5 year olds holiday behaviour appalling help

[Whatalife58]

I have posted this on in the behaviour section but am keen to get prompt feedback.
My child is on a holiday with me (single mother) visiting family and friends he has never met before. We have travelled to another country. I am at a loss at how to manage him and quite frankly have felt like crying my eyes out. When he first met my brother and sister he said 'But you are elderly'. That was probably unintentional rudeness but it has been so hard. He interrupts and refuses to back down if someone says wait a minute. He argues with my sister in law who has been kind and firm with him. He got angry tonight and grabbed an expensive camera and tried to dismantle it. When I told him it was bedtime (he had a 5 minute warning) he threw a toy at the TV and shouted. I understand he is stressed and out of routine and have given him lots of hugs and reassurance. I am stressed too. I have no idea what he will do next. He is totally out of control. Today he ran away from me when we were at a wildlife centre which he like. He shouts I am hurting him when I hold his hand. What can I do?

Yikes! Is he ever like this at home? What else is different at the moment - I mean, are you being less firm with him because you don't want to look too strict in front of your family..?

All sounds fairly normal for five.....Is he overtired from the flight etc? Can you put some rules in place, eg no running off in parks etc, and tell him that you will take him out straight away if he does try to run off? Ditto if he breaks someone elses property then you will remove something of his?

Poor you. You must be exhausted with it all and it's supposed to be your break!!! Children that young often play up if they are under stimulated or feel unsettled. Perhaps he is used to it being the two of you and is now playing up to get your attention and protest about sharing his time with you. I'm sure it must be mortifying to have him reject your family in this way but remember that to him they are strangers and this is a strange place. Perhaps set aside a couple of hours each day just for the two of you and he gets to choose what you do. This may be enough to calm him down a little. At the end of the day though you still need to bd consistent with the discipline and keep the same rules and boundaries you keep at home. He's testing you that's all.