Traveller’s Must: The Go-To Safety Food

When I travelled through Thailand, I saw a western-style restaurant that had a big sign saying, ‘Tired of chili ring sting? Eat here!‘ While a bit crude (but true), it was an effective draw for tourists who aren’t used to eating spicy Asian curries every day and simply wanted something bland; something from home.

After talking about eating pizza in Thailand, I got to thinking — I’ve had pizza in a lot of places. Every country I’ve been to, in fact. Except Korea and Cambodia, but even then I had spaghetti and meatballs, which is somewhat similar in it’s Western-ness. Pizza, for me, is my go-to food, what I eat when I don’t want to be adventurous and am simply craving a taste from home.

I think everyone has a ‘safe’ food that makes them feel a little bit less homesick when travelling. An overseas comfort food, if you will. For my mom, when she was trekking through the middle of Africa in the 70s, it was mashed potatoes. For my friend Jenny, it’s plain rice with a bit of butter. For Cheryl, it’s McDonald’s chicken nuggets. So, indulge me, and let me know what your’s is — that way, I won’t feel so silly for eating pizza when surrounded by Pad Thai and ancient Buddhist temples.