Long way down

Two actors who love motorcycles, Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman, were still restless after circling the globe in 2004. A UNICEF trip to Africa convinced them to return and see more of the continent up close. They mounted two brand-new BMW bikes, packed them for a journey of roughly 15,000 miles, and linked up again with producers and directors Russ Malkin and David Alexanian and the crew from Long Way Round. The ride starts at John O'Groats, the northern tip of Scotland, and ends at Cape Agulhas, the southernmost point of South Africa. Along the way the pair contend with dramatic landscapes, blistering and freezing temperatures, and the toughest obstacles of their partnership. Told with the candid, good-humoured voices they are known for, the account covers the peril, the thrill of riding side by side once more, and the wonder of the continent.