Long Way Down

After finding a suitable base Ewan and Charley spend several months in London prior to departure, planning a route. Eve, Ewan's wife, decides she would like to join part of the trip. Ewan is over the moon but Charley's not so sure as she's never ridden a bike before. Meanwhile, as part of their training, the team attends a hostile environment course where they are faced with the kind of difficulties and dangers they may encounter in Africa. Two months before departure, Ewan has an accident and breaks his leg jeopardizing the future of the trip. As the departure date looms worryingly the team still doesn't have their visas for Libya. Six have been promised, but for David and Jimmy, the two Americans on the crew, it's not looking promising. The team take their vehicles and make their way up to John O'Groats at the most Northerly point of Scotland to start this epic adventure and what will be a journey of a lifetime.

After a miserable ride to London, Ewan and Charley push on to France. Despite arduous weather conditions, they must stay on a strict time course.

Leaving the romantic city of Rome they head down the Amalfi Coast as they make their way to the edge of Italy, ready to catch the ferry over to Sicily. After a days rest and new tires on the bikes they are ready to hit the new terrain. The team embarks on the ferry as they leave Europe behind and sail over to Tunisia. Whilst on board tension and voices rise as there are concerns over the safety of Charley's wheelies. With a long boat ride still ahead there is an atmosphere amongst the team. Meanwhile, news arrives that the two David and Jimmy, the two Americans on the team, will not get visas for Libya and will have to skip this part of the trip. Safely into Tunisia, the team are all friends again as they start the African leg of the trip. Ewan and Charley visit the Star Wars set used for the original films. With two men down the team have to cross the Tunisia/Libya border, which they have been told could be problematic. This border crossing needs to go smoothly and quickly as time is against them. The team race to make it in time to get to Aswan, Egypt, to catch the weekly ferry that will take them down the Nile into Sudan. Taking in the beautiful landscapes and ruins of Leptis Magna, the boys really begin to settle into the journey. Riding across the coastal roads of Libya, a sudden change in weather slows their progress to a halt. Putting up camp for the evening the winds pick up and trouble looms as their first sand storm approaches. After a rough night trying to sleep through the storm, the team finds it hard to get themselves together in the morning. Riding in the worst possible conditions, their visibility is reduced and although it's unsafe for them to continue it's even more dangerous for them to camp on the roadside.

In Libya, the boys visit Tobruk War Cemetery; Ewan is touched by the amount of people buried there from all over the world. It is an emotional day for the boys as they realize how much they miss their families back home. Arriving safely in Egypt the team are reunited again when David and Jimmy meet them at the border. Riding through Egypt there is still doubt as to whether they will make it to Aswan in time for the ferry. They are starting to feel the strain of the long days on the bikes, if they don't make it in time they will have to wait for a week before they can continue with the trip. This will delay them hugely and put pressure on their relationships. Ewan and Charley visit the pyramids in Cairo and are extremely lucky to have a private guided tour. They are fascinated with the architecture and amazed at their structure. The boys take a detour from their trip and fly down to Kenya to visit the charity called Riders for Health. Safely on the ferry they cross the border into Sudan and into the sweltering heat. Road conditions are poor and the bikes are put to the test, resulting in Ewan's shock absorber collapsing. After repairing Ewan's bike they are back on the rocky road but are soon brought to a grinding halt as Claudio the cameraman's shock absorber also gives in, leaving Charley and Ewan to venture alone, while Claudio's bike is taken to Khartoum to be repaired.

Passing by Khartoum, the boys have been riding for a while and see the aftermath of a car crash and pull over to the roadside. One of the drivers explains he fell asleep at the wheel and crashed his truck into another vehicle. Police arrive and are more interested in the bikes than the accident scene. The head of police takes a fancy to Ewan's bike and decides to take it for a test ride much to Ewan's horror. As the boys head towards the Ethiopian border they get very excited when they see monkeys in the wild for the first time. Reaching the border into Ethiopia, the team is stopped at customs and made to camp over night in the compound so a thorough inspection can be carried out on all vehicles. Overnight an enormous thunderstorm hits and the team has to get to sleep with the sound of rain plummeting against their tents. Eventually making it to the UNICEF project in Ethiopia, Ewan and Charley see the remarkable work done at the landmine awareness project. Ewan picks himself back up after a number of falls. Making it to Addis Ababa for their well earned break, the boys are looking forward to recuperating with a couple of days off. With the mood reaching an all time low the boys do some soul searching and decide this trip of a lifetime is well worth continuing. They head towards Shashemene to meet the Rastafarian's of Ethiopia.

