Mel Homer: Make time to make memories

Mel Homer and her boys in Thailand. Photo / Supplied

Opinion

The 'getting there' can be tricky but it's worth the effort.

We're minutes from take-off and I'm covered in sick. I'm trying to contain it, so it doesn't drip all over the floor. My legs are clenched together and it's pooling in my lap. The toddler I'm holding isn't as forward thinking as I am. He's not thinking about the fact that we're stuck in this seat for the next 10 hours on a very full flight. He doesn't care about the stench. He's got it all out of his system and he's ready to party. Mummy is not ready to party. Drip drip drip.

The "getting there" part of travelling with kids is the less-than-awesome part. The car rides, the plane trips are rarely fun and, as the mother, you almost always end up covered in sick, or some other bodily fluid that makes sick look good.

Oh, and when you pack two changes of clothes for your toddler on that long-haul flight, pack some for yourself. Remember that kids rarely vomit cleanly on themselves.

Luckily, the cabin crew rustled up a spare tracksuit from first class after our incident. I think they realised it was fresh clothes for me or a general revolt in economy class. I arrived at my destination a vision of grey velour, with a clean, vomit-free toddler under my arm.

But once you're at your destination, it's absolutely worth it. Air travel is just like child birth - you instantly forget the pain and emotional trauma until the next time.

We've travelled a fair amount with our kids. Some trips are more memorable than others. Like that time we took our then 1 and 3-year-old boys to Vladivostok, Russia. "Mummy, what are all of those holes in the cars?" "Gunshot holes, sweetie. Now shush dear, and eat your pickled vegetables."

My favourite destination for kids though, is Southeast Asia. I never fully understood why Thailand was called the Land of Smiles until I travelled there with kids.

When I was backpacking through Thailand, it seemed to me more appropriate to call it the land of surly looks, eye rolls and bureaucracy.

But When I went to Phuket with my 5-month-old baby, wow - it was like a different world had opened up. The first night, as we sat eating our dinner at a little roadside restaurant, the wait staff swooped down on our son and whisked him off to the kitchen, out of our sight.

Okay, I will admit at first I had visions of him being hurried out the back door and sold on the baby market. As he was my first baby he was obviously perfect in every way, and would be worth thousands, heck, millions on the black market. When they deposited him, giggling at his new Thai bestie, back in his stroller at the end of our meal, I realised that this is just the Thai way. They adore kids. Adore them. Everybody wanted to touch my baby. Once you embrace the fact that you have unlimited babysitters, pretty much on tap wherever you go, your holiday will be extraordinary.

Thailand is also so easy with kids because the food is amazing and very kid friendly. What child doesn't like noodles or rice? Plus, the supermarkets stock every baby food/formula you can imagine so you don't need to travel with a suitcase of formula tipping your baggage into the excess zone.

Earlier this year I filmed a TV show for Choice TV - My Dream Room Kids Edition. Rather than use the money I earned on finishing our laundry, or something sensible like that, I spent it on two weeks in Bali and Lombok with my family.

Best money I ever spent.

As I write this, we are just back from our Indonesian jaunt. With no TV to watch, no deadlines to meet, no place you really need to be and only limited access to WiFi, a family has no choice but to bond and chill out together. Watching your children snorkel with turtles, learn to surf, or marvel at transport that involves a horse and cart is the most heart-warming experience. It makes you take note of the things that really matter. Those things like cheap, delicious nasi goreng, $2 Bintangs . . . and your kids.

If you have the opportunity, travel with your children. Just do it. Even if it's just two hours down the road. Don't put it off. It is such a rewarding experience, for you and for them. Get off the beaten track. Learn things about each other, like which one of your offspring is the mozzie attractor, or who can go for two weeks without brushing their hair. (That one was me).

Make some memories while your kids still think you're kind of cool.

Just don't forget to take a spare change of clothes for the flight.

• Mel Homer is the host of Mix 98.2 Auckland from 8am-12pm weekdays.