"Let me tell you a story about a woman who needs to slow down."

Have you ever panicked so much you couldn’t think and you ended up looking like a B-grade TV actor after they stab someone by accident because all you can do, rather dramatically, is spin around in circles saying, “S***! I can’t think”?

Well, that was me a few weeks ago on a Saturday early evening. I was at a friend’s place having a cheeky glass of wine as I picked up some international power adaptors because I was off to Dubai the next day. An overseas trip! Me!

While I may think I’m all travelling gung ho, because my star sign keeps telling me that’s what I am, in 17 years the longest I’ve ever spent away from my kids is eight days.

This time I would have six days by myself (well, with a handful of other journalists, but no one I was responsible for) and I needed power adaptors so I could always have my phone charged and be connected to the other side of the world in order to receive group texts about who is responsible for taking the dog for a walk this afternoon.

So there I was the night before my flight, saying “yes” to my second glass of wine, when I casually asked my friend’s husband Dave, who happens to work for an airline, a little something about my ticket.

How does Kate Ellis juggle work and travel with a baby? Is someone actually doing it right?

“Any clue on here if I could ever qualify for an upgrade?”

I’m clutching two power adaptors, job done. Big day. I had completed sideline duty for Saturday sport. Tomorrow a netball carnival, then an evening flight to Dubai. Now I can relax. I’ll pack tonight. Sip. Sip. Cheese has come out. Nibble. Nibble. Maybe tomorrow if I wear a tailored jacket they will upgrade me. I read that somewhere: well dressed people more likely to get upgrades.

“Um. Your flight is tonight.”

“No it’s not.”

“Yes it is.”

“You’re joking?”

“No.”

I looked at the date on the screen. And that's when I stood up, spun around in circles and just kept saying, "S***! I can't think."

How did I do this? How can a smart (now I have to cough after writing this) woman in her 40s be sitting having a glass of wine, about to miss her international flight because she... she... didn't check the date?

It was 6.30pm. I was meeting the rest of my travel group at the airport at 6.30pm. My flight was at 9pm. I was sitting in my-mummy-has-been-watching-kids-sport-all-day gear on my second glass of wine and I was meant to be at Sydney international airport in my I'm-flying-to-the-other-side-of-the-world gear.

As I panicked, Dave - who is handy in a crisis and tends to speak in some kind of airline alpha beta gamma code - said four words that turned a born pessimist into a momentary optimist.

"The situation is salvageable."

I ran home and like Chicken Little I broke the news to my husband. "The plane is tonight. The plane is tonight."

He was putting out a cheese plate for the people we were HAVING OVER FOR DINNER.

"You're kidding," he said with a telltale people-coming-over-for-dinner tea towel on his shoulder.

I packed in seven minutes. I threw things into one big suitcase from my wardrobe. It would have been like watching a cartoon where there arms go so fast they are spinning blurs. I said goodbye to two of my kids and some other people's kids on the stairwell. My middle daughter was babysitting and I had to say goodbye by text.

I was then whizzed to the airport and arrived just after 7.30pm. Thankfully I was given a boarding pass, went through customs and had to introduce myself to my four travelling companions very late, sweating and trying not to vomit in my mouth.

It was then that a text came from my husband: "I love you but I think you need to slow down. Seriously xx."

(Did I mention in the same week I forgot to take the cash out of the ATM? Probably not.)

Ok. I thought to myself. I have six days without the normal routine, without four kids in the house, a dog, work, admin, dinners, trying to remember the name of the mum who has just sent me a text about car pooling. I'm going to think about how my life SHOULD look like. 

So, basically, I went to Dubai to sort out my life in my head. Kind of like a yoga retreat in Bali but with high rises instead of rice paddies and man made adventure instead of yoga. So nothing like Bali, really.

I made myself think about myself as I explored a totally new city. A city I was lucky enough to be invited to, but a city that can be overwhelming. A city that can be so fast like me, and yet can make you think about your place in the world.

This is what I came up with.

Family is my rock. Don't take it for granted

I watched families at breakfast, getting ready to go the pool and waterslides or go exploring at my hotel, The Atlantis. I went to IMG World's of Adventure and Dubai Parks and Resorts. The people most enjoying themselves gave themselves over to the experience - no leaving anything in the emotional tank. They weren't on screens. They were looking at each other to see how the people they loved were feeling. Despite all my moaning about wanting and deserving some space, I missed my family because they are the first people in the world I want to share new adventures with.

There's a time to be like a kid and just say 'Yes'

Every experience that came up during my stay, I said yes to. I've become a bit of a slave to routine and "knowing my limits". Sometimes it's good to forget you have limits - or dignity. I went on Velociraptor and Legoland rollercoasters (by myself!) and strange and wonderful 4D Hulk rides at the theme parks in Dubai. I went skiing indoors at Ski Dubai where I graduated to tackling quite a hefty slope by myself - and I'm a beginner (maybe I was an Olympic skier in a previous life). I fed sharks and marine life at The Lost Chambers Aquarium at the Atlantis Hotel. I felt the thrill for thrill's sake and I missed it.

There's a time to be like an adult and listen and learn

It's probably no surprise to anyone who knows me, but I find it hard to hide my excitement. Then I want to share that excitement and connection with everyone around me, which can sometimes make me come across as... ummm... overbearing. Even though Dubai is all buzz buzz buzz, I was feeling chilled with no immediate family admin to carry out and someone else in charge of our itinerary. On our last evening we stopped to have dinner at Thiptara at the Palace Hotel and watched the world famous water fountains dance to music and were given a private guided tour of how the hotel was setting up for Ramadan. Over beautiful Thai food and a glass of wine, I listened to stories about another culture and another way of living. I also took a breath and really listened to other people's stories at the table - and they were fascinating.

Yes, I do need to slow down

On my flight home I didn't use the in-flight entertainment as much as I thought I would (and the selection was huge). I took out a notepad and I tried to collect my thoughts. I had rushed out of my home like a panicked tornado and I wanted to go home, somehow, as a slightly better version of that tornado. Travel tends to make you want to change things. Among my many To Do lists and random thought lists, was the list that started them all:

What I need to do to slow down

Then I wrote:

Slow down

That part is up to me and no-one else.

And I am slowing down. I'm also double checking all dates for all flights from now on.

Jacqueline Lunn was a guest of Visit Dubai and flew Emirates.