Emma from Sydney told her son that he couldn't go to Bali.
So he took matters into his own hands and went to Indonesia by himself.
Now, his parents are demanding to know how he got away with it.
Speaking to local media, Emma revealed that her 12-year-old “just doesn't like the word no”.
“That’s what I got, a kid in Indonesia,” she said.
The boy, given the name Drew for anonymity, coaxed his passport off his grandmother and took his family's credit cards.
The savvy youth researched airlines that allowed 12-year-olds to travel by themselves without a letter from their parents.
He packed a bag full of shorts and t-shirts and told his parents he was going to school. He then took his scooter to the train station and then got a train to the airport.
To minimise human contact he used the self-check-in desk and boarded the plane- no questions asked.
He got off the plane in Perth and then got his connecting flight to Denpasar in Bali. When landing in Bali, authorities asked him where his parents were. Drew replied that his mum was waiting outside- they let him through.
Meanwhile, back in Sydney, his frantic mother Emma reported him missing after being told that he didn't turn up at school.
While the mum tried to piece together his whereabouts, Drew booked himself into an All Seasons hotel. He told reception that he was checking while waiting for his sister.
Drew posted a picture and video from his phone, which authorities were able to track.
His parents rushed to the airport, only to be stopped by the airline, Jetstar, because they didn't have return tickets. This was the same airline that allowed their 12-year-old to fly alone without any questions.
After signing a waiver, they flew to Bali to bring Drew home. The brazen boy was having the time of his life: he rode motorbikes, without having a licence, and tried beer, which he hated.
Since the publication of the story, Jetstar and other airlines have vowed to tighten their policy around minors flying alone.
As for the intrepid explorer, he's slightly embarrassed about the fuss he caused- as well as the $8,000 he spent of his parents money.
That's a lot of chores to catch up on that amount, but Drew doesn't seem to mind.
"I wanted to go on an adventure," he said.
