you find toilet paper, sometimes not. In public places such as restaurants and businesses, there’s often TP but there are no guarantee so if you have to have it, it means you’re shlepin’ it. But there’s always running water and a little bucket to wash. I don’t mind this at all and am glad not to be wasting paper. However, I didn’t totally get the no TP thing until I visited a friend who lives in an amazing house in Delhi. Rather museum-like, the house has wood paneling, marble floors, and is decorated with beautiful artifacts. But there’s no TP. Only then did I get that it’s totally a cultural thing. Likewise, in some places, there is a choice between a western toilet and an Indian toilet.

People drink a lot less, which has the added benefit of needing to use the lieu less often, a strategy I’ve recently started employing. When I first arrived and my body was adapting to the heat here, I sweated all the time and drank a lot of water to stay hydrated. Literally, sweating constantly. It’s very easy for me to get flushed so it’s kind of a joke how I’m constantly blushing here, even when I’m not embarrassed. These dark-skinned beauties are amused by it and don’t hesitate pinch my pink cheeks.

Ahhh yes, the joys of being named after a toilet! Note: "A Quality Product."