Travelling: what to look up before you land

Spring break, festivals, a work trip, a summer away — the plan that works at home stops working the moment you can't remember the number for an ambulance. Five minutes on the plane fixes that. This page lists what to look up before you land, and what to sort out before you leave.

Emergency numbers

Three sites worth bookmarking

idf.org

The International Diabetes Federation lists 250+ national diabetes associations. Find the one where you're going. They know how to get insulin in a country you don't live in.

findahelpline.com

Free, verified crisis, mental health and substance use lines in 175+ countries. Pick a country, get a number that actually answers.

tripsit.me

Volunteer-run drug factsheets and a combination chart showing which mixes are dangerous. It works anywhere, with no account and no judgement. Given how unpredictably drugs interact — especially with alcohol — checking before mixing is worth it wherever you are.

Before you leave

• Insulin in your carry-on, not in checked luggage.
• Double the supplies you think you need.
• A letter from your doctor.
• Travel insurance that actually covers type 1.

The insurance point is worth pausing on. A lot of policies exclude pre-existing conditions unless you declare type 1 when you buy. Read the fine print, declare it, and keep the policy details somewhere you can reach them on your phone.

The rest of the plan still applies

Everything in Staying safer travels with you: never skip your insulin, fast sugar in your pocket, one sober person who knows. In a new place, with a new crowd, that last one matters even more — show them What your friends should know, and make sure they know the local emergency number too.