Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)As I knew I would, I liked this extended version of LWD better than the shorter one. As many of the reviewers have said, the very tight schedule they had to follow towards the beginning of the trip diminished the enjoyability of it a little, but not enough to dampen my overall enthusiasm for the series. I followed their voyage as they were making it through the BBC website, which was fantastic! Seeing this just made me feel like I was on the trip with Ewan and Charlie. I enjoyed LWD just as much as LWR, but for different reasons. They were more of a cohesive team in this one, even though there was some tension.
In that vein, the addition of Eve into the trip was a major contributor to that tension. I'm a woman, so rest assured this doesn't stem from a "boy's own" attitude. I just thought that Eve should not have inserted herself into the trip. She put Ewan in a very tough position, because you HAVE to support your wife publicly. That's just the way it works. So, she put Ewan in the position of having to broach the subject to a bunch of friends (especially Charley), who were hoping to have another adventurous /male-bonding kind of trip. If Eve wants to join Ewan on trip, she can do that anytime. She doesn't need to be a part of these major outings. I'm glad her screen time was rather abbreviated, and I hope she doesn't insist on being a part of Long Way Up, should they actually do that trip. I prefer the strictly male, fun-loving, boy's bonding kind of trip sans any wives.
As mentioned before, the beginning of trip was so rushed, and the guys so tired, that tensions and emotions bubbled over. That's understandable. Traveling of any kind can be tiring, but covering those kinds of miles on a motorcycle has to be just exhausting. Despite that, there were some really fun, enjoyable moments from Scotland to Libya. One is definitely the Moto Guzi factory. It's a hoot to see how enthusiactic Ewan is with the more comfortable seat on the classic bike! A very moving time is their visit to the CHAS house in Scotland. The people they encountered in this first part of the trip, the scenery, and the moments shared between friends starting a major adventure together more than make up for any tensions.
The rest of the voyage through the African continent is really engaging. It's fascinating to watch as the terrain, the people, and the cultures change almost day by day. I had no idea that Ethiopia is so green and beautiful! Most of us only remember the drought-stricken images we saw during the 1980s. It seems to be just a fabulous country, with wonderfully warm people. It's also a joy to see Ewan's rapport with the children he encounters. He is well-known for his love and compassion for children, and you can see that children just adore him.
One thing I would change is to add more footage that involves the support crew - especially Russ and David. I really enjoy seeing the dynamics of the relationships with the whole team. There was more of that in LWR than in this one. A classic support crew moment in LWD is when Dai Jones "loses" his passport. It's hilarious!
Some LWR fans felt letdown by this series, but I think that's mainly because they were hoping for LWR 2. This was a completely different trip - with different requirements, different cultures, different dynamics, different terrain, and different desires on the part of the participants. It was no less enjoyable for those differences. I wouldn't want to watch a replicated journed to LWR in just a different setting. It's entertaining BECAUSE of the differences. If you enjoy learning about different cultures and places that most of us will probably never get to see firsthand - all from the perspective of very likable, though very human, motorcycle enthusiasts - then you will enjoy LWD!!!
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Long Way Down: Complete TV Series (2008)
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