Warm Vegan Travel Wishes, Still Stuck in the Snow

The Jersey Shore/NYC snow situation is still totally crazy!  My car has been completely snowed in for days because of the intensity of the snow.  Major highways have only now began to open one lane.  There's about three feet of snow everywhere!  My snowbound brain has led me to websites that show warm beaches.  My restless feet just want to go to the beach and take pictures.  It seems that other snowbound people have made some footpaths through the snow, so hopefully I can get up there today.  

I've been on a tight budget lately, so upcoming travel is going to be tricky.  I'm determined to make it work though, and dreaming is free!  I have miles saved up on a few airlines, so not including airfare, these options might actually work.  Since I'm surrounded by snow right now and really love the beach life, I want scuba, snorkel, and surfing experiences.  Delicious vegan food and good coffee are sort of a necessity, though I have been known to do without while traveling to really cool places.  Here is a random list of places I've been thinking about lately.

Puerto Rico

Kayaking in a bioluminescent bay, surfing waist to chest high waves, sipping pina coladas after scuba diving...sounds pretty good to me!  There's a bunch of vegetarian listings for PR on Happy Cow.

Costa Rica

Surfing, diving, hiking, I've always wanted to go to Costa Rica!

Miami

Flights from the NJ/NYC/Philly area to Miami are pretty cheap, and I remember finding a hotel bargain in a really good area smack dab in the middle of South Beach.  

Hawaii (remember, this is not including airfare)

I've been to Kauai, and to this day it's one of the best places I've ever been.  Now I'd like to try out Oahu or Maui.   There's gotta be some budget hotels there, right?  I'll find out and keep you posted!

Vegan in Cairns

It's been a while since I last posted...busy as usual! I'm currently in Cairns, Australia. There are a few falafel places, a ton of Asian restaurants with great spring rolls and tofu dishes, and a bunch of coffee shops with soy milk. The soy lattes in Australia are some of the best I've ever tasted (especially in Melbourne, but I'll get to that some other time). I just stocked up the kitchen of the place I'm staying at with some tofu, soy crumbles, soy milk, pasta, spices, breads, fruits and veggies, and I'm pretty much set for the next few days. It turns out that being vegan here is not that hard at all. I'm taking tons of pictures, visited the reef (it was everything I thought it would be and more!), and I'm heading into the rainforest tomorrow. Will post more soon!

Akumal, Mexico: The Place of the Turtles

Akumal is a short ride from Playa del Carmen, but it's like a different world. The word "Akumal" means "The Place of the Turtles" in Maya. While Playa del Carmen is a lively city on the beach, Akumal is like a sleepy little village. Both have shops, bars, and restaurants, but Akumal's draw is the laid back beach and not the night life. Home to a sea turtle sanctuary, we saw no less than SIX sea turtles, three adults and three cute little juveniles when we were snorkeling there. When I go back to the Riviera Maya, I'll definitely spend more time at Akumal.

To get there from Playa, we walked to a street with some collectivos. We managed to find one that was going south. The collectivo is basically a mini van that goes up and down the highway, stopping at various destinations, depending on where the passengers want to go. It's sort of like a cab and a bus combined, and it was way cheaper than renting a car or getting a private taxi. The collectivo was packed filled with people before we left Playa, and just when I thought we were dropping people off, more people got on. It was squishy and weird but definitely interesting, sort of fun, and cheap. When we finally got to Akumal, the collectivo dropped us off on the highway, and we had to walk to the beach. At first, it was a little confusing because there was so much construction going on. We had to go over a walking bridge, dodge some construction debris, then find this freshly cemented path:Eventually, the path turned green and shady. We stocked up on water and snacks at a little grocery store that had this wooden mermaid hanging in front of it. I love mermaids!

I had a blast shopping at MexicArte, a folk art shop filled with jewelry, ornaments, and art crafted by local artisans. The beach was calm and relaxing.

We picked a shady spot near a palm tree, rented some snorkel equipment right on the beach at Akumal Dive Shop, then swam with a barracuda, some needlefish, French grunts, a bunch of other fish, and sea turtles. What a lovely end to a great trip!

