Summary
Episode 6 is a stressful and tense part of the journey for Ewan, Charley and the production team — the adventure is starting to take a toll slightly.
This recap of Apple TV+ series Long Way Up season 1, episode 6, “Bolivia” contains significant spoilers.
We will be recapping every episode — check out the archive.
The opening
Ewan is worried about the rest of the crew who need to find another place to charge them up — the team have broken down due to running out of electricity in the Rivian. They need to tow one of their trucks. The production crew make it to their location which is all very tense until the last minute. The next day, Ewan and Charley hit the desert tracks again.
Episode 6 is definitely a challenging adventure for all those involved.
Tricky terrain again.
Episode 6 sees Ewan worried about Charley again — how one bad fall could mean losing his leg due to his past surgeries. It’s endearing hearing Ewan’s concern — it brings a sense of brotherhood to the show. The terrain is once again tricky. Charley falls off his bike which brings plenty of anxiety but he’s okay.
A rock in a hard place
There’s another problem — one of the Rivian utility vehicles has gotten stuck in the desert with a rock beneath it. The brakes have stopped working. There’s a real risk that they’d be stuck in the desert. The team manage to get the rock out but it really has become a survival adventure.
Finding peace at last
Ewan and Charley get out of the difficult terrain and end up on a flatter road. The pair are so relieved to be finally riding with less fear. They end up in Uyuni, Bolivia and sleep in a nice hotel. The next day, Ewan and Charley check out the biggest salt flats in the world — it’s beautiful. Ewan reminds the audience of the achievement they are embarking on by getting these Harley-Davidson prototypes on such a long journey.
Helping UNICEF
Charley and Ewan meet with UNICEF in episode 6 and help out schools with indigenous communities. They help with the activities and get to know the children. It’s wonderful to watch. They then ride out to La Paz, which apparently is a good balance between modernity and indigenous culture and it also gives us the opportunity to watch Ewan try and play the ukelele.
Ewan and Charley head to a restaurant that only serves Bolivian products. The chefs there are world-class and were trained when they were underprivileged and poor children.
The ending
The next day, Ewan and Charley end up at El Alto. They need to get to a ferry again on a very tight schedule. The entire team are unsure of directions. There’s definitely more stress in episode 6. They make it to the last ferry.
As the episode begins to draw nearer to the end, one of the production team members, Taylor, is struggling with the altitude — so is Ewan. They need to call a doctor.
Episode 6 is a stressful and tense part of the journey for Ewan, Charley and the production team — the adventure is starting to take a toll slightly.
