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Home , Charley Boorman, Long Way Down, Long Way Round, Long Way Up

PEOPLE

Charley Boorman captured the world’s imagination last year when he and Ewan McGregor rode their motorbikes from John o’Groats to . But, as we found out, this adventurer’s journey is only just beginning…

words DAN SAVERY pictures Getty, Rex

harley Boorman picks up the terrain. Their bikes took them 15,000 miles “It’s an amazing country. It was like going phone. “Can I call you back in half across two continents, a journey punctuated back 300 years,” says Charley. an hour?” he asks. “I’m just having by several wheelies by Charley – much to the And these weren’t the only high points. a coffee with my dad and we don’t delight of the children they passed. “There were lots of drop-dead, slap-in-the-face get the chance very often.” He says fondly, “I’ve always loved wheelies. moments. I remember being in – Charley’s dad is film director John The guy who got me into motorbikes when that’s real Africa, the Africa you imagine in Boorman, of (1972), Excalibur I was nine years old used to do stonking your head. It was nearly sunset, and I stopped (1981) and (1985) fame. wheelies across the fields. I thought, ‘That’s at the top of a hill, and Ewan pulled up beside With movies in his blood, going into the film what I want to do! I don’t want to learn how to me. The sky was starting to go orange, and in business was a natural step for Charley, and he read, I don’t want to learn how to write, I just the distance we could see some zebra. I looked acted in all of the above films and, more want to learn how to do wheelies!’” at it all and started laughing. Ewan said, ‘What recently, The Bunker. But the fact that father Highlights of Charley and Ewan’s travels are you laughing at?’ I said, ‘We rode here!’” and son don’t get enough time together at the include unforgettable experiences such as moment is due to Charley’s new passion – for nearly being trampled by an elephant, The long and winding road adventure. He has spent much of the last four seeing wild gorillas in , and falling But inevitably there were moments when years on the road with best pal and deeply in love with . Ewan and Charley fell out. “There were days Hollywood star, Ewan McGregor. that weren’t as good as others,” says Charley. The two met in 1997 on the set of The below: ewan and charley visit robin house at the “It’s all about talking. If something’s annoying Serpent’s Kiss and, bonded by their love of start of ; opposite top: ewan and you, then you’ve got to talk about it and not let charley on their first trip, motorbikes, instantly hit it off. Fuelled by that it build up inside. shared interest, as well as a desire to travel and “The bad moments are when you’re tired. help disadvantaged children, last year Charley It’s three or four o’clock in the afternoon, and Ewan embarked on a gruelling journey you’re knackered, the road is hard, and you’re from the north of Scotland to the southern tip in a bad mood. The bike in front is annoying of Africa, crossing some of the most troubled you because it’s kicking out lots of dust, so countries on earth. Documented in a hit TV you start grumbling and mumbling into your series, Long Way Down, and a best-selling helmet. But then you stop, eat a cereal bar book of the same name, the trip was a test of and start laughing again.” their stamina – and friendship. And being away from home comforts for On the way, Charley and Ewan rode their such a long time took its toll. Charley’s BMW R1200 GS Adventure bikes across mud, philosophy is to “think Gucci” when roughing sand, grass and just about every other kind of it. “The one thing you want to be is

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comfortable at night,” he says. “I used to sometimes daydream about being in my tent, because it had a lovely sleeping bag.” Some of the saddest moments of the trip were when Ewan and Charley visited places affected by violence and genocide. “We stumbled across a village in northern where 27 children had been killed in their school. And you think, ‘How can someone do that?’ The problem is that these things happen all over the world, and we seem to keep making the same mistakes again and again. I don’t understand human nature.” All in a good cause Impressively, Long Way Down raised more than £550,000 for UNICEF, Riders for Health, >

“The guy who got me into motorbikes used to do stonking wheelies across the fields. i thought, ‘That’s what i want to do!’”

www.flybe.com 75 www.flybe.com At the moment, there are are there moment, the At when you’re there, it doesn’t doesn’t it there, you’re when feels it depressing, feel really a There’s uplifting… about buzz electric positive, “But far beyond the setting setting the beyond far “But people the are place the of are They there. work who so be must It incredible. just slipping children see to hard helping and time the all away but parents, the with deal to the place.” the to have that contact with my my with contact that have to was it though even sister, moments. few a for only with involved got I When feelings those House Robin so me, for strong very were how completely understood I felt.” parents the hospices, CHAS two only to love would Charley and “Robin open. more see with built been has House to attention and care real says. he need,” kids the what t a t i t t It’s clear that Charley It’s and Ewan genuinely competed Charley Round, Long After Way trying to “I’m get a TVfor together project Long completed Charley and Ewan Since It seems the journey is far from over. over. from far is journey the seems It o lose lose o empathise empathise with the people they encounter, and Charley puts this down to being a parent – he has two by daughters his wife, Olivia. “When you have children, things he says. “I change a supposelittle bit,” you stop thinking about yourself as much and start thinking about your children.” he and he is reveals that in , the solo journey to do soon. hoping another will involve which moment, the at myself he and a bit of madness,” some travelling and adrenalin more looking for says. “I’m but planned, something got fun. more I’ve moment.” the at in negotiations we’re and Charley are keen to raise more money. money. more raise to keen are Charley and from trip a – Up Way Long was idea One men both However, . to America South UNICEF for work their continue to keen are project fundraising a mentioned have and Aids the on focusing – Go To Way Long called Africa. in epidemic Way Down, there has been much talk of the the of talk much been has there Down, Way has 2008 course, Of follow-up. a doing pair Ewan and Kenya, in violence more even seen t D LT D OUN know how how know people cope” people child? i don’ i child? G WAY GR WAY “i knew wha knew “i someone, bu someone, at the end of long way down, charley and and charley down, way long of end the charity at for gear their off auctioned ewan LON was like like was “I remember when my sister was dying, my my dying, was sister my when remember “I “My involvement with with involvement “My beautiful with CHAS is that they offer people people offer they that CHAS is with beautiful child. that with memories build to chance the was I and born, been just had daughter first only She firstborn. my met she that lucky very I away. slipped sadly then but once, her held child my for me to was it important how know hospice for terminally-ill terminally-ill for hospice Balloch, in children Lomond. Loch overlooking visited Ewan and Charley of start the at House Robin Down. Way Long of because CHAS started lost “I Charley. says Ewan,” I so cancer, to sister my like was it what understood lose to but someone, lose to What’s cope. people how know don’t I child? a Ambassador, and Charley Charley and Ambassador, key a been also has the for campaigner Long since organisation and Ewan Round, Way trip big first Charley’s is Ewan 2004. in together and CHAS of patron a also raised has years the over the for million £10 over well it helped has which charity, a House, Robin build and the Children’s Hospice Hospice Children’s the and Scotland Association UNICEF a is Ewan (CHAS).

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ouse – Scotland’s first children’s hospice hospice children’s first Scotland’s – ouse ouse, has fun with the children inda, one of the care team at o find out more L H www.chas.org.uk call 0131 444 1900 or visit each year it costs the charity almost £5m to to £5m almost charity the costs it year each hospices. the run T about CHAS, which opened in 2005. Each hospice hospice Each 2005. in opened which families 200 to up for support provides C Although year. every Scotland (C Scotland terminal with children for services hospice Rachel hospices: two runs It conditions. H Robin and Kinross, in – The Children’s Children’s The chas: help a help chas: JOURNEY’S the last stop on their down trip long way REACH CAPE TOWN – EWAN

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