Don't read this while you are eating.

Hello. A delicate subject today, feel free to scroll by if this does not appeal to you. Talking about bodily functions while camping. Where do you pee and poo. I have this Porta Potti which went inside my tent next to the car. Some campsites will have their own toilet facilities, but they are not all open at the moment. 

I bought this potti new about 30 years ago. It has come with me on one house move and has been stored under my stairs for the past 22 years. I used it for a while when I lived in a small caravan close to my work. I could have possibly given it away when I didn't use it any more, but then I thought who would want it? It was easier to keep it, and I'm glad I did.  

I know that my bodily functions are regular, by that I mean I need to poop every morning. Once it's done that's it for the day. When I am out walking I can pee behind a hedge. I am a firm believer that what you put in at the top dictates the consistency of what comes out at the bottom, and the speed you have to dash to the nearest convenience. Planned poos are better than emergency poos. If you eat processed foods, especially meat, ready meals, takeaways, and what I call mucked about dirty food, on a regular basis, and drink too much alcohol, you will pebble dash your toilet, and maybe once a day will not be enough. 

At the other end of the scale you might get bunged up and the call to go could happen at any time. Sitting around a lot bungs up the bowels, moving will loosen things up. I prefer to be like clockwork so I eat sensibly, mostly fresh vegetables, salads, nuts and seeds, and fruit, with the odd treat of naughty food. 

So how does this toilet work. It goes in the tent next to the car. I always have a coffee to start the day. Within an hour or two, sometimes sooner, I need to go. The potti has two parts. In the top goes clean water which is used to flush it. No electricity needed, it is a push pump action. 

In the bottom goes the chemical, and some water, pour it in. The smell is ok, not at all chemically. If you position your bum in the exact correct spot and hold the hatch open through to the bottom tank, your doings can drop straight through without touching the sides. That's as long as it's the right consistency. I know, too much information. Shut hatch when finished and it can stay in there for a day or two with the chemical doing it's stuff and breaking it down. There is no poo smell at all. 

This is the bottom tank which will need emptying.

I bought this toilet fluid at Go Outdoors for £7. It's going to last for ages. 

Instructions on the back on how much to use. You can put some in the top tank with the water if you so wish.

When it comes to emptying it has a carrying handle, the contents will not leak out however you carry it. Turn the outlet round, unscrew the cap, and tip into a designated disposal unit at the camp site. You could possibly take it home and put it down your own toilet. The label on the container says it is suitable for home use. 

There are other methods of organising your toilet requirements, the bucket and chuck it for instance. But I do recommend using the proper chemical to kill all smells. I have seen pictures of a sturdy bucket with a rim placed over the top made with pipe insulation slotted over it to soften the sharp edge. Some use a swimming pool spaghetti floaty thing. I won't go into the sitting with your bum over a log in the wood and burying it method. There are plenty of yooootooob videos covering that. 

Anyway, that's all for now. Time for lunch, then I'll go and do my local walk. Thanks for popping in.  Toodle pip. ilona