Travel to China

Hi everybody. I am going to go for a holiday to China in January and wondered if anyone here had ever been there before?

I'm particularly interested to here about any potential issues anyone had at airports

I have a pump and have been told that it can't pass through the x-ray scanner. I've been in contact with the embassy and they said that if I get a letter from my doctor with details and passport number on I can show it to an airport officer and they will allow me to bypass the x-ray. This sounds great in theory but I'm not sure I want to risk turning up to the airport and not being able to find someone that understands English enough to interpret a doctors letter. And I'm not sure I will be able to bypass a worldwide security policy just becuase I hold a peice of paper. If that happens I may have to leave my pump behind to be able to get through the scanner and on to the plane.

The other option of course is to disconnect the pump and go back to the needles while I'm away. Far from ideal but possibly an easier and more hassle free option in the airport

Any suggestions would be appreciated

I went to China 10 years ago. Took needles etc with no problems but experienced significant problems with food. Was counting carbs then but if you ask whether the dish has sugar in it they will tell you what they think you want to hear (not helpful).

Are you going as part of an organized tour or "back packing"? Some tour guides are excellent but some are very keen to please and the info is not always accurate. My friend (not diabetic) picked up a bug and was hospitalized in The 8th People's Hospital. She still dines out on the stories. Watch your personal hygiene! I took two dozen muesli bars and sometimes found it easier to eat them instead of the meal provided. I had none left at the end of 3 weeks. Stick to vegetable dishes.

Had a fabulous time and would do it all again.

We stopped at a park and there were vans selling fresh fruit. Decided to pay $AUD10 for a beautiful peach. The lady behind the counter bent down to get tissue paper and wrapped it out of sight...you guessed when I got to the bus opened the package with excitement only to see she had swapped the peach for a much inferior one! When I challenged the guide we were virtually told that as foreigners we are fair game. They also think is is OK to sell fakes and represent them as genuine. Don't buy coins etc and be mindful that if it looks real it probably still isn't. Real...made this morning!

We saw a Marble Boat (somewhere) and we had an expert with us who challenged whether the boat was made of marble. It wasn't, this was a replica made of wood as the real one had been destroyed. No amount of saying you ought to say it is a replica meant anything. Made for the tourist...still real!

I am sure you will be fine with the pump just take all the stuff the manufacturers recommend. My info is that they can not be exposed to xrays but that Walk Through and Wands are OK. You can get a list of English speaking doctors from www.iamat.org Carry all your stuff with you all the time! I always take two meters with me when I go to Asia (2-3 times a year).

Good luck. Have a great time. Helen

I went to Japan back in 2007 and even though there was a slight pause before we got on the flight back home because they wondered what the medical stuff was in my luggage, but I showed them my doctors letter as well stated that I was Diabetic in spoken English, they seemed okay with me. Nothing else came up during the course of my journey.

As a result, I think that as long as you produce paperwork for them, there shouldn't be any major issues. I'll be surprised if there wasn't a translator somewhere on the airport's site. If they don't, the airport company should have a translation company in contact just in case of these situations. I'd trust what the embassy has recommended considering you can't be the first to ask as well.

I don't blame HelenP for suggesting to stick to vegetable dishes... I think I might do that myself when I go back to Japan in March 2011 considering I had a lot of trouble with the carb counting last time! >_<

Enjoy your trip kid127!

Kun-gee is a great breakfast. It is type of rice porridge with all sorts of stuff thrown in. Try, watch the BGLs get a feel for the carbs. It is everywhere. Good basic breakfast. Another tip Chinese food is not the Chinese food you find in Chinese restaurants outside of China. Worse is the Chinese food that the Chinese think that you think is Chinese. In Asia it is often referred to as "fusion" (from more than one culture) food. Some good, some not so good but so unknown! Traditional food is very different. If you are travelling in a group and eating "banquets" try and quarantine the more diabetic friendly food before the others get to it!. Not usually a problem in my experience. The steamed vegies are delicious because they are usually very fresh. Helen

Thanks for the posts. It is a very good point JWo that I can’t be the first person to have ever asked these questions.

I’ve spoken to the nurses at my hospital and they are arranging a letter for me. I’ll look in to getting a translated letter made for my own peace of mind I think but won’t be too bothered if I can’t get one. As I said I may just have been worrying unnecessarily

Thanks for the info about the sugar as well. Definitely worth bearing in mind. I usually run myself a bit higher during holidays (aim for 6-10 rather than 4- to try to avoid hypo’s but I may end up running a bit higher than that!

Slightly off topic but can anyone recommend decent travel insurance for diabetics? I’ve had some ridiculous quotes in the past

Hi. I've been diabetic for over ten years and have always had travel insurance from American Express. The only thing I've ever had through them is travel insurance and it is always very competitive.

I use Insure and go http://www.insureandgo.com/ . Medical screening can be done online.

I think I did my first insurance through Diabetes UK's insurance supplier - that was going to Japan. My second trip abroad was sorted out by the boyfriend so I'm not sure who we were insured with.

Neither were particularly pricey if I remembe correctly though.