Words of the week - Flying

Hello from Australia.

Having spent 11 years living in South Africa and Dubai we're more than used to flying. Ether 12 hours direct from SA or 8 hrs to Dubai and 7 hours onto the UK. 

Child 3 moved out to Australia in 2017 and this is my 4th trip to visit him (3rd for Peter)

2019 My first trip was from Dubai and I broke the journey up with a stop over in Singapore for 2 hours. I got off the plane, stretched my legs, got a Starbucks, then boarded again with mostly the same passengers, back into the same seat onto Sydney. It was 2 x 7 hour flights. I flew back direct from Melbourne.

We used to joke that a 7 hour flight was short haul for us travelling between Dubai and the UK.

Covid stopped us visiting for 3 years, but I still made flights to and from the UK to Dubai

2022 My 2nd trip was 7 hours to Dubai. Peter came with me and we were now living in the UK. The usual stretch legs, Starbucks and then 14 hours onto Sydney. We had a couple of internal flights to travel to The Gold Coast and Sydney of 2-3 hours each. I flew home from Sydney and Peter returned 2 weeks later and spent a few nights in Dubai on his way back.

2023 Was a flight via Kuala Lumper which was 10 hours, 3 over stop over and yes, stretched legs and coffee, then 8 hours onto Sydney. We had more internal flights up to Cairns and Brisbane and flew home from Sydney via Kuala Lumpur Lumper where we stayed for 4 nights.

2025 We're back in Sydney, via 2 hours in Dubai and we've got 4 nights in Dubai on our way home. Another 7 hour and 14 hour flight. 

Emirates is our preferred airline, but often due to only being able to travel in the school holidays we've opted for other airlines as the price can differ between £1000-£2000 return for the two of us. We were silver members for many years with the airline and benefitted from using the lounge and early boarding, which we do miss being able to take advantage of.

We picked up the AirBus A380 in Dubai

There is so much more room in economy than other planes, so no need for any upgrades. We booked Premium economy with Virgin with our 11 hour flight to Vegas over Christmas and we really needed it. Emirates haven't compromised with economy. Our only issue with booking with Emirates to Dubai or Australia is making sure the code share isn't a Qantas plane, as it's a completely different flying experience.

I opted to have the gluten option on the flights. Usually I just don't eat the bread roll, crackers and cake, usually bringing my own. But I noticed this was a really heavy carb based meal flight. I actually wasn't impressed with any of my meals. They get served earlier than the rest of the cabin do, which also meant I had the tray for twice as long. I also didn't get to see what was I was going to have in advance and was served fish which I don't mind but it really doesn't reheat that well and was very rubbery.

The cakes and bread were really heavy with exceptionally long use by dates. It was also very fatty and sugary)

In theory the gluten free range looked promising

The reality not so good. I couldn't eat this.

I'll be popping some crackers, a cake and bread roll in my hand luggage for the return flight and just having a normal meal (chicken or beef).

Gluten Free dining in Las Vegas.

The first hurdle on any holiday for me is the plane. I don't order Gluten Free meals on planes, it's terrible. I just pack sandwiches, fruit, snacks and eat what I can. I do pack food with me when I travel some biscuits and cakes that I can have with coffee while I am out and about, then I'll go shopping on arrival to purchase what I need for the rest of my stay. However, it's not often I travel and stay in a Hotel and have to eat out for every meal and I was disappointed to discover that Las Vegas is not at all Gluten Free friendly.

I was unable to locate any stores on the Strip that sold Gluten Free food other than food stuff that is Gluten Free anyway. 

I wish I'd packed Gluten Free bread rolls and bread so I could've swopped a burger or a sandwich out in a restaurant or had something to dip in my soup. I never tend to feel full after a meal when the GF alternative is just to remove the bread/pasta etc from the dish.

We did find a Gluten Free restaurant and had an amazing dinner one evening. We were comped the meal, but at $250 it wasn't somewhere we were going back to. 

For breakfast I had fresh fruit and greek yogurt and I could have Gluten Free toast. Although the quality and varied from place to place. The first bowl was $5, the plate was $15.

I was surrounded by donuts, pastries and pancakes. 

I was tempted, but if I eat wheat it's a trip tp A&E for me. A friend in the UK recommend a cafe that sold GF donuts and we tracked it down. When we arrived it was $10 a donut, it was also vegan, it looked greasy and there were only 2 left, they were small and looked unappetising, so I declined.

I stuck to ice cream/sorbet. Mind you, that was $10 a scoop.

I can always find something to eat when I'm out, it's just my choice is limited and I have to read labels and it takes me longer to choose. I had a chicken salad pot for Christmas lunch and we sat in the street outside New York New York to eat it. I had chips and a milkshake for my dinner. There weren't many places open other than fast food joints which limited my options to eat.

With the lack of food options available to me, it was pretty much the focus of the holiday for me. Mind you most times away from the home unless I take a pack lunch are difficult for me. I can't just grab a sandwich or a sausage roll on the go. A cake in a coffee shop. Yes, I'm aware supermarkets sell Gluten Free sandwiches, but the stock is low and sold out early on. Want something after 10am and good luck finding it. I end up eating a lot of cold food away from the home. Salads, home made sandwiches, fruit as snacks, sushi, or chocolate, chips, crisps etc. Which I did a lot of in Las Vegas.

