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Travellers' questions that don't fit anywhere else This is an opportunity to ask any question, and post any notice you wish that doesn't fit into one of the other sections.
Photo by George Guille, It's going to be a long 300km... Bolivian Amazon

I haven't been everywhere...
but it's on my list!


Photo by George Guille
It's going to be a long 300km...
Bolivian Amazon



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  #1  
Old 8 May 2020
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Diabetic travel
Hi all, Just in the planning stage of what could be a life long adventure.
My first problem is having type 1 diabetes, does anyone else have this and if from UK how do you manage your prescriptions or buying the meds we need? Is long term travel possible? Any tips would be very much appreciated.
Tia Mark
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  #2  
Old 9 May 2020
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Have you spoken to your GP? Does any of your medication require refrigeration?

I have to take medication everyday and was just planning on taking a stack for the journey and getting replenishment every so often so that I always had a months supply available. From my understanding if you get a letter from your GP then that tends to ease the access to the medication and also means that customs don’t get too excited by lots of tablets. When I go to my GP I will get translations done and laminated for other doctors / customs / pharmacies.
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  #3  
Old 9 May 2020
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Thanks Jay_Benson
Yes insulin has to be refrigerated(causing its own problems) and to keep my licence I have to have a yearly some times 6monthly check up. When I first thought of doing this I had a very understanding and encouraging Dr, not the case now. It may be I have to factor in a flying visit every so often. I just wondered if any other people had similar situation and how they coped.
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  #4  
Old 9 May 2020
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The health checks may be tricky but can they be carried out on the road - it would be worth chatting to the DVLA to see if the check can be done by non-UK doctors - it could be as simple as getting a specification or checklist to give to a doctor to go through and for them to send a letter off to the DVLA.

As far as the refrigeration is concerned are there alternatives that don’t need refrigeration? If so can your GP try you out on it in good time before the trip?

As you say, it would be good if someone with diabetes could answer. If that person wants to remain anonymous then PM me and I will post it for you.
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  #5  
Old 9 May 2020
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I just had a trawl through the search function and came up with the following:

https://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hu.../insulin-26627

One of the posts has details of the effect of temperature on the useable life of the insulin.
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  #6  
Old 10 May 2020
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Thanks again Jay
Insulin is a living medication it needs to be kept within temp range at all times, hence the problems I will be facing, will probably have to do the camper van rout and tow my bike behind. I don't want to be without a bike. I imagine this will create its own problems.
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  #7  
Old 10 May 2020
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I ran into someone traveling long-term on a bike with a little refrigerator containing insulin. They seemed to be doing fine, although I didn't ask about the details. You can do fine, too--the question is really about your persistence and how important it is to you. The table linked in the post above your last one seems to me worth considering (and researching further), since it's saying something very different from what you apparently believe, i.e., "needs to be kept within temp range at all times."

I'm really just here to point out that in at least some countries, one person cannot temporarily import two vehicles at the same time. That would tend to rule out a camper van with a towed motorbike unless they're registered to different people who are physically present for every border crossing.

Hope that's helpful.

Mark
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  #8  
Old 10 May 2020
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Thanks, That's encouraging to know others have done it.
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  #9  
Old 11 May 2020
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Quote:
Originally Posted by markharf View Post
I ran into someone traveling long-term on a bike with a little refrigerator containing insulin. They seemed to be doing fine, although I didn't ask about the details. You can do fine, too--the question is really about your persistence and how important it is to you. The table linked in the post above your last one seems to me worth considering (and researching further), since it's saying something very different from what you apparently believe, i.e., "needs to be kept within temp range at all times."

I'm really just here to point out that in at least some countries, one person cannot temporarily import two vehicles at the same time. That would tend to rule out a camper van with a towed motorbike unless they're registered to different people who are physically present for every border crossing.

Hope that's helpful.

Mark
I think Mark have crossed @DakarMotos with Robert Thode who travelling down here many years ago on his Buell, have his wife flow to BA to join him for some legs of his trip. As far I remember she was diabetic, and he have a very small 12V refrigerator attached to the lid of one of his panniers. I asked how to manage to don’t drain the battery when bike wasn’t running, like during the nights or ride's days-off, and answered not wild camps, only former campsites or hotels where he can ask for move the medications to the place fridge.
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Javier...
Dakar Motos “ ”
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  #10  
Old 11 May 2020
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Javier, your memory is astounding! Mine, on the other hand, is full of giant holes, but I do remember that the person I'm thinking of was riding a GS1200 with a little fridge for his girlfriend, and we met in Bolivia.

Still waiting for a visit, Javier...someday post-pandemic. Salud y seguridad para usted y su encantadora esposa!
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