Around the World in a Porsche!

Francis’ circumnavigation of the world in a Porsche continues, as he attempts to drive every road on the planet in an old 911.

Not really, but sometimes it feels like that. Tuthill Senior is currently wending his way through South America on the Gira Andina 2012: a gentleman’s rally, from the top to the bottom of that great continent.

Francis is alongside Edmund Peel, long-time friend of Tuthill Porsche. Edmund has shipped his orange 911 across the Atlantic, and the pair are having a blast. Edmund is blogging the trip almost daily, and we’ve been following all the news.

The tour’s most recent border crossing was on Thursday, from Ecuador into Peru. “Today we had a two and a half hour drive to the border between Ecuador and Peru,” wrote Edmund. “To get everyone cleared into Peru took six hours. The changes from country to country are amazing. If Ecuador is like Cantabria, Peru reminds me of Morocco. Driving in Peru is like what I remember of driving in Morocco in the 60’s. Chaotic. Donkeys, goats, bicycles, tuc-tucs and people all over the road!

The boys are now in darkest Peru, but before leaving Ecuador enjoyed the highlight of the trip so far on Tuesday. “We set off at 6am with a small splinter group to climb as far up Chimborazo (6,310 metres) as one can in a car, getting to 4,850 metres. A Porsche on top of the world! Then we came down to spectacular scenery, identical to Cantabria, but with the base at 3,000 metres. In the afternoon we visited the Inca site at Ingapirca.”

Francis is staying with Edmund for a while longer, but will break before the rally end to fly to New Zealand for this year’s Silver Fern Rally. It’s a trip to see some old friends, with no competition planned, but we’re sure he’ll find a way into the thick of it. Around the world in a Porsche!