A few years ago, you could usually find paper towels in public bathrooms. These were useful for many reasons, not the least bit for actually drying your hands i

A few years ago, you could usually find paper towels in public bathrooms. These were useful for many reasons, not the least bit for actually drying your hands in <10 seconds. After a long drive, you could freshen up by washing your face, then pat dry. Now you have to carry your own towels, or walk out wet. You could use paper to hold open the door handle that others doubtlessly touched with their unwashed hands, so you wouldn't defeat your own washing in turn. You could even brush your teeth -- perhaps this sounds ill-advised, but most homes have toothbrushes sitting closer to toilets than you'd find in a public bathroom. Then nicer washrooms began replacing their paper with modern air dryers: not even the old-style World Dryers that actually generate heat, but ones based on extremely fast air at room- or lukewarm temps. These are hardly more effective than vigorously shaking your hands and spewing your own water everywhere, and typically work best when used in concert with the former. Complimentary towels were convenient, but now -- except for truck stops, or long-forgotten gas stations where time stands still -- they're extremely rare. For me, disposable ones are now part of my travel kit.