Holidays!!!

[catmogg]

... or breaks or long weekends or what ever involves you having extended time to do what you like to do...So where did / are you going and tell us all about it. (I'm particulary interested in hearing about anyone who's been on a vegan holiday through veggielantics or the like....)

[Tofu Monster]

i've had/got three 'sort of' holidays this year.

in june, me and a colleague took two of our guys on a longboat cruise along the grand union canal. i only crashed it once in four days!

in a couple of weeks time i'm taking one of my guys up to the scottish highlands for a few days for some walking and sightseeing. we're going to loch ness and i'm determined to capture nessie and make my fortune!

those two are actually working holidays, but still ok. a break from the usual routine at least.

then early october i'm off to france for a week with my son to help my dad move into and decorate his new house (he just emigrated).

unfortunately none of the above involve birds or naughty stuff, but you can't have everything can you?

[adam antichrist]

I don't really go on holidays, I prefer to spend my money on stuff like guitars. You can never have too many!!!!

But when I was 15 I went to the Cook Islands in the Pacific with my parents and it was fantastic. The main island was small enough to cycle around in one day and had mountainous tropical rainforest in the centre, which we spent a day climbing over. It's where I developed my love for taro (yum!!!)

The thing I liked best was their local currency, they had three dollar notes which featured a naked island chickybabe riding a whale

[Yoggy]

It's where I developed my love for taro (yum!!!)

The only time I've eaten taro was in a taro pie at McDonald's in Bangkok (I ordered pineapple, but an employee had accidently put a taro pie in the pineapple pie box). It was disgusting, but maybe that's because for a moment I thought I was eating rotten pineapple. Maybe I should give taro another chance, and try it prepared some other way....How do you prepare it?

I've got a couple weeks off, and I was going to go to Orlando to visit my friend from Thailand (who will be visiting relatives there), but now I don't have the money, so she's going to stop here and visit me on her way from Bangkok to Orlando! That's my holiday! The rest of my time will be spent biking, playing guitar (I've only got 1) and adding to my repertoire of vegan recipes, especially bag lunch ideas that aren't sandwiches.

[kriz]

I'm going to Norway for two weeks in October!!

[Kiran]

I am going to Chiang Mai, Thailand in March for a Computer Security conference, unless my publication screws up in the middle. I hope it does not. I think getting Vegan food in Thailand should be easy..

Immediately next, I am going to Australia from Thailand. In March it is summer in Australia, so it will be good. It would be interesting to see the toilet water flushes the other way round. Quite funny. I wanna take a pic of that.

It should be better than my Innsbruck trip early this year. It was horrible!! I had a hard time convincing people there that I was vegan. I did not speak their language. They finally seemed to understand what I was trying to say. Then they gladly offered me Fish. Darn it.. I will never go to Innsbruck again if I have a choice. But it is a very nice place, and very beautiful.

[aubergine]

I can't afford a holiday this year. Maybe next year I'll go to Cornwall again. I prefer self catering holidays, because you can make sure it's vegan.

[catmogg]

Yeah, its easier to self cater in some countries. I did that on my holiday in France. I went to markets and got the best of all the locally grown produce. The melons were delicious and the nectarines were divine, its the sun in them!! yum. I did a lot of walking and cycling though so one night i did go to a restaraunt, i was ravenous and wanted to cry when all they offered me was a salad!! I felt like throwing a hissy fit; 'but i've just walked 30 miles with a heavy pack and i WANT something big and healthy and big and delicious and BIG!(stamping of foot, tears)' as it went, I just said 'oui, merci' bit my lip and ordered a portion of fries to go with it.... Don't think we'd have such a problem in Southern India!

[Roxy]

My last holiday was to visit my family in Australia. We went to Sydney, Brisbane and Fraser Island, off the coast of Queensland.

Vegan food was quite easy to find in Sydney - although I found Sydney to be quite expensive compared to Brisbane.

In Brisbane, vegan food was quite easy to find as well - although I didn't have to worry to much about eating out - as my Mum made a lot of vegan meals (she was practicing months in advance ).

On Fraser Island, we stayed in an apartment on the beach and basically self-catered and brought all of our groceries with us.

[Kiran]

Don't think we'd have such a problem in Southern India!

