 An overseas holiday with my children is a rare experience for me. It’s not a lack of desire, but rather the practical issues that deter the dream from becoming reality. The biggest being the expense. Plane tickets are not cheap, and with my continually expanding family, a trip to the northern hemisphere with four children in tow becomes an expedition not to be taken lightly. Another almost equally significant barrier is enduring a long-haul flight with a child under three. Obviously, it can be done and some people do it very well, but personally the enjoyment kicks in when you’re travelling with a child over five.
When the opportunity came to travel to Los Angeles with our eldest son Hamish (aged six), I jumped at the chance to share a holiday and some precious one-on-one time with him. In our family, travelling overseas with a child is something that comes with age. I’ve done a few trips with our eldest Lucia, but Hamish was yet to enjoy an adventure with me on his own. Sure enough, when I pulled his passport out I saw that it had expired six months earlier.
Thankfully, after a frantic trip to the passport office, a new one was issued within 24 hours.
A holiday at the airport would probably have been enough for Hamish. He takes after his father and has a deep affection for anything with an engine.
 Watching the planes land and take off is his definition of entertainment. For me, it’s when the bags have been checked, passports stamped and boarding passes issued that I start to relax. There is something very relieving about walking through the doors and entering the ‘other side’. It’s time to buy some magazines and head to the lounge. The lounge experience was also too good to be true for Hamish. With biscuits, rice-crackers and lemonade at his disposal, why would we go anywhere else? But the big surprise was the plane. Hamish hadn’t been on a plane for a few years so he was seriously excited - and when he realised we’d be sleeping on the plane, well it was all too good to be true. With blankets, TV and aeroplane goodies to keep him occupied, I don’t know why I bothered to pack such an extensive carry-on bag.
We caught a daytime flight so there wasn’t much sleeping. We both managed only a couple of hours before touching down in LA early in the morning. So when we arrived at our hotel in Beverley Hills we both snuggled into bed and caught up on some sleep. When we woke it was still only lunchtime so we grabbed something to eat before setting off to explore the hotel.
It was unseasonably warm weather for October so we spent our first afternoon by the pool, me lying in the sun while Hamish swam and enjoyed the warm spa.
 The thing about kids is they don’t need much to make them happy. Despite the fact we were on the other side of the world, a heated pool is the pinnacle when it comes to fun and Hamish was having a blast splashing around and enjoying my undivided attention.
As we were there in late October, Halloween decorations were out, and driving around at night was magical. Hamish was fascinated by all the Halloween festivities, and the effort people put into making the occasion fun really made me appreciate the way Americans celebrate their holidays.
Hamish enthusiastically embraced the idea of a trip to the Santa Monica Pier. It’s beautiful on the coast and there is plenty to do. With games, rides and not too many crowds, it is a wonderful way for younger children to spend an afternoon.
What is an overseas trip without presents for those you leave behind? So shopping was high on our list of priorities. We headed to The Grove in Hollywood and straight to the American Girl shop to buy some presents for his sister. Then it was to the toy store for his little brother who had requested a toy bus and an umbrella! Hamish is a boy of simple tastes, and when offered the opportunity to choose from anything in the shop (within reason) he chose his toy-of-the-moment, a bionicle.
The hotel had a tennis court, and as it was such beautiful weather, I lined up a few lessons for him with the hotel pro. Hamish is an eager competitor and he was determined to beat the pro at all costs. Fortunately, the pro was a good sport and was willing to concede defeat before they both collapsed from heat exhaustion.
 As we had saved the best for last, Disneyland was our final adventure in La La Land. I hadn’t been there for about 10 years, so although I had an idea of what to expect I was still surprised by its size and crowds. The fact there are two parks now makes it easier and as we didn’t have all that much time, we were advised to visit Disney’s California Adventure Park. We had already mapped out what we wanted to do, and a park guide took us on a tour, zipping from ride to ride with not much rest in between. Hamish had the time of his life. We visited Crush in the Nemo auditorium, watched Lightning McQueen parade past us, rode a rollercoaster, entered the Haunted Mansion, sailed through the Nightmare Before Christmas and marvelled at the magic and fantasy that is Disneyland.
Although our trip was brief, what remains are some wonderful memories and the chance to really enjoy some time with my son and get to know him outside of the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
Disneyland Tips:
If you are on a tight schedule you might consider signing up for a VIP tour. At US $75 an hour on top of park admission they are not cheap but for people who only have a few hours it’s one way to maximise your Disneyland experience.
Getting there:
Flight time to LA is around 13 hours. Qantas, United and Hawaiian Airlines all have regular scheduled flights there.
Visas:
Under the Visa Waiver Program, visas are not necessary for most Australians travelling to the US for stays of less than 90 days.
Weather:
Los Angeles enjoys a mild winter, but summer can get very hot.
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