Have you ever noticed how emotions are contagious?  It is almost impossible not to laugh along when someone emits a genuine belly-shaker of a giggle.  Similarly, when we are around someone who is feeling sad or stressed we can often feel those feelings rub off onto us too.

Today, on our roadtrip home from Adelaide I witnessed another phenomenon.

I like to refer to it as the vom-athon chain reaction.

One minute we were travelling along happily. ‘Wonderwall’ was playing on the radio and I was squinting as the dappled winter sunshine streamed through the autumn leaves that lined the country road…when a familiar but unwelcome gurgle was emitted from the back seat.

The Woo, suffering a sudden onslaught of travel sickness, held his hand over his face in a valiant attempt to stem the flow of the regurgitated contents of his stomach.  Unfortunately this only managed to disperse it far and wide.

Think stencil painting with a spray can.

One minute I am making a mental note to buy some sunglasses to keep in the car to stop those unwelcome crows feet forming, and the next I am looking like an extra in a Dolmio advert.  Only the people shaped silhouettes on the front dash wasn’t caused by spaghetti sauce…and no one was wearing a grin of any description.

Hubbster hastily pulled off the road, as I tried to soothe the Woo with calming words, “Its okay mate. We’ll get you out in a tick,” whilst all the while ducking for cover and trying not to breathe through my nose.

Luckily for me, Bubble announced as soon as we pulled to a halt down some off-beat gravel road, “I need to do a poo.”

Now I have no shame in admitting that I grabbed the wet wipes, pulled her out of the car seat and held her aloft like I was clutching the Olympic torch and high tailed it to the nearest tree.  Faced with an impromptu call of nature or cleaning up spew I knew that I had hit the jackpot.

Like a trooper though, Hubbster set to work stripping the Woo out of his stained clothing, and dressing him in a mixed ensemble of anything he could find – a PJ top and a pair of trackies.

By the time Bubble and I emerged from the bushes, Hubbster had cleaned up the interior of the car and was retching violently.

Finally, we got back into the car…but not before Hubbster and I had deposited a little kerb-side quiche of our own.

Mine was largely in sympathy of his, I admit.

But amazingly, it wasn’t long before we were back on the road (with the windows down) belting out our very own rendition of ‘Ongle Dongle had a farm,’ and I felt blessed that today was better than yesterday.

What are your tried and tested travel sickness cures.  I’d love to hear them…so I am more prepared next time!