Living Space

Showers
Keeping in mind I’ve experienced a total of 4 different showers so far in China, my experience is limited. But I still have to share. The bathrooms are set up in such a way that the toilet is right next to or even underneath the showerhead. The showerhead is detachable from the wall so you can hold it in your hand at a variety of angles. There is a drain somewhat in the middle of the floor for drainage. However, the bathroom engineers haven’t gotten the knack of angling the floor so that the water naturally flows toward and eventually into the drain. As a result, one must mop after each shower to shove the water down the drain. Everything is tiled. No matter how you stand or angle yourself, the toilet gets completely drenched while showering. Granted, it dries, but never before you need to use the toilet again. Even when I use a small rag to wipe it dry, it remains wet. I think the washcloths and towels in this country are waterproof. Go figure. So each time you sit to use the facilities, you slide a bit on the wet surface, and then stand up with a rather soggy bum. Combine a wet bum with very humid conditions and a generally sweaty body anyway. It’s often near impossible to get underwear up again. Phil hasn’t really complained about this. Maybe boxers are more manageable in such conditions.
Mattresses
Someone recently told me that there are summer mattresses and winter mattresses, and they are different. I can’t confirm this but find it interesting. Since it’s summer, maybe I am about to describe summer mattresses. Since I can’t attest to the age or general condition of the mattresses I’ve slept on so far, I’m only able to make some huge generalizations about Chinese mattresses. If you have a cranky back or neck, go home foreigners. They are thin, lumpy, bumpy, and saggy in places. Fortunately again, Phil is not in the least particular about the surface he snoozes upon so I’ve staked out the less mountainous side for my own slumbering needs.
Toilet Paper
Toilet paper here is actually overall better than what I experienced in Germany on the trains. German toilet paper is as stretchy as crepe paper, incredibly scratchy and rough, and an unbleached brownish/grey color. The Chinese toilet paper looks like crepe paper but it isn’t as stretchy. It’s bleached white and rather softer than its German relative. Most intriguing though is the fact that it is a solid roll; there is no cardboard tube in the middle to hang it somewhere. As a result, toilet paper rolls are typically perched precariously on pipes (often wet from condensation) relatively near the toilet. However, depending on the situation one is in when in need of toilet paper and the relative distance the goods are away from the place one is perched, obtaining the toilet paper can be a bit tricky.