My summer schedule has been so busy, I had no time to prepare for a trip I have longed for— the impending birth of our first grand baby, you can imagine my excitement! As crazy as my life seems right now, I could not even begin to plan out a food plan for two weeks. I just jumped on a plane with my oldest daughter, I am thankful for my son-in-law because he gave me a cluster of bananas before I boarded the plane that was bound for Chicago. Raw nuts, organic tea (always stashed in my purse), and fresh bananas kept me satisfied while we traveled.
We experienced great disappointment when our connecting flight tried to take off twice and was deemed unsafe for flight. The airline comped us meals and a hotel, but this raw grandma just wanted to get to Arkansas.
It’s easy to travel raw even when you’re not prepared. Salads are pretty much on every menu, the ubiquity of Starbucks made it easy to get a cold pressed juice and their generosity with hot water (tea stash) helped keep me filled up on organic green tea. With all the unexpected delays, this made it easy for me to stay on my raw lifestyle. Wonderful Husband reminded me that the adventure begins when everything goes wrong. He was right!
Arkansas took me by surprise. As soon as we landed, we were taken to Whole Foods in Little Rock, I quickly stocked up on cold pressed juices, organic salads, fresh fruit, and tons of bananas. There was locally grown produce everywhere.
The farmers’ markets were abundant, the restaurants prided themselves in serving locally grown food, a popular ice cream shop had a raw vegan section. I had stumbled onto a vegan Southern paradise! I loved the vibe in Arkansas.
The antique stores were charming and to my surprise there were health food stores scattered about the city. Regular grocery stores had large organic sections where I found a lot of my favorite brands. I thought California was vegan friendly, but Arkansas is proving that southern hospitality is a real thing! I felt very much at home, and I was never in want for organic fresh food.
I always tell people to be successful on this raw lifestyle you must be prepared, but after this trip I realized that when you love your lifestyle you stay the course regardless of your circumstances.
Our grand baby decided to stay in a while longer, unfortunately we had to drive back to Cali, (4 of us) 32 hours straight through, a short little nap at the Grand Canyon, lots of fresh food & juices packed in the car, and memories that will last a lifetime. All though we had empty arms our hearts were full from spending time with family. I am more excited than ever to be a grandma, and now that I have experienced the locally grown food it will be all the more fun to visit.
Don’t let the craziness of real life stop you from making healthy choices, a healthy lifestyle can become who you are. You are worth it, stay the course. You CAN do it!
Loving the Journey ♥Right Now Raw
Right Now Raw 