The European shower experience

The European shower experience

Trivial it may seem, but I decided to write about this after possibly the worst shower I /we have had this entire trip. Fellow campers would understand the challenges involved in using the amenities at a campsite, so having now experienced a myriad of public showers and toilets, I thought it only fair to share these experiences with you.

Let’s start with today. Imagine that you have all of your clothes, from underwear to socks and footwear (weather dependent), bathroom bag, towel, Abbie! Off to the shower is for a very different clean. This morning included scalding hot to freezing cold. And then being blasted out of the freezing shower each time Abbie pushed her button in the shower next door.

Other shower experiences have included dribbles of hot water, bursts of lovely warmth, followed by freezing cold, slugs joining in for the ride, with or without Abbie… the only arguments I have had with Abbie this whole trip have been during shower time. I have to admit that I have found it rather excruciating to finally settle myself into the shower, having just sorted out the challenge of the dial/ push button/lever/tap water at the right temperature and there is guaranteed to be the cries of “Mummy” from the shower next door.

Which often means that I have to:

a)      shout out a very long answer.

b)      get out of the public shower completely naked, to sort out her problem, which is always

better than;

c)       inviting her in to my shower,  because she is a massive hog.

Which brings us to the getting dressed part. Of course we wear thongs on our feet during showers and they must never once come off. This adds to the rather difficult task of trying to get completely dressed, without anything touching the wet floor.

And so begins the task of underwear, then top half; then come the jeans, which involve a balancing act of one long leg, together with thong and then the most difficult leg, which usually includes a “Mummy!” from the cubicle next door. And if you need to put socks on too, that is fortunately a thing of the past for now.

To be honest, the best shower is definitely the shower in Frosty. Perfect pressure, temperature, ALONE,  BUT beware of water running cold or seeping out though the van in amongst the electrics. Oh and as well your soaps, shampoos etc falling down and hitting you on the foot. Still the best shower so far.