Overseas Trip Wrap Up

Heidelberg

Overall my trip to Germany went well. I felt fine the whole time, which was the most important thing to me. I didn’t always have satisfying meals, but it was only a few days, so it was fine.

My little kitchen in my hotel room

I went to one more restaurant on my last day there. I went with a few people to Heidelberg, a city about a half hour away from Darmstadt, where we were staying. Everyone in my group new I had special diet considerations, so we were able to look at menus before sitting down. I told them I wasn’t too worried because I could make a salad back in my room anyway.

We found a German restaurant with a fairly extensive menu. I was able to order a large mixed greens salad with grilled chicken. They didn’t seem to have different kinds of salad dressings, so I just told the waiter to leave it on the side – not so easy when I don’t speak the language (something I felt a little guilty about). But it all turned out. Someone else wanted their dressing that way too, so he figured it what we were asking.

Heidelberg

One thing I had forgotten from my previous visit to Germany, twenty years ago, was that public restrooms often require payment to get in. This was true of the one in the train station we were at. It’s not very Crohn’s friendly for sure. It cost .50 Euro and they would only take a .50 cent piece. One of my group tried to put in two .20’s and a .10 and they were refused by the restroom attendant! He was actually turned away!

So if you are traveling there, it is a good idea to have the correct change handy at all times.

In the train station I did find a Chiquita stand that sold 100% smoothies. I could actually see the fresh fruit, so I had no question about whether there was sugar or not. I had one of those for lunch along with a Lara bar.

For the plane ride home I had requested a gluten-free meal in hopes that it would have more to eat than the regular. In the past I have been able to order a fruit and cheese plate, but this airline did not have that available. I was served two meals. It turns out the GF meal was also the low lactose, no sugar meal. No sugar was good, but I was disappointed there was no cheese.

Heidelberg

I did get a plain piece of baked cod that was nice. There was also a salad and a container of 100% applesauce. The second meal was not as good. It was scrambled eggs (not sure what was in them), with some overcooked zucchini and mushrooms (I don’t like mushrooms). There was some fruit, but I didn’t get much out of it. Both meals had a container of vanilla Soya pudding, so no good there.

Overall I can’t complain though. I achieved my goal of feeling fine the whole time and that’s what counts.

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Sherry Lipp

Founder at Happy Gut For Life

Sherry is a Certificed Holistic Gut Practioner, author, and recipe creator. Sherry started the Specific Carbohydrate Diet in 2000 and has been creating delicious, grain and gluten-free recipes ever since. She is the author of the Don't Skip Dessert SCD cookbooks.