| vegetarianism in china/first time trip/woman traveller | |
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| Feb 5, 2006 00:46 |   |
 | hi I am going to china , Hangzhou at the end of April / may time - BUT am a vegetarian and can't eat dairy (lactose intolerant) will this prove to be a logistical nightmare? what are the kinds of things that i will be able to eat, and how will i be able to make it clear to those around me what i can and can't eat? anyone with any advice would be really appreciated! also just any basic travel tips for a woman travelling to china would be really appreciated - what to wear, take etc. thanks! mariann |
| Feb 5, 2006 00:59 | #1 |
| if you join in a tour group ,declare the things to your tour guide before you start to travel . if you are a single traveller ,just beware as usual , do not need to worry it too much . if you don't know Chinese ,you'd better bring a paper with dish names on it in Chinese ,then show it to waitor . any other destinations except Hangzhou ? I can check some vegetarian restaurants for you if you would like to know |
| Feb 5, 2006 01:05 | #2 |
| hi Conny gosh that was quick ! yes other destinations shall be a must such as Hai nan, BUT perhaps it'll be its rainy season at this time?.... hopefully not! otherwise suggests as to where to go would also be greatly appreciated! i would love to explore some beaches and have a hol within a hol - not to mentino take advantage of all the sea food ! |
| Feb 5, 2006 01:24 | #3 |
| Sea food ??? isn't it a kind of meat ? April is the best season to travel ,not too cold nor hot . vegetarian food was discussed before and I wrote some Chinese vegetarain dish names in some threads ,will check them out to you, hope it may help . what's lactose intolerant exactly ? is that mean you don't eat sugar and milk or egg ? |
| Feb 5, 2006 03:03 | #4 |
| If you are going to China on a tour you will be eating in many restaurants. Don't worry about dairy. It's almost unheard of in Chinese restaurant cooking. If you'r going to live there for a while shop at the markets and do your own cooking. You should be concerned about two things: 1. The use of eggs - Eggs are a very popular ingredient in Chinese restaurant cooking. 2. Not a veg issue but be aware of the amount of oil used in restaurant cooking. As for communication, master "yao"(want) and "bu yao" (don't want) with the item following. "Rou" (pronounced "row") means "meat". So you could say "Bu yao rou" (don't want meat). Travel light, not too many changes of clothes or shoes. When in doubt, plan to dress conservatively. Toothpaste and toothbrushes you can find, dental floss and deodorant you cannot. Female products are in plentiful supply. There's nothing wrong with trying to communicate by yourself but if your purchase is important and specific make sure to purchase what you need through a Chinese female. As a foreigner you will stand out. Ignore the staring. There's no harm meant. On the whole the Chinese people are very helpful and friendly. Do be aware that there are a few bad eggs so keep an eye on your personal property at all times. Take a look at my website www.genekernis.com/china_travel. It's not commercial and the download will answer many of your questions. Enjoy  |
| Feb 5, 2006 06:37 | #5 |
| yep you all got lactose intolerence right - basically it means that i can't digest the sugars found in dairy products so yogurt, cheese, cream, chocolate, milk etc are all out - but it easy to substitute these things, obviously though i am aware that in other countries, and especailly if i don't speak the language there could be some difficulties! as for being vegetarian and eating seafood, feel that its a must at the moment, otherwise my diet would be lacking in some vital proteins as being vegetarian and lactose intolerent does make for some limited choices at times! really looking forward to the experience of china though! and shall no doubt just do what i normally do when travelling, fill the suitcase up with emergency energy bars! |
| Feb 5, 2006 23:57 | #6 |
| Vegetarian: Make a list that you don't eat, and I can translate it for you into Chinese, take it with you while traveling:-) Tell people who take care of your trip in advance. First time trip: People got to have their first overseas trip, don't worry. Your second will come much easier. China is safe for foreign travelers. Woman Traveler: If you will travel alone, you will surely confront two problems: language and being lonely. It will be helpful to catch some simple Chinese words that used daily; if you have experienc of traveling alone in your own country, you won't have problem traveling in China. Lots of people would like to go out of their way to help, in return, give them as much opportunities to speak English as you can. They love it!! |
| Feb 6, 2006 07:17 | #7 |
| Hi Rita, thats really helpful advice, luckily for me whilst i will be travelling on my own for some of my time in china, i will also be meeting up with a friend of mine who has just started to work in Hangzhou. As for a list of things that i cannot eat, all meat - i will eat seafood though - so a way of making this clear would be really helpful! and i can't eat dairy, so no yogurt, cream, cheese, milk, chocolate, mayonaise etc. i think that the best thing for me to do is maybe have some flash cards on me and use those if i get really stuck -so any translation would be much appreciated! on another note any recommendations of where to go and what not to miss out on would also be splendid i plan to be in China for just over 2 weeks! and there is a LOT of ground to cover! Thanks for all the comments so far! really useful! Maz |
| Feb 6, 2006 22:04 | #8 |
| No meat---不要肉; No dairy----不要奶制品; No chocolate---不要巧克力； Seafoods are ok---海鲜可以 |
| Feb 7, 2006 01:31 | #9 |
| Rita thats great! thanks so much! so any reccommentdations as for what to try whilst i am in china?... i feel theres so much i have to avoid that the trying of new things is essential! |
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