I Miss Peanut Butter!

I Miss Peanut Butter

To be honest, peanut butter isn’t my favourite. (To admit that would be sacrilegious in my current relationship.) It’s almond butter. But right now, I would pay about $20 for a peanut butter sandwich. Jelly not necessary, but it would be a nice touch.

Traveling as a vegetarian can be difficult. I remember crying and eating cookies for dinner in Valencia, Spain; realizing I must stay in hostels with kitchens in Eastern Europe (or I’d starve); wandering around aimlessly Christmas Eve night, being chased by a rabid dog, looking for something to eat.

So yes, I’ll admit culture is a big part of food and when I don’t eat the food of the culture, it is missing out on some of the culture. But I also don’t want to give up my morals or ideals.

I’m a vegetarian for a few reasons: I think it’s wrong to eat animals. I think it’s environmentally wrong to eat animals (in the U.S. – factory farms, cutting down trees in rainforests to provide grazing space for cattle.) I also don’t like the taste. It started as a taste thing, but morphed into other reasons.

But when traveling – it can be difficult.

Peru has been difficult. Beans and eggs. More eggs. Eggs. Eggs in the form of tortilla veduras, which I am sick of (especially after it’s been cooked in 3 cups of oil and I’ve eaten it three days in a row). I’m sick of it.

I was fantasizing about peanut butter. My boyfriend already promised to bring me a jar (which knowing him, he’ll eat most of on the plane ride down).

It’s so hard.

Sometimes, I just don’t even want to eat. And when my stomach isn’t cooperating, bananas and yogurt it is. And you know what? That often tastes better than the vegetarian option.

I’ve already planned my victory meal upon return – I want a salad, full of leafy veggies. And for sure, as Pomsey would like, I’ll be baking some of my infamous pumpkin chocolate chip cookies.

In the meantime, I’ll stomach as much of the food as I can in between all the other amazing things I’m experiencing while traveling.