I’ve always hated bloggers’ help lists. As if I couldn’t have figured that out on my own? But one of my favourite bloggers made a checklist for travelling. you know one of those cross-off while packing, and I kind of liked it. What I’m trying to say is, that you probably already have your way of making sure traveling is not a bitch when trying to stay gluten- and dairy free. I know I have mine, and I want to share it with you. If you have any good ideas and tips, don’t refrain from sharing them with me – maybe I will make a fancy travel-list some day! ;).
1. Research: Make a list of restaurants, cafés and supermarkets that may sell gluten- and dairy free products.
2. Packing: If you go by plain – pack food in the luggage you check in that can survive a long plain-trip. I usually pack crackers, rice-cakes and nuts. Food that is dry and does not need a fridge. Other types of transport: Not that difficult to pack some food, nuts, fruit and other things that will silence the small hunger until arriving at your destination.
3. On the way: Bring packed lunch for the waiting in the airport or the long bus-ride.
4. Checked in: Go for a trip downtown to the nearest supermarket and buy fruit and what else you can find that can help you while checking out possible eating locations.
5. Holiday: Go for an adventure. Do not be afraid of asking for whatever allergic specifications you need. Usually everybody loves a paying customer and is willing to go far to make sure you can eat at their restaurant/Café as well.
As I suddenly found myself, for the first time ever, in the Chicago Airport waiting for my last plane to Atlanta, I was first of all reminded why I should travel more often. All my worries and insecurities was gone. I was well-balanced. No questions asked. On the move, I find myself calm and inspired to write and be creative.
The border-control was not what I had expected. Everything went smooth. I don’t know why I thought it wouldn’t, honestly. And as I walked down the poorly signed corridors wondering where on earth I was going to end, a few things hit me:
Americans apparently loves signs. However, it seems to me that they don’t know how to make them efficient. Read: I found it very difficult to find out where on earth transferring was going to happen in Chicago Airport and feared I was going to end up on the streets instead. Which would have been an adventure also, just not the one I had in mind for this particular trip.
In front of every McDonalds there was a line. And there was several. Fast food seemed to be the only thing people ate.
Why oh why do you have so much water in your cisterns? I mean one really, really cannot hide what ever one is doing behind the closed doors of the toilet. All the unnecessary sounds one make… And all the water used. Environmentally, that cannot be good either.
With that being said. Atlanta was amazing. The Americans I met was amazing. So open. So charitable. So inspiring. All in all, this city visit was a bid different from all the other towns and countries I’ve been to. Visiting friends just changes a visit from being tourist to becoming more under the radar and more local – despite it being quite clear that it is a tourist walking around when the only sigh of amazement she uses is shit. It is a really good way of experiencing a city, as one benefits from other peoples’ experiences from meeting the community and have a clear vision of what to see.
After what I’ve learned this is apparently, must see’s
Firstly, Martin Luther King Jr. Museum (An amazing opportunity to learn about a very big part of the American history of the fight for civil rights! I found this museum very inspiring. There is a lot of information and it can seem overwhelming. But the different videos and movies shown frequently sums up the different texts. His story is so inspiring. And the museum is all free.).
The Jimmy Carter Museum (A great comparison to the Martin Luther King Jr. Museum – A LOT of information, but interesting all together.)
The Center for Civil and Human Rights. (A museum that sums up the history of human rights. Probably the coolest museum I’ve ever been to. GO THERE! If, of course, you like me find human rights and the history surrounding it interesting).
The Centennial Olympic Park (Make a picnic – try to find your country on the overview of that years olympic winners, carved in stone. Let your kids run through the fountain of the olympic rings. All in all, a very hyggelig park with many opportunities).
The Coca Cola museum (I did not go myself, my friends did not find that was necessary and I kind of thought the above mentioned things a bit more interesting. But, if I was travelling with kids I would). Georgia Aquarium (Again, the same goes for this activity. But I did include it, if any families are reading along).
Art along the Beltline. Take a closer look and see if you can find the computerpart in this particular piece.
