WFPB

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Effective WFPB Eating While Traveling

As you have been following my posts on social media on my trip, you can see how effective WFPB eating while traveling requires planning.

A perfect example is my anticipation of food for Sunday, which I failed to account for is that Viennese groceries are closed. I sprang for the 35 Euro entrance to the Austrian Air business lounge: salad with huge black beans, sauerkraut and white fig balsamic (added peanuts); an apple as a airline offered snack en route!! Much to my delight the salad bar at the Chateau offered much in the way of raw veggies, again with white balsamic. More bread than typical, but potatoes always clothed in butter/cheese and I need some starch. The bread here is fabulous, and I am walking it off!

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Packing Advice and List

BethblogluggageIMG_0006https://bemorewithless.com/simple-travel-and-packing-tips/

The website bemorewithless.com contains great travel tips. I particularly like “The Minimalists” 20/20 rule. Their rule is don’t take something along “just in case”. The authors have found that in five years of minimalist travel only a few times have they needed something that they could not find and purchase in less than 20 minutes for less than $20. Sounds right to me!

My packing list for the upcoming five week trip:

Checked bag:  4 sets of underware/socks, 1 pair jeans, 1 pair black pants, 4 thin LS knit shirts, 2 blouses, 1 sweater, 1 goretex jacket, 1 pair of shoes, rain hat, umbrella, gloves, scarves, warm hat, minimalist food prep kit, 6 Leafside meal packs , 4 packs oatmeal, unscented laundry soap, Dr. Bronner’s lavender soap, Baggalini day bag.

Backpack: In compression sack: 1 set of underware/socks, LS knit shirt, yoga pants, Polyester washcloths (as Europe doesn’t use them) No jet lag supplements, eyeshades, earplugs, vitamins, bandaids, toiletries, TRTL neck pillow, headphones, IPad, IPhone, charging kit, excerpts from travel books, Cruise ticket, 2 Leafside meal packs/prep bowl/spork

Wearing:  LS knit shirt, black pants, underwear/socks, waterproof walking shoes, warm jacket with storage pockets, money belt (Euros and coins), passport, scarf.  Minimal jewelry.

Toward the end of the trip I intend to donate the jeans, and probably couple of the shirts.  Thrift stores (charity shops) are available for donations.  My must haves are staying warm and dry, plus clean underwear and socks.

In order to minimize stress, I never travel with anything I would hate to lose (special garments, jewelry, shoes).

I’m ready to travel!

Advance cultural immersion: Mainz
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Advance cultural immersion: Mainz

Today is D-day (departure) minus 13 as I depart for Frankfurt on October 1.  I think of the first few days of an international trip as a cultural immersion.  In addition to the jet lag there is always the shock of new language, signage, weather and the airport population.  Its better to anticipate some of these novelties by planning ahead.  Here are my tactics:

I checked the schedule for my AirBnB in Mainz. Finding it vacant for the night prior to my arrival, I asked the owner if an early check in is possible (his page cites 4 p.m). He responded immediately to the affirmative and told me where to pick up the key (a block from the apartment).  Glad I waited as a premature request would likely be met with a “no” as he anticipated a prior night reservation.

Next step was to investigate the train options from Frankfurt Flughaven to Mainz HBH. While most German sites list options for multiple languages, DB (DeutschBahn) showed English for ticket purchasing of long distance trains, but not for the much cheaper regional trains (noted as S or R). For these my only choice was to review in German.

It was a surprise how quickly my understanding of key words returned, and I was soon in the flow of comparing and contrasting different options (destination point changes with the S/R choice).

My attempt to find a linenplan (route map) for Mainz led me to a number of apps.  Since I didn’t want bus maps into and out of Mainz itself, but rather local routes, I found a paper linenplan that will be available upon my arrival at the Mainz HBH (Hauptbahnhof—main train station served by the S trains).

This search also revealed that if I purchase an S route ticket (rather than an R) its cheaper and is good for the entire day of bus/tram rides within Mainz. Incidental learning.

