Had anyone told me how much work went into a round-the-world trip, I would have scoffed at them. ‘Come on!’ I would have said, with my disbelieving face on, ‘It’s a holiday! How hard can it be to plan?’

The answer? Very.
Or rather, not very hard, but very complicated. And thrilling. And unbelievably exciting. It’s just that a round-the-world trip is a many-headed beast… And when you decide to do an Uber-Round-The-World-Trip (note the capital letters!) that not only encompasses 18 countries but also aims to spread positive awareness about diabetes, well, that many-headed beast grows a few more heads.

What do these heads look like? Some of them are fairly factual – compiling lists of Tips for Travelling Diabetics, and Diabetes Resources. Some are purely whimsical – writing out an expanded, evocative itinerary that makes me want to pack my bag and leave right away. And some are just about the planning – how exactly are we going to get from our hotel in Ho Chi Minh City (in Vietnam) to a home stay in Sapa? The answer? Take a train to Danang, then another one to Hue. From Hue travel to Hanoi, and then on to Sapa, all by bus (I think… I have it written down somewhere!)

But perhaps I’m getting a little ahead of myself. You don’t even know where we’re going yet, do you? Allow me to expand, over the next couple of blog posts… In fact, I’d recommend brewing yourself a cup of tea or coffee, and getting comfy – this could take some time!