The conundrums of vegan travel

And how to ensure you get something to eat while abroad...

Your author and awesome partner, recently pictured at an eco-friendly retirement home for elephants in Thailand. After a life of logging and carting tourists around, in 2019, they were finally given a chance to live out their lives without abuse or work…

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Calling this substack Plant-based Planet means I can cover a host of different topics, all, of course, centering around food. And while my own journey to plant-based eating has environmental concern as a key tenet, I still travel internationally when I can.

While that doesn’t sit especially well with my beliefs, we always try to fly with the ‘greenest’ airline, and many booking sites now tell you the impact your flight will have. Skyscanner, for example, has a “Greener Choice” label, which highlights flights that emit less CO2 compared to the average for that route. They factor in aircraft efficiency and the distance flown to suggest more eco-friendly flight options.

You can, of course, travel by train, which is much more sustainable, but for many of us, a four hour flight compared to a two-day train journey just isn’t practical.

And, while being aware of greenwashing, there are many companies that help you offset your impact. Like deciding where to eat, travel takes conscious effort to try and ensure it really is the ‘greener’ option.

Muir Woods - fantastic trees that are well worth visitng - and hugging 😍

Thanks to generous friends and family, I’ve developed a global fruit-bearing ‘forest’ of 34 trees, with the good folk at Treedom. It’s real, impactful, and helps global farmers secure income across the developing world. This doesn’t make me feel smug when travelling, but it certainly eases my conscience.

The airline industry faces myriad challenges in making flights more sustainable. In our lifetimes, I foresee a world where casual travel will become prohibitively expensive, as fuel prices rise and - hopefully - global governments take action to reduce the amount of flights with things like carbon tax and reducing the number of short haul (less fuel efficient) flights.

Of course, climate change is increasing the frequency of extreme weather events, such as storms, hurricanes and heatwaves. These disruptions could lead to more frequent flight cancellations, delays, and rerouted flights, which might increase operational costs for airlines. And we, as passengers, may bear some of these costs through increased prices.

So, we face the dilemma of wanting to travel, but doing so with guilt. My approach is to travel less, but while abroad, take steps to ensure you travel mindfully, support local intitiatives and do your research beforehand to try and limit your impact.

While airlines, by their very nature, cannot claim to be truly sustainable, my research led me to try and travel using Etihad, (from the UK) the UAE’s national carrier, which is investigating using more Sustainable Aircraft Fuels, operates a very modern, more fuel efficient fleet, and is committed to net-zero emissions by 2050. I think the industry could try harder, but while people still want - and need - to travel, it’s a start.

We live in an imperfect world, after all. So, having said all that, I’d like to share some vegan tips for travel.

Unwinding in a national park in the rain, southern Thailand…

Top hacks for vegan travel

Your ethical and dietary food choices shouldn't be a hindrance to travel – with careful planning (and carbon offsetting) you can have an extremely rewarding - and hopefully enlightening – trip. Here's a brief guide to maximising your trip as a vegan.

1. Plan, plan, plan

You've got a budget, a destination in mind and a short list of (vegan-friendly) accommodation. But it's worth doing a deep dive before you go – do you really want to be connected to the internet every morning trying to work out things like how to say “no cheese!”, “where's the animal sanctuary?” or even worse – “where's the nearest vegan-friendly doctor?”

A few local area maps might be old school but always prove useful. In my experience, relying on your phone and ropey internet connectivty can be a pain. Before you travel, get on sites like Lonely Planet and vegantravel.com, and Happy Cow (of course) for food. You might be a member of several Facebook vegan groups, WhatsApp groups, MeetUps and forums. So why not start a conversation there about what to do, where to go, and ask for local area tips?

2. Pack for success

Travel light. You'll never regret it. Remember, you can often buy local, ethical clothes and products that not only support the makers at source, but you can often see first hand how things are produced. Pack yourself some basics – your favourite cruelty-free cosmetics might be hard to find, but be equally mindful of re-packaging small amounts into appropriate containers – saving space and avoiding the issue of burst bottles.

