BY: Sujin Thomas

FRIENDS repeatedly reminded me to be prepared when I told them I was going on a holiday in July with family members.

"You'll go crazy," many told me. They were right, in part. But the trip also ended up being a journey of self-discovery.

Setting off in early July, my mother and I flew to Dubai to catch up with a family friend for three days. Then it was off to Canada, where we were to stay with my aunt and her family for a week before flying to Mexico with them for a week-long beach getaway.

The trouble began at Changi Airport as my mother and I entered the gates to board our flight to Dubai.

I hadn't gone for a holiday with my family in 10 years. And my mum, whose last long-haul flight was in 1995 to the United States, was clueless about current security protocol at the airport.

When we arrived at our gate, she boldly walked through the X-ray gantry, clutching her handbag tightly. The alarm blared loudly.

"Mum, all bags need to go through the other X-ray machine," I said authoritatively before even the immigration officers could react.

From then on, I made it my personal mission to take charge of everything, from filling in immigration forms to speaking first to whomever we chanced upon. I found myself feeling smug about how I was handling things, making sure nothing went wrong.

Fast-forward to Mexico where, just as we checked in, my mum and aunt pounced on an unsuspecting hotel staff member like two ravenous tigers upon a helpless zebra. They demanded a change of rooms so that my two adult cousins would be closer to us.

Never mind that the hotel was fully booked that day. Little details like that are immaterial to the Thomas clan. The brouhaha soon invited the attention of dozens of passing hotel guests.

My mother and aunt were oblivious to the scene they were creating. I hid behind a wall waiting for it to pass. I thought to myself: "Could this get any worse?"

I can assure you that it did, as a myriad other such instances left me cringing.

But soon, I was taught a valuable lesson when I forgot to pack my camera when we checked out of the hotel. Frantic calls made to housekeeping turned up nothing. I was crushed. All the memories of the past two weeks were gone - and it was my fault.

I still cannot understand how I slipped up, but my family was kind to me despite my having been so righteous about other things during the trip.

Not a word was uttered about how I should have been more careful. Instead, they threw themselves into top gear
to try and help. My aunt repeatedly made calls to the hotel in Mexico long after we had flown back to Canada to check if the camera had somehow turned up.

In the meantime, my mum entrusted me with her camera. It was a Kleenex moment: A mother gives her errant, righteous son a task at his lowest emotional point.

I was taught an important lesson about being too critical about family members. Everyone makes mistakes, and not
everyone is perfect - certainly not me.

And family, as the saying goes, will be there for you through thick and thin, no matter what. So, you'd better treat them right.

And you know what? The family dramas that irritated me so much at first are exactly what makes my family members who they are. They are annoying people who grate on your nerves, but who are also intensely funny,
warm and kind.

As to whether I'll go on another family holiday next year, the answer now is a firm "yes". But ask me again in a year's time.

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