After much dabbling and acclimatising, I have decided that I will finally take the plunge. May will be my first full-on vegan month. I’ve been using soya milk instead of dairy for months now, and I would say that I eat vegan food about 90% of the time anyway. There will be challenges due to the fact that we have a holiday planned (therefore lots of eating-out opportunities). It’s weird that the most difficult thing isn’t not eating dairy or eggs, but having to go through the rigmarole of explaining to others what I eat and don’t eat. Not to mention how much detail I should go into if they ask why! Basically that’s the difference between being ovo-lacto veggie and vegan: these days most people have cottoned on to the concept of vegetarian, but vegan – well that’s still a bit “out there”. But what’s more important, doing what I consider to be the right thing, or the opinions of others?
Somehow actually declaring oneself vegan means making a statement, one that may make others feel uncomfortable. I consider myself to be a tolerant person, I don’t want to lecture folks about their dietary habits or start going on about slaughterhouses while they tuck in to their steak. However, I have to be true to myself and maintain my principals without being a total pain to others. I don’t want to be that sanctimonious vegan bore at the dinner party.
I think this month will be a learning curve socially more than the actual preparation of vegan food itself. I’m up for the challenge, anyway. 
Good luck
Thanks. Have just returned from the trip, and survived being animal-free!
Hi! I just found your blog and am really enjoying it. It seems like you & I have approached veganism much the same – phasing it in and making sure you’re being healthy about it. My thought was that if I didn’t make sure I was healthy I’d either feel like crap or gain weight or something and then it wouldn’t stick. So I worked really hard to make sure I was doing things right. I still make mistakes at times, but it’s all a learning process!
Great blog!