| We broke herewith the
previous records of Harry B. Coleman/Peggy Larson (113 countries – 231'288 km
(= 143'716 miles) – 1976-1978 in a Volkswagen Camper), as well as Manfred
Müller/Paul-Ernst Luhrs (350'000 km (= 217'490 miles) – 83 countries in a Citroën
2CV). Between January 1, 1999, and January 5, 2002, an American couple – Jim
Rogers/Page Parker – tried to contest our single journey in a converted
Mercedes-Benz SLK 230/G 300. After 111 countries (on his website he claims to have done
116!) and 245'544 km (= 152'576 miles) – a distance that includes also kilometers and
miles of flights, shippings and railway rides – he stopped. He was published suddenly
in the Guinness Book 2010 as "The longest continuous journey". However,
"continuously" means only that he tried to visit – but mainly just
"touched" – most of the countries merely once. But his nevertheless
remarkable effort was not at all enough to beat our unique World Record in topics, like
"visited number of countries + driven kilometers + time", and we are still on
the road.
1997 the Brit David Robertson, with the backing of "Malaria
Foundation International" ("Drive Against Malaria"; "Roll Back
Malaria") tried to 'smash' our record – which we accomplished b.t.w. without any
institution or company behind us, only lately with occasional
supporters – but nothing can be found or heard about him since. This shows that
it needs a lot of endurance to stay such a long time "on the
road" and to explore so many countries as we did
– prove is also the website of "Ask Men"
where we figure as No. 8 of the "Weirdest Guinness World Records".
- Since some time a new challenger is around, the German Gunther W. Holtorf driving
a 1988 built Mercedes Benz G-Wagon 300GD. However, it isn't clear, how his planned
Guinness World Record will be called, because he is traveling only 6 months in a year
since his start in 1990, which doesn't correspond to a real "journey". Despite
of this, the sporadically published press releases (actually always released by the
local Mercedes distributor) show quite unclear and confusing data (number of
countries and miles): Said that, in April 2005 there were 280'000 miles driven in Egypt;
the same year in October back in Germany 258'000 miles; one month later in Bhutan 330'000
miles (!); in November 2006 in Indonesia
357'000 miles in 184 countries (!); in July 2007 in Malaysia and
Singapore 365'230 miles in >130 countries; half a year later in February 2008 in
Jamaica 386'000 miles in 151 countries, in June 395'000 miles = 168 countries, and in
February 2011 in Sri Lanka 450'000 miles = >182 countries – and all results while
driving only six months in a year! The figures tell its own tale; we
experienced already the case that not only the real car's mileage was counted but
additionally also the miles done while shipping on a freighter. In the same doubtful
category falls the claim to have visited a country, while the car couldn’t leave the
harbor or even the ship at all (our LandCruiser was officially permitted to enter and to
drive around in ALL of our 172 countries we have
visited). And last but not least counts the applied “country definition”: while
some are counting more than 700 countries (including regions, areas, provinces, states,
territories, etc.), we do only 261, according to the (former) rules of the ‘Guinness
Book of World Records’.
-
- Finally we believe to know that the whole "Holtorf-Story" was created by
Mercedes Germany to have a plug for its "G-Class", regardless whether there has
been cheating or not. Mercedes Stuttgart cannot be blamed for it. Gunther Holtorf comes
handy as a bragger. Additionally it happens often that facts are mixed with wishful
thinking. Here are some hints and links for this dubious "competition" –
the remarks speak for itself due to the complete lack of transparency (statements without
any relevant evidence).
-
- Part of a press release of April 2005 by “Cairo National Automotive”
(CNA), an authorized Mercedes-Benz dealer in Cairo, published by “BT Business
TodayEgypgt.com”:
“Holtorf and Bohme began their trip in 1990 and, since then, they have been traveling
in six-month intervals. A seasoned traveler and former Lufthansa director, Holtorf spent
most of his life posted outside Germany.”
-
- Note: That means that Holtorf effectively traveled in the 18 years from 1990
until 2007 only 9 years – if the word "travel" can be used at all.