Because the adjustment to a different culture comes with a big dose of jet lag, I recommend this kind of advance connection to the routes, the options and most important to the key words/phrases you will need to recognize upon arrival! It’s a confidence builder when you know you will easily find your first destination for less than $10 as opposed to the options cited by app RideGuru (Uber to private limo: $50 to $200).

Plantstock 2019
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Plantstock 2019

My journey as a WFPB advocate began at Plantstock 2016.  This year’s event was my fourth in a row! During those three full years, I have lost over 50 pounds, become as fit as I’ve ever been and completely shifted my lifestyle.

Every year I say the same thing and I’m always right:  this was the best event I’ve ever attended!  It continues to improve.  What made it even better this year?

The Black Mountain facility was ours alone.  We did not have to share space, parking or food service with another group. This contributed to a more peaceful atmosphere and  eased parking and shuttling items to/from cars.

The schedule was designed to provide three choices of programming for each of five time slots.  This broke up the crowd, got us moving between sessions (with 15 minute breaks) and we were able to choose among many worthwhile options.

As a result I missed two thirds of the choices, so I  purchased the just released video streaming coverage at Teachable.com. To access click here https://bit.ly/31Mhrsa.  It is well worth the additional investment covering all but two of the presentations.

There was a sense of impending breakthrough this year:  “The Game Changers” film (https://gamechangersmovie.com/) is scheduled for release on September 16, which will create more buzz about the WFPB connection to optimal health and athletic performance.

During his remarks, John Mackey (CEO Whole Foods) was quite optimistic about the implications of current national interventions like The Blue Zones, and Team Sherzai’s work on Dementia and Alzheimer’s.  Finally, Burger King introduced a plant based burger to all of its 6700 U.S. locations the week of August 1st.

I can’t seem to get enough of the Engine2 magic.  I signed up for my 5th Plantstock to be held in Black Mountain, N.C., August 14-16, 2020.

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Tips for Finding Optimal Travel Friendships

Part I.
One early Summer’s eve about eight years ago I mulled the long sundown.  Due to a recent break up, my boy friend was absent and I had decided to take the expensive trip anyway… I had paid for it.  The thought struck me of the likelihood of at least 100 English speaking travelers in the same situation: sitting in their rooms all across Stockholm viewing their travel time as unplanned and as solitary as mine. How could we connect for companionship and shared experiences?
At the time, MeetUp was a fairly new concept, cheaper and less cumbersome than today’s version.  On impulse I signed up as an “organizer” and titled my group “Women with Time and Means to Travel.”  I set the first meeting for 6 weeks hence with the only limit being– that no travel agents were welcome; this group was going to be about defining our own trips.  My first clue that this would be a challenging venture was clear as the last to introduce herself during that meeting conveyed the promise, “I am a travel agent and I am here to capture all of your business.”  A harbinger of what was to come.
Social connections are often fraught with conflict.  My years as a corporate coach and feedback provider taught me that 50% of the corporate population are deficient in the skill of conflict management.  So many of my one on one sessions evolved to become problem solving oriented—around the “learner’s” immediate conflict situations and what to do/how to handle them.  Sometimes, it got to the point of scripting with an occasional move to role playing.
Looking back, I was naive to think that a public group would provide much other than ongoing conflict.  Our first trip was traveling to Costa Rica. Eight of us collaborated on when, where and how to get around the countryside .  I’ll spare you the details but here are some lessons learned:
Compatibility Test #1:  Do potential travel partners drink to the same degree as you do? Pay attention to any differences, as the stress of travel will magnify them.  Will their drinking result in groggy mornings to the point of delaying the rest of the group? Test this possibility by having a few social engagements before you fly.
If the first thing they discuss is how to buy liquor at duty free shops, and ask at every stop “when does the bar open?” you may have a few alcoholics on your hands.
In my experience, alcoholics under the pressure and uncertainty of travel can quickly become verbally abusive.  Everything becomes someone else’s fault. And their groggy mornings are almost a guarantee.
Stay tuned for next installment on finding travel companions.