Traveler Tuesday – Wendy of The Nomadic Vegan

When traveling I quite often lament about how hard it is to find low carb food, I can't imagine it is any easier for vegans so I am always impressed with vegans who travel all over the world and manage to feed themselves, it is so complex! But Wendy of The Nomadic Vegan seems to have no problem, plus she is living in a country I have often thought about living in so I am intrigued!

Let’s meet Wendy!

[1] When and how did you become a traveler?
In 1999, just a few months after graduating from college, I left my home country for what was supposed to be a six-month adventure working at Disneyland Paris. I never went back and have been traveling the world ever since.

[2] What kind of traveler do you define yourself as?

I started out as a backpacker, and I guess I still am. I still carry all my belongings in a backpack, live simply, and take public transport. I don’t stick to quite as tight a budget as I did when I was younger, but I’m still pretty frugal and try to make my money stretch as far as possible so that I can travel for longer.

[3] Which country do you come from/call home?

I grew up in Mobile, Alabama, in the south of the United States. But, while I do go back to visit family every now and then, I have no desire to live in the US ever again.

I’ve lived in many different places over the past two decades. A couple of years ago, my husband and I moved our home base to Lisbon, Portugal, and I’m very happy there. We spend about half the year in Lisbon and the other half traveling.

[4] What do you crave from home when you are traveling?

If it’s winter, I miss curling up on the sofa in my lemur onesie with a hot cup of tea. It’s too bulky to pack in my backpack.

[5] Tell us about your blog

I created my blog, The Nomadic Vegan, shortly after I became vegan myself in 2014. I had been afraid that being vegan was going to ruin travel, but to my surprise, it actually made my travels even more fun and fulfilling.

Until then I’d had no interest in travel blogging. The reason I started the blog was to help people who had the same fears and misconceptions I’d once had and to show them that they really can be vegan anywhere.

[6] What do you love most about traveling?

Exploring new places and learning new things. I’m very curious about the world around me, so I find most places interesting in some way, just because they are different.

But I tend to seek out natural beauty, long hikes, and also places of historical and architectural importance. And food, of course!

[7] What do you dislike about traveling?

Ironically, I find it difficult to keep up a travel blog while traveling. Finding the time to publish new content on my blog and social media can be stressful, especially when Internet access is unreliable.

Ideally, I would travel more slowly so that I could have more time to work on the blog while on the road.

[8] How do you prepare for a trip?

I used to just read through a guidebook, and that was about it. Since becoming a blogger myself, I’ve realized how valuable the information in blogs can be, so I now read a lot of articles by other bloggers when preparing.

I also research the local cuisine in search of traditional local specialties that happen to be vegan. And I check HappyCow, which is a crowdsourced directory of vegan, vegetarian and veg-friendly restaurants all over the world.

[9] You have won the lottery, now tell us where you want to live.

For me, it’s not so much about having the money as it is about sorting through the bureaucracy to get legal residency in a place where I want to live. To be honest, that’s why I’m based in Portugal rather than Italy.

Italy would have been my first choice, but the immigration procedures were easier in Portugal. Although I guess if I had millions of dollars it would be easier to grease those wheels. So, my answer is Italy.

[10] Travel essentials – 3 things you always travel with.

1. My smartphone. It has replaced so many of the gadgets I used to travel with! Flashlight, CD/mp3 player, notepad, guidebook, phrasebook, maps, compass, etc.

2. My laptop. As much as I love my phone, there are some things that I can only do on a computer, like writing and publishing articles. I’m very dependent on my laptop and could never travel without it.

3. I have three small plush toys that all have great sentimental value and that I’ve been traveling with for years. They’re like my children. Hoppy is an Australian kangaroo and is 15 years old, Guca is a Roma from Serbia and is 14, and Herbie is a hedgehog from Italy and is 13.

[11] What is your favorite article of clothing?

My Buff. I wear it to bed every night as an eye mask, and I use it as a headband when I’m hiking.

[12] Your single most treasured personal possession.

Honestly, my laptop. I’d be completely lost without it.

[13] Do you have a piece of advice for bloggers starting out?

Learn about search engine optimization (SEO)! I had no idea what I was doing when I first started, so I wasted a lot of time doing the wrong things. Gemma and Laura of Make Traffic Happen give great advice about this in their ebooks, and their Facebook group is also really supportive.

[14] What are three other blogs that inspire you?

Alternative Travelers

Along Dusty Roads

Time Travel Turtle

[14] Your favorite travel resource on the web?

HappyCow (for finding vegan-friendly places to eat around the world)

Wendy's Lightning Round of Favorites

Airport: They’re all the same to me

Mode of Transportation: train

Window or aisle: window

City: Rome

Country: Italy

Travel Gear: Steripen Ultra (for purifying water and avoiding buying plastic water bottles)

Travel snack: Raw Bite energy bars

Book: The God of Small Things by Arundathi Roy

Movie: The Harry Potter series

Song: Days Away by Morgan Clamp

Quote: “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.” – Maya Angelou?

Thanks, Wendy!

You can keep up with Wendy on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, and of course on her blog. Wherever you catch her, I am sure you will enjoy her adventures!

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