Have Tofu, Will Travel: Tips for Vegans and Vegetarians on the Go

Finding food on a trip, especially a lengthy one, as a vegan or vegetarian, has its challenges. Here are some tips for newbies for making your travel successful without adopting a starvation diet.

1. Research your location before your trip. Websites like www.vegdining.com and www.vegguide.org are excellent sources of information for dining worldwide. Another good place to look is The International Vegetarian Union at www.ivu.org, which has been promoting vegetarian lifestyles since well before you were born. Check out veggie-friendly B&Bs here: www.happycow.net/travel/bb_retreats.html Having a plan in advance will prevent panic and frustration later. Chances are, depending on where you're going, you may not get a lot of help from locals who are frequently unhip to veggie culture.

2. Link up with other vegetarians in your locale if you can, using websites like www.craigslist.org (which has a vegan message board) or groups on myspace or livejournal, etc. The options, these days, are thankfully endless. Most will be willing to share insider information with you, like what organic markets exist in the area, where to find farmer's markets, and which vegetarian restaurants you've researched are actually still in business. You might also find some interesting other opportunities like animal sanctuaries to volunteer at, festivals or interest, or demonstrations to participate in if you're so inclined.

3. Change your airline meal in advance. Airlines offer vegetarian meal options, with most also offering a "strict vegetarian" option which is as close to vegan as one can get. You will need to call your airline directly to make the change. This means that if you booked through a third-party website such as Travelocity or Cheaptickets, you will need to call to the actual airline you booked that ticket through, not the website itself. I try to do this several days in advance. Then, when you arrive to check-in at the airport request that airline staffers check to ensure that your change was actually made to avoid last minute surprises on the flight. Many a time, have I discovered that my request had not been honored and was told that it was too late to make any changes. However, I've learned that it's never too late until the airplane door closes, you just can't be afraid to make a fuss. Threaten to call management and miraculous things occur. Although the quality of your vegetarian fare will vary from airline to airline (with Asian and Indian airlines scoring the best with me), be sure to read ingrediants anyway, not every airline has got vegan dietary requirements down to the letter.

4. Just in case the above plan does fall through or you find yourself on a long stretch of an airport layover without many food options, you'll want to pack enough energy bars, PB&J, trail mix or other snacks to get you through and then some. I always pack more than I'm going to need, especially if I'm arriving late at my destination. In my experience, late night snack runs in an unfamiliar location almost always end with little loot worth speaking of. This way, you're prepared.

Lastly, here are some more excellent links to get you started:

Vegetarian travel company Veg Vogages: www.vegvoyages.com

Green Earth Travel: www.vegtravel.com

Vegetarians Abroad: www.vegetariansabroad.com

Vegetarian Travel Guide: www.vegetarianusa.com

The Punk Rock Traveler: www.punkrocktraveler.blogspot.com

I hope these simple suggestions will help you gentle spirits out there have a more comfortable journey! Bon voyage!