Have you ever hiked up a steep mountain trail in the mountains of Taiwan before dawn just so you can sample a plate of freshly caught river shrimp sautéed in hot oil with peppers and garlic while gazing out at the Sea of Clouds? Have you ever driven halfway across Germany to enjoy the best locally brewed beer while sitting in a field full of cows outside of Würzburg and listened to the music of their bells? What about braving the mean streets of dusty Juarez, Mexico just to gorge yourself on the best tacos carbon the world has ever known?
If this all sounds like wonderful fun to you, then you must be a gourmet traveller who loves the adventure as much as the food! Every corner of this wide world has its own special recipes passed down through the generations, and it's your quest to go out and try them all, if you can find them!
Being a gourmet on the road can be challenging, but the delicious repasts that await you are worth all the trains, planes, boats, and elephants you have to ride to get there and try them for yourself! So, if you fancy becoming a globe-trotting foodie, here are some tips!
Research -
Thanks to the amazing World Wide Web you can now find practically anything, anywhere! Spend some time browsing the traveller's tales you find, the articles on food and recipes, and the eating customs of the countries you might be interested in visiting so you at least have an idea of what culinary experience it is you seek.
Having a basic travel plan is a great idea, but also be prepared to veer wildly off it if an unexpected opportunity to eat something rare and amazing should suddenly present itself! The goal is to enjoy the world's most unique and delicious foods, so be sure to follow your nose as well as the guidebook!
Money -
Bring lots of it. Bring much more than you think you will need. Let's be honest, gourmet travelling is not a poor man's pastime, you must be prepared to go far and pay plenty to get what you desire, not just for the food but all the plane tickets, taxi fares, hotels and guest houses, etc, etc.
It all adds up fast! It's no fun being out on a food safari flat broke, so be sure to load up on your funds first, because money does buy you love if what you love is exotic food!
Antacids-
One of the first lessons the wandering gourmet learns is that not every country has a chemist selling antacids just around the corner, in fact, they are actually hard to find in places like Thailand and Madagascar! Do yourself a big favour and stock up before you go!
Sure, you can eat anything placed in front of you, the wilder and spicier the better, but you are in foreign territory and sometimes that delicious Tom Yum Soup is going to come back to haunt you at night as you lie in your hotel bed feeling like fire ants are doing a tap dance in your tummy! Trust us.
Bon Voyage and Bon Appetite!
