Odyssey: Driving Around the World (TV Series 2007– ) Poster

Episode List


Season 1

The Launch
Meet the ODYSSEY team, Nick, Justin, Nancy, Neil, Chanda Todd and guest travel writer Rolf Potts. The team prepares their homes for the next 11/2 years, 4 modified Land Rovers, which will take them on an unpredictable journey around the world. They meet with driving instructor Daphne Green for off-road 4x4 training in Hollister, California. Then, they're on the road. First stop, Las Vegas, Nevada for a week at an auto show before the real adventures begin. The crew crosses the first border on the long road that lies ahead of them, but they quickly run into their first...
10 Oct. 2007
The Explosion
After 3 days, Nick successfully forges some necessary paperwork and they get on the ferry from La Paz to Mazatlan, Mexico. They push fast south but can't resist a stop at Tequila, Mexico where they learn all about Mexico's famous concoction. Then it's a tie-in with the Mexican Federales, escorts who go awry leaving the team stranded on the dangerous highways of Mexico City. Exhausted, they finally reach the ancient Aztec ruins of Teotihuacan. The team has its first blowout when travel writer Rolf Potts loses his cool because of the group delays and poor scheduling. ...
The Blowouts
Things are really starting to heat up now as they descend into the jungles of Costa Rica. After a brief visit with Janine, a local girl who founded a wildlife rescue organization, they are off to pick beans at a local family-run coffee plantation. But before heading south to the border of Panama, Todd almost loses the family's heirloom. It's not long before more troubles strike the team. In the middle of the night an unexpected incident puts the crew out 2 tires, 2 wheels and on the side of the Panamanian highway. Swarms of bugs and a heated argument later they are ...
The Rock
The crew fly to Ecuador where they spend Christmas in Quito at 15,000 ft. Then they head to the dodgy port city of Guayaquil, where they build "El Viejos" (effigies) and join the crazy tradition of blowing up last year's old ways to celebrate the New Year refreshed. The streets light up in total chaos that rivals the fireworks in Nicaragua! With schedule concerns looming, the crew anxiously moves southeast into the land of the Incas, Peru. On their way team leader Nick leads an excursion on a mountain trail, only to encounter the biggest of road hazards, The Rock. A ...
The Jerry Cans
In this episode the crew continue up to Lake Titicaca in Puno, Peru. They venture out onto the lake to explore the reed islands, a set of man-made islands that, for hundreds of years, have been home to a small village of peoples driven off the main land by the Incans. A tight schedule leaves little time for tourism though, and they push on into Chile. The schedule gets even tighter as they find themselves with empty gas tanks, empty jerry cans, and a hundred miles from the nearest gas station. A few generous farmers and many hours later, they are back on the road, but...
The Outback
The cars and the crew meet up in Brisbane, Australia to start the second leg of the expedition. After strict quarantine they head north up the beautiful Gold Coast and pop into the Australian Zoo to meet some wild friends and then continue North to Cairns for a scuba adventure on the Great Barrier Reef. It's not long before they reach the north where they venture out into the jungles to meet with Dr. Hughes Spencer, the real Batman. They discover his affinity for bats, big ones that love people!!! They soon head deep into the Outback where they stumble across a rodeo....
2 Dec. 2007
The Ship
The MV Torago proves to be more luxurious ship than the crew expected as they find themselves playing basketball, singing karaoke, and dancing into the evenings. Before long the pool is filled on deck and a few grateful splashes later the crew enjoy the last few hours of freedom before arriving in Singapore. The party is over and they head North into Malaysia. This leg takes the travelers through Kuala Lumpur where Chanda gets cupped black and blue with bruises while Nancy tries leeches on a swollen ankle! The northern border reveals the beauty of Thai cuisine as the ...
2 Dec. 2007
The Survivor
The crew discovers that local law requires Cambodians to drive their vehicles so Chanda, Nancy and Neil find a few local men who accept $20/day to drive the Land Rovers to Siem Reap where they team visit Ankhor Wat and other surrounding temples. Inside one temple Neil discovers "Niem", a survivor of Pol Pot regime, who tells his story of survival. Outside traditional music played by mine victims fills the air with hope. Its North into Laos and the jungles get thicker and hotter. The adventure gets wild as the team travel across the Mekong River to a small village and ...
4 Dec. 2007
The Good Road
With fingers crossed the team approaches the Myanmar border. If successful, they will be the 1st group to cross Myanmar from East to West since 1952!!! They meet their guides Mao Mao and Chetry and head down the "Old Burma Road" also known as the "Stilwell Road". The checkpoints are rife and the route is strictly regimented but the crew seems to find loopholes as they pull over and help pick rice with local village women. In Mandalay they tour a Buddhist orphanage that helps boys whose parents are victims of the rebel fighting in the north. Further East they encounter...
5 Dec. 2007
The Dalai Lama
Their northern route takes them along the sacred Ganges River into Varanasi where they explore the Hindu rituals of cremation. The team takes an unforgettable boat ride up the river and witness sights that leave them shocked. They visit a convalescence home and get a thorough explanation of the many rules that apply to burning the dead by local teacher, "Papu". They continue West past the Taj Mahal and into Delhi only to stumble across yet another festival, Janmaashtami. Team navigator Justin joins in the festivities, but before long on the crowded streets he learns a...
Dec. 2007
The Deported
They pass over the highest roads in the world, Neil talks to a cow and Nancy gets lost!!! Due to unexpected changes in the route, they are forced to enter Pakistan in order to continue north to China. At the border they witness the "Packet Ceremony" and then on to Islamabad where their cars are searched for bombs before entering the hotel. Their route takes them north up the Karakorum Highway where Osama Bin Laden is expected to be hiding. 340 miles to the west is Kabul where coalition forces are fighting the Taliban in Afghanistan. They travel up the ancient "Silk ...
Dec. 2007
The Drive Shaft
Finally the Chinese visas are ready and the crew heads back through the Silk Road from Pakistan into China. Immediately they head north to Kashgar, home of the Uyghurs where Justin and Neil tour the Sunday market. The expedition is 5 months behind schedule and 3-teammembers are forced to make difficult decisions. With three surviving members and the push through the Siberian winter proves to be difficult and dangerous where temperatures drop to -59 Degrees!!! A $400 bribe gets them into Russia. Nick quickly realizes that they need a guide and Nancy manages to find "...
Dec. 2007
The Moose
In the final episode the crew have one last goal, to walk on the frozen Arctic Ocean in the Arctic Circle before heading down the last leg through Canada to California. In Prudhoe Bay, Alaska their wish comes true when they are granted permission to drive through the oil fields to the frozen ocean. Afterwards, on their way south they wake up to a group of bearded locals cutting up a steaming moose on the side of the road. They visit Denali national Park and bump into "Ranger Fred" who teaches them a little about the local wildlife. Sadly enough it's the road home now,...

 Season 1 

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