There are only a few things that a diabetic must have at all times: meter and test strips, syringe, lancet, a sugary treat in case of emergency, and insulin.  All of those items travel well except for insulin, which is tricky because heat kills its effectiveness.  A normal vial of insulin will spend 90% of its life in the refrigerator.  One must be prepared to face a few realities while planning a backpacking trip… such as the lack of a fridge in most accommodations like hostels and budget hotels.  So how is a diabetic supposed to keep the insulin cold?  There are a few creative solutions, but none are as effective as I would like.  I once filled a sink with water and left the insulin vials in there along with some cold bottles of beer to keep them safe from the Venice summer heat.  That’s some creative problem solving! Will I get in trouble if I post a picture of MacGyver on here?  Luckily, on this trip I managed to find a really economical …

I have a bad track record with low blood sugar.  This is a very personal and complex issue for me, and I believe it is the most important aspect to take into consideration with T1D travel.  All diabetics have experienced the pitfalls of what Jaime refers to as “low bloods”; and unfortunately I am no stranger to its negative effects.  It is particularly dangerous to get low blood sugar while asleep, and on one occasion I woke up naked and surrounded by firefighters performing various resuscitation tactics on me.  I remember one of them asking me a question: “What month is it?”  I had no idea.  I was probably busy trying to piece together the events that ended with me covered in sweat and seizing uncontrollably on my bathroom floor with an audience of several large men.  Needless to say, going low can certainly ruin an evening out, so it helps to be prepared and take an emergency sugar source with you… just in case.  I used to carry candy everywhere, but unwrapping all those …