I was recently working and living in Cuernavaca, Mexico, and got pretty sick… We are (romantically) talking about days of not leaving the toilet, not sleeping, not eating. Unsure if it was food poisoning or an infection, I called my travel insurance company, and they instructed me to head to the ER. I began to Google, ‘how much does it cost to go the ER in Mexico?... ‘what is going to the ER in Mexico as an American like?’ and couldn’t find any straight answers. Per usual, I guess I was finding out IRL.

It is 8:30 PM, our last night in Japan. The air was cool and after a nice stroll we were spending it enjoying eating our hearts out...well, actually, a chicken heart on a stick at this amazing yakitori restaurant down the street from our hotel in the Asakusa neighbourhood. All of the sudden, it felt super smoky in the restaurant. I went outside to get some fresh air. But when I walked back in, I didn’t feel any better, and that’s when my partner noticed the hives all over my face and neck...dun dun dun Anaphylaxis!

Traveling with food allergies is something that can be anxiety provoking. However, with the right tools and resources, it is not only doable, but extremely enjoyable. Here's how...