“Hello, World!”

“Hello, world!”…. I didn’t forget to change the default title that appears on the first WordPress blog post.  I just didn’t feel the need to change it.

In a few days, I’ll pack up an Osprey Porter 65 with some clothes and necessities and go see the world.

The plan is to hit somewhere around 40 countries across six continents over the next year, although that will remain fluid throughout.

There is a rough itinerary, which can be found on the site, but things may change along the way.

I have an idea of what I want to do, what I want to see, and how I can do it all without blowing through my entire budget in the first 30 days.

The trip has taken months of planning and preparation, some of which has been fun, like planning a safari in October, but also some of which has been grueling, like trying to figure out how I can stay insured while abroad with a pre-existing condition.

In 2010, I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, an auto-immune disease that currently has no cure.  It’s a disease that can be managed, but traveling the world certainly makes things more challenging.

I’ll be writing about what life is like traveling with this disease and hope to not only provide practical information along the way, but also highlight the limitless possibilities of a Type 1 diabetic.

I’m not the first Type 1 to start a blog and document diabetic life and I won’t be the last, but I hope the more of these that are out there the more confidence other diabetics will gain.

Many have asked why I am doing this.

The simplest answer I can provide is ‘why not?’

I did leave a great job in Washington D.C., where I spent the last seven years working in digital media for the Washington Wizards and Washington Mystics.   It wasn’t easy to leave.  I traveled on charter planes, stayed in 5-star hotels (not to brag) and watched basketball every day.  It was my first job out of grad school and it was truly a dream job.  I worked with some great people over those seven years and learned a ton.   Again, it wasn’t easy to give it up.

But, I am a firm believer in travel and felt there was so much more out there that I wanted to see first-hand.

I felt that this was a good time in my life and in my career to take a year to see the world and I’ll do so without any regrets.

I don’t know what I’ll do or where I’ll live after this is done, but I’m confident enough in myself that I’ll figure it out along the way.

I’ll be posting updates on this blog, documenting some of the sites I visit while providing blood sugar updates along the way.

If you don’t like to read and just want to see the pics, no hard feelings, you can follow the Instagram account: @Type1_Travels 

I’ll be flying to Dubai this weekend and then on to Tanzania for the safari next week.  I’ll try and blog as often as possible, but that could be dependent on where I am and what I’m doing.

Until next time,

Jeremy