Vacation Tips – MALAYSIA WORLD HERITAGE TRAVEL SITE

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.

Travelling With Kids

Kids are a blessing, but travelling with them can be a big challenge if you aren’t prepared. It won’t be long before your kids start the ‘are we there yet’ and ‘I’m bored’ mantras. Kids tend to be distracted and restless easily. They constantly need something new to do – whether you are driving down to your holiday destination, or you are flying, or going on a boat, unless you are equipped with many things to keep your children occupied, it might be a stressful trip.

Travelling should be fun for everyone. Besides, nothing teaches you more than travelling does. You learn essential life skills, you learn to appreciate the small things, you learn to be independent and understand different ways of different people. It needs to be a much enjoyed experience for your kids as well. Here are some ideas to help you help your kids:

If you have a very young baby, pack all that you are going to need. Food, bottles, sanitisers, antiseptic, change of clothes, diapers, toys etc. If your baby can only consume a particular kind of food, it is a good idea to carry a generous supply. Don’t rely on your destination for supplies for your baby.

If your kids are a bit older, involve them in the travel plans from the very beginning. Kids love it when you make them feel that they are an absolutely essential part of the planning of the trip. Give them responsibilities. For example, tell them they are in charge of packing the picnic baskets and choosing the music that you are going to play. Also make them in charge of gadgets – cameras, video games etc. When they feel grown up, they will act grown up.

It is a good learning experience, apart from imparting a great deal of confidence in your child, to sit down with a map and trace the path you are going to be taking. If you are going to drive, mark out the spots on the map where you will stop at.

Have enough games that you can play while you drive. Even simple games where you ask your child to count the number of animals you see on the way will keep them interested for a while. Play words games or memory games. When on a plane, carry colouring books, illustrated story books etc.

Having snacks handy can relieve you of a lot of stress. Kids like to munch. Although, remember to keep the sugar intake low – you don’t want your child testing everybody’s patience!

In the end, even if your experience travelling with your kids isn’t very peaceful, it will be worth it as it will be an experience that you will look back on and wish you could relive it.