Long Way Round

This is a show about two guys fulfilling a long held dream of adventure. During a four month journey they travel on their motorbikes from London to New York the long way round through Western Europe, little visited parts of Eastern Europe (including Kasakhstan, Mongolia and Siberia), Alaska and Canada. We see the preparation and the actual journey.

I can't stand reality shows, don't care about actors private lives, don't like motorcycles and only bought the DVD because my husband had seen some bits on TV and nagged me into it. I also didn't want to shell out for the DVD as I was very sceptical that we'd want to see this more than once.

Wrong, wrong, wrong. We ended up watching it in one go until 2am on a workday. Definitely want to watch it again. What a thrill ride.

I enjoyed the show because it engaged me as a viewer on many different levels: it was fun to watch two guys (three including the cameraman) having an excellent adventure. Interesting to see countries and cultures we know very little about (Kasakhstan, where the hell is that?). Touching and humbling to see the Unicef work they visited on the way.

There are funny bits and really scary bits, amazing and interesting people they meet on the way, moments of hardship and friendship, individual endurance and teamwork.

Travelling is a state of mind as much as being in different locations and we get treated to all the highs and lows you can expect on such a difficult journey. Ewan and Charlie are very honest and open about their feelings and thoughts. The show is as much about what they are experiencing as people as about the actual journey itself.

Ewan McGregor is of course a natural showman, I was quite amused to watch his transformation from bespectacled actor to somewhat scary easy rider. This was a nice visual reminder of the influence a long journey has on you as a person.

I found the show inspiring. Ultimately it reminds us that we are all just people, regardless of our race, location or occupation.

The boring bits: The camera-work is good to excellent (I would have liked to see and know more about the cameraman, after all he was part of the team). The soundtrack is good. Solid production values. A few nice extras on the DVD. In short, you get value for money.

I have never seen Ewan McGregor as a real "movie star" and Charley Boorman is a journeyman actor.

The camera-work is okay, sometimes excellent and often good.

I don't like motorbikes and abhor contrived "reality TV".

Why have I watched this series twice already then?

This is a story about 2 friends who go off around the world and see *real* wilderness -not David Attenburgh like Serengeti - the real wilderness that is on the doorstep of Europe. As much a political and social wilderness as a geographic one.

Ewan and Charley are genuinely interesting and real people. They get fed up, hungry, tired. They sometimes argue and often get scared. This all goes to make a fascinating insight into both a "land that TV documentaries forgot" and a relationship that is as real as the cultures they ride through.

Being on motorbikes, they are forced to experience the journey first hand and the films are all the better for this - in fact it would have been a waste of time without them.

Ewan said "it's all about the motorbikes". Well, it isn't. It's all about Charley and Ewan and - more importantly - their friendship. It's all about the people they meet and the fascinating and often moving experiences along the way. As it happens, they had 2 wheels and a reliable BMW engine to help them along - but don't dismiss the biggest land mass on Earth and 2 good friends.

This is what television should be about. Good on the guys for having the vision, determination and stupidity to do this. Thanks!

A thoroughly enjoyable series. Not only was it serious and informative, but hugely funny too, not to mention moving. It was a real insight into other cultures and countries. Beautifully filmed, giving a 'warts and all' view, and yet emphasising how stunning these countries really are, and the people who live there. Makes you realize just how much we take for granted, and how tough life can be without a few home comforts! Refreshing to see celebs looking rough and struggling with emotions, hardships, mosquito's and dodgy cuisine! I have to confess that I would not normally watch anything like this, I expected it to be a couple of actors being macho, trying to win popularity (not like they need to!) by being REAL people. However, I underestimated them - it was awesome and I take my hat off to all those involved, not only out there in the wilderness, but the patient families also. It was a very brave and worthwhile thing to do. Good on ya.

This is truly is a great way to document the journey of the two best friends doing the things they love to do: Riding their bike and travel around the world.

And it happens to be our very own Obeiwan : Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman. Starting off their bike from London on the 115 days journey to New York; crossing three continental – Europe, Northern Asia, And Northern America.

This is somewhat one of the most pleasant documentaries to watch. It is not just because we know we have an actual star in it but also the document shot in a very friendly ways and to the extent: personal. The document capture the meaning of friendship between the two best friends and new friends like one can see excessive appearance of producer, camera man, and the local people and so on. But most importance of all it is passion of traveling and riding bike.

Recommendation: Definitely A Must Watch

Rating: 8/10 (Grade: A-) Please

Rate My Review Yes/No, After Reading. Thanks!!

Brilliant, excellent, gritty, realistic, inspiring, And those are the bad bits.

This is a fabulous piece of television , and I would recommend that you watch it.

If you like bikes, or even if you don't, it won't matter, this is a class apart.

The whole premise is so real, with a warts and all approach, you feel at one with the two guys, at times I was helping them, and sharing their laughs and their problems.

I can't recommend it highly enough