A few energy treats and supplements is a good idea too, as are vegan gifts for locals. Kids will rarely turn down a packet of colouring pencils and some vegan snacks. Nor would I, come to think of it…

3. Go armed with knowledge

Ignorance can lead to failure and disappointment, so take the time to learn some local phrases – or you could even resort to 'Point It', the lazy traveller’s photo-book which got me out of a few scrapes across central Asia and Siberia many years ago. A swift Google reveals how to say ‘vegan’ in most languages – and interestingly, many languages accept the word 'vegan' for what it is.

Local culture might dictate eating traditional food with the hands, or accepting what's passed to you, so make sure you know how to politely refuse that bowl of fermented horse milk, or the monkey brains being offered to you with great fanfare.

A handful of vocabulary - like the words for 'hello', 'please', 'thank you' and 'left' and 'right' can genuinely get you far. The Vegan Society offers an ‘Vegan Passport’ app, which helps you navigate language and menus in foreign lands.

On our last trip abroad, I discovered the joys of Google Translate, where you can use your phone to auto translate your language into most others. Having said that, a taxi driver arrived at our door, and I wanted to tell him I didn’t actually need his services. Turning to Google Translate, I showed him the written translation without looking - and for some reason it was telling him “I’m a hungry cow”. Possibly true, but very odd. Be warned!

4. Immerse Yourself

Let go of your fears when you travel – the best experiences come from being bold and daring, stepping outside your comfort zone. Be prepared to spread the vegan word, and maybe take the time to translate some basic facts about veganism to hand out politely to hosts, guides and friends you make on the way. Yes, you might end up accidentally receiving a marriage proposal, but if you've also taken the time to educate someone, that's good, right?

The Vegan Society produces some excellent cards thanking restaurants for providing vegan food, and others to hand out for when they don't. You might want to make your own cards before you travel – and help spread the word. My awesome partner made some restaurant thank you cards, and the staff - especially chefs - were always dleighted to receive one.

Remember, a lot of street food can easily be adapted to be vegan – especially if you are watching the dish be prepared before your eyes. Don't let your food choices and beliefs hold you back from enjoying an authentic experience. Immersing yourself in local culture means enjoying a place at its best, and you’re helping local businesses realise there’s a need for vegan dishes, too!

5. Do some good

Travelling is always good for the soul and the mind, but how about actually doing some good while you travel? Check out Earthwatch, for example, for global projects you can get involved in – from monitoring indigenous flora and fauna to archaeological digs and major scientific studies into climate, anthropology and animal behaviour, to name a few.

Everywhere we go we try and visit an animal sanctuary – they are always glad of donations and the offer of help. While protesting at certain 'tourist' attractions like monkey shows and elephant rides could land you in trouble, witnessing these archaic events and reporting online could help change perceptions.

6. Eat well

Everywhere has vegan food options these days, but sometimes the journey to a good meal can be difficult. Fruit and veg are available everywhere, of course. Don't automatically relegate your self to a restaurant's side dishes. Learn a little about the cuisine of the places you'll be visiting, and don't be afraid to ask. And supermarkets can be a real godsend when you’re tired and hungry, or lost and angry!

Of course, a seasoned travelling vegan will have back-up food (and seasoning) in their luggage – trusty snacks, and a few staples like noodles or couscous, maybe? A fruit knife and a cutlery set are always handy. Maybe even a collapsible bowl.

7. Seek and ye shall find...

...your tribe. Travelling is all about making connections, and whether you're into animal rights, local cookery classes or climbing, you'll find your people. A good place to start is online forums, and many cities have a number of vegan bloggers and influencers, so reach out to people via Instagram. Think of how delighted you'd be to show a first time visiting vegan around your town. Sites and apps like Air BnB and Couchsurfing allow you to choose vegan flatmates for your trip. All that remains is to venture forth with an open mind and a lust for adventure. Bon voyage!

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No recipes this week, but follow my notes for what I’m cooking, and look out for more recipes next week!

