Travelling with Coeliac Disease – Part One

I love travelling, I love flying. I love airports & people watching. I love going to new places, seeing new sights, different smells, noise, culture & mostly food.

We’ve been planning this trip to Europe for many years. Squirrelling dollars away every month to prepare for 6 weeks of no work, no responsibility & freedom… yes freedom. Do what we want, go where we want, eat what we want & explore the cultures of France & Spain. We’ve both been to these countries before, but in our younger days, so it’ll be interesting to see them with a bit more wisdom & few grey hairs!

The only spanner in the works, well its more like an entire tool box, is my diagnosis of Coeliac Disease. Although this was 3+ years ago, we’ve not left NZ since. This has changed everything. Not only for me, but for other half too. Sadly I will need to be comfortable with all decisions related to food.

Living with Coeliac Disease means I need to stick to a rigorous gluten free diet at all times. No cheating, no sneaky bagels or beers. As any gluten that enters my body can cause damage to my healthy gut tissues that can take weeks/months to repair.

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I had visions of running through the cobbled streets of Europe, lean, fit, healthy & approaching 50 years old. I was going to be FABULOUS at 50. I had planned this well in advance & had started training for a local 10km race in Queenstown. It’s not like I was doing this off the couch, I’m active, I could run 5km if I chose to, I do strength training twice a week. I used to walk/run most days & I swim 8-9kms a week. But sadly I sustained a hip injury whilst running early into my training schedule. 

Fast forward almost 9 months to get a diagnosis of a labrum tear in my hip joint & limited activity. There is no quick or easy fix & the only surgery to repair this is an entire hip replacement as there is the early stages of Osteoarthritis present. I was not prepared for this.

I now feel like an over filled bag of marshmallows with a slight limp, so not quite what I expected & it’s not how I planned the approach to the milestone age of 50.  F##ked at 50 was not the plan. My hip injury is a whole different topic which I may write about one day when I’m less frustrated. Now not only is my dietary restrictions going to have a massive impact on this trip, but so is my inability to walk very far 😦

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OK back on track & back to the topic at hand….. travelling as a Coeliac. I’m now looking at Europe in a completely different way. Starting with flights, airline & airport food.

I outlined my dietary needs to our travel agent to request a GF meal on all of the flights, however when the itinerary comes through with my meal request it states ‘gluten intolerant’. I ask can this be change to gluten allergy & it’s a no. This is how the airline code it. Hmmmm you can read a previous blog explaining that gluten allergy & gluten intolerance are two very different things. Food can be gluten free by ingredients but if its been prepared on the same surface as gluten containing produce, it’s no longer safe for coeliacs to eat. A single breadcrumb can cause pains in my stomach.

I’m already nervous about this, but as it’s my disease, my condition I am the one who is responsible for ME.

There’s a great Coeliac NZ support Facebook group where we all share information to help each other navigate ourselves through this journey. The life sentence of being 100% gluten free. With regards to travel, there’s a lot of advice to take your own food just in case. There is a lot of praise for flying with Emirates (thankfully) & apparently Dubai & Charles De Gualle airports are dreadful – noted.

I’ve just ordered a bunch of dehydrated meals to take with me, so if all else fails, all I need is a bit of hot (or cold) water & I won’t die of starvation or have the issues I read in this recent article:

I’m anxious about being in Europe & not being able to understand the languages. I learnt French at school but being able to ask  “Je voudrais une vin rouge, sil vous plait” is a bit different to “please don’t poison me!” I’m also questioning why the hell we’re going to France as I hate cheese & eggs & I can’t eat those delicious looking freshly baked croissants or baguettes! Perhaps all I do is drink copious amounts of cheap but very enjoyable wine?

I’m planning on creating a wee card in French & Spanish which I can present to cafes & restaurants to help me explain my condition.

“ Hello, I have Coeliac Disease which means I am severely allergic to gluten (wheat, barley, rye, oats). All food has to be prepared separately away from all traces of gluten. Can the kitchen cater for me? Many thanks!”

If they are unable to cater for me, that’s ok I understand. It’s better for them to say Non/No, than to say Oui/Sí & serve me something that could make me very ill.

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The majority of the places we’re staying we have booked apartments with a kitchen. The thought of having to find somewhere to eat 3 times a day in a foreign country for the majority of the 6 weeks we’re away is open to too much risk. I’ve already called the travel insurance company to ensure that Coeliac Disease is covered. I also plan on going to the doctors to see if there is anything I can take with me to help if I do get “glutened”. Something I can take to prevent stomach cramps & to stop me from shitting my pants.

Plan plan plan! I’m already thinking about what’s for dinner in 4weeks time! We’ll arrive at our destination on a Sunday around 7pm & I emailed our Airbnb host to ask if the supermarket will be open. They will probably be closed, glad I checked!! Popping out to a restaurant after travelling from the other side of the world, tired, jet lagged, unable to speak French is too much to cope with. Dehydrated food it will probably have to be, thanks to Back Country Cuisine.

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Throughout this trip I plan to blog about navigating airports, supermarkets, restaurants, cafes etc to help other Coeliacs in what can be a very daunting & overwhelming experience. We’re in this together & knowledge shared by fellow coeliacs is invaluable.