Now over the border, and in Kenya, the team find themselves stuck in bandit country when Claudio's shock absorber goes yet again. They set up camp for the night - aware of the dangers that surround them. With stomachs rumbling and the thought of eating another packet dinner frightening, the team makes a unanimous decision to sacrifice a goat for their supper. Ewan and Charley visit Turbi Primary School that was subject to a horrific massacre in 2005. They see the horrendous effect this has had on the staff and pupils, but are also able to see how they have been able to pull together and re-build their lives. Ewan struggles with the riding conditions and finds it challenging on a very hellish road with bumps all the way. They finally make it to Marsabit lodge, which makes all the dreadful riding very worthwhile. Here they are able to enjoy seeing Elephants in the wild. They arrive at Losai National Park where they meet with the Sanburu Tribe. They are setting up their new village to carry out the circumcision of their teenage sons. The soft sand makes the journey unbearable to stay up right. When the terrain finally changes it causes more problems. Instead of a nice smooth tarmac road, the team is faced with a nightmare of a huge muddy river. If they can't get across they will have to turn back.

After several hours of struggling with the muddy river crossing, the bikes and cars are finally across. Riding on, Ewan gets very excited when he sees wild Zebra's for the first time. They ride to Naivasha to meet with Charley's old friends where they are given a plane ride. Ewan and Charley are amazed at the wildlife and end the day picnicking on Lake Naivasha watching hippos. Making it to Uganda, the boys are ecstatic they have made it this far. They visit a coffee factory and are treated to an amazing song and dance by the staff. The team takes some time out and have fun white water rafting in Jinja. They luckily survive after the raft capsizes. Flying up to Northern Uganda, as it is far too dangerous for them to ride, Ewan and Charley have an emotional day. Visiting a UNICEF site which helps look after child soldiers, former abductees of the Lord's Resistance Army. As Charley is feeling settled and confident in his riding, wheelie fever comes back and he entertains the locals with his skills. After arriving at the wrong border there's a dash to get to the right Rwandan border to make it across before it closes. The route is blocked as a lorry has overturned and the cars have to detour. With the clock ticking, the bikes ride ahead and make it through just before nightfall. Now in Rwanda Ewan wants to find out how this country has heeled it's-self since the genocide 12 years ago. Ewan and Charley spend an amazing morning with a family of gorillas and are overwhelmed by opportunity to be so close.

Ewan and Charley attend a Rwandan wedding reception and then meet the president of Rwanda, Paul Kagame. Then they tour the Rwandan genocide museum.

Ewan, his wife Eve and Charley begin their second day of riding in Malawi. Reaching their destination Lake Nyasa Ewan is excited to be on the bikes with Eve. Riding down to Senga Bay producers David and Russ surprise Ewan by flying in his mum to see him. At the UNICEF project in Malawi, a childcare centre Ewan, Charley and Eve see first hand how the charity is helping children in the area. Reaching the Zambian border the boys are staggered at how quickly Eve's riding has improved. They set up camp for the night with a local tribe. Riding down towards Livingston the team drop in at a crocodile farm and get up close and personal with the reptiles. Reaching Victoria Falls Charley decides to do a bungee jump plummeting down over the Zambezi River. The following morning it is time for Eve to leave the expedition and return home to England, the boys continue on their journey crossing the border into Botswana. They fly down to the Okavango Delta and experience a breath taking safari.

Ewan and Charley conclude their trip to the Okavango Delta where Ewan has an extremely close call with an elephant. The boys have a last 120 Km ride over sand to reach the Namibian border, their last push through the tough terrain. Crossing into Namibia the boys are shocked at how desolate the land is and only just make it to a remote petrol station before their tanks run dry. That evening they stay with the Namibian bush people where they witness a healing ceremony and enjoy the company and culture of the tribe. Pushing on to the Skeleton Coast the boys enjoy the sense of achievement at reaching the West coast of Africa and seeing the wonderful landscapes. They set up camp in a beautiful spot where Ewan says he would love to come back to with a pile of good books, spending a relaxing week there. Meanwhile Russ and David get their 4 x 4's stuck in the sand on the coast line only just getting them out hours later in the pitch black, before the tide comes in. Charley and Ewan cross into South Africa and are on the home stretch. The luck is starting to run out as Claudio, the cameraman, takes a tumble off his bike. Arriving in Gans Bay, Charley is finally reunited with his family after several months apart. An early morning start and a convoy behind them, Ewan and Charley are excited and emotional that this is their last day of the trip. As they lead the way along the winding mountainous coastline, the boys are overjoyed when they finally reach their final destination, Cape Town.