Pole to Pole

Episode 01

Cold Start

Oct 21, 1992 · 50 min

The first leg takes Michael Palin from the North Pole to the gates of Russia.

Episode 02

Russian Steps

Oct 28, 1992 · 50 min

Second leg of the journey: Palin has 12 days to cross Russia and reach the port of Odessa.

Episode 03

Mediterranean Maze

Nov 4, 1992 · 50 min

Palin travels from Istanbul to Aswan on the Nile.

Episode 04

Shifting Sands

Nov 11, 1992 · 50 min

In this part of the journey Michael Palin crosses the Sudan. He crosses the Nubian desert in the north of the country and traverses a region ravaged by drought, poverty, famine and civil war. Unable to follow the line of 30 degrees east, he is forced to take a route along the border with Northern Ethiopia.

Episode 05

Crossing the Line

Nov 18, 1992 · 50 min

Having struggled through the Sudan, Michael Palin is now faced with the difficulty of getting across Ethiopia, where the armed remnants of the fallen dictator Mengistu's defeated army roam. He makes a dash to Addis Ababa with a military escort. He continues his journey to reach the Kenyan border and travels on to Lerata. He passes Mount Kenya, the significance of which is that now he has completed half of his journey.

Episode 06

Plains and Boats and Trains

Nov 25, 1992 · 50 min

Michael Palin begins this week with a tented safari in a Kenyan game park. He travels via the Ngoronoro Crater and arrives at Lake Tanganyika.

Episode 07

Evil Shadow

Dec 2, 1992 · 50 min

In this week's episode, Michael crosses Zambia and Zimbabwe towards Johannesburg.

Episode 08

Bitter End

Dec 9, 1992 · 50 min

Michael Palin fails in his attempt to get a berth on board the SA "Agulhas" on its once yearly sail to the South Pole. The search is on to find some other way of reaching the South Pole, abandoning all self-imposed restraints such as following 30 degrees east or using only surface transport.