Toilet Savvy

I promised a friend of mine that I would report on the toilets here. He wondered if they flush the opposite direction. Sorry to disappoint, but I have yet to see one that does. But unlike toilets in the U.S., most of them have a button instead of a handle to push for flushing. Pressing a big button to flush your poo is way more fun than jostling a handle, if you ask me. From what I can tell, the water comes from both front and back of the bowl. But I'm no potty expert- here's another take on it. It's very common in Australia for toilets to have two buttons, one for a 'half flush' and a bigger one for a 'full flush' depending on how much needs to be flushed, I guess. Check out the photo here. What strikes me as funny is the language; instead of women's or men's bathrooms, they say "male" or "female toilets". Okay, it isn't that funny. But there is the funny flyer I found one day posted on a pole at Flinders Street Station, pleading for the return of a missing toilet named Anita. Clearly, this proves that Aussies are more attached to their toilets than Americans are. Or have a better sense of humor? Seriously, in case you're ever here and need a public toilet, don't despair; just review this handy map. Be sure to read the frequently asked questions, such as "How can I use the Toilet Map with my Global Positioning System (GPS) device?" Something we're all wondering, I know. There is even a way to search for your 'favorite toilets' after you've registered the map. You'll be the best toilet navigator on the block!