Raw on Travel

[lynnc72]

Over one month raw and wondering how everyone stays raw on travel?

I'm thinking of ski trips this winter and maybe Italy/Europe next summer.

[IamLoved]

Hi,

I am currently writing a book about this subject as the first time I went raw, 2years ago, we traveled extensively the whole time and I never strayed from raw once the whole time.

Sorry this probably won't be of much help right away, but maybe when I am done it will! It can be done, and it's easier than you think too. Good luck!

[Mialsse]

Compared to when we were just vegan and trying to find all the speciality vegan soy based products while traveling, now THAT is a pain in the butt - RAW vegan is a piece of cake.

I really do find it quite easy to remain raw while traveling. You can find produce just about ANYWHERE, and most of it is grab and go.

We bring our blender with us when we travel, so smoothies are always an option. A good knife, fork, and a big container for whipping up a salad. A cooler and ice. That's about it! Then just hit up the produce section of any local store, and you're good to go. You may not have all the special ingredients or exotic produce available in every town, but it's very easy to make do.

[lynnc72]

Mialsse, you make it sound so easy! There's hope for traveling, yay!!

Could you pack a kitchen knife in your luggage? How do you get past airport security?

I didn't know they let you bring anything sharp period. I'm very curious to know if anyone else has done that.

[DavidZaneMason]

I had NO problems eating raw traveling in Italy or Greece. There were PLENTY of markets....fresh fruit & vegetable vendors......and the little restaurants almost always had fresh fruit. Only in America are the restaurants fresh fruit free...heh..heh. Anyway...there is no where you can go....in my experience...that you can't barter for local produce. Keep a little cooler or insulated bag to keep your produce in. Just keeping foods in a ziploc bag in sink half-full of water will keep it quite cool....and well preserved......when that's what's available.

-Just my experiences.

-David Z. Mason

[RawHeaven]

Could you pack a kitchen knife in your luggage? How do you get past airport security?

Mialsse may have just been speaking about road trips in the car, but I'm curious too. I have metal in my leg and airport security gave me the third degree during my last trip! If I had a knife in my luggage, they would've just loved that. lol.

Good tips though...I'm going to buy a new bag just for my appliances. :)

[RawHeaven]

I had NO problems eating raw traveling in Italy or Greece. There were PLENTY of markets....fresh fruit & vegetable vendors......and the little restaurants almost always had fresh fruit.
-David Z. Mason

Isn't that the truth! Yet, I'm afraid to venture back to Italy because of the mouth watering delicacies. I always visited when I was SAD and nearly lost my mind eating. I will really need to be entrenched in the raw food lifestyle, 100%, before I even think about setting foot again on Italian soil. ha.

[gkk2001]

I travel by car every week, 2 - 4 days on the road. I have a VitaMix with their travel bag on wheels. Its something I cannot be without. Then as the earlier post said, a cooler and a few utensils and I am good to go. It will never be the same as home, but you make do.:)

[rawstrength]

I'm going to Japan and China for a month each this year (lucky me). Anyone have any advice for raw in Asia? I've heard that the produce in China is really unclean and so most people do not eat raw produce.
I went to Spain a year and a half ago during the summer, and it was amazing! The open air markets had a dizzing variety of fruits and veggies at incredible prices. So I know it can be done in Europe, but I've never been to Asia before.
Also, I'm going off to college next year! Anyone have any advice about that?
I agree that raw in the mediterranean is paradise.

[GypsiAnsara]

I fly a lot, and as far as sharp and "dangerous" objects go, as long as you put them in your checked luggage and they are safely packed, it is fine. Gone are the days of traveling with a handy pocket knife!

As far as what you want to take with you on the plane? Well... that can be difficult. Solid food is okay, but no smoothies or liquids whatsoever. I usually bring two bottles of water to the airport, chug them in line, then before we are going to board I go to the bathroom at the airport and my body is nice and hydrated for the flight.

A Magic Bullet blender is handy to travel with. You can make nut pates and smoothies with it, as well as things like salsa and pudding. It is so tiny it hardly takes up any room at all!

I always travel with sweet and savory crackers and nut butter, which keeps well even if I don't have a fridge. Then I can pick up other stuff as I go. Also a small wooden chopping board (and paring knife) is very handy. Also, I have soft-sided, packable coolers, both large and small sizes.

As for China? I've had this conversation with family - and it would definitely be harder. Not impossible... but you'd need to bring iodine or something to soak/wash the vegetables in first, and even then, peel everything (even fruit).

My past experience with restaurant salads in Asia has been hilarious. A common dish seems to be "glorious purple mountain covered in snow" or an enormous plate of raw purple cabbage smothered in mayonnaise. In Thailand I was presented with plates of fried shredded beef which they insisted was vegetarian salad - not just once, many times. I have to say, I wouldn't trust raw salad in China. Unless you were at somewhere very fancy where a lot of foreigners eat.