- --------
“The Star” Malaysia – Journalist Mr. Paul Si, 17.6.2007:
http://thestar.com.my/lifestyle/story.asp?file=/2007/6/17/lifefocus/18018853&sec=lifefocus
Part from an interview:
“I have not really been living in my car for the past 17 years,” Holtorf, now
67, confesses modestly with a chuckle, in an interview on Tuesday at a golf club in Subang
Jaya, Selangor.
“My wife and I would normally drive around several places for, maybe, six months,
then we park the vehicle and fly home to Germany. Then, a few months later, we return to
the car and continue the journey.”
--------
„Auto Web News“ Australia – 9.7.2007
http://www.autoweb.com.au/cms/newsarticle.html?&A=108959&title=MercedesBenz-GClass-Driver-on-17Year-RoundTheWorld-Trip
Part from an interview:
This globetrotter actually started his journey in 1990. He usually dedicates some six
months per year to his trips, and spends another couple of months in his home town, near
Munich in Germany.
--------
“The Gleaner” Jamaica – Journalist Mario James, 3.2.2008:
http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20080203/auto/auto1.html
Part from an interview:
So maybe it takes a lot to excite her ... the couple has lived this nomadic lifestyle for
about six months out of every year since 1990.
--------
“The Philippine Star” Philippines – Journalist Kap Maceda
Aguila, 6.6.2012:
http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?publicationSubCategoryId=72&articleId=814385
Part from an interview:
At the CATS Motors showroom on EDSA, Otto takes a special place, albeit temporarily, among
the latest Mercedes-Benz models. I must say that Otto wears his age and mileage proudly.
“Go inside and take a look,” invites Gunther, and points out to me the
speedometer logging 799,783 kilometers. The first seven looks a little out of place.
“It only has five digits, so whenever I reach 100,000 kilometers, I take it to
Europe. They (Mercedes-Benz people) open it and plaster on the first digit,” he says
with a smile.
--------
“Digital Trends” USA – Journalist Anday Boxall, 24.7.2012:
http://www.digitaltrends.com/lifestyle/two-people-a-mercedes-g-wagen-and-their-23-year-500000-mile-journey-around-the-world/
Part from an interview:
When another 100,000 kilometers is about to pass, Otto returns to a Mercedes dealer in
Europe, where the instrument binnacle is opened, and a new sixth digit is stuck next to
the standard five-digit readout.
A 20-year old GPS unit, a traditional paper map and a diesel additive is about as
technical as it gets, and don’t go looking for a website, Facebook page or Twitter
feed on Gunther’s exploits either, as the adventure is strictly low-key.
-
- Note: We are convinced that, based on the figures mentioned in the various press
releases, the current claimed mileage of more than 500'000 miles (800'000 kilometers)
should be reduced by about 125'000 miles (200'000 km).
-
- Part from an interview:
- In his recent interview with 'Outside', an American online magazine, the journalist
asked Gunther whether he has been in Somalia. His answer was: «Somalia,
no. It wasn’t possible at that time, we were near there in ’93, ’94, during
the unrest there. There was no way. We can’t go there now either; it’s like
Russian roulette». However, Somalia can be found listed in the
alphabetical list of driven countries between 1990 and 2011 in an interview with
the Sri Lankan 'Motormag.online.com'., and again on a website of a Philippine hotel,
mentioned in a professionally looking chart with flags and visited country names (and four
beautiful head pictures).
- --------
-
- "Outside"
USA – Journalist Dave Seminara, 7.1.2013:
- http://www.outsideonline.com/adventure-travel/The-Worlds-Greatest-Traveler-A-1988-Mercedes-That-Has-Been-to-172-Countries.html?page=10
-
- "Motormag"
Sri Lanka – Journalist Dyan S., 23.7.2011:
- http://www.motormagonline.com/2011/07/23/the-modern-day-marco-polo-gunther-holtorf/
-
- "Camiguin Action Geckos Dive & Adventure
Resort" Philippines – 22.6.2012:
- http://www.camiguin.ph/news
-
- Note: The listing of Somalia as a visited country is in fact
contradictary and raises thus the question, whether Gunther Holtorf and therefore
"Otto" (the Mercedes car) have indeed traveled in all the other
mentioned countries that he is claiming.
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