Are you going to India sometime? I am indian you know. There will be no problem for you to get Vegan food, because India is the largest vegetarian society in the world. Watch out for milk though. Which part of south india are you going to?

[Kiran]

My last holiday was to visit my family in Australia. We went to Sydney, Brisbane and Fraser Island, off the coast of Queensland.

Vegan food was quite easy to find in Sydney - although I found Sydney to be quite expensive compared to Brisbane.

In Brisbane, vegan food was quite easy to find as well - although I didn't have to worry to much about eating out - as my Mum made a lot of vegan meals (she was practicing months in advance ).

On Fraser Island, we stayed in an apartment on the beach and basically self-catered and brought all of our groceries with us.

Roxy, I will need some tips to go to Australia early next year. I will be going in march and will contact you for some useful tips on eating out.

[Roxy]

I'll be happy to help with whatever I can

[catmogg]

Are you going to India sometime? I am indian you know. There will be no problem for you to get Vegan food, because India is the largest vegetarian society in the world. Watch out for milk though. Which part of south india are you going to?

Sadly i'm not going to India but i know its pretty easy to be vegan there. And i love southern Indian food. yum yum.

[ConsciousCuisine]

I am going on my first ever vacation! September 6-10 I will be in New York and I am still trying to secure a place to stay (looking at Hostels at the moment). There are loads of veg/vegan restaurants, transportaion options and so I am so excited! Anyone from NYC or who has been there, please tell me all you know

I will then go to the Omega Institute for Kundalini Pregnancy and Postpartum Training, where there is always a vegan option! I wil be there from September 11-16.

I am also going to stayin an Ashram from October 13-23 to assist at an all vegetarian (egg and flesh free, I only have to avoid goat and cow milk) Teacher Training for Kundalini Yoga.

[Kiran]

Sadly i'm not going to India but i know its pretty easy to be vegan there. And i love southern Indian food. yum yum.

I am a south Indian. I am from a place called Banagalore. Have you heard of Bangalore? I cook delicious south Indian, like Sambar, Dosas, Idlis, Lemon Rice, Vada, etc etc. I love to cook. It takes some amount of time to cook, but it is soooo delicious. Lucky for me, I know the art of south Indian cooking.

[catmogg]

Super lucky, sounds delicious!! When did you last visit??

[Kiran]

Super lucky, sounds delicious!! When did you last visit??

Last Visit India? In June this year. It is amazing to find all veggie food around you. And you know moms cooking. That was fun and yummy.

[vegandolly]

I am going on my first ever vacation! September 6-10 I will be in New York and I am still trying to secure a place to stay (looking at Hostels at the moment). There are loads of veg/vegan restaurants, transportaion options and so I am so excited! Anyone from NYC or who has been there, please tell me all you know

I will then go to the Omega Institute for Kundalini Pregnancy and Postpartum Training, where there is always a vegan option! I wil be there from September 11-16.

I am also going to stayin an Ashram from October 13-23 to assist at an all vegetarian (egg and flesh free, I only have to avoid goat and cow milk) Teacher Training for Kundalini Yoga.

Please check this wonderful hostel out
http://www.jazzonthepark.com/

[Kiran]

Ashrams are excellent... They provide authentic vegetarian Indian food, and hence a wide range of vegan choices are available. The peaceful surroundings combined with meditation and other routines go a long way in healing your mind and body. There are plenty on ashrams in India, and many are dotted about in countries like UK, US etc.

[vegandolly]

We recently had the good fortune to stay at this raw vegan ashram,it was wonderful!

http://www.shekinashram.org/

[Kiran]

We recently had the good fortune to stay at this raw vegan ashram,it was wonderful!

http://www.shekinashram.org/

Thats amazin.. Nice place. Would like to go there sometime. Is it near Bristol??

[vegandolly]

Thats amazin.. Nice place. Would like to go there sometime. Is it near Bristol??

Catch the Yeovil/Wells bus from Bristol Temple Meads station to Glastonbury town(40 minutes)and once there its a 2 minute walk to the ashram.

If you volunteer to work there till 1pm for each day you are there you get free board and food.

[Kiran]

Catch the Yeovil/Wells bus from Bristol Temple Meads station to Glastonbury town(40 minutes)and once there its a 2 minute walk to the ashram.