There is always beautiful seasonal fruit to be had though - as long as you go prepared and do your research and bring some supplemental stuff like sprouted and dehydrated nuts and seeds perhaps, you should be able to do it!

Remember, just because you see local people eating something raw (or drinking the water!) doesn't mean you can. Trust me! I know from experience!! AND DON'T HAVE ANY ICE!!!

Happy travels! :)

[RawHeaven]

I'm going to Japan and China for a month each this year (lucky me). Anyone have any advice for raw in Asia? I've heard that the produce in China is really unclean and so most people do not eat raw produce.

This is true that it's still probably tough to be raw in China. I was in China in 2000for 6 weeks. I wasn't raw at the time; was a vegan. You basically do not eat food from markets and stick to restaurants. I'm not sure where you're traveling exactly, but I was in Beijing, Shanghai and Xian for the most part. Beijing and Shanghai had an influx of western influenced restaurants. There's a hard rock cafe in Shanghai for example, so 8 years later it's probably multipied I would imagine. As far as being raw there, may be kind of tough, you'll probably have to play it by ear. I would stick to nuts, seeds and maybe getting produce from the restaurants. Not kidding about this unless you want to bring home a bug in your intestines...several of my traveling companions experienced serious complications with their bowels when they ignored the advice. Not wanting to scare you, just being real about it. We were also told not to drink the water, which is common sense I think...just drink bottled water. You're much safer eating at the five star hotel restaurants, like the Sheraton etc. We did find a few local restaurants that were really good, fresh produce, etc. Good luck and have fun...but keep your expectations moderate with regard to what you're going to be able to eat there.

If traveling to monasteries is in your itinerary, you may find success finding fresh raw meals there. Not sure if they serve them to the public still, but we had a delicious veggie raw meal when we went up to visit some Buddhist monks in the WuTai mountains.

I've never been to Japan, but I'm guessing you'll have much better success at being Raw there from what I've heard from friends who've been.

Again, enjoy! It's an amazing experience.

Edit: Wanted to add that it's not necessarily that the food is unsanitary. It's simply they process food differently, especially produce and they have more immunity to various forms of bacteria that either in the west is cleared from the food or doesn't even exist here (from the water etc). Westerners simply don't have built up immunity to fight off some of these critters.

[rawstrength]

Thank you so much for sharing your experiences, crystalzgoneraw. I may have to give up on raw while traveling, but I will definitely stay vegan and healthy.

[k80p]

I might be traveling to Taiwan in the next few months. Do you know if it's possible to bring some food with you into the country? Maybe not raw produce but things like nuts/seeds, packaged raw seaweed, dehydrated raw food like flax crackers, cold pressed olive oil, nut butter, supplements, and green superfoods.

[RawHeaven]

I might be traveling to Taiwan in the next few months. Do you know if it's possible to bring some food with you into the country? Maybe not raw produce but things like nuts/seeds, packaged raw seaweed, dehydrated raw food like flax crackers, cold pressed olive oil, nut butter, supplements, and green superfoods.

It would be a good idea to check with the Taiwanese Consulate in your area to be certain your goodies aren't confiscated at the gate. The only thing that comes to mind is drug trafficking is a big deal there and people sometimes hide drugs in food. They don't mess around with that and may not allow food into the country. When I went to Bali, I transfered in Taipei and they were confiscating people's food...maybe things have changed now, but check. http://www.traveldocs.com/tw/embassy.htm

Or check with the US Dept of State - sometimes they have "do and don't travel tips" recordings by country.

Have fun! :)

[RawHeaven]

Thank you so much for sharing your experiences, crystalzgoneraw. I may have to give up on raw while traveling, but I will definitely stay vegan and healthy.

You're welcome rawstrength. You will definately be able to stay vegan. Keep in mind my experience is from a few years ago so things may have changed for the better. Let us know how it went when you come back. Hope you're going to the Great Wall - don't miss that - it will blow your mind! Pictures don't do it justice. :D

[rawstrength]

Here's a cute video abour raw travel. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRB1LmYjVAk
Have fun everyone!

[Vegan Princess]

Just back from a couple weeks in Thailand. I didn't stay 100%, but ate tons of raw. It was much easier to eat the raw fruit and veggies b/c I knew they were vegan whereas most other things have fish sauce. Also, I got a stomach ache every time I ate any cooked Thai food. It's very easy to find the most amazing fruit and coconuts there though. I also brought tons of trail mix and bars and was thankful to have them. I think anything dry should be allowed into the country fine - just no raw fruit or anything like that allowed through customs.

Cindy

[Marin Mom]

If you have a dehydrater, what if you got really busy with that and dried a whole bunch of fruit and veggies and hydrated them with bottled water once there as needed? I was reading about a guy who traveled in India, stayed raw (and was the only one who stayed healthy in his group) and he dehydrated greens from home and had smoothies once there.