Travelling while being a vegetarian isn't always easy, especially in countries of other cultures and languages. Some cultures don't understand the term 'vegetarian', and will often offer chicken or fish instead of red meat.

Prior to my trip to Tunisia, I was anxious about how easily I would find being a vegetarian while there - I wasn't sure what my meals would consist of. In the comfort of the buffet-dinner resort hotel, being a vegetarian was easy. These resorts are designed for travellers who are fussy eaters and offer everything from pizza to pasta, crepes, and many salad and cooked vegetable options.

There were absolutely no problems being vegetarian and finding enough to eat while at the resorts. On a day out in Tunis, we stopped for lunch along the street in a small take-away food shop serving chapattis. Here they offered an omelette & cheese chapatti, and for only 1.10TD - a great deal, and very tasty!

After 3 days of buffet breakfasts and dinnners at our hotel, we took a small independent tour with only 3 other people plus a driver and a guide. This was where there could be a challenge in being vegetarian. However, somehow I managed without problems. We were taken to restaurants which catered to tourists, however at the same time served more authentic cuisine - most often couscous was on the menu.

A typical Tunisian menu that seems to be served to tourists is a couscous soup, couscous in a spicy tomato broth. Followed by couscous with roasted meat and vegetables. Followed with a Brik - pastry with vegetables, egg, or meat diced up inside. The desert tends to be seasonal fruit.

I managed through all these meals and felt some success. However - I chose not to be strict with my vegetarian diet at this point. I didn't ask what type of broth was used with the soup, nor if a broth was used for the couscous. There was roasted chicken laid upon the mountain of couscous, but I scooped couscous out of an area which didn't have any meat laying on it.

Is this considered successfully following my vegetarian diet? Is it possible to travel to new places and maintain such a diet without being offensive? It is a personal decision and likely not easy for those, like myself, who tend to be strict vegetarians at home, and have to relax the rules a bit while travelling.