Posted 27 May 2009

A nineteen year-old from oxford is currently enjoying his gap year travel adventure around the world, as many youngsters do before university. However, his is a trip with a difference, as his mother is tracking his every move via a GPS tracking device.

The instrument, which was designed by Harry Wilder’s uncle and has been christened the Traakit device, allows his mother to see exactly where he is using GPS technology and is two inches thick and the size of a credit card.

Explaining the unusual situation to the Oxford Mail, Mr Wilder said that he does not mind carrying the device on his parents’ request, as "if they can see where I am, I don’t get constant phone calls asking where I am".

The young globetrotter started his gap year in Kenya and is now enjoying a stint in the sunny climes of Australia.

His mother told the newspaper that though the idea of a gap year is to enjoy some liberation from the folks, the Traakit device provides them with peace of mind.

In the future, teenagers may have to wrestle their parents for their rucksacks as more and more retirees are opting for volunteering abroad projects, according to a recent article in the Times.

Category: General Travel