train toilets/rest rooms

Any Indian toilet in cattle class will be an enlightening experience. Tell her you are researching the worst train bogs in the world and you need her perpective from a female angle, or leave her at home?

I've always left her at home, now I want her to come with me. We've been on the California Zephyr (I think that that was what it was called, Chicago to San Francisco) and she enjoyed that but we had our own compartment, toilet and shower included. I've found 1st class in India OK but then I'll put up with a lot.

Sounds like she's better travel mate at home.

Why would she care?
Hygenic for whom?

GOD BLESS SOLO TRAVEL

I know, I know.

folded newspaper?

Women are funny about such things.

Are you serious?! That is one fantastic trip! Wish I could do it.
I assume your wife is also an ardent traveler, and ready to hit the road for several months. If not, then there will be more serious problemsd than dealing with the loos.
I've been on some of those trains; always first class. Obviously, for your wife the first class accomodations would be "mo better". But even then, as you well know, you will frequently have to share the cabin with two or more other passengers, unless you pay for the entire cabin. My take is that more and more train lines are adding western type w/c seats. You will recall that in India they give you a choice. And, if I remember correctly, on the Beijing/Hong Kong line, the first class passengers had a "chamber pot" for their convenience; again, first class, two passengers to a cabin.
Tell your wife it will not be too bad. That she will probably not be inconvenienced that much; just "go with the flow"(!!!).

Any tips; yes here goes, I cracked it in China so after reading this she should be ok.

1) dont just drop the cargo trousers (take them off) otherwise she may have an accident.
2) squat down and line up over the drop zone.
3) now its a question of balance put the right hand on the edge of the window and the left hand on the door.
4) relax and adopt the position of an olympic ski jumper just before they fly off the ski ramp
5) this is the hard part, sway with the rhythm of the train but keeping your aim dead centre of the hole.
6) important part this; dont forget paper, there isnt any in the toilet.

Thats it; she will get better with practice, before you go try a dry run - take her out buy her a very large meal get her very, very, drunk so that she is swaying all over the place open the loo door and chuck her in, it should then be akin to a squat toilet on a train.

Most important of all - be sure you really want to go. The legs will quickly cramp up in the unaccustomed squatting position , then you will not be able to rise again.....
Of course, in India, one seldom does not need to go.....

In my young days I used to take off my trousers and hold them above my head as I straddled the hole, standing.
But in the last 10 years I've got wiser and more cunning. Here's how to do it: -

1) straddle hole
2) take trousers down to your knees
3) bend forward from the waist, and bend your knees
4) with one hand, pull trousers forward
5) with other hand, either hold the rail or push firmly on one knee to brace yourself.
6) aaaaah!

In 10 years of using this technique I haven't yet had an 'accident'.