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Etc etc… I’m in NEW YORK!!!!

And I’m writing. It’s 30 degrees outside and I’m writing. HIYYYAAAAA.

Oh my god it’s amazing. So bloody amazing.

There are obvious type 1 related obstacles that I’m navigating every day – namely the food (HUGE. And immense) and the drink (LOTS) but I’m counteracting that with battering my poor already-battered feet with a rather ridiculous amount of walking, plus kiiiiiind of (but not always) avoiding the carbs. Plus the heat. JEEEEZ it’s hot.  Hot and wonderful.

The flight wasn’t as bad as I anticipated – after the battering I took en route to Australia I thought it might KO me for the afternoon while the other girls excitedly headed to the first bar, but I’d learned my lesson last time it seems, and after dodging most of the carb-heavy plane food (which managed to actually resemble food this time – thank you British Airways), doing a few extra blood tests and slipping in a few sneaky extra units I was hellaready for the bright lights of the big city when we landed. Well, as ready as you can be after a 5am start and an eight hour flight. WHO BLOODY CARES when your agenda for the evening is THIS *smug klaxon*…

Ahhh, aren’t those a lovely looking bunch of fellow travellers???

So for the most part my blood sugars have been keeping in check. I had to request a fridge for our hotel room to put my insulin in but apparently it was supposed to be there anyway and the staff were more than accomodating. I’m actually finding being a diabetic in New York suprisingly easy, thanks mostly to the fact that the food and drink over here is a two-sided world of extremes – either extremely stodgy, fried and carbohydrate-based or fresh, healthy and a carb-free zone which makes life pretty wonderful as I can pick and choose rather than being the awkward special requirements girl. Noone likes being that girl. And don’t get me started on the diet sodas (Oh, look, I’m just so American). They LOVE a diet soda here, and I am in HEAVEN with the selection. Any diabetic knows our soft drink existence is largely based on Diet Coke and not much else, especially in bars. It’s not a big deal, but it gets a little bit boring and hey, simple things people. This week I’ve been reunited with Diet Mountain Dew and I am a happy woman. Don’t judge me – 16 years on Diet Coke is a long time. I also discovered this, which the diabetes geeks among us will enjoy…

A Diet Snapple invented in HONOUR of a type 1. And who knew Bret Michaels had diabetes?!?

Food has definitely (and quite obviously, if you know me and my friends at all) been the major theme thus far, and I would be highly disappointed if this changed at any point before Friday when we head off to a festival for three days, but that is a whole other assault course of Type 1 fun that I haven’t yet given much thought to. My friends have been having a wonderful time testing out all the cliches – pretzels (from street vendors), chilli dogs (also from street vendors), the Magnolia Bakery (Sex and the City fans you know what I’m talking about), proper actual authentic Cosmpolitan cocktails (likewise). Don’t get me wrong, I’ve not been sat in the hotel room waving my type 1 white flag by ANY stretch of the imagination, I’ve just tried to pick and choose my moments to indulge. And rest assured when it happens, it happens properly. Presenting Exhibit A, the LARGEST can of beer you’ve ever seen. Complete with authentic brown paper bags. Tramps, yes. Stylish and now tipsy tramps though.

Something else a little bit weird has been happening though, I’m after a little sympathy for this strange turn of events.

I somewhat begrudingly packed my running kit after some very fleeting thoughts of using the hotel gym to keep up my training for the Big Challenge (you know the one where you cycle 200 miles then run a half marathon a week later for charity? That one) which thus far, like most of my life, has taken on a rather haphazard approach. I’ve been doing it, but there’s been no rhyme or reason to it, as I knew this trip would upset things so diligent schedules will be adopted upon my return (probably). Buuuuuut every morning thus far, I’ve actually dragged my chubby arse out of bed and used the windowless basement gym while the rest of the hotel – or the three girls in my room at least – have been sleeping.

I KNOW. I’m judging me too.

I think maybe it’s because my trainers took up so much precious room in my case that would have otherwise been filled with shopping bags on the return flight, I’d be pretty pissed off if all I did was cart them to New York and back again without putting them on. Although I seem to be having NO problem with shopping here, which is going to make packing at the end of the week a lot of fun.

But yep, partly for the cause and mostly through utter fear of toppling into the gutter at mile one of Challenge One (yes, there’s two. HELP ME) I’ve been clocking my time in on that treadmill. As you can see from this particularly disgusting and sweaty picture, it’s a lonely life being a reluctant athlete. I much prefer the beer-guzzling, cheese-eating Jen who sleeps in like the best of them. Dee, my bestie and fellow traveller is seriously reconsidering our friendship as this is not the girl she knows. Given that said friendship is largely based on chocolate and cocktails, I don’t blame her.

So you may hate me for being in New York, but if you know me at all you know that I’m really not the girl who gets up at 7.30am on holiday to go to the gym. I have a LOT of money to raise for Diabetes UK, and I have to raise it by the end of July even though the Big Challenge is not until September. So please please please PLEASE PLEASE PLEASSSEEEEEEE I would love you a whole lot if you would go to the top of this page and click the link that says sponsor me, and donate even just a teeny weeny tiny amount of cash to the cause. Here, have a handy link so you don’t even have to scroll to the top. I’m nice like that.

I’ve been doing some filming too, so hopefully soon after I return there will be another video of me making a complete and utter tit of myself in a bid to entertain you. Until then, have a great day y’all.