The Travels of Päivi and Santeri

Food is often really mild and tasteless when eating out in vegan restaurants. There is a misconception that vegan food should not contain anything tasty, especially any strong spices. The issue becomes intolerable in all-inclusive resorts and cruises when you have to eat the same food every day for weeks.

We found ourselves back in Southeast Asia (SEA) seeking refuge from the evils of the world after mugging in Panama City . The borders had just re-opened and we started from Malaysia where many things had changed since our previous visits in 2006 , 2011 , 2016 , and 2017 .

Eating in local restaurants in the Balkans can be a bore as there are only a couple of vegan options available: mixed salad, french fries and Italian pasta with aglio and olio. Even rice is often cooked in broth. However, there is fresh produce available almost throughout the year, from early spring to late fall. Strawberries, cherries, apricots, nectarines, peaches, apples, pears, and plums abound, and vegetables are tasty. Beans and lentils are also part of local diet as well as walnuts and hazelnuts.

We love to go to buffet restaurants once in a while to enjoy variety. In the Dominican Republic finding one was not easy. Most restaurants offer a buffet-like selection of dishes during the lunch time, but you choose what you want to eat and pay accordingly, while fixed price all-you-can-eat alternatives are missing. Fortunately, international hotels serve buffet breakfasts in all big cities in the world, and Santo Domingo was not an exception.

Beirut is a safe and peaceful paradise for vegans and wine lovers despite of the violent past.

Tbilisi, Georgia is great for vegans, wine lovers and walkers. The city is decadently romantic, like a mini-Paris.

How to survive and eat well as a vegan in Russia? A guide for vegan foods and their names in Russian.

We enjoyed our second transatlantic repositioning cruise from UK to USA, the Northern Route. Our stops included Faroe Islands and Iceland.

For female travellers, India is unwelcoming. Double standards, restrictions and taboos surrounding sexual behaviour make many Indian males ticking time bombs.

Laos is a paradise for vegans and sportslovers. The downside is only one month visa. We spent a month chilling out in Vientiane, the capital of Laos. The place is fabulous if you don´t long for any activities. There is nothing special to do except enjoy the laid-back Lao lifestyle.