Long Way Down

I bought this book in the airport in Amsterdam, on my home from Tanzania, since my partner and I had talked about
re-watching the Tanzanian segments of the Long Way Down TV show. I finished it before landing in Boston, it's a quick read. Some nice background to the TV show, a bit more detail in spots (I don't think they showed a segment with Richard Branson), but it didn't feel as involved as the Long Way Round book (granted, that was a much longer trip). I was giggling over a couple of comments that I could now relate to (outdoor bathrooms next to / on Kilimanjaro do indeed have the best view). I still appreciate the fact that they don't hide the hard parts, but the interpersonal conflict is handled delicately.

Really good read of a boy's own adventure of two bikers travelling from John O'Groats to Cape Town. As they travel you really sense how much they are affected by what they experience.

The book is comprised of alternating short sections of text from Ewan and Charley describing their journey from the north of Scotland to the south of Africa on motorcycles. I had seen Long Way Round on TV, but not read the book and I had seen perhaps one episode of Long Way Down on TV. I have to say it makes better TV than books. In part this is because of the visual aspect of travel in such interesting places, and I fear in part because the writing does not really draw you in in its short diary style structure. The story though is engaging and there are descriptions, albeit to me rather superficial descriptions, of many interesting places. The book too focuses a lot on the arguments and disunity between the team and even between the show more main protagonists. I would have much preferred it if this had been omitted for more details of the places, the bikes and the riding. It felt like they were trying to draw me in to some petty argument and make me take sides. When I envied what they were doing, I really did not want to know about their quarrels. show less

I loved it, I didn't see all the episodes on TV, but the book has easily compensated. Charles & Ewan may or may not have written the book, but either way they don't try to hide that there was a team supporting them. It's a great insight into the African way of life and a great travel story.

I probably should have read Long Way Round before reading Long Way Down which is Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman's second motorcycle journey. But from reading reviews of Long Way Down, perhaps I have played it well because it has been largely panned in comparison to the Long Way Round. Sequels rarely measure up to the original anyway. I'm not sure if Ewan and Charley actually do write the book or if someone just transcribes it from the video footage. I've seen a few episode of Long Way Down on the telly and it's all remarkably similar, almost like a transcript. So you wouldn't read this book in search of some beautiful pieces of writing because there really isn't any. What I took from it was a sense of adventure in the wonderful show more country of Africa which I have just started to explore over the last couple of years and am just amazed by its abundance of natural beauty and wonders. So I just loved that about the book and also some of the amazing charity work that goes on down there. Very inspiring. Makes you want to really get involved.

I liked this book and I'll definitely get to reading Long Way Round as well if it's meant to be much more inspirational. show less

Nice easy read about places most of which I've not been to. It makes me want to hop on a bike and go....

A good follow up to Long Way Round. Some will like this as it focuses more on the trip than how the boys are feeling. I liked it, but am not as big a fan of Africa than Europe. A worthy companion to the DVD.