Travelling during the holidays can be the most exciting thing you’ve done all year, but also extremely stressful – especially if you follow a vegan lifestyle that isn’t always catered for by all transportation and accommodation services. In an attempt to keep your holiday vegan-friendly, I’ve listed my top three traveling tips below.
Transportation:
Whether you’re traveling on an airplane, train, or bus, always remember to plan your meals in advance and take a small packed lunch with you. Dried fruits and nuts, sealed in a plastic bag, are a great option. These snacks will keep you energised for your trip with their amazing nutritional values, but also provide you with something tasty to nibble on. Fresh fruit would work well too, but there’s a higher possibility of it getting squished in your hand luggage, and it will take up a lot more space than your bag of nutritional vegan goodies which are also more filling and calorically dense (keeping you energised for longer).
Even if you have the option to buy vegan food while you’re away, the options will most likely be overpriced when travelling on a student budget, so your packed snack will be a lifesaver. If you’re lucky enough to have an airline ticket that includes food on board, choose the vegan option, or the vegetarian (non-dairy) as some like to call it. In this case, your dried fruit will be a delicious dessert option.
Side note: take medjool dates- they’re absolutely delicious!
Accommodation:
Whether you’re at a hotel, hostel or B&B, make sure there’s a convenience store or supermarket close by. This will enable you to pop in every now and then to buy healthier and cheaper snacks than ones provided at tourist outlets in town.
If you choose accommodation that includes breakfast, make sure that the hotel/hostel you picked isn’t just serving bacon and eggs! B&Bs booked through AirB&B usually provide you with more flexibility because you can usually message the host in order to request a vegan breakfast. What’s even better about a B&B is that some of them include a kitchen with the rent, which is perfect not only for vegans but any student that’s travelling on a budget. Regardless of which restaurants you go to, the prices are always more expensive than if you were to buy food from a local supermarket. Having a kitchen where you can cook meals, which you could also take ‘on the go’ with you, is perfect for cooking simple dinners at home such as pasta and stir-fries.
Out and about:
Before rushing out to explore the city you’re in and act like a typical tourist, eager to check all the famous monuments off your ‘sight-seeing list,’ remember to check out some vegan restaurants in the area. This website finds vegan and vegetarian (friendly) restaurants in any city that you’re travelling in. Alternatively, tripadvisor is a website anyone can use to find restaurants in the area that suit their dietary needs and budget abilities. Both websites provide customer reviews and ratings, so if you’re travelling to a city that is commonly known as a tourist hot-spot, you won’t end up having to eat at a ‘tourist trap’ restaurant.