Holidays.

[pretender]

My holiday to Tunisia is booked and because of health issues plus CD I have been given 5Kgs of extra luggage for my foods (classed as medical supplies) this goes in a separate case and goes in the hold. Because of other issues I also get extra leg room and already provided with the seat numbers. I take nibbly bits into the cabin and do not have meals on the flight.

If you are booking a holiday do not be afraid to ask for these extra's,( not all carriers allow it), the more that ask the more awareness to the condition is raised.

[denvajade]

good on you! have a great time.

[philaustin]

Its not easy going on holiday with CD, and I hope you have a lovely time.

My own experience with trying to get extra luggage allowance for bread and crackers was a right battle. The travel agent said it would be okay. The holiday company said they needed to know how much extra weight, then said they couldn't allow it, then changed their minds (due to talking to a different person every time) and allowed 5kg extra hand luggage. The hotel said everything would be okay - they understood CD. After all that the hotel gave me a GF loaf on arrival (needn't have bothered taking any!) but few of the people serving food could speak english (this was Turkey). After two days I approached the consierge in the hotel who, with my help, wrote a list of things I couldn't eat in Turkish, took me to the catering Manager who took me to the head Chef and explained everything again. From then on it was easy. By bribing the chef every day I could get him to show me which of the main dishes contained gluten. Starters were always salads. The desert tables were just one mass of delicious lookng gluten, so the fresh fruit was the only option, except that I accidentally put some deep fried dough balls on my plate because they were mixed in with the fruit and looked like fruit (lychees) and I bit into one before realizing. The hotel's GF bread went stale after a couple of days so I started to eat my own bread. Glutafin baguettes are very nice if they are baked for 8 minutes, but I wasn't even going to try to get that done so I ate it raw. The only oven appeared to be the pizza oven in the restaurant.

Final straw was when the hotel left a birthday cake (gluten) in my room for my birthday. I gave it to the hotel's photographic studio staff. That was the day my wife was released from the Turkish hospital 40k away in Antalya having been on drips for three days suffering from a gut problem and severe dehydration, but almost accidentally was found to have gallstones, which was a bonus.

I'm sure nothing like this will happen to you and you will have a wonderful holiday!

[pretender]

I have enjoyed many holidays to Gran Canaria, Tunisia & Turkey and had no problems with the travel mainly going with Thomas Cook or Freebird. My other issue while abroad is the foods that trigger my formaldehyde allergy , lettuce, dried fruits or cheeses, etc, etc, as well as what emits it ie, new builds (departure lounge), plastics,cleaning products, the list is not endless. The help is there from the travel reps it is down to the coeliac to make themselves known right down to their sensitivity level. My GF diet is restricted because of ingredients.

[crox]

You can also get printable cards that explain the condition in various languages, they can be useful.

[Hidden in reply to crox]

This is a good point so here's a link to coeliac restaurant cards:

celiactravel.com/cards/

I'm not sure what language they speak in Tunisia but have a great holiday anyway.

[pretender]

I tried this the first time to Tunisia and a waste of time. I saw the rep had a chat and she took it from there, food cooked just for me, fish or chicken but still safe for me. Tunisia I googled to find Arabic as the language but no one understood the information.

I shall be going the week after I become a pensioner, for the benefit of other coeliacs stand up and shout about your needs where ever you are its in yours and others interest even if as coeliacs we can all be different with different needs.

[Hidden in reply to pretender]

Why not get the Tunisian rep to translate a coeliac card and give that to celiactravel for the benefit of other coeliac even if you have an allergy to formaldehyde it would be useful for avoiding gluten.

And surely you could ask what language they speak and take it from there.

[pretender in reply to Hidden]

The language is Arabic but there are many local dialects that others do not understand, it is the same in many countries ie China, even in the UK it may be difficult to talk to the locals. Always remember Jerry that there are an increasing number of Coeliac's who cannot tolerate the low levels of gluten that are permitted, I prefer to say no wheat, rye, barley or oats and use my eyes on what food is available as well as talk to the rep who then sees the Restaurant Manager, plain sailing. If in doubt leave alone.

[Mia1057 in reply to pretender]

The cards actually say no wheat, rye or barley and I always add oats. I now live in Italy and must admit due to the comprehensive early testing of every Italian most people are very clued up on coeliac disease.

[Hollyberry]

Hey I fly long haul every year and have never asked for extra weight allowance, has anyone been given this?. I am going to try this on my next flight for sure...