Water, Water Everywhere, and Not a Drop for Washing

Water. We all need it. For all sorts of things. We drink it, bathe in it, wash with it, cook with it. Here in Nairobi we have a shortage. Too many dry rainy seasons. We all need it, and really feel the pinch when its lacking.

I'm quite accustomed now to drinking bottled water. Pretentious? In many contexts, yes, but not here in Kenya. Or in Romania. Or El Salvador. I've lived many places where its simply not safe to drink from the tap. So when I go home it seems really strange to me to do so. (I get over it quickly.)

One beef we had in Romania was that when you used the public restrooms in the malls, there was no hot water for hand washing. Just cold. I hated it. But last week I discovered that things can be--and in some places are--worse.

Heathrow airport. Very nice place. Plenty of shopping, and, unlike some airports, plenty of seating. Very nice. However. The restrooms. Like Romanian shopping malls, they only have one temperature of water. Unlike Romania, however, the temperature of the water in the London Heathrow taps is hot. Really. They have warning signs over every sink: Warning: water extremely hot!

Now I ask you, how are you supposed to wash your hands in uber hot water? It can't be done. You can just moisten your hands by placing them under the tap for a milisecond, before the water becomes unbearable. Soap? Sure, if you're willing to wipe it off with a towel. Oh wait! No towels at Heathrow. Just air dryers. (On a side note--I HATE air dryers, but the ones at Heathrow are actually super powerful and do, in fact, dry the hands. But they don't remove soap.) All these years, I thought that Romania was seriously dumb and cheap for not providing hot water in their mall restrooms, when in reality it was the progressive Brits that miss the point entirely. At least you CAN wash in cold water.

Another issue with the Brits: what the heck is the point of two faucets in a bathroom sink? Picture me trying to remove my mascara: Quickly wet the fingers in the hot water, and then move quickly to the cold to cool off the fingers before rubbing the eyelashes. Repeat over and over again until fingers turn blue or blister, or mascara is removed. Wash the face? Not in the usual manner, sister!