A 12-year-old Australian boy stole his family credit card and flew to Bali alone.
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Millions of tourists flock to Bali, the tropical island destination in Indonesia that is wildly popularfor its pristine beaches, thriving nightlife, and rich culture. Recently, Bali attracted a rather unusual tourist: a 12-year-old boy from Australia who flew to Bali alone after running away from home. 
As 9 News reported, the unnamed 12-year-old boy had an argument with his parents one day. "He doesn't like the word 'no,'" his mother explained in an interview with A Current Affair. 
After the fight, he told his parents that he was going to school. But instead, he planned his escape. He stole the family credit card, tricked his grandmother into giving him his passport, and then booked a flight to Bali. 
In his interview with A Current Affair, he revealed that he had attempted to book a flight with several Australian airlines before he found one — Jetstar — that would allow minors to travel unaccompanied. After telling his parents that he was leaving for school, the boy said he took a train to Sydney airport, checked in successfully at the self-service stations, boarded a Jetstar flight to Perth, and then caught a connecting flight to Bali — all by himself, with only a backpack and scooter in hand. 
He said he was never asked why he was traveling alone. "They just asked for my student ID and passport to prove I'm over 12 and that I'm in secondary school," the boy told 9 News. 
As 9 News reported, the boy checked into All Seasons luxury hotel when he arrived in Bali. He convinced the staff to let him check in by himself, claiming that his sister would be joining him later. He ended up spending four entire days in Bali all alone. As he explained to A Current Affair, he even managed to hire a motorbike and drink beer during his short vacation. 
His parents quickly discovered that their son had never made it to school that day, and they reported him missing. The Australian authorities discovered a photo and video that he had posted, allowing them to track his location. Then they alerted his frantic parents that their son was in Bali. 
As his mother Emma explained in the interview with A Current Affair, she felt "shocked" and "disgusted" when they finally discovered that he had gone overseas by himself. "It's way too easy," Emma said in the interview. "There's a problem in our system." 
His parents flew to Bali and retrieved their son, but at this point, the bold 12-year-old had already spent $8,000 on their credit card. "I wanted to go on an adventure," he explained to 9 News. 
People on the internet have mixed reactions to this bizarre story. Some were not pleased with the way the 12-year-old and his parents behaved.