How Is Like Being A Vegetarian Traveler Of The World

By Author: Manoj Upadhyay
Total Articles: 22
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After visiting 23 countries in the last 8 months, I can confidently say that being a vegetarian in all foreign countries is not that difficult, but I must tell that it is not that easy as well. The main problem in most countries is to communicate that you want only vegetable-based food on your plate. The language is the barrier, not the food. The best idea that I implemented in every country was to simply say that I want vegetarian food, if they understand English. Else, I try to pick up the local phrases to say the same, and try to communicate my demands.
 
If nothing works, I know that I finally have to show them my placard that has pictures of chicken, fish, cow, and pig on it with the ‘not allowed’ pictogram on them. As they say, a picture is worth more than a thousand words.
 
Researching the restaurant
 
It often happens that most of the restaurants in the vicinity serve only meat-based meals. That is why; I prefer to research well in advance about the restaurants that serve vegetarian foods as well. It helps a lot to save myself from ...
... the embarrassment if I have to get up from the restaurant table after discovering that there are no vegetarian meals available.
 
When I was in Jordan, I had to find myself a suitable restaurant beforehand because I had had enough of negative replies since the last few days. There were days when I had to survive on bread and butter in many countries, which was the hard way that I learned from my mistakes.
 
The joy of being in my homeland
 
The easiest country to survive for a person with food preferences like me is India. Not only I could get vegetarian food, I would often find the tastiest version of it. Kadhai Paneer and Paneer Butter Masala are the best versions of the luxurious cottage cheese that I like.  I don’t know how to describe the delectable version of it that I had found in West Delhi, but I asked for the manager when I was done with the food, and thanked him for the food that he had got me served.
 
I don’t need to stock up the vegetables when I am in India because ican get them anywhere. I just take my Car Rentals in Mumbai or wherever I am, and wander around without worrying for my next meal.
 
I don’t complain about having special food preferences, but it does get frustrating sometimes to ask everyone to notice what I want to convey. The main problem occurs when we are short of money and we cannot go to the expensive supermarkets to buy the fresh or frozen food. Singapore, for example, is visibly expensive even when you want a cold sandwich.
 
In the expensive countries, I try to stock up lots of packets of ready-to-make noodles, coffee, tea bags, chips, and snacks. Even bad food is better than going hungry for an entire meal time. However, the worse never happens if I am already prepared.