A broad abroad.

So this special stomach has been as busy as some kind of person who has lots of stuff to do. Probably not as busy as a beaver, because those jokes get old and I've never really seen a beaver in action (lol, okay, those jokes don't ever get old), so I can't really compare myself to one. But, boy, have I been busy! I apologise for my absence (to those millions of people I'm sure read this. lol.).

On the plus side, some of this absent time was spent on a much needed trip abroad. Two days in Malaysia, 15 in Indonesia. Praise the gourds, was it wonderful! I was a little nervous, having travelled to Asia for many years, I have always loved the food and was hesitant to find out what I had to wave goodbye to since finding out about the good ol' Coeliac Attack. So, I tentatively peeked out from between the fingers covering my eyes and was so relieved to find that there was still so much I could enjoy. Sunshine, scuba diving and monkeys aside, the food was fantastic as always.

From fine dining to road side food carts, South East Asia is a wonderland for any Coeliac looking for a break that won't bore your belly. Obviously almost everything comes with rice, so you'll always have that as a fall back if you're unsure of what to ask for. The main things to avoid are obviously sauces and thickeners, soy sauce, being the most common, however certain brands are available which are without wheat flour (“tepung terigu” in Indonesian) “San-J” and “Bango” brand being my favourite of these. The safest bet is if they have tamari sauce available instead. If you’re still nervous just ask for “tanpa kecap” (without sauce). The major hurdle is avoiding MSG (Monosodium Glutamate). It’s in pretty much everything. I managed to find one brand of rice noodle packets which did not have MSG in the sachets called “super bihun” which was quite tasty too. MSG is often referred to as “Masako” which is the most common brand that sells it, there are even ads on TV with happy families yelling about how delicious it is to pour these little sachets of white powder into your dinner! Lol. So asking for “Tanpa Masako/MSG” (without MSG) is the best bet. Everywhere you go. Everywhereeeee.

Serious part over. Fun part now: Peekatures!

Fine dining in Bali: Le 48 appetisers= cherry tomatoes dipped in caramel toffee and cashews.

Odd and incredible.

My favourite dish in the world: Sate lillit (fish satay with lemongrass as the skewers, spicy peanut satay sauce and rice).

This is mouth paradise.

Dessert: Chocolate mousse thick enough to stand your spoon up in, yo.

*is covered in own saliva*

Shopping at Amlapura market for fresh fruit, vegetables, rice and happiness.

When it's super hot and sweaty (and attractive) in Asia: Pineapple sorbet...IN A PINEAPPLE.

FRICK YES!

60c lunch at our favourite warung: fuyanghai omlette, rice.

OMNOMNOMNOM.

Happy fluoro rice cakes.

Hello diabetes, but also smiles.

Things I have struggled with this past month:

• Staying positive.
• Leaving Asia!
• Being told by others what I can or cannot eat before I’ve had a chance to check the labels. I’m stubborn, so this was a hard one (lol again, sorrytoeveryone).
• A few too many contaminated dishes lead to some churny moments and spider-belly-bloating re-visited.

Things which have made it all worth it:

• Still being able to enjoy myself overseas to almost the full extent I could before I was diagnosed.
• To lose the fear of travelling and how being gluten-free would hinder this.
• Cider. Obv.