I already waxed on and on about how much I love to travel. Now, the How To.
This is going to vary greatly depending on what the food allergies are and how severe they are.
If the allergens you need to avoid include ingredients
(milk, egg, wheat, etc) vs just treenuts and/or peanuts then your travel
is going to look different. Avoiding a nut is easier than avoiding a drop of milk.
Heading overseas with someone who is prone to anaphylaxis? If your allergen is lurking everywhere, making restaurants and street food off limits with the allergic person (but you really, really want to go!), this is what we have learned:
1) The internet is your very best friend. Use it to plan, plan, plan. Used to flying by the seat of your pants? You might need to alter a few things about how you travel for now.
2) Find a place to stay with a kitchen. The internet has again proven itself to be your soul mate. You can find a place to rent via AirBnB, VRBO, Tripadvisor, etc. that will have reviews and a kitchen. Hostels usually have kitchens too and many have family rooms so you'll have privacy. You might be groaning about having to cook while you travel. Instead, focus on the fact that you get to travel and that this is just part of your reality. It might not be fun to cook while you're on vacay but at least you're not watching TV and going to the mall.
3) Pack a suitcase with food. I know, I know. But trust me, it's worth it. Plan out each meal for each day. Find out if there is a grocery store nearby to buy produce and meat. Pack extra food in case there is some kind of travel bump. Put a note in English and the local language in the suitcase (politely) explaining why its important not to steal this food. Also pack containers (thermos, lunchbox, baggies, etc) to bring food on outings. I pack food that N doesn't usually get to eat at home so that she can have fun eating. Out of respect, I never order food she would order if it was safe. That's just good manners, in my opinion.
4) Be prepared for the airline to lose that essential suitcase. When we went to Belize last year, I had enough food for 2 full days in my carry on and travel insurance on two of our tickets. If they lost our bag (which they did of course), I could feed N for two days without stress and if it didnt arrive then I would fly us home and leave Lil'Bit and Andy to snorkel without us. Luckily we had our bag after a few hours and didn't need to abandon ship. Like climbing mountains though, don't get so focused on the summit that you make bad decisions. Be prepared to turn around if conditions change.
5) Bring a lot of wipes. When you get on the airplane, wipe down EVERYTHING the allergic person might touch. From experience I can tell you that giving a child an epipen is petrifying. I personally have no intention of finding out how much worse the experience is at 30K feet. Wipe, wipe, wipe! Some airlines will let you do a medical pre-board so that you can wipe, wipe, wipe in (relative) peace.
6) Pack a lot of epinephrine. We travel overseas with six pens, steroids and an inhaler.
7) Know how to get the Eff' Out of Dodge. Have a plan on how to evacuate should an accident happen. Bridging cultural gaps does not include trying to explain that you're not comfortable with a used needle.
8) Carry cards with the allergies and required treatment translated into the language(s) where you are going. Make sure they are laminated. Make sure you know how to read the allergens various names in every language you'll have to function in.
9) Have fun. I know it all sounds really scary and stressful after reading this but trust me, you'll still have an incredible experience and adventure. I've watched my girls get out of their comfort zones. Ive stood by while they looked past another childs poverty and saw just the freedom that child has compared to them. They've grilled me with questions about history and religion as we walk out of historical cathedrals and through caves. At 5 and 7yo, it drives them to ask questions they would never have asked otherwise. They've jumped off a boat, into shark infested waters because the glimpse of the reef was too tempting not to snorkel. These trips connect them to the world outside of their bubble. It's worth the 10 minutes it took to make and pack a safe lunch.
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