How To Travel as a Vegetarian
Being vegetarian has its own benefits. Talk to your vegetarian/vegan friends and they will give you an endless list of reasons why you should be vegetarian. When it comes to travelling, however, vegetarians definitely suffer in comparison. Unless you are a foodie, travelling to a new place might mean you could hate the food and have to go hungry – one of the reasons why some people find travelling stressful.
Most vegetarians end up surviving on soups, fries from Mc Donald’s, ice creams and other beverages especially when they travel to countries which are big meat eaters like a lot of the East Asian countries, USA and Australia. End result – your trip isn’t half as fun as it could have been. If you have chosen to be vegetarian, it most definitely does not mean you need to starve wherever you go; all it needs is some planning and some work on your part.
First, obtain the food habit details of the place you are travelling to. The internet is the answer to most of your problems. You are likely to come across local vegetarian cuisine. As more people turn vegan, many restaurants and hotels are equipping themselves to cater to new needs. Choose a hotel where food to your demands is served. Learn the translation to “vegetarian” and “vegetables” if the place you are heading to does not speak English. Being able to say “No meat” in the vernacular language will help immensely.
If you find that obtaining vegetarian food is going to be difficult, it is always advisable to pack your own food. Some extra particular travellers even carry a small electric cooker, obtain rice or vegetables from the local markets, and cook up their own food wherever they are. Check what local vegetables are available; you might end up cooking something absolutely delicious.
Of course, cereal, toast, fries, fruits, salads, juices, tea, coffee etc are universally available vegetarian foods. If you are happy surviving on these, nothing like it.
Take care to see that you don’t react or make a face if you are served with meat. Do not cringe or tell off someone, or launch into your prepared speech on how bad meat is. When in Rome, live like the Romans, is what they say. Politely refuse the food brought to you and patiently explain your requirement. Not everybody understands vegetarianism, and some cultures consider it extremely rude to refuse food.
You need to help yourself when you are out and about. Plan in advance and make sure you do your research so you enjoy your trip like you should.
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