Balconing - The trill that kills!!
Vacation checklist:
Get off plane in Spain… Check in the hotel… Go up to room… Open sliding glass door… Step onto balcony… Jump!
According to the emergency services of the Balearic Islands in Spain this is exactly what many young Northern European vacationers are doing. A new craze called “Balconying” is sweeping the Mediterranean islands.
This new not so harmless pastime is on the increase. Over the last four years the number of young people, partying, getting drunk and jumping off a balcony of their hotel trying to land in the middle of the pool below has tripled./p
Hotel receptionists in the Balearic Islands and the eastern coast of Spain are now on the watch for guest they think may be prone to this new phase. For this reason they are attempting to assign rooms that are no higher than the second floor to any groups of young men that may consider such an endeavor
Dangerous at best!
This area of Spain already has a reputation of being the Western Mediterranean's party capital. Drunken holiday goers stumbling down the street does not a rare occurrence. After a survey, by British and German holidaymakers, it was found that on average 35 to 40% of the young holiday goers got drunk, and someone out of control, at least once on their holiday.
At least once or twice a week the ambulance service on Majorca and Ibiza are called to help another youth that has gone over the rails on their balcony. Most of the victims are British between the ages of 18 and 25. Occasionally a German or a Spaniard will follow suit.
Some of the worst accidents have been caused by faulty construction causing the balcony rail to become disattached which resulted in the misalignment of the jumpers aim producing fatal or near fatal results.
In the face of this new craze of the hotel owners feel at a loss to be able to tell which guest is going over the edge. For this reason many of the hotels are adding bars to the railing to prevent such occurrences.
After eating and drinking all night the young tourists returned to their hotel is intending to continue the party. With the resulting loss of self-control and coordination brought on by alcohol a normally sensible adolescent considers the impossible.
In a sad irony a Majorcan policeman says "when the first holiday maker has fallen from the balcony, we know the summer season has begun".
The policemen also went on to say that he and his fellow officers have already attended four major accidents taking place in the space of 24 hours. Two of the tourists walked away, one needed emergency on location treatment and was released, and the fourth was hospitalized in critical condition.
Fun is fun, we have all partied and gotten a bit out of control during vacation periods. But perhaps it might be a good idea to forgo this new pastime and "Cool Off" with a refreshing swim in the Mediterranean.
