Food, glorious food! This is one of the main reasons I choose to travel the world. You can learn so much about a country, its people, and its culture by sampling the local delicacies. It's not always for the faint of heart, but it always delivers an opportunity to experience the real world.

Now, there are always some safety practicalities to consider, like only drinking from bottled or secure water sources, but it's equally important to know that the food is being prepared under safe, hygienic conditions. If you are on an organized gay tour, your tour leader is probably the best source for pointing you in the right direction -- especially in developing countries. Since they travel regularly through these regions, they know where to go and what to eat. So, follow their lead and you will be pleasantly surprised.

On a recent gay adventure tour through Northern Thailand, we spent an entire day in a cooking class in Chiang Mai. This is probably one of the best ways to get an authentic experience and understanding of local cooking. The day started with a visit to a market to gain an understanding of the produce, spices, herbs, and meats available in Thai cuisine. Fresh and fragrant ingredients were selected, and we were then off to learn how to prepare a typical Thai meal.

Now, we're not talking three courses here. You actually learn how to make a variety of courses, including, of course, Pad Thai and Tom Yum Soup. The instructor first shows you how to prepare the ingredients, and then you take charge and create your own meal. In a word -- delicious!! Who knew cooking Thai was so much fun?! Course after course is demonstrated and prepared, and you leave with a real sense of accomplishment and an understanding of what great Thai food is all about.

Having this first-hand knowledge of the local cuisine makes it that much easier to make your way through local restaurants and markets. You'll know what to look for and what to order. A good tip is to check out where the locals are eating. If you want a real sense of great food -- then eat like a local. The busier the restaurant with locals, the better the food will be -- and probably quite inexpensive. This holds true for probably any restaurant in the world.

Traveling through Europe and knowing how to eat on the cheap is sometimes a challenge, but the same principle as above holds true: Eat like a local and you will avoid the tourist traps. In most of the western European countries it is customary to have a light breakfast -- continental, of course. No heavy hot American breakfasts here. Go light in the morning with some bread and cheese, a croissant and a piece of fruit. Lunch is always on the go! And by "on the go," I mean that you can easily pick up a baguette and cold meats from a local butcher and baker and create your own little picnic. If you feel like you need a jolt of coffee, order at the bar and enjoy the coffee standing up. As soon as you sit down at a table, you will pay more -- that's typically where you will find the tourists. Europeans, especially in the Mediterranean countries of Spain and Italy, eat quite a late dinner. So, if you don't want to stand out like a sore thumb, then be prepared to eat past 10 p.m. This might sound strange, but if you want to eat like a local, then show up late and enjoy a late dinner.

Dining throughout the world, whether you're in Thailand or Italy, is a social event. It brings people together to laugh, share, and learn. Take the opportunity to learn more about a people, its food, and its culture by stepping away from the typical guidebook-recommended restaurants and venturing into local cafes, bars, bistros, and stalls to sample food, glorious food. It's what gay travel is all about!