The BEST episodes of Charley Boorman: By Any Means season 2
Every episode of Charley Boorman: By Any Means season 2, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of Charley Boorman: By Any Means season 2!
By Any Means is Charley Boorman's television series, following the Long Way Down star's epic adventure from Wicklow in Ireland to Sydney, Australia. Pushing his love of two wheels to one side, Charley uses over 110 modes of transport to traverse land and water, exploring 25 countries and three continents on the way. Charley Boorman embarks on a second series of By Any Means, this time starting his adventure in Sydney and travelling up the Pacific Rim through Australia, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, the Philippines and Taiwan, to finish in Tokyo, Japan.
#1 - Taiwan
Season 2 - Episode 5 - Aired 11/1/2009
Starting in the city of Kaohsiung on the south-west corner of the island of Taiwan, Charley stops in on the country's largest Buddhist monastery, Fo Guang Shan. From there he travels north and tries his hand at cricket fighting and then samples the edible creatures - tempura style! After jumping on board the Taiwanese high-speed rail train, Charley heads up into the Alishan Mountains where he hand-picks tea leaves with award-winning tea farmer Hsiu-Mei. Dirt-biking through the amazing valleys of the Taroko Gorge, Charley finally arrives at the capital, Taipei, where he prepares to board a cruise ship for the 376-mile cruise to the port of Okinawa, Japan.
#2 - Australia
Season 2 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/27/2009
Charley leaves Sydney with a huge biker convoy in tow, and during his journey up the east coast of Australia he meets unique characters, travels in a replica Spitfire, tries his hand at cattle mustering on horseback, and even gets bitten by a snake. Always heading north with Tokyo in sight, he gets a feel for the true Australia in his endearing and jovial way.
#3 - Papua New Guinea
Season 2 - Episode 2 - Aired 10/4/2009
Charley arrives in Papua New Guinea, where he goes dirt biking with a group of locals on a previously unridden and dangerous route. This country has one of the worst reputations in the southern hemisphere for hostility, so Charley has to have his wits about him. He heads for the remote village of Gapun, home to an isolated tribe and located in the middle of 30 miles of mangrove, but only accessible by water. Always heading north with Tokyo in sight, Charley really gets under the skin of this beautiful, unexplored country.
#4 - Indonesia
Season 2 - Episode 3 - Aired 10/18/2009
Charley, crushed by the disappointment of not being able to get into West Papua on foot, is forced to take a series of commercial flights in order to resume his journey north to Tokyo. Picking up his route in Indonesia, Charley is excited about a new country and a new adventure ahead. Beginning in Makassar in South Sulawesi, Charley travels up the island and drops in on a Muslim wedding. There he sees another side to how the ceremony is celebrated and even enjoys the delights of home-cooked food. After getting back in the saddle with the Indonesian Harley Davidson club, Charley samples the interesting local cuisine - bat and dog meat.
#5 - Philippines
Season 2 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/29/2009
Charley is reeling from the disappointment of having to catch yet another commercial flight in order to reach the Philippines. He touches down on the island of Manado, embarking on an epic journey across the Philippine Archipelago. He then tries his hand at anchovy fishing off the island of Camiguin, before hitching a ride with the Filipino navy to the town of Cebu. On his travels, he witnesses the national pastime of cockfighting, jumps in a coco biodiesel bamboo car and sees the impact of World War II first hand.
#6 - Japan
Season 2 - Episode 6 - Aired 11/8/2009
Finally arriving on Japanese soil, Charley heads straight for the Naha navy base to learn more about the battle of Okinawa. From there, he spends 24 hours onboard a local ferry that takes him to the mainland. Meeting up with Tarquin, a twelve-year-old train fanatic, they travel to meet his father Humphrey and jump on Italian motorbikes to check out the landscape and local scenery of Japan. Charley's great love of motorbikes continues when he visits the workshops of custom-built bikes and awesome design studios. Visiting Hiroshima on the anniversary of the Peace Memorial Ceremony, Charley feels a sense of sadness, yet achievement at how the community have united and moved on from the devastation of the atomic bomb. Finally, getting a thrill from riding one of Japan's most renowned rollercoasters, then visiting the country's highest mountain, Mount Fuji, Charley takes in the breathtaking views before riding the final leg of his epic adventure to reach Tokyo.