There were quite a few vegan options at the Akumal restaurants, all within walking distance of the beach. The beach bar had veggie burgers, and two more restaurants had veggie options. We settled on the Turtle Bay Cafe.

I had the lentil burger. It was deliciously smothered with beets, carrots, lettuce, hummus and mustard. Yum! All that and a deliciously refreshing limeade for about six US dollars.

I'll definitely go back to Akumal again! Now, I'm off to the Florida Keys. I'll be diving in Key Largo and taking a sunset kayak tour in Key West. More on that soon!

Scuba Adventures in the Riviera Maya

As I re-read and reviewed my PADI diver's manual on the plane, any nervousness I had about breathing 50 feet under water quickly was replaced with excitement. I couldn't wait to actually start diving! I love the ocean, and I was so happy when the realization finally sunk in that I was going to be able to explore it underwater for an extended period of time.

After arriving at the airport in Cancun, finding transportation to our hotel, and checking in, our first day in Playa del Carmen was primarily spent exploring. We walked to the beach and along Quinta Avenida, a pedestrian only street filled with little shops and restaurants. The next day, my scuba adventures began.

The ocean's currents were just too strong for novices that day, so we drove to a cenote with our dive instructor. The Yucatan is filled with cenotes, most of which are found in caves or completely underground. My first diving experience was in the Cenote El Jardin del Eden, a great place to refresh the skills I learned in a pool back home.

Part of this cenote was completely in a cave, and part of it was open. We had to stay in the open area since you need special training to dive in a cave. We saw a bunch of divers training to do just that as we were getting our equipment ready. After a seated entry off a little dock, we were ready to go under!

The water was cool but comfortable since we were wearing full wetsuits. The visibilty was perfect (though not so much when we beginners started kicking up algae when we lost control of our buoyancy a few times). It was so fun to swim by green, algae covered rocks and tree roots with these cool, silvery fish with iridescent fins. I think the peaceful sounds of inhaling through my tank, then exhaling bubbles has to be one of my new favorites. (The cenote fish photo was borrowed from http://alanformstone.com/pics/ponderosa_jun_04.html).

The next day, thankfully, an ocean dive was in order. The cenote was fun, but I wanted salt and currents and waves! We packed our group and our equipment onto a tiny little boat docked right at the each, and off we went, hurtling over the waves to Sabalos Reef and Barracuda Reef. The sun was hot, the water was warm, and I couldn't wait to go under!

It was quite a challenge donning the necessary equipment on a tiny, cramped boat. After a safety check, we sat on the edge, put a hand over our mask and regulator, and fell backwards into the deep blue. We used a line to control our descent. This helped me a great deal with some equalizing issues I was having in the cenote. You're supposed to equalize the pressure in your ears every few feet, and I found it was easier to do that when holding a rope.

Eventually, we made it to the sandy bottom and let go of the rope. We neutralized our bouyancy, making us essentially weightless and floating, and off we went to explore the gorgeous reef. We drifted by an amazing shelf filled with purple sea fans that waved back and forth in the current. We swam by corals, anemones, and huge sponges. The blue was everywhere, the water temperature was so perfect, and the peaceful bubble sound I loved had me smiling so much that my mask kept filling up with water. I'm glad they had us practice mask clearing so much!

The reef was so colorful: red, orange, yellow, green, and purple everywhere there wasn't blue. It was like floating through an enchanted alien forest. We met a big, dark lobster hiding in the crevices of the reef moving about his antennae. There was a sponge so big I could comfortably fit my whole arm inside it. The sea fans moved so elegentaly and effortlessly back and forth, slowly with the current. I heard a metallic tapping when our dive instructor spotted a beautiful hawksbill turtle, swam over to it and watched it eat. A spotted moray eel curled into a hiding spot nearby.

