Holidays are always a challenge, but persuading a teenage boy to embark on a fun outdoor adventure with only his mother for company is frankly terrifying. He’s as likely to greet the prospect with enthusiasm as he is to pick up a wet towel.
And there is a new problem when it comes to travelling with teenagers: they are constantly, thanks to technology, somewhere else. Screens provide instant gratification and adventure, so it makes no difference whether a child is in the Serengeti or on a London bus – they are likely to be lost in virtual reality. And it is a hard act for reality to follow. I wanted my 15-year-old son Jesse to wake up to the moment, to fully appreciate a new place, new experiences. So we decided to go somewhere we had never been: Malaysia.
The holiday was going swimmingly until I caused a minor terrorist alert and was detained and questioned by police. Nothing embarrassing for a teenager there ...