Because it has to be said....

One inescapable fact of foreign travel, especially in Asia for some reason (but not exclusively there), is the scarcity of what is delicately described as "Western facilities".

Now, in my own defense, my need for the Western-style 'throne' is purely physiological...I simply cannot easily arise from a squatting position. Simply stated: weak knees + fat ass. And since the women in my travels are for the most part strangers, and would frown on my husband coming in to help me up....there you have it.

Fortunately, our guides have always been most helpful in identifying 'acceptible' facilities. In China, we had a rating system:
5-Star: clean, Western 'throne', toilet paper, seat covers
4-Star: clean, Western 'throne', toilet paper
3-Star: clean, Western 'throne'

I never went below 3-Stars. I do carry my own travel kit of seat covers and travel TP (after a particularly traumatic experience in Moscow years ago).

I asked our guide if they (the guides) all thought that all of we female Western tourists (a) had extraordinarily weak bladders because we were always taking advantage of stops and (b) were incredibly picky. He politely dodged the question.

Here's a shot taken in a 4-Star. It isn't particularly well composed, because when you are taking a photograph inside a ladies restroom it's best to start with a vacant one and take the shot really fast, lest someone come in and think you a pervert.

The sign on the right means 'for mom's - has changing table'. The next is, of course, the 'Western throne' and rest are all the more traditional 'squat' toilets.

To be fair, they were all quite clean...everywhere we went. And I really think that we're being the picky ones. And I totally appreciate the fact that other societies are indulging us our weakness.

And I'm still peeved that men don't even have to think about this stuff!!!!!