Sex, Drugs and Alcohol

Every year, more and more teenagers and young adults are heading abroad on group holidays or backpacking adventures. We are not suggesting that these people abstain from having fun altogether (as this would be extremely naïve), but to stay safe we warn them to be sensible.

Follow the guidelines below, to avoid a holiday disaster;

• Invest in quality travel insurance before you depart, just in case.
• Visit the FCDO website before you depart, make sure you are clear on the country’s rules and customs about behaviour, alcohol and drugs– if you follow them, this should prevent you getting into any trouble.
• Make sure you photocopy your important travel documents and passports, and store them in a different location to the originals – if a safe is available lock everything valuable in there.
• Do not carry all your money around with you, carry a supply and lock the rest in a safe. Furthermore, be careful not to flash your money around too much, unscrupulous people will spot vulnerable tourists and you could be pickpocketed.
• Always use a condom – this will protect against pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases and infections. Whether you are male or female, if there is a chance you may have sex whilst abroad, always pack a good supply of condoms, just to be safe.
• Measures are stronger abroad, so don’t assume that you can drink as much as you do in the UK; pace yourself. If you are visiting a hot country, make sure you drink plenty of water between alcoholic drinks to avoid dehydration.
• Always carry your drink with you, to avoid it being spiked.
• If you do get so inebriated that you hurt yourself or need medical attention, remember that your travel insurance will probably not cover you – be sensible!
• Most travel insurers will never cover the use of drugs, whether they are legal in your holiday destination or not.
• Always stay with the group, make sure no one is walking around alone.
• Do not give into peer pressure, if you don’t feel comfortable doing something, then don’t do it.
• Follow the ABTA and FCDO advice; know your limits, and do not put yourself in danger. Do not mess around near balconies, do not swim if drunk or at night, and do not jump off any rocks or peers. Use your common sense!