It is 17 months since the watch set off on its trip
The brown snakes and Aussie ladies kept it in Mareeba near Cairns for 5 months "humping" Bananas which is chopping 80kg bunches from the trees which then drop on to your shoulder dispensing plenty of "friendly creatures" in the process.Whilst here the wearer was adopted by the locals to such an extent that he got his own "pigging knife" to keep in his ute and spent all his down time fishing and drinking.
It then went on a 3800 km road trip to Darwin via Alice Springs in a Mitsubishi Pajero with 150,000 km on the clock which needless to say broke down in lots of interesting places. On arrival in Darwin it got work on a Mango farm where it suffered its first damage caused by sap burn to the strap and the wearers arm. To my utter amazement the wearer had not lost his spare strap and was even able to swap it over.Whilst here it visited Kakadu ,Arnhem Land and became besotted with fishing but the wet season weather took its toll so it went to Indonesia for a month.
A news blackout occurred whilst in Indonesia which was lifted by the news that one of his original travelling companions had got married (who saw that coming, well his mum did'nt) and another had burnt out to such an extent that a rescue party was dispatched from the UK to bring him home.
The watch and wearer (now on his own) returned to Australia and went to Perth,got a job to replenish funds and spent all its free time surfing,fishing and visiting the Margaret river area.His 12m visa expired in May so he then left and went to New Zealand where another Luminox joined him worn by my younger son.The pair of them climbed various mountains on South Island,did the highest Bungy jump in New Zealand (Nevis ?) and did tandem skydives.
The wearers and watches returned to the UK at the end of July in remarkable condition.Australia was only supposed to be part of the trip but he has fallen for the place and is now saving steadily to go back to utilise his second year visa.We have had to point out it is no longer the done thing to jump out of your car with a pigging knife and chase feral pigs and his use of certain four letter words as terms of endearment can get a tad embarrassing. He insists on wearing thongs (footwear not pants) and has a fondness for wearing vests plus thinks English Rugby League is too tame to watch.
The watch journey does continue as my younger son and his watch have now gone to Montreal to go to University and play Rugby