Lessons learnt

The lemoncake family have returned to Oz. There's no place like home, there's no place like home...

I learnt a few things while we were away:

1. When your 2 year old falls into an on-and-off broken sleep on an overnight international flight and just needs your ssshhh-ing to get him back to sleep each time, try to resist the morning sickness and do not leave your seat to throw up in the toilet or you will pay the price with a screaming child and then an awake-after-only-6 hours-sleep toddler for the rest of the flight.

2. If your husband complains of headaches and a very sore 'pimple' on his forehead and is so not himself just before leaving on a holiday, consider getting it checked out before you get to your remote island holiday where you will not find a doctor for a few days.

3. A husband with Shingles living in hotel-close confines with a toddler and a pregnant woman is not a good combination.

4. When you are tired and you toddler 'needs' to eat and sleep in a semi regular pattern or he is off the wall, do not rely on family to show you around their home city - you will end up in bed most nights after 10pm and still up with a grumpy child at 6 am each day, everyday.

5. I should have given my boy more credit than I did, I was so worried about how/when he would sleep and yet I found that he could actually fall asleep anywhere if tired enough - even on a jeep ride, then transfer to a speed boat, then sleep in your arms all through an airport check in.

6. Bring more clothes on a plane for your toddler then you believe he could ever need to wear. Even if he didn't need them on the flight to overseas, on the way home he may wet through his entire outfit (even though he has been 'dry' for months), spill coke on another and end up on the flight with no top or warm clothes while you hug him close in a blanket to keep him warm and your husband attempts to air dry the orange juice from all over the last remaining t-shirt you have on board.

7. There really is no place like home.