Valka, a town split by the Estonia-Latvia border
DAY 11 – Valga, Estonia and Valka, Latvia are one town divided by an international border. When I was there, you could just stroll back and forth between the two nations. [keep reading]
Tartu, a perfect little city in Estonia
DAY 10 – Tartu is a beautiful and pleasant town in southern Estonia with a strange, vibrant creative urge. If only my diabetes had behaved better there. [keep reading]
Afternoon bus through Estonia to Tartu
DAY 9 – My blood sugar ranged from 50 to 338 today, but the bus ride from Tallinn to Tartu through central Estonia was exquisite. Dinner was from a supermarket. [keep reading]
Patarei, bizarre Soviet prison in Tallinn, Estonia
DAY 8 – My blood sugar on a day around the decommissioned prison at Patarei in Estonia was up and down, but it was worth it to see a place so jaw-droppingly weird. [keep reading]
Inside the medieval town walls of Tallinn, Estonia
DAY 7 – As if Old Town Tallinn, Estonia isn't enough of a time trip by itself, we chanced upon a secret door that led up into the ancient stone town wall. Nice birthday for me. [keep reading]
Chilly day in Old Town in Tallinn, Estonia
DAY 6 – The amazing and endless cobblestone alleyways of the Old Town section of Tallinn, Estonia must be explored on foot, without a map and with an open mind. [keep reading]
Bomarsund, an old Russian fortress in the Åland Islands
DAY 5 – What happens when you rely on public transportation on a far-flung Åland island in winter? You almost get stranded overnight in a Russian fort. [keep reading]
Mariehamn, Åland is quiet on Sunday in autumn
DAY 4 – Is there anything more serene than a Sunday afternoon in Mariehamn after the tourists have gone? [keep reading]
Bad news from home while in Mariehamn, Åland Islands
DAY 3 – When traveling, there is a physical distance between you and your family. Sometimes it's a difficult psychological distance too. [keep reading]
Wandering Gamla Stan, Stockholm’s old town
DAY 2 – Sometimes the easiest way to have your own unique experience while exploring a new place is to toss away your guidebooks and maps, and just wander. [keep reading]
Flying Osaka to Stockholm: The trip begins
DAY 1 – If your blood sugar is high all day while flying around the globe, is it ok if you're back in range when you finally land? I flew from Japan to Sweden to figure it out. [keep reading]
My diabetes packing list for four months in Europe
How I packed light for a months-long trip to Europe in winter. Here's how to stay warm but carry a very light bag with you – including insulin. [keep reading]
Five days on Hawaii’s “Big Island” with diabetes
On a quick and eye-opening trip to Hawaii, I realized that you can never know a place until you actually go there. And that Hawaii with diabetes is easy. [keep reading]
Pigs, roaches, and other tasty morsels from Phitsanulok
DAY 28 – Street vendors in Phitsanulok, Thailand sell "regular" food but also some very weird items. I spent nine days trying what I could – but preferred the pizza. [keep reading]
How to coexist with Lopburi’s monkeys
DAY 19 – I got to know the thieving monkeys and the breathtaking ruins of Lopburi, Thailand while balancing tasty street food, walking around, and insulin. [keep reading]
A second visit to a town is nothing like the first
DAY 14 – When you visit a place twice in one trip, like I did in Kanchanaburi, Thailand, you have a different relationship with it than if you'd only visited once. [keep reading]