Traveling & Dining Out: Navigating the Glutosphere*
* A new word in Meglish, glutosphere is a term used throughout this site.
Once you realize that gluten is lurking everywhere, your instincts are to circle the wagons and never leave the house.
It reminds of an episode of the Twilight Zone I saw one day when I was home from school sick as a child. This Twilight Zone episode, entitled Nothing in the Dark, told the story of an old woman who was actively avoiding death by staying locked in her apartment. Enter a handsome young police officer shot, bleeding outside her door and begging her for help. Despite her fears, eventually she opened the door (probably because it was a young Robert Redford). You can guess the ending.
The parallel is fairly obvious. I am the old lady and Robert Redford is gluten. At first, I dug in my heels, but eventually, I had to open the door to Robert Redford (err, gluten), face its existence and live!
If you have to be gluten-free, the simple fact is: You can eat out. You can socialize. You can travel. You just have to plan and be smart!