Eventually, the last dive was over and we followed our bubbles up to the surface. There was a scary moment when we realized we drifted so far from where we initially started, that we couldn't see the boat at all. It was just us bobbing over the waves, no boat in sight. I half thought we might have to swim to the shore, and I thanked my lucky stars that the shore was in site. Thankfully, we were spotted over the waves somehow. The tiny boat picked us out of the strengthening current, and we were returned safely to the beach.

Now that I'm officially certified, I can't wait to go diving again!!!

Macadamia Blondies and the Beach

The months of July and August are like a long, extended vacation for those of us lucky enough to live at the Jersey Shore. For some of us, the beach is just steps away from our homes, and it seems like the beauty and sunshine are ever present. Labor Day weekend can be bittersweet, as the water temperatures are warmer than ever, but the end of the summer season is close at hand. Lucky for me, I live here year round, and September brings smaller crowds to the beach! Here is a bunch of photos I took over Labor Day weekend, followed by a pic of the super scrumptious Macadamia Blondies from Vegan With a Vengeance.

I didn't make the caramel sauce that was supposed to go with the recipe, but I found the blondies to be perfectly sweet enough, with a buttery smoothness from the macadamias. I loved them, and I'll probably make them again soon!

Vegan SPF and Green Sun Safety

(Top photo taken at Sapphire Beach, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, bottom photo taken at Trunk Bay, St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands)

It's not easy picking the right sunscreen, whether you spend every day at the beach, or just a week here and there on vacation. Spending a lot of time in the sun can be really bad for your skin. On the one hand, you need some sun exposure so that your body can produce vitamin D, on the other, UV rays are known carcinogens. In addition to the scary possibility of skin cancer, too much sun can make your skin age faster than it should. I'm super picky about my sun protection since skin cancer runs in my family, and I've done almost ridiculous levels of research on choosing the best sun protection.

Needless to say, I love the beach, and I spend a lot of time in the sun. It's not always easy to find a high SPF (SPF 50 or more) vegan sunscreen, especially one that has mostly natural ingredients, little or no petrochemical-derived ingredients, and is considered safe by the Environmental Working Group (see the Cosmetic Safety Database). Generally, I look for physical UVA and UVB blockers that sit on the skin rather than getting absorbed into it. The two big ones are zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. Most zinc oxide and titanium dioxide particles are micronized, so they sit on the skin but allow the lotion to sort of "disappear". If they weren't micronized, you'd likely end up with a white film all over you.

Nature's Gate Aquablock SPF 50 is 100% vegan, and the best sunscreen I've tried. You can generally find it at Whole Foods or natural food stores. It goes on white since its active ingredients include zinc oxide, but once you rub it in, it's clear. While it's water resistant, it's always best to reapply any sunscreen after swimming/snorkeling/surfing/whatever. Reapply often. Even if you don't get that wet, and you're just chillin' on the sand. That's really the key to effective sunscreen use.

While I love Aquablock, I've read really good things about Mexitan 100% biodegradable, all natural (and vegan) sunscreens, and they make an SPF 50 version. It's more expensive than Aquablock, and not as readily available, but it has a lot more attractive qualities in that it's all natural, 100% petrochemical free, and has a better rating on the Cosmetic Safety Database. Mexitan uses zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, and unlike Nature's Gate and many other "natural" sunscreens, Mexitan does not include oxybenzone. Oxybenzone, also known as benzophenone-3, is a chemical sun screen that can get absorbed by the skin and has been known to mimic estrogen. I haven't actually tried Mexitan, so I can't personally recommend it (yet).

California Baby products also got high ratings for safety from the Cosmetic Safety Database, are all natural, and most of their products are vegan (their diaper rash cream contains lanolin and sunblock sticks contain beeswax). I've tried their bubble bath and love it, but I've never tried their sunscreens, so I can't vouch for them (yet!).