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BONUS: I’m thinking of making these, but cooking them in the air fryer to avoid the oil:

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Stuff You Should Know…and Care About

Photo by Ajeet Panesar on Unsplash

Helping stop Rhino poaching…or generating more interest?

San Francisco-based Pembient is tackling the issue of rhino poaching by creating synthetic rhino horns using biotechnology. Its lab-grown horns are genetically identical to the real ones, and the company plans to sell them in the Chinese market where demand for rhino horn has driven poaching to critical levels. By offering these synthetic horns at a fraction of the cost—about one-eighth of the price poachers would fetch for real horns—Pembient aims to disrupt the illegal trade and make poaching less profitable. Their strategy is to flood the market with indistinguishable fakes, potentially offering a solution to save rhinos from extinction.

However, this innovative approach raises ethical and conservation-related questions. While it could reduce the incentive for poaching, it also risks normalising and promoting the use of rhino horn in different contexts. Pembient's plans to introduce products like beer made with synthetic horn in China (where they believe crusheed rhino horn stops hangovers!) could further complicate the cultural associations with rhino horn, which might have unforeseen impacts on long-term conservation efforts. You can learn more about Pembient's efforts here.

Rose, the rescued dog - but how was she trapped in the first place?

Trapped dog fundraiser is actually an animal abuser

The fantastic people over at Protect The Wild have uncovered a shocking story: a recent GoFundMe campaign to rescue a dog named Rose, trapped 26 feet inside a cliff, captured widespread attention, raising over £17,000. But the money raised is going to Mark Tiffin, a notorious figure with a history of animal abuse, including badger baiting and illegal hunting practices. Tiffin, who has a long history of sending terriers into underground setts to attack badgers and foxes, is now under scrutiny for his involvement in Rose’s rescue. While Rose’s rescue was celebrated in the media, questions have arisen about why the dog was in such a precarious situation in the first place, given Tiffin’s troubling history of forcing dogs into dangerous circumstances for blood sports.

Protect the Wild has raised concerns about the legitimacy of Tiffin’s intentions, suggesting that the GoFundMe campaign may have misrepresented the circumstances around Rose’s predicament. Tiffin, who has been involved in violent acts of animal cruelty, including badger baiting, is now benefiting financially from the fundraiser, which remains live. Questions have also been raised about how the money will be spent and whether donors were misled. Protect the Wild urges those who donated to contact GoFundMe if they believe the funds were solicited under false pretences. To learn more about this situation, visit the Protect the Wild Substack, here.

Morocco’s World Cup bid marred by dog slaughter

Morocco’s bid to co-host the 2030 FIFA World Cup has sparked outrage from animal welfare groups, which are reporting that thousands of stray dogs are being brutally slaughtered in a bid to clean up the streets ahead of the tournament. Campaigners warn as many as three million dogs could be killed, with reports of dogs being poisoned or shot and left to die in agony. The International Animal Coalition has condemned these actions, describing them as "Morocco’s ugly secret" and calling for urgent intervention to stop the culling.

Concerns have grown since FIFA’s announcement of Morocco’s involvement in the 2030 World Cup, with animal welfare groups fearing that the killings will escalate if the bid is ratified in December 2024. They are urging FIFA to take immediate action and consider suspending Morocco’s hosting rights until the killings are stopped. Similar actions were seen during preparations for past tournaments in Russia and Ukraine, sparking international backlash. Full details of the story can be found on the Daily Mirror UK website here.

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Cause of the Week

Lend with Care - and help fund developing nation businesses

Lend With Care is such a brilliant idea, making micro loans to global developing world business owners. I've been supporting it for years, and it gives me such a heart boner to see the difference a little donation makes. And the best thing is, everything is repaid to you, so you get to re-invest your donations, or just keep the money. And with this link, they're giving every new sign-up £15 to donate to a business of your choice!

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And finally…

Thanks for reading! If you like it, share it! I’d love to hear your food-related travel hacks, from making toast on the hotel room iron, to the best supermarkets imn strange lands….

Love and airmiles

Will