It’s a new year which means a fresh slate to start all of my travel planning for 2014. I have a LOT of work travel ahead of me this year with at least seven trips to Portland, Oregon. My sister and her family just moved to Madison, Wisconsin, so not only do I have a new city to add to my list but a brand new state too. Hello, Wisconsin! I can’t wait to explore all of the gluten-free options in Madison. It sounds like a very gluten-free friendly city. I always love to explore, especially with a fellow Celiac.
Here’s what my 2014 travel plans look like as of now:
January: Portland, OR
February: Madison, WI
March: Portland, OR
April: Portland, OR
May: Madison, WI; Portland, OR
July: Portland, OR
August: Ontario, Canada
September: Portland, OR
November: Portland, OR
In between the work and family travel, I hope to plan a few personal vacations. (Although with all of this time away from home, I might just want to stay put in NYC for a while!) Whether I am traveling or staying home, I always am daydreaming about my next big trip. I thought I would put together my travel wish list for 2014 and beyond.
Australia: I have become friends with some wonderful women in Brisbane, Mooloolaba, and Coloundra, Queensland, Australia through the 4Ingredients team. They post amazing pictures of their hometowns on Facebook and all have offered me a place to stay in Australia. I am hoping one day I actually can take them up on this offer and spend a month in Australia with a side trip to New Zealand for at least a week. I don’t think it will happen in 2014, but 2015 isn’t far behind!
Australia has the lowest acceptable gluten parts per million (PPM) regulations in the world at just 3ppm for gluten-free labeling. Even with the proposed increase to 20ppm, there still appears to be a lot of awareness of Coeliac/Celiac disease in Australia. I love traveling to countries where it is easy to navigate the gluten-free diet and the language!
http://www.coeliac.org.au/
http://www.4ingredients.com.au/recipe-categories/gluten-free
Croatia and Montenegro: I have only recently become interested in Croatia and Montenegro. My landlord is Croatian and always speaks highly of his country. Also, the photos I see of the Dalmatian coast and the beaches on the Adriatic sea look absolutely gorgeous. The one thing I worry about is the food, since many of the dishes my landlord offers me I cannot eat due to gluten. There is a Croatian Society for Coeliac Disease which gives me some hope that there is gluten-free awareness in Croatia. I also found a great blog post about eating gluten-free in Zagreb, Croatia. As for Montenegro, I haven’t found much information about eating gluten-free. Any tips for GF in Montenegro?
http://www.celijakija.hr/
http://hungrylittleelephant.blogspot.com/2011/12/eating-gluten-free-in-bread-loving.html
Brazil: I would LOVE to go to Brazil for World Cup this summer, but the cost and the timing doesn’t really jive with my travel plans this year. The beaches, the people, the Amazon, I want to experience it all! I am obsessed with Chebe breads, aka pao de queijo, and fresh juices, both very popular in Brazil. There are also two national Celiac organizations in the country. Additionally, there is a law in Brazil that states all processed food must be labeled “contains gluten” or “does not contain gluten”. This is great news for those of us looking for safe food while away from home.
http://www.acelbra.org.br/
http://www.fenacelbra.com.br/fenacelbra/
What is on your Gluten-Free Globetrotter wish list for 2014? Where are you going this year or beyond?
Just moved to Portland from Chicago a couple months ago, and I’m loving it here! People really “get it” when it comes to food sensitivities, and the gluten-free community is super friendly. Safe travels this year, and who knows, maybe we’ll run into each other when you’re in town!
Looking forward to meet you in 2014 in Portland!
That’s a lot of trips to Portland! Lucky girl since it’s so celiac friendly. 🙂
I rented a car and travelled through Croatia and Slovenia a few years. It’s an absolutely beautiful part of Europe and I’d highly recommend it!
Happy 2014 to you.
Hi, I am actually going to Brazil for the world cup and also Colmubia. Is the cheese bread really gluten free?! Also if you have any other gluten free suggestions in those two countries, please let me know!! Thanks!
First of all, I am SOOOO jealous. Have an amazing time at World Cup. Second, if the pao de queijo is made the traditional way it should be gluten-free. You might want to check with the restaurant and definitely get Brazilian Portuguese translation cards to bring with you.
I also found this link which might be helpful: http://www.fleetinglife.com/2013/02/13/the-truth-about-food-in-brazil-gluten-free-tips/
I’m going to the Big Island of Hawaii later this month. So excited to get out of the snow and warm up a bit. I’m doing my online research now……
Sounds great! Would love feedback on Hawaii. I’ve never been.
Check out these Croatia links that I have found since this post originally went up:
http://triciaannemitchell.com/2014/02/02/cooking-class-split-croatia-gluten-free/
http://www.abeona.hr