1. It all began in a van…

It all began almost 2 years ago. I was on holiday in my camper exploring Dumfries and Galloway. The weather was warm and the scenery idyllic. Unfortunately, I was struggling and unable to venture far from a toilet. I thought I had a bug, but it didn’t clear up, so I thought it was stress caused by my daughters upcoming wedding. The wedding came and went, the struggles remained. I was having to take time off work and life was getting tricky. I recalled a few years earlier giving up gluten and feeling much better at the time, so I thought that was worth a try.

It was like a switch, I felt instantly better. Less bloating and much less dashing to the loo. But something still wasn’t quite right, so I did a bit of research and personal observation and decided to give up dairy too. That was the final piece of the jigsaw and I could see a way forward.

Eating dairy and gluten free is quite straightforward at home, but makes going out subject to more planning. Even more complicated is going away in my van. Up until this point, I always enjoyed eating at least one meal each day in a local pub or cafe, but quickly realised that not everywhere has suitable food, many places do, but planning and communication is key to finding them. This blog will describe my travels and places I find that cater to my requirements (and those of many others), and the challenge of cooking nutritious food on the 2 rings in my van.