Last Updated on December 24, 2023 by PowersToTravel
Did you know that Bethlehem is in the West Bank? We didn’t know this before our trip. What an extraordinary view we were given into both conflicting cultures.
My Diabetic Travel Blog
Hello, my name is Wendy Kirkwood Powers and this is my travel blog with travel tips and travel stories for diabetics and non-diabetics alike.
I am a type 1 diabetic, and have been for fifty-three years. From Antarctica to Svalbard, Australia to Africa, I’ve visited every continent.
With my husband Greg, I have been on safari to Africa, wandered among the blue boobies in the Galapagos, slogged through jungle mud in Laos, and he has even chased an ocelot in Costa Rica (with his camera!)
Our travel has taken careful planning, and constant attention to what is most important. I want to give you the inspiration and travel tips to enable you also to look beyond your own personal challenges, to not hide behind those words “I could never” and to see the world.
Click here for my mission and core diabetic travel tips 
Diabetic Travel Tips for International Travel - Vaccines and Travel Clinic – before you go
- Do your own research into new medications
- Flying with diabetes
- So much more activity than usual
- Preventing dehydration
- Traveling with insulin and keeping my insulin cold while traveling
- Keeping the insulin in my pump cold while traveling
- Eating unusual foods
- Avoiding the water
The list goes on...
Click here to read them all!Check out my books!
Scotland Sand and Sea - an unusual view of the Islands and Highlands of Scotland
in paperback and Kindle from Amazon
Antarctica: Voyage Beyond the End of the World Glimpses of penguins, seals, whales and ice collide with fragments of shipboard life and cold feet.
in paperback and Kindle from Amazon
Amazon - The River Grows on You - My top three Amazon experiences? The amazing mud cliffs and boats along the huge Amazon ...
in paperback from Amazon
Hello! I am so glad I stumbled across your blog! I have a 9 year old daughter with Type 1 and we are big world travelers, however I’ve been more afraid since her diagnosis. We currently live in Germany and have felt completely safe traveling around knowing that we have great healthcare if something were to go wrong. We are planning a trip to Israel this December and it’s making me a little more nervous. Can you tell me what you use to keep your insulin cold? We usually use a yeti cup with ice packs and so far that has worked great. Would you recommend the extra travel insurance? Our insurance covers while traveling but I’m okay getting that extra coverage for evacuation if needed.
Also just wanted to say I appreciate all the tips. I don’t want to hold her back because of my fears of all the “what ifs”. I just try to keep the motto of plan for the worst but expect the best. So thank you for helping me do that!
Hi Bri,
Love your attitude. In the Middle East, I used the Frio brand of insulin carrying cases (https://www.frioinsulincoolingcase.com/) I found they kept the insulin cold for a long time. The gotcha is that when you start it up, or top it off, it needs COLD water. Sometimes we only had warm tap water available, and no ice in the hotels. So I was always paying attention to the availability of cold water and would keep it topped off when I had cold available, not necessarily when I really needed it, in which case I might have been in trouble. About insurance, I always get evacuation insurance when I’ll be in a place where I don’t want to be in that country’s or region’s hospital. For example, when we traveled to Israel I would not have purchased the evac insurance, however our trip also included Egypt and you definitely want to evac out of Egypt! So I bought the insurance. But when we traveled to Ireland, I didn’t buy extra insurance. You didn’t mention if your daughter has a pump / blood glucose monitor yet. If you can possibly afford it, do it! It will change everything for your daughter! Best wishes — Wendy
Thank you for responding! We haven’t tried the frio pouches yet because of the need for cold water but I’ll have to try it out.
She has a pump (tslim) and dexcom. They are definitely game changers!
We’re really looking forward to this trip! I think it does help that we traveled a bit before she was diagnosed so we know what to expect from a lot of places.
Thanks again!
Hi Bri,
My husband reminded me that when I needed COLD water I planned ahead and put a bottle of water in the frig overnight. Then I’d have the cold water I needed for the next day.