I already keep my phone and my diabetes receiver in a travel wallet. I’m wondering if I should purchase a fanny pack or something other for my passport, money, etc. If you’ve traveled abroad recently what have you done.
At home, I am mostly (besides sugar free) gluten-free and dairy free. I don’t really like cheese. We will be renting and airbnb with a kitchen. But I’m wondering what to order out and where to go. We will be visiting various sites in Paris and taking a couple of day trips.
Also on day trips (if you took any), did you just bring your own food with you so you didn’t have to deal with lows?
I think so much of what you are asking is personal. Two years ago I traveled to south Korea. I am a bit finicky about food etc. Well, I decided to plow into South Korean culture. It was one week. I got along fine and enjoyed myself.
However I do not think that would be a good decision for everyone. As for what to carry etc. I used a zipped cross body shoulder bag. Big enough for day supplies and small enough to be lightweight. I got along fine. Again it is a personal preference.
this is the bag I use and i love it. I am sorry amazon cannot send a picture of the product, but it is a cross body mans bag and i have used it for two years, i will but another one… the one i use is black, but the brown one looks spiffy.
Why not? Don’t know what you mean by a travel wallet, but if it won’t fit your money and passport, then why not get something that fits all the stuff you need to have with you? By the way, use a credit card as much as you can, it’s cheaper and easier than changing money. Make sure your credit card doesn’t charge foreign currency fees. Many do not.
You’ll almost always be near food. Being gluten free and dairy free will limit your choices. You won’t have any trouble finding excellent fruit, but you may want to bring other stuff with you.
The food isn’t that different. Most of what you see you’ll have encountered in the States. If a menu doesn’t show dietary symbols (and most don’t) and the waiters can’t answer your questions about gluten and dairy (and most won’t), then rely on the same common sense and intuition you do when eating out at home.
If you’re really concerned, you can download a copy of Gluten Free Guide to Paris, which is just over a year old and has about 100 addresses of suitable restaurants and cafés.
BTW, there’s no need to carry your passport around, and it’s unsafe. In the unlikely event you get stopped by police for an ID check, your state driver’s licence will do fine, or a photocopy of your passport’s ID page.
As for what and where to carry things, what do you do at home for a day trip or if you go to another city for a long weekend? Do the same in Paris. Fanny packs and money belts scream “I’m a tourist! Come and get me!” If you look and act natural, you’ll blend in and be less of a mark for pickpockets and thieves.
Speaking of credit card use abroad. Some banks require notification that you are out of the country. It’s for your security to be sure that any charges are yours. You’d hate to have the card refused because the banks was concerned it was a thief. Usually a call to customer service is enough to notify the bank.
Yes use a credit card. The exchange rate from dollars to euros can be different even with in the same country. Other choice is to exchange your dollars at the airport. But you may not want to care that much cash on you.
I like those but I do not wear one, because it has everything on my back. I think it is far too easy for a pick pocket to open and extract my wallet if it is on my back. I do not have any evidence of it, and I might be totally off base, but that is why wear it on my side.
I am guessing I am no safer, but being rational is for young people. LOL
Paris is notorious for pickpockets.
The trick is really to not let people get close to you.
People will come up and try to get your attention by pretending that you dropped a wedding ring and acting as if they are trying to return it. Stay face to face and DEFEND your space.
You can buy food anywhere for really inexpensive. You will be walking a lot and you will get low. You will also get into great shape and probably loose weight.
My brother says for gluten free, order the same food that you would eat here. In addition, ratatouille. Or, buckwheat crepes (which are darker in color). Creme brulee. But, he recommends going to Picards frozen grocery store, buying the place out, and then microwaving or baking at the air b&b so you can try every French food for a very affordable price.
He says that you might try to download google translate and use live picture translation on ingredients and food titles at picards.
Can you download an app to your phone to take the place of the receiver? One less item to carry. When I was in France, I used a waist (fanny) pack to carry phone, and emergency sugar to combat lows. Also nut bars when I wanted a snack that would slowly give me carbs. I mainly used a money belt (looped to pants belt and tucked between waist and pants. Used fanny pack for one credit card, for easy access.
Much to the disappointment of traditional French Chefs, gluten-free and dairy free has invade the country. You will be able to find vegan restaurants, menu items labeled gluten-free, dairy free. Only in the country-side may you find it difficult.
In the EU, menus are clearly labeled regarding potential allergens (such as gluten). Enjoy the trip!
I have traveled quite a bit as a type 1 outside of the country. My biggest concern is my insulin, how to carry it , keep it cool, along with whatever else needed ( extra of everything used daily). My suggestion is to take what works for you daily but just more. You can’t rely on hotel room refrigerators anywhere but most are willing to freeze ice packs. There are some great products out there. I always carry with me for daily outings glucose tablets, small packets of peanut butter, a snack or two of something I know how to count and a portable meal like a tuna packet and some kind of fruit. ( hint baby food applesauce are quite easy and can go through the airport without a hitch. You can’t always take fresh fruit especially out of the country or even across state
lines. When I was in Paris there were a lot of fresh food options and usually fish. We live in a wonderful world with lots of beauty. Have a wonderful time. You can do this.
This site allows you to print a card in the language of the country you are traveling to. My friend gives her’s to the wait staff and asks them to check with the chef. She usually suggests a couple of menu options for them to ask about.
Enjoy your trip. The food in Paris was great. We also did a food tour in the morning and ended with a lunch at a wine shop with the food we selected.
almost a year out from our trip, looking back food was not a problem. There are more fresh higher quality fruits and vegetable and proteins available there than in the US. My daughter knew where the supermarkets were, and even these had relatively good products. When I went out to eat, I usually ordered chicken or eggs. There omelettes are unbelievable.
I was just in Paris this past summer.
I speak French but literally everyone spoke English back to me.
You would need to go out of Paris to find people who don’t speak English. And there isn’t the attitude there used to be about it. I had no issues with food, I even had a croissant or 2 which I normally wouldn’t. It was harder to avoid fat than carbs.
Still my sugars were normal as always while we were there for 3 weeks.
We tended to walk everywhere which will decrease your insulin needs if you aren’t used to it.
If you have a pump and sensor make sure you announce it to them before screening. I have a mobi and g7 and normally it won’t alarm, but customs warned me on a previous trip to tell them anyway or spend hours in an interview.
So I told them and I passed through and no further screening was needed because I didn’t alarm, but a standard pump will likely alarm.
I always bring a lot of extra supplies just in case and I never go anywhere without a glucose source, I like fig bars because they last a long and easy to transport. I don’t like glucose tablets.
In reality it’s similar to any big city, there are options for just about everyone, even vegan food is available and most restaurants have vegetarian options.
Have fun it’s a great city to visit.
You can get insulin pretty easily. Just go to a medical clinic tell them you are traveling and forgot or lost it, they will as a few questions and give you a script.
I didn’t need to do this but I researched the process in every country I visit. the whole thing should cos you less than 50 euros and most clinics won’t charge for the doctors so it would cost almost nothing, but it’s good to know the worst case.
The finger stick meters there work in milli moles so you need to convert that if you needed to buy a meter, which you can get at a pharmacy with no script and the strips are compatible with us meters.
The pharmacies are really used to travelers and can tell you the best way to get a script for insulin and send you to a clinic or dr if you can’t find one on your own.
