Okay, this is a bit of a tough one for me to admit but I am really enjoying the latest Charley Boorman show ‘Sydney to Tokyo By Any Means’. Along his way he met a scrap dealer that makes new houses out of scrap metal, a guy that brewed 90% proof coconut moonshine and a ruthless chap that runs a cock fighting venue.
The premise of the show is that Charley (famous for being the son of famous director John Boorman and best friend to Ewan McGregor) travels over land and sea by any method of transport he can get his hands on. The latest show saw him travel through the Philippines on (amongst others) an armoured personal carrier, a wicker rickshaw and most fascinating of all a train platform that is propelled by a lawnmower engine.
So why should I hate Mr Boorman? Well the truth of it is that I am completely crippled with jealousy. His is just about the best job in the world. And it should be mine! I am also forever in his shadow. One year before he travelled the ‘Long Way Round’ the world on his motorbike with Ewan McGregor my friend and I took our motorbikes from the UK to India. Now every time I mention the trip people ask ‘like Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman?’. No. We did it first!
Last week I finally met Charley at a book signing and sadly he gave me no ammunition to hate him. In fact he was brilliant. I was late to the signing and he was leaving. Whilst the stern Waterstones official declared ‘you’re too late’ Charley went out of his way to sign my book. Bastard. What’s more the show this time is infinitely better than the previous shows. The filming, editing and scripting has improved a great deal on the previous shows. So despite my best efforts to hate the guy I can’t.
