Our journey through the world of taps of various shapes, sizes, uses, and models continued unabated.

In the modern jet age, air travel is no longer rare, and many have experienced the pleasures of its discomforts, especially when it comes to using the graciously telephone-booth-sized, claustrophobically designed airplane toilets. Sometimes, even making a five-degree turn becomes a sweat-inducing maneuver. But credit where it’s due—everything is within touching distance, unfortunately, even the bowl. And if you are traveling abroad, you’ll learn to use those ultra-thin cleansing tissues. How do they manage to make paper so thin? It’s finer than the now proverbial muslin. It’s all so cute, like a toy house, but with one major difference—mostly adults spend time here.

One could wax eloquent about the awe-inspiring washbasin, perfectly matching the proud size of a soup bowl. If you put your hand in, the entire basin might be covered. Despite these limitations, somehow one has to manage to wash. Operating the troublesome tap is a riddle that will create alternate pathways in your brain. On one occasion, when I was using it, I forgot to notice that the drain hole was closed. Within nanoseconds, the basin filled up and was about to overflow into the constricting confines of the tiny toilet. With a bang, I managed to shut off the tap. After another five minutes of struggling, I finally figured out how to remove the stopper. Ooph!

If I recall correctly, these torturous taps operate in different ways in different aircraft. My already dull mind had been further dulled by these experiences, making it difficult to remember how each type of tap operated.

Kudos to all these innovations.

To be continued... 57. Tapestry of Confusions - Part 3