| Successful Hollywood actor Ewan McGregor and | | | | done by the international relief agency at |
| his best friend and fellow actor Charley | | | | first-hand in Ukraine, Kazakhstan and |
| Boorman simply love having adventures on | | | | Mongolia. |
| their motorbikes. However, it's just not a | | | | |
| case of travelling a few leisurely miles on | | | | Three years later the pair decided to dust |
| Sundays; these boys are serious, long | | | | off their bike leathers, and this time travel |
| distance bikers. On their last two trips the | | | | the 'Long Way Down' from John O'Groats in |
| intrepid pair, plus their cameraman Claudio | | | | Scotland to Cape Town in South Africa, |
| Von Planta - along to record their travels | | | | another gruelling 15,000 miles. The journey |
| for documentary broadcast - have managed to | | | | took just under three months to complete. |
| clock up a staggering 34,000 miles on their | | | | Starting out on May 12th they reached Cape |
| odometers. | | | | Town on 4th August 2007, the entire ride and |
| | | | their sometimes hairy adventures again all |
| In 2004, the pair decided to take a trip | | | | captured on film by Von Planta. Again, the |
| between London and New York. But, rather than | | | | trip was used to highlight UNICEF's relief |
| take the easy option of flying or cruising | | | | efforts and the two actively encouraged |
| the Atlantic, they decided to ride their | | | | viewers of their documentary broadcast to |
| motorbikes the opposite way around the globe; | | | | contribute to the charitable effort. |
| taking 'The Long Way Round'. Their 19,000 | | | | |
| mile circuitous route involved travelling | | | | Although both trips were overwhelming |
| across Europe and Asia, before crossing the | | | | successful, there were some serious |
| Bering Strait by air, then back on the road | | | | incidents, and the extensive damage done to |
| to travel the final leg from Alaska to New | | | | the bikes on their travels made it clear to |
| York. With the exception of their flight, a | | | | see why they were unable to get motorbike |
| 600 mile train journey through Siberia, and | | | | insurance, and why their life insurance |
| an impassable short section of their trip | | | | premiums were almost prohibitive. They were |
| through Russia, the entire route was | | | | held up at gunpoint, suffered horrendous |
| completed on two wheels and took three and a | | | | swelling following insect bites, were victims |
| half months. | | | | of theft and endured numerous mechanical |
| | | | failures, including water in the engines; |
| Although the pair were accompanied only by | | | | certainly not adventures for the |
| cameraman Von Planta on bikes, they did have | | | | faint-hearted, and also why both trips made |
| a support and security team following behind | | | | such compelling TV. |
| in two off-road vehicles, otherwise they | | | | |
| would have been unable to complete their | | | | Despite their joint declaration that they |
| arduous trip. But, the whole expedition | | | | won't consider doing it again in the near |
| wasn't just a jolly for the two thespians, it | | | | future, keep your eyes peeled for the pair's |
| was undertaken to help highlight the work | | | | next two-wheeled adventure, as they are sure |
| done by UNICEF, and during their journey | | | | to get the bug again soon. |
| McGregor and Boorman saw some of the projects | | | | |