I first came across the famous Japanese toilet years ago. I’m talking about the modern all-the-bells-and-whistles do-everything toilet/bidet, not the traditional squatting toilets, about which the less said the better (although apparently they are very good for your bowels).
For years I’ve treated them with great wariness mixed with prurient interest. You can just use them like a normal toilet which I have been doing up until this trip. Well, I’m a convert. It’s amazing how quickly you can get used to something. The first time I tried the cleaning jets I squealed in alarm, much to Simon’s dismay as he was in bed at the time. Now it just seems completely normal. Much less of a faff than moving over to a bidet, and more efficient for space. I wonder how much they cost?
Kirsten discovered a new feature in the posh restaurant we went to last night. There’s a button to press if you want it to make noises to cover up any sound you think you yourself are going to make in the process of emptying your bowels. I don’t know what the noise was it made was but apparently it was very loud and there was no obvious way to stop it. Is making it clear that you’re expecting to make embarrassing sounds any less embarrassing than the natural sounds themselves? An interesting psychological and philosophical problem for another day.