So I’ve just returned from a 3 week solo trip to the USA, to publicise my novel, Strange Nervous Laughter, being released over there. Very exciting, let me tell you! I don’t think I’ll ever get over the thrill of seeing my book on bookstore shelves…

In many ways, though, this trip felt like a test run for our Round the World trip. It was my first time travelling overseas on my own with diabetes and my first time crossing time zones with diabetes, and I really wasn’t sure how I would feel. I am (very) happy to report that I felt great! The whole time. It was no problem adjusting to new types of food, no problem taking long plane trips (except for the discomfort of having to sleep sitting up!) and in general I felt really healthy and full of energy. What a relief!

It was also a test run for me to see how I feel about travelling. Knowing that my next trip will be over ten times as long as this one, I kept checking to see how excited I was about it. The verdict? Unbelievably excited! There is something so exhilarating about travelling, it makes me feel really alive and open to everything around me. I didn’t realise how much of a routine real life was until I had 3 weeks away from it… and it has done nothing but wet my appetite for our Big Adventure later this year.

Of course, a lot of that was because I was travelling in comfort. I’ve been to the States and back many times – I used to study there – and every single time I went, packing was a nightmare. Either my bag would break, or I’d have to leave half the stuff I wanted behind, or I’d pull a muscle dragging my suitcase through the airport. Seriously – you name a luggage affliction, I’ve had it!

This time, though… what a breeze! I gave my very fancy (very beautiful) Samsonite Aeris a run for its money, and it more than rose to the challenge. Somehow my stuff kept multiplying (possibly because everything was on sale!) and every time I had to pack up and go, it was more and more of a challenge to fit everything in. But fit it in I did! The beautiful thing about this suitcase is that it’s solid, but it can also expand. Don’t ask me how this works, but it does… And the locks are so secure and tight that I didn’t have to worry about it bursting open in the middle of the airport (or, worse yet, on the New York City subway!) Of course, those miracle Vac Bags helped a lot, too. If there’s one thing I would recommend every girl to take with her on holiday, it’s Vac Bags. No matter how many dresses you buy, they’ll fit in your suitcase if you have these bags. I didn’t really believe the hype until I saw how dramatically they reduced the space my clothes took up. Now I’m permanently indebted to them.

So now I’ve returned, and although my suitcase is looking slightly travel-worn, I’m sure she has many years of adventures in her yet.

What did I learn from this trip? A number of things, actually.
* Diabetically, I’m going to be fine.
* I can’t wait to start travelling around the world.
* And, perhaps most importantly, I have to leave at least half a suitcase for all the temptations I’m going to run into on the way!