Help with wife Public Restroom Phobia

[jhayes75]

I am trying to schedule a vacation camping at Manatee Springs for a week. Planning on diving as much as I can through out the local area(the springs). The problem is that my wife has a problem with public restrooms. She tells me the most she would be able to handle is two nights then we would need to get a hotel. My kids and I would much rather camp the entire time. I would like a report from anyone that has visited this facility and can elaborate on its condition. I need to convince her it is sanitary and some what private. I plan on diving during our Mardi Gras vacation Feb 20-28. Any feed back would be greatly appreciated.

I also will be needing dive buddies on this trip.

 

[Doc]

The problem is that my wife has a problem with public restrooms. She tells me the most she would be able to handle is two nights then we would need to get a hotel.

I think she might have a problem with "camping" or her perception of it. Aint nobody "holding it for two nights", so it's gotta be more than just the bathroom issue.

Whenever you're taking the squeamish to this "camping lite" environment- you're not exactly hiking in and packing out- take along certain things that make her shower/bathroom visits easier.

Take a number of clean fluffy towels- just for her. 1 gallon zip lock plastic bags for her cosmetics, a separate one for soap and shampoo. For sure: Flip flops because the floors will make Chuck Norris queazy by the second day.

Encourage her to make her toilette visits early and after the regular cleaning cycle.

If the showers run off of 25¢ coins, take a bunch along. Have a water bottle and more than one pillow for the tent.

If it rains- head for the motel- no sense in wrecking the camping effort forever!

 

[Thalassamania]

You need to remind here that you can catch a disease on a public toilet seat, it's just damn uncomfortable to do so.

 

[cappyjon431]

I used to dive/camp Manatee Springs all the time (I did my open water check out dives there) and i can say that the restrooms are reasonably clean for a state park, although at certain parts of the day they can get very muddy. it's best to go in after the cleaning crew has made a pass through.
I don't know if it is still around, but you might want to check if Jim Hollis' River Rendezvous is still in operation. It is in the center of springs' country, it has/had bunkouses, and is a good compromise between camping/hotel.
Roatan man's suggestions were right on, although if he didn't mention it, a high quality air mattress is a big plus.

 

[NudeDiver]

Does she realize that hundreds of complete strangers use any given hotel toilet every year?

 

[bigken462]

Poor wife, I just envisioned the feller from American Pie that was given the meds to procure a case of the toe curlin trots and had to run to the latrine.

I feel for you - and the wife on road trips.

Safe diving if you make it that far.

Ken

 

[DeputyDan]

At least your wife would consider going - not a chance in hell my wife would.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

I've been through this myself.
My wife hates to camp because of the potty thing. What she does to be able to tolerate it is she brings a can of disinfecting cleaner spray like Lysol and sprays the toilet seat before she sits down.
This will get her by, but I've never been able to get more than two days out of her.
She said if I got a small trailer with a good potty she'd go out for weeks. This is my next piece of gear.

 

[Doc Intrepid]

Dude,

Your problems are solved! (Google is your friend.....)

I suspect it isn't the 'toilet' part so much as the 'public' part that your wife objects to.

Cabela's, those enterprising and ubiquitous folks, have your answer - it is a small privacy tent with a toilet inside. Hell, call it "your wife's private toilet facility - no one goes in there but your wife":
http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/t...om&cm_pla=N/A&cm_ite=netcon&rid=0180101070502

Cabela's Collapsible Toilet

The bags have chemicals in them that keeps oders reasonable. If only one woman is using it, it is unlikely to become burdensome after only a few days anyway - but you can change the bags daily if (someone) wants to.

She can locate the privacy tent anywhere...

(Although if her primary concern is something else, and the toilet issue is just fronting for some other issue, this may not resolve all her concerns!)

But still - you can reduce any stigma or concerns about public restrooms by providing her with her own private restroom.

And I agree with Deputy Dan - I wouldn't get my wife out camping on a bet. You may need to compromise to retain domestic tranquility!

Doc

 

[cruiser]

I'm thinking "germs" aren't the issue. Otherwise, she wouldn't use the toilet at all.

So maybe it's that she can hold it in for 2 days (yech, that's gotta be painful), then needs something more traditional for relief.

My suggestion is to slip her some bran. Bran can't be "held in;" it has a mind of its own and when the time's right, wifey will be trotting, camping toilet or not. After realizing that she just successfully eliminated at the dreaded "camp site toilet," this will be a milestone, and could acclimate her to future trips of this nature.

Just my .02

I am trying to schedule a vacation camping at Manatee Springs for a week. Planning on diving as much as I can through out the local area(the springs). The problem is that my wife has a problem with public restrooms. She tells me the most she would be able to handle is two nights then we would need to get a hotel. My kids and I would much rather camp the entire time. I would like a report from anyone that has visited this facility and can elaborate on its condition. I need to convince her it is sanitary and some what private. I plan on diving during our Mardi Gras vacation Feb 20-28. Any feed back would be greatly appreciated.

I also will be needing dive buddies on this trip.