Caravanning across Australia is a dream for many, offering wide-open landscapes, golden sunsets, and unforgettable wildlife encounters. For some, the lure of the open road is strong enough to quit jobs, sell houses, and set off on a year-long journey with family. But alongside the freedom and natural beauty, there are certain less glamorous realities—tasks that remind travellers that life on the road isn’t always picture-perfect.
One such chore is dealing with the caravan toilet. Known in the community by the not-so-endearing nickname “the devil’s suitcase,” the cassette-style toilets need to be emptied regularly at designated dump points. It’s an unpleasant but essential part of caravanning life, and things don’t always go as planned. Ashley Moy, a father of three travelling around Australia with his family, learned this the hard way during a stop in Alice Springs.
After arriving in the Northern Territory town, the family discovered that their caravan toilet needed to be emptied. Ashley, describing the process with a dose of sarcasm, called it a “very common but enjoyable chore.” As he unscrewed the cap of the waste cassette to dispose of the contents at a dump site, things took an unfortunate turn. While packing away the hose used for cleaning, he accidentally knocked the cap into the dump point hole and watched helplessly as it dropped into the tank of human waste below.
For most people, that would be the end of the story. But Ashley saw the cap as too valuable to leave behind. “If you don’t have the cap, you run the real risk of your waste sloshing out of the cassette,” he explained, calling that potential disaster simply “yuck.” Refusing to accept the loss, Ashley decided to go after it.
Armed with a pair of kitchen tongs, Ashley attempted what many would consider a waking nightmare. A video shared online shows him reaching into the septic tank while gagging, as his wife Rachel films the ordeal and laughs in the background. In a display of sheer determination—and stomach strength—he managed to retrieve the cap by plunging his arm deep into the tank.
The clip quickly caught attention online, with viewers horrified and amused in equal measure. Some admitted they were dry heaving just watching it, while others called it their “worst nightmare.” But for Ashley, the discomfort was worth it. He was able to secure the lid and avoid a far messier situation inside the caravan.
As for the tongs used in the operation, Ashley offered no further details, cheekily suggesting, “Let’s leave the tongs up to people’s imagination.”
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