going to Bali-- need info about celiac cards etc.

LivePoetry · Joined: 27 Jun 2011 Posts: 5

Hi All,
I'm going to Bali for the first three weeks of February-- I know there have been other posts about this but I've got some specific questions.

I think that I should take GF dining cards with me in Indonesian, I found one but when I looked at the English translation it was very general--only said I can't have wheat, oats, anything breaded etc. but didn't say anything about SOY SAUCE which I know will be the main problem in Bali. Are there Bali dining cards which are more specific to the cuisine there? From the research I've done, it seems that in many dishes if they just left out the soy sauce when preparing it, I'd be totally fine. I'm not really sensitive to cross-contamination so I want a dining card that does not go into a big deal about that.

I'd appreciate some input about people's experiences using the dining cards in Bali specifically. I know that reception of celiac varies greatly by country. Some places I've heard do not even understand the cards, still bring you wheat foods, and it just causes totally pointless embarrassment and confusion. I don't want to be embarrassed for no reason! If the cards work in Bali, then I'll use them. Otherwise I guess I'd rather just risk the soy sauce.

Other thing is-- I'm in my mid-twenties, traveling alone, and I've heard Bali is a great place to meet other single/solo travelers. I'm excited about this, but knowing that the young-budget-traveler scene will usually involve alcohol and that I can't drink beer because of the wheat... its really putting a damper on things. What alcohol can I have in Bali? and is it horribly expensive?

Thanks so much for any input... I'm determined to enjoy this but it is so so hard for me to even tell people about my illness for fear they will not understand and think I am just being picky Sad

gfdfnj · Joined: 12 May 2011 Posts: 50 Location: NJ

I've never been to Asia but I have traveled quite a bit around Europe and South America without issues. I have a large number of food allergies and prefer http://www.food-info.net/allergy.htm as each list covers dozens of possibilities. I just print out the listing for which ever languange I need and then highlight the "I am allergic to" phrase as well as all of the things I can't have. I checked the English/Indonesian one and it does list soy sauce. (Keep in mind however, that both Balinese and Indonesian are the primary languages there with English as the third most common.)

I suspect that the more touristy areas will have plenty of english speakers but you may have to do some educating about what Celiac disease is and what changes they need to make to help you. Don't look at it as a possibility for embarassment but rather as an opportunity to help them help the next guest that comes along as well.

I've got a longer article on my blog that covers more general travel tips if you are interested: Traveling Gluten Free

Have a wonderful time and be sure to post about it here when you get back!
_________
Jason
Gluten Free / Dairy Free NJ