Episode 2

Synopsis

Gritty adventurer Charley Boorman returns for his most daring journey so far, covering three continents, 25 countries and over 20,000 miles from Ireland to Australia.

Charley's adventure takes him from the shores of Calais to the shores of Bandar-e Abbas. First, he puts his newly-learnt sailing skills to use and successfully crosses the tempestuous English Channel in a sailing dinghy.

From Calais, Charley and the team navigate their way through France and Italy, across to Croatia, Serbia and Bulgaria, before pressing on through far western Asia from Turkey, Georgia, Azerbaijan and Iran. The expedition hinges on whether they can enter Iran and make it to Dubai in time to catch a container ship to Mumbai.

Charley travels the distance on a vast array of transport, taking a luxury train to Venice, riding a Parisian city bicycle, wrestling with a sidecar motorcycle around a hairpin bend in Georgia, hitching a ride on a truck in Iran and onboard a sleeper train.

On the way, he and the team are faced with numerous logistical obstacles including a vintage car with an empty fuel tank, an ex-Soviet jeep with dodgy brakes and a serious bureaucratic hurdle in order to get their visas into Iran.

But Charley's passion for befriending all those around him and his notorious sense of humour means they also taste the flavours and meet the faces of this eclectic part of the world - from Cenk, the Turkish fixer who sings his Dolmus Blues, to a young Croat lady who tells the story of her father's capture and imprisonment in a concentration camp, and sharing hubbly bubbly with locals in a tearoom in the Iranian desert.

Credits

Presenter

Charley Boorman

Director

Russ Malkin

Broadcasts

1. Sun 7 Sep 2008
   20:00
   BBC Two (England only)
2. Sun 14 Sep 2008
   20:00
   BBC Two
3. Wed 17 Sep 2008
   23:50
   BBC Two (except Scotland)
4. Thu 18 Sep 2008
   00:00
   BBC Two (Scotland only)
5. Fri 3 Oct 2008
   00:55
   BBC One (except Northern Ireland)
6. Sat 4 Oct 2008
   01:00
   BBC One (Northern Ireland only)
7. Tue 23 Dec 2008
   00:50
   BBC Two (Scotland only)
8. Wed 24 Dec 2008
   01:20
   BBC Two