All things considered, I would suggest taking a stroll in the streets of Atlanta. Take an uber downtown and walk between the huge skylines, or take an uber to Little Five Points and go shop in the antic stores – a part of the city that changes according to what time of day you walk around. Go eat at Krog Street Market or take a stroll down Eastside BeltLine trail and see the art that is placed along this walk and end up in the Ponce City Market for dinner or lunch. The possibilities is endless and there seems to be a lot more possibilities. If you are going check out this webside for more information.
For the gluten and dairy-free trip to Atlanta, I wouldn’t be alarmed and worried. Atlanta is by far probably the easiest city to travel to, when having allergies. It is a really good idea to google restaurant possibilities, because there is a lot of amazing eating possibilities – not fastfood, by the way. Maybe, just go to a supermarket and shop. There is a lot of different opportunities there (and it is a sightseeing in itself). Or, just ask. Everyone’s amazingly helpful and are willing to help making sure you can eat what they serve in the restaurants.
And if all things fails, just buy Ben & Jerry’s Dairy Free ice-cream. There is unfortunately only two out of the 4-5 dairy-free flavours that is also glutenfree – but the coffee caramel thingy is AMAZING!!!
Now, this is a travel I wouldn’t mind taking again another time!
Next week, I am going on an adventure. And I am super excited about this. I am going to the US and visit a couple of friends of mine living in Atlanta, Georgia at the moment. I cannot wait, even though I have literally postponed all unnecessary preparations until the last minute. A pile of clothes is already to be packed on my chair. The last arrangements are being made. Documents printed. Downloading of books and audio-books.
A little butterfly is tumbling around in my stomach and I am incredibly nervous and excited. I have never had the pleasure to visit the US, and visiting good friends seems like the perfect opportunity! I have always been curious about other cultures – there is a reason why I’ve studied Middle East Studies and Study of Religion.
But first, a celebration of love between two amazing people are being held in this weekend and I am attending. It is a small journey on 3-4 hours, but what don’t you do for friends. I am wondering whether to give a small speech. We’ll see.
So, all in all, many things are about to happen. Most of all, I am looking forward to press pause from the frustration of looking for a job and enjoy life for a little while before life calls again.
Hope you all are doing well, wherever you are reading from. Have a nice weekend.
In the summer of 2014 I spent 3 weeks in beautiful Jordan on a language adventure. I was in Jordan to advance my level of arabic – and what an experience.
I must admit at first being a little skeptical, however, the warmth of the people in Jordan grew on me. I fell in love with the beautiful landscapes and the amazing tradition and culture in Jordan. It is definitely not the last time I’ll spend some time in this beautiful country.
Walking in the massive and at times mysterious dessert, wandering what this hugh sandpit contains of secrets and mysterious guests. Or the surprise it was to visit beautiful Dana, which was easier to get to than going from.
Dana is a little spot in Jordan with beautiful parks and primitive accommodations.
Despite it being primitive in most ways, it was a peaceful experience to sit on top of a roof eating breakfast and enjoying the view of the mountains crawling in on you.
Despite the difficulties getting away from this amazing place, it was worth a trip and I really advice everyone doing an effort to get to this little spot of heaven. Honestly, DO IT. I could have stayed there forever, just letting nature amaze me. Sometimes I am in awe of the amazing masterpiece God has created. God never ceases to amaze me.
When you spend time in another country so different from your own background your perspective broadens. My believes and my opinions is still the same after this trip, however, my perspective has changed drastically during my stay here. God reminded me of that he loves all human beings, also the ones on the other side of the boarder of Israel. I met an amazing woman, my teacher, who kept telling us students at the language-school I attended, that “we’re all just humans”. Despite all the traumer she must have been through, she still held her head up high and came into the other side with a charitable worldview.
There is a lot of different, jet amazing people in the world, that just keeps amazing me. The jordanians are not the only ones.
Firstly, Martin Luther King Jr. Museum (An amazing opportunity to learn about a very big part of the American history of the fight for civil rights! I found this museum very inspiring. There is a lot of information and it can seem overwhelming. But the different videos and movies shown frequently sums up the different texts. His story is so inspiring. And the museum is all free.).
The Center for Civil and Human Rights. (A museum that sums up the history of human rights. Probably the coolest museum I’ve ever been to. GO THERE! If, of course, you like me find human rights and the history surrounding it interesting).
