"This was naked honest television, much more naked and much more
honest than anything you'll ever find on Jerry Springer or Ricky Lake.
And more shocking, too, in its unfaked and unfakeable antipathy."

John Boland, Irish Independent.

Alaska to Argentina was the challenge that attracted over 14000 Irish & British applicants - to rough it on £20 a day through 15 countries and feature in an 8 part television series about their journey. The successful two entrants were Leona Daly, a lively 21 year old bartender from Waterford and Lleucu Siencyn a Welsh student who only learned to speak English when she was eleven.

Directed by Brian Hayes
Filmed and Produced by John Murray

Programme 1: Alaska to San Francisco
Leona & Lleucu's epic journey begins in Juneau, capital of Alaska - a city where men outnumber women 5:1. Passing over the rugged charms of the local lumberjacks the two girls escape the city for Alaska's awesome wilderness. There are no roads south of Juneau so stage one of their journey to Argentina is a three day ferry ride through the wild islands of the Pacific Northwest, where they go in search of the city's happy night life.

Programme 2: San Francisco to Southern Mexico
San Francisco leaves its mark on Lleucu, who, despite her tight budget, splashes out on some body art. Then its south for the border, Mexico and the Baja peninsula. A gruelling three day mule trip brings them into the heart of the Baja desert in search of ancient cave paintings. Aches and pains from the horse ride and a tequila session take their toll before a three day 2000 km journey brings them across the Gulf of California and non-stop south to the beautiful colonial city of Oaxaca.

Programme 3: Southern Mexico to Costa Rica
Disagreement, different interests and a tightening budget sees the two girls splitting up for a while. Lleucu heads in to the jungle to find the Mayan city of Palenque while Leona puts her feet up in Chiapas. After meeting up again, they make the big move into Guatemala and Central America. Climbing a volcano just 12 hours before it erupts give them a first taste of this unstable part of the world.

Programme 4: Costa Rica to Colombia
Mentally, physically and financially exhausted, the girls reach a sleepy coastal village in Costa Rica where they rest a while. Penniless in paradise, they get lucky on the Panama canal. After hanging around the local yacht club for two days, the crew of a luxury catamaran agree to take them all the way to Colombia with some Caribbean island hopping along the way.

Programme 5: Colombia
Colombia is electric with elections and football mania. Despite its reputation, the two girls are seduced by the country's culture, music and welcome. A 500 mile river boat journey takes them into the heart of this fantastic country in search of the world's most notorious Emerald mines. From there they head south for the capital Bogota and Cali, capital of Cartels and Cocaine, where the girls hope to expose themselves to the infamous coca trade.

Programme 6: Colombia to Bolivia
Leona sandsurfs in the Peruvian desert on some of the world's highest sand dunes. But Lleucu, now a little tired and homesick, no longer shares Leona's passion for thrills and spills. Memories of Bolivia are driving her south. She also pays a visit to the mysterious Nazca lines. High in the Andes, a magical sunrise and fleet of giant condors calm tempers for a while, but cracks are appearing in the two girls relationship.

Programme 7: Over the Andes to Chile
The road keeps rising as the girls head for Lake Titicaca & Potosi a small town high in the Andes and once the richest city in the world. Potosi's mines produced a mountain of silver which underwrote the Spanish Empire for centuries. Lleucu and Leona head underground to see miners working in the same conditions as they did 400 years ago. Then comes a spectacular four day jeep ride to Chile across a vast dazzling white salt desert at 14000 feet.

Programme 8: Chile to Tierra del Fuego
After a 15000 mile journey, it's the end of the road & the end of a friendship for Leona & Lleucu. On their home run south, the girls travel a phenomenal distance through Chile before cutting east on the old Patagonian Express through Argentina. With money disappearing fast the girls hitch 1000 miles to visit the incredible mountain scenery of Chile's Torres del Paine national park. Finally they reach Ushuaia, capital of Tierra del Fuego and the last port of call on their 15,000 mile journey.

Directed by Brian Hayes
Filmed and Produced by John Murray
For all enquiries please contact info@ctlfilms.com