Long way round, long way down; what's next for intrepid actors?

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