Do you have dietary needs that make it difficult to eat out, especially when you're on holiday?

A wheat free diet

I've been told I have an allergy to wheat and what a difference it has made to my life. I won't find out until the end of November after 3 months being wheat free whether it's the cause of my Iron deficiency anemia, but as I had a small, slow bleed in my small intestine, I am assuming this was the cause of low ferritin stores. A blood test will reveal all.

In the meantime, fantastic news, I've not had a single headache or migraine since I started the diet and my chronic pain in my neck is considerably far less painful and in fact on some days I hardly notice it all. Having suffered with migraines since I was a baby and chronic pain for 23 years after an injury at work.

Going wheat free has been an easy choice for me. I haven't opted for going Gluten Free as I'm not coeliac, I've just eliminated wheat from my diet, so a salad or sushi on the go rather than a sandwich, grilled chicken instead of a burger when eating out and just choosing menu items without wheat, so no more pizza, burgers, sausages, pasta, bread and keeping a check on ingredients for sauces.

There's plenty of menu choices, I just didn't eat the bread.

I have ordered a couple of Gluten Free meals over the past month with all the travelling we've been doing. I can't rate The Lounges enough for their range and taste, however a pie that tasted really nice in another restaurant didn't actually look that appetizing.

When I cut the wheat from my diet, I missed the carbs, the feeling of being full and turned to Gluten Free products ti supplement my diet, I put on weight and found myself craving sugar. I also started to experience trapped wind and a bloated belly, symptoms I never had in the past. Now 2 months on, I've just adapted my diet to 'no wheat'.

I've also observed that most GF premade food is also dairy free which in my opinion makes the food taste bland, was pleased to see this range in Asda.

I've bought some Gluten Free flour mixes for banana bread, cake mixes and yorkshire puddings as well as a pot of suitable gravy granules.

I've made a few mistakes, assuming an ale was barley or hops, to discover it contained wheat, so easy switch, just drinking G&T and wine now. A salad I bought in the supermarkets contained semolina grains and now having to carry my reading glasses with me everywhere.

I was so keen to have liver and onions, I forgot to ask about the gravy.

I take a few snacks out with me most days so I have something I can eat, if I feel peckish in a coffee shop, there are few GF options.

On the whole it's been much easier than I thought, but when my health was seriously suffering as a consequence it's not that difficult to do.

One Daily Positive - Week 36 Exploring wheat free foods.

This new wheat free diet is easy to follow. I've stopped eating bread, pizza, burger and cake and choose gluten free when we eat out, but since I've stopped the wheat/carbs just over 2 weeks ago, I don't feel full after a meal and I've been craving sugar and actually put on 2kg in a very short period of time. I'm also suffering with indigestion, trapped wind and have been constipated, all the symptoms I din't have but should've had with the wheat allergy.

I've felt incredibly isolated this week. Peter was away Sunday till Tuesday and although I went to the dog park on Tuesday, pub quiz was cancelled on Wednesday and I've been out each day to the mall for coffee. I realised on Thursday that when Peter left the house at 5am, I actually didn't speak to a single person until he came home at 10pm. That'll all change next week as I'm flying to the UK.

244 Sunday Morning spent on the sofa watching the end of The Good Wife, what next? Dropped Peter at the airport for his flight to Saudi, called in at a friends and spent the afternoon and evening on the sofa watching reruns of Glee. Now the migraine and meds have worn off, I can now really feel the after effects of my wisdom tooth removal last week, feel like I've been punched in the jaw.

Whenever I pass the Museum of the Future as a passenger I take a photo for my construction projects I'm documenting.

245 Monday Up at 6.30am after a 10 hour solid sleep. Chores done, dog walked, medical bills claimed, blogging and catching up with soaps. Popped out for a coffee and a swim.

246 Tuesday Off to the dog park, new road system in place which I failed to notice so a 20km detour, home and sorted through some construction photos comparing the differences in Dubai since we've been here. Peter home late afternoon, he caught the train to Ibn Battuta and I joined him for an early dinner of steak, chips and veg off the main menu.

247 Wednesday Changed the bedding and went out for coffee, some cleaning, reading and blogging. It was a long day, so I popped out for a coffee and some food shopping. Caffe Nero had Gluten Free cakes on offer. The other coffee shops don't offer a GF selection of anything.

248 Thursday An early start as Peter was off to Saudi again. I went back to bed till it started to get light then took Bob on a long walk. The day was spent cleaning the house and finishing my packing for next weeks UK trip. A swim in the afternoon.

249 Friday Out for brunch, it was difficult avoiding the wheat with all the yummy breads and cakes on display. The rest of the day was written off and I read a book.

250 Saturday Out for a late breakfast/early lunch on the beach front, afternoon spent in front of the TV, reading and blogging.

We chose to visit a Health Cafe with a wide range of Gluten Free dishes, however it was rather disappointing, the pancakes were dry and tasted early, the 'fresh fruit' was a mere garnish. 10 blueberries, I sliced strawberry and 2 raspberries for £12 and £5 for a latte. Won't be bothering again. As it's only wheat I have to avoid, I can just select salads, fruit, yogurts, fish and meals without sauces from regular menus from now on.

On the blog this week:

More on my visit to Australia last month - Flora and Fauna in Australia
We stayed in some amazing places in Australia - Accommodation
Secondhand September and Zero Waste Week - My efforts to help the planet

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