If you volunteer to work there till 1pm for each day you are there you get free board and food.

Hey.. thanks for the info. Much appreciated. I think I will probably go there just before the vegan fayre.

[vegandolly]

Hey.. thanks for the info. Much appreciated. I think I will probably go there just before the vegan fayre.

If you mean the Bristol vegan festival I will probably be there too.

[Kiran]

If you mean the Bristol vegan festival I will probably be there too.

Do you mean you are gonna be at the ashram or at the event? I am thinking of staying at the ashram a day and then going to the vegan festival.

[vegandolly]

Do you mean you are gonna be at the ashram or at the event? I am thinking of staying at the ashram a day and then going to the vegan festival.

Both.

[Kiran]

Both.

Cool.. Then we can see each other there then.. I plan to be there on a friday morning. I thing the event is on Saturday.

[vegandolly]

My plans arent set in concrete but if I book and see you there I will say hi.

They do a wicked raw food vegan lunch and will so similar for dinner and put it in the fridge for you if you want.

Some great cafes/resteraunts in Glastonbury town that do vegan too.

[Kiran]

Cool... Is there too much open space in the ashram? Are there any lovely animals around? I am desperate now.

[maya]

I was suppose to go to Egypt and India with my dance class but I got nagged out of that one. I am going to California December which is where I call home just visiting family. In June I am going to Scotland with friends. I dont have anything planned after that. Though I would love to visit my long lost friend in Texas.


Maya

[Kiran]

I was suppose to go to Egypt and India with my dance class but I got nagged out of that one. I am going to California December which is where I call home just visiting family. In June I am going to Scotland with friends. I dont have anything planned after that. Though I would love to visit my long lost friend in Texas.


Maya

Good for you... Scotland is a very nice place. Well if you come to scotland you could visit a few of us in England. It is not too far from there you know.

So what dance is it you are learning?? Is it Indian dance. By the way your Name sounds Indian to me. Maya means magic or illusion in many indian languages. I speak quite a few indian languages like kannada, hindi, etc.

[vegandolly]

Cool... Is there too much open space in the ashram? Are there any lovely animals around? I am desperate now.

Please clarify what you mean by too much open space?

There are no animals in the ashram but last time I was there I aqainted myself with a robin who lives in the ashram garden.

[Kiran]

Please clarify what you mean by too much open space?

There are no animals in the ashram but last time I was there I aqainted myself with a robin who lives in the ashram garden.

Normally, ashrams are set in wooded lands and scenic beauty. There are open spaces of land that are perfect for a walk or for meditating in absolute silence. That really feels good.

[vegandolly]

Normally, ashrams are set in wooded lands and scenic beauty. There are open spaces of land that are perfect for a walk or for meditating in absolute silence. That really feels good.

This ashram is set in Glastonbury which is the spiritual capital of the solar system and there are sceneic walks to be enjoyed.

[Kiran]

Cooool... Nice one... Looking forward to it. Probably will be the best vegan break I ever had.!!!

[Roxy]

Dolly - that Ashram looks fantastic! I can only imagine what a peaceful, spiritual experience it must be to stay there!

[Kiran]

Dolly - that Ashram looks fantastic! I can only imagine what a peaceful, spiritual experience it must be to stay there!

Do you have any such Ashrams in Canada Rox?

[maya]

I am taking belly dancing. But this session is Indian-bhangra style. It is a lot of fun. I do have Indian in my family, East Indian, a lot of them migrated to Trinidad. That is where my father was born. I do not speak another language, but my mother speaks six languages. I would love to visit England. We do have to stop in England on our way but I think it will only be for one day.

Maya

Good for you... Scotland is a very nice place. Well if you come to scotland you could visit a few of us in England. It is not too far from there you know.

So what dance is it you are learning?? Is it Indian dance. By the way your Name sounds Indian to me. Maya means magic or illusion in many indian languages. I speak quite a few indian languages like kannada, hindi, etc.

[Kiran]

Where abouts in england are you coming to?

[maya]

Birmingham International Airport is the airport we will be arriving in.

Maya

Where abouts in england are you coming to?

[Roxy]

Do you have any such Ashrams in Canada Rox?

There are quite a few Ashrams in Canada - although I have never visited any.