September 1st : Catching up
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I've been away from this site for a long time. To tell the truth I wasn't sure whether I would even continue it, after the journey was ended. There is so much to do, that even my efforts to write the book have been seriously handicapped.
Things keep coming along that I can't avoid, but one of the best, and most interesting was an offer I got in May. It started with a phone call (how often have I heard that) when Robin Morgan, editor of the colour magazine of the Sunday Times in London told me that an actor called Ewan McGregor was planning to ride a motorcycle round the world, and that the idea came to him when he was reading "Jupiter's Travels" on a beach in Mauritius. I have to confess straight away, I had no idea who Ewan McGregor was, so I just listened politely. Apparently he was hoping to meet me. Would that be possible, asked Robin, and would I like to write about it if it happened? Obviously this McGregor guy must be a big deal. I said "Sure" and Robin promised to send me more when he know more. I asked my 23-year-old son Will if he knew who Ewan McGregor was, because I might be meeting him. Will's jaw dropped, and glassy look came into his eyes. "Ewan McGregor?" he mouthed. "Way cool." So then I discovered that Ewan McGregor was a world class movie star, with Train Spotting, and Moulin Rouge, and Star Wars, and the Big Fish, and string of other films behind him. Where was I when all this was happening? Anyway, I got interested, and because I had to go to England anyway around that time, I tried to get to see him. Of course it wasn't quite around the world, but still it was a considerablel journey. And he wasn't quite doing it all alone, the way I would. There was an office and a bunch of people involved. I can't say too much about it just yet, but the main thing is that by the time I got to the office he was already on the road, with his chum Charlie Boorman. They said they'd arrange for me to meet him along the way, though, and that's how I came to be flying to Mongolia at the end of May. We did meet. I have the picture above to prove it. Mongolia was fascinating. I was invited to a yurt, ate yoghourt, and sniffed virtual snuff. As soon as I'm free to tell the rest of the story, I will. Meanwhile, see what's NEXT.  |