In addition to the SPF 50 Aquablock, I love Peter Thomas Roth Instant Mineral SPF 30, which is labelled animal cruelty free. I can't speak for all of the Peter Thomas Roth products, but I can say that this mineral-based powder rocks it! It has really simple ingredients. Basically, it contains titanium dioxide and zinc oxide, mica, silica, corn starch, vitamins A, C, and E (antioxidants), and willow bark extract to help with inflammation. It just adds extra sun protection to my face, and it makes it feel less lotion-y at the beach. You can also try Eminence Organics Sun Defense SPF 30 powder, which has the added benefit of being organic, but it's way more expensive. Jane Iredale Powder Me SPF 30 is also similiar but a bit more expensive than the Peter Thomas Roth product.

If I'm going to be swimming, surfing, or snorkeling for a good amount of time (which is almost always the case), I also put on a high SPF rashguard. It's like a T-shirt for the water. Just another assurance that you won't burn your shoulders or back. Patagonia makes some good ones that are made out of recycled polyester. Of course, there's cheaper ones at places like swell.com or your favorite surf shop.

Back on the beach, I always wear sunglasses and a baseball hat (less squinting and more sun protection for the face). Also, don't forget your lips! Lavera is an organic, vegan cosmetics and skincare line from Germany that makes an SPF 15 lip balm. Arbonne makes an SPF 30 lip balm and is vegan as well.

If you're going to be traveling and want to bring your vegan sunscreens with you, you can put them into little travel sized containers like these from Bed, Bath, and Beyond. Even better, use The Urban Vegan's idea and reuse your old airline approved bottles.

Enjoy the summer sun and stay safe!

(Photo taken at the Jersey Shore!)

Barton Springs

Barton Springs is a natural spring located in the humongous Zilker Park in Austin, TX. It's pool-like in that there is concrete surrounding it, and stairs, and diving boards. I didn't actually go in the water the day that we were at Barton Springs. It was one of those days that I was just perfectly content sitting on the grass right by the spring, chatting with some friends. The water seemed cold, and as you can see it was overcast. I read that there is a species of salamander that can only be found at the spring, but I didn't see any. There was definitely some plant life evident in the water. What a cool place! I'm sure Austiners love this place in the wilting summer heat!

Lake Travis

While I was in Austin, I had the opportunity to go to Lake Travis. Though I didn't snorkel in Lake Travis, I did have an opportunity to swim and climb on these rocks. The only wildlife I noticed were the occasional bird and huge catfish. The water was probably about 70 degrees, not too cold, and it reminded me of the Atlantic Ocean in the summer. The weather was absolutely perfect-about 80 degrees with a slight, balmy breeze.


I'm used to the ocean, whether the Pacific, Atlantic, or Caribbean, so I have to admit I had a little bias towards lakes. My Lake Travis experience was so fun, I completely look at lakes differently now. I also had fun at Lake Mead last year:
When we were at Lake Mead it was about 105 degrees out and all those little rocks hurt my feet. Prior to that, my lake experiences include murky NJ lakes with lots of ducks and swans (I would never in a million years swim in them), and upstate NY lakes that were cold and muddy. Lake Travis gives lakes a good name! I look forward to meeting my next lake!

Best Place I've Ever Snorkeled

Trunk Bay, St John, U.S. Virgin Islands

As you can see, the water was breathtakingly beautiful. Snorkeling here felt like floating in a giant, warm, sandy pool. The guide book I had warned us that this beach would be crowded, but that wasn't a problem when we were there (February). There is also an underwater snorkel trail with underwater signs explaining where to go and what you're seeing. There were shower facilities, a snack hut, and a snorkel renting station at the trail on the way to the beach. We brought luna bars and peanut butter sandwiches with us.

Vegan Kauai

A salty tide pool filled with marine plants and animals:
It was a trip of a life time! Kauai's balmy winds, soft beaches, and salty tide pools were more than I could have imagined they would be. And the food! Our day typically consisted of waking up to fabulous Kona coffee with soy milk (check out Java Kai if you're ever out there), eating some sort of raw vegan breakfast pastry at Lotus Root, then embarking on some sort of new physically taxing adventure (kayaking, surfing, hiking), and ending the day with a ridiculously delicious dinner that was equally healthy. Our favorite restaurants were Blossoming Lotus and King and I (Thai).