TEENAGERS ABROAD

So, it’s not just me and my overly maternal instinct that is concerned about the number of teenagers out and about in foreign countries damaging themselves. After my son safely returned from tubing in Cambodia and drinking in Thailand with nothing more than a broken heel I was hugely relieved – they all made it back in one piece albeit with a few more scars. Several others were not so lucky. We heard about another group of boys involved in a car crash, another having to have his stomach pumped after drinking “poisoned” alcohol (aka Mekong Whisky I suspect), another in a moped crash and another friend’s son with a broken knee cap.

The real concern is how young our teenagers seem to be allowed to go abroad by themselves en masse. I wouldn’t let my 16 year old daughter go this year with a group of friends much to her absolute dismay – it’s bad enough trying to look after them when you’re with them because of course they want to go out without us in the evening and have several forays into the local bars and clubs – luckily here in Portugal the two girls are protected by two much older burly brothers. I heard today that one of the girls in another part of Portugal has broken her ankle and fractured her spine after a night out.

It is a real worry. There was an article I was sent recently outlining the huge increase in accidents abroad. Apparently UK teenagers holidaying in Mallorca and Ibiza are responsible for a huge increase in the number of tourists hospitalised in the Spanish islands, said the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

The renowned party island of Mallorca has seen a 132% increase in hospitalisations over the two years to the end of March 2012, while Ibiza has seen a 40% increase. These account for just over 10 of the reported 70 cases a week of British people hospitalised globally, according to the FCO.

Many of the Spanish island cases involve UK teenage holidaymakers falling ill or having accidents while under the influence of of drugs and alcohol, according to consular staff. The figures are likely to be the tip of the iceberg, said the FCO, as they only show those cases reported to the Spanish consulate.

The FCO said it has seen a recent change in the demographic of people travelling to Ibiza and Mallorca, with more young people in their late teens around going on holiday without their parents for the first time. An increase in independent travel also means youngsters are often not subject to the beady eye of a tour representative looking out for them.

“Young people tend to be more daring, taking part in sporting activities or renting quad bikes, and are more likely to engage in risky behaviour,” said an FCO spokeswoman.

Are they too young to be going abroad on their own?

God. I’ve got the Reading Festival to worry about next. Hearing lots of worrying things. Think I’m going to have to go to and wear a paper bag over my head in disguise. Although not sure I will cope with all that mud, sleeping in a tent and loos that are worse than in Slum Dog Millionaire…..