Welcome to Kosher Trip Notes, my travel journaling blog!
My name is Elina, and as long as I remember myself, I have always had an itch to see something new. I still remember my grandma’s shock when I decided to take a different route on my own on the way from daycare. She misunderstood my intentions, and when we reunited a few blocks later, she was not pleased with me. I was genuinely unabashed.
I have not had many opportunities for travel growing up in Moldova, a former Soviet Union country. Since immigrating to the U.S. at the age of 20, my travels still have been scarce (at least compared to the real globetrotters of the 21st century), as dictated by a structured life of a mother and an office employee. Hence, I embrace every travel opportunity with vigor, and try to make the most of it – whether traveling as a family, with my husband, or on my own.
As an observant Jew, following the dietary laws of kashrut, I need to make sure I have food available on my journeys. Sometimes it would be a sophisticated restaurant, and other times just fresh fruit and vegetables from a local market. Admittedly, I like to plan my travel where kosher food is readily available, yet – where it is not – I will happily survive on to-go options I pack along.
This blog outlines my itineraries, as well as kosher food options I used during these trips. Whether kosher or not, I hope you would find here interesting trip ideas and useful tips. You may even get inspired to follow in my footsteps, or carve a path of your own among the multitude of destinations of our beautiful world.