Traveling can be daunting in itself--packing just enough but not too much, getting to and from the airport, finding lodging, and attempting not to get lost are all stressful features. But, maintaining a cruelty-free lifestyle while abroad can be a whole other challenge in itself. Many countries' cultures rely heavily on meat (Germany, Spain, England), cheese (France, Switzerland, Italy), and other animal products. This may discourage someone leading a vegan lifestyle to travel to these places or all together.
Having lived in Europe for a year and maintaining veganism sometimes was a challenge; however, it is easier than you think. Here are some tips for staying cruelty-free whilst traveling the world.
1. Plan Ahead
There's a likely change that your discount flight won't provide you any food-- and the food you can purchase will most likely not be vegan. To make sure your stomach isn't waking up your seat mate on the flight, pack some vegan snacks in your carry-on. Search which foods are and aren't allowed through security and pack accordingly (Think popcorn, trail mix, dried fruit). This can save you the stress of traveling with an empty stomach as well as those pesky high-priced airport foods (The price can triple once you get past security). If you forgot to pack food however, these places may offer vegan food that you can bring on the plane.
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2. Grocery Stores are Your Best Friend
Most people don't think to buy groceries while their traveling, but it can save you the expense of eating out for every meal and the stress if you cannot find a vegan-friendly restaurant. Buying a small amount of groceries allows you to pack snacks for yourself throughout the day and can ease stress if the restaurant your traveling group chooses doesn't cater to your diet. Every countries' grocery store has something vegan in it, whether that be fruit, rice, cereal, veggies, or other snack foods.
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3. The Internet is Your Friend!
Your one click away from finding a vegan or vegan-friendly restaurant near you. Good websites are http://happycow.net, http://tripadvisor.com, http://veganrestaurantfinder.com, and so much more. There are blogs dedicated to finding vegan options in certain cities that give you the address, price range, and types of foods offered. Looking up this information while you have wifi can be a lifesaver-- just screenshot the address and name of the restaurant and you'll be on your way to an international vegan meal!
https://www.google.es/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&sou...
*Pro-tip: The vegan restaurant Loving Hut has locations all over the world!
4. When in Doubt, Ask it Out
Most restaurants want their customers to be satisfied, even if that means making a few tweaks to a dish to make it vegan. Ask for pasta without the butter or cheese, ask if they have soya milk as an option for coffee, or even just asked for a steamed/cooked veggie dish. Most restaurants will cater to you for no extra cost. Some may be more difficult than others, but you have to remember that you are not a burden, you're simply maintaining the cruelty-free lifestyle that you've dedicated yourself too. Asking will also save you from eating boring salads the whole time
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5. Be Informative but Friendly
Veganism is a foreign concept in some countries like Spain or the Czech Republic. Their interpretation of a vegetarian salad has fish or chicken in it. So if you get some weird look or questions about veganism, don't feel shy or embarrassed to talk about it, just remain polite. Certain cultures pride themselves on meat and other animal products and while you know this is morally wrong to you, you do not want to offend their culture over a simple question.
https://www.google.es/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&sou...
6. You Will Not Be Missing Out
While it is true that food is a huge part of traveling and experiencing another country's culture, that does not mean that you are missing out by choosing not to eat their traditional food if it comes from an animal. There are so many aspects to a culture like music, language, entertainment, and way of life that don't center around food. Don't feel guilty. You're still experiencing a culture without having eaten their traditional duck or lamb.
https://www.google.es/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&sou...
7. Don't Let What's Known Keep You From Traveling Elsewhere
While it is obvious that Asian food will most always have a vegan option, don't let that deter you from traveling to Budapest, Prague, or Edinburgh. There are great vegan options in almost every major city despite the country. Having traveled to 32 cities in one year and lived in two (one that was not very catering to vegans), there was not one place that did not have at least one vegan restaurant or a good vegan option that wasn't just a salad. Don't let your stomach do the deciding for you. Travel wherever you want to.
https://www.google.es/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&sou...
So now you can go out and explore the world, cruelty-free style!
