Noboru Posted October 26, 2012 Share Posted October 26, 2012 I'm on day 20 (somehow) and it hasn't been too hard, as I'm used to buying veggies several times a week and cooking from scratch at home. I should note that I live in Shanghai, China, so we have little veggie vendor stalls dotting our street. Very convenient, though I certainly cannot vouch for their organic quality! My problem is this: tonight is a friend's birthday party. It'll be in a restaurant (I'll eat before I go) and will essentially be a piss-up, to put it frankly. I can deal with not having a glass of wine or two (have survived a few weekends of low key Friday night outings already, with soda water in hand). What I'm dreading is being the only sober one out there. Also, I'm getting really sick of soda water. I'm kind of dreading the whole thing. The other thing I'm dreading is this weekend. I have to go away for work to a nearby city. My train is at 10am Saturday, and I'm heading straight to the work venue from the train. I work 2pm-6:30pm Saturday, then will be driven to my hotel. That neighbourhood doesn't have any restaurants that are compliant (been there before). Won't have access to a kitchen. There will be a breakfast buffet that I can maybe sneak some veggies and meat from for my lunch (but nervous because the work venue has no fridge). After work on Sunday, I take the train back to Shanghai and get home around 8pm. No idea what I'll be able to do for dinner, as there are only fast food joints at the train station. What can I do, to make these next few days doable? Even just moral support would help. I'm starting to panic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhmomi Posted October 26, 2012 Share Posted October 26, 2012 Can you take a small cooler and get ice at the work venue and hotel? Carrots travel well and can be eaten raw. Tuna? Sardines? Jerky? Apples? Cooked chicken or hard boiled eggs if you can get ice? Not exciting choices but its a short trip. Good luck! And don't panic. Just do the best you can. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noboru Posted October 26, 2012 Author Share Posted October 26, 2012 Thanks. And no, can't get ice, especially not at this time of year-- once it's autumn, the Chinese don't add ice to things (because you need to be warmed-- even the water you're served with meals is hot). I'm going to pack some tins of tuna, some veggies and some boiled eggs for the first lunch. Can't get jerky here (they have nasty dried fish but it has soy in it). I really don't have any of the convenience foods that westerners can get from whole foods places, unfortunately. Feeling tired just thinking about it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alana in Canada Posted October 26, 2012 Share Posted October 26, 2012 I can hear your stress from here! How about some nuts or nut butters? Canned sardines? Is there a grocery store, at least, near your motel? Can you get to one, at all? That's what we tend to do on trips. If you have enough time and space, can you make your own ice? Just water in baggies, if that's available. Hope you find something that works for you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tasha Posted October 26, 2012 Share Posted October 26, 2012 My problem is this: tonight is a friend's birthday party. It'll be in a restaurant (I'll eat before I go) and will essentially be a piss-up, to put it frankly. I can deal with not having a glass of wine or two (have survived a few weekends of low key Friday night outings already, with soda water in hand). What I'm dreading is being the only sober one out there. Also, I'm getting really sick of soda water. I'm kind of dreading the whole thing. I just did Las Vegas on a w30 and was the only sober one for our evenings out and it was fine. I was getting sick of soda water and lime, too but I just slugged through it and focused on the socializing. Plus I remembered a lot more of the funny stories than everyone else! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noboru Posted October 26, 2012 Author Share Posted October 26, 2012 I'll be packing tins of tuna, nuts, some fruits and veggies. Don't like sardines. I think there may be a grocery store near my hotel but, well, it's a Chinese one (of course), so the ingredients don't necessarily lend themselves to hotel-room preparation-- like, I'd be buying a whole fish (head still on, scales still on, not gutted), or large chunk of bone-in raw pork or large jar of fermented vegetables... The only convenience foods you can get are junky cakes/sweets/dried things (usually preserved with msg, sugar, soy sauce, etc). It's times like these when I wish I lived in a country with, say, Trader Joes... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirsteen Posted October 26, 2012 Share Posted October 26, 2012 Not a lot of ideas, as I don't know what you can buy but loads of moral support. It reminds me of when I was in hospital. I'd never heard of W30 then but if you've ever seen a UK hospital's idea of gluten free food, you'd know why I didn't want to eat it. even the nurses couldn't tell what it was. I was neutropenic so wasn't allowed anything that was open to the air. My son brought me in tins of tuna, tins of green beans and a small bottle of olive oil. I mixed these up for salads. This plus avocados and bananas were all i lived on for a week so I really feel for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noboru Posted October 28, 2012 Author Share Posted October 28, 2012 In case you were wondering how I did over the weekend... Well, I eventually (after much stress and uncertainty) bailed on the birthday party, unfortunately. Just felt exhausted from work and couldn't bear the thought of trying to deal with a crowded, drinky-party with soda water in hand. It's not fun being the metaphorical designated driver (no one here that I know has a car, but hey...), especially when feeling grumpy. The work weekend away went okay, though I was bored to tears by food. Packed some sliced, grilled chicken breast, some chopped veggies and a home made vinaigrette to eat en route as a sort of extended brunch. Also packed some hazelnuts and almonds, a mini French press and mini jar of coffee (if I can't have fun, I might as well have a decent coffee), and a few tins of tuna. At my hotel, I splurged on their overpriced and underwhelming buffet for dinner, so I could get some selection at least (it was 120rmb, which is about $18, a vast sum for meals here). Had a massive salad (with oil/vinegar), a so-so steak the size of my palm (I have big hands, I should note), a little bowl of some sort of beef curry, and then a small plate of fresh fruit. I was sitting near the beer, bread, cheese and dessert tables and it killed me to have to stick to the uninspiring dishes that were okay for me. They have a breakfast buffet included so I just packed up what I didn't eat (am a light morning eater) and had it for lunch with a tin of tuna-- I grabbed more salad (a bunch of different chopped veggies, no lettuce) and 2 boiled eggs. I forgot to add any oil or vinegar or seasoning so it was as dull as it sounds. I didn't get home until 8pm, so snacked on a banana (from hotel) and my hazelnuts and almonds. Just made a 9pm omelet, half asleep but starving. That was NOT a fun weekend but I made it. I can't believe I did it. I thought for sure this would be my downfall. Day 22, I think it is now. Wow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derval Posted October 28, 2012 Share Posted October 28, 2012 Well done on getting through it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noboru Posted October 30, 2012 Author Share Posted October 30, 2012 Thanks! It was incredibly stressful. Very glad that's done with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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