Trans World Expedition: Driving around the globe

In a little over two weeks time, on November 15 to be exact, Nicolas Rapp will be setting out on an adventure of a lifetime. He'll be quitting his comfortable job as an art director for the Associated Press, and setting out on a year long road trip, driving his way around the globe.

Nick's route will begin and end in New York City. First, he'll head south into Mexico, continuing down through Central and South America. Eventually he'll ship his vehicle by boat to South Africa, where he'll turn north and drive his way to Europe, before turning east across Asia. From there, he'll once again ship his vehicle, this time across the Pacific, where he'll then complete his expedition by driving across the U.S. back to New York City. You can review his entire route on his website by clicking here.

In order to complete this type of long distance driving journey, the intrepid traveler had to select the perfect vehicle. Nick elected to go with the Toyota Land Cruiser, which seems like the most logical choice. The rugged and powerful 4x4 is used all over the planet, which means finding parts for it should be easy, and it will perform well in nearly any type of terrain. In preparation for the journey, Nick upgraded the suspension, reinforced the bumpers, added a roof rack, and installed a storage system for all of his gear. He also added a rooftop tent to the vehicle which will give him a comfortable place to sleep each night, saving him money on accommodations as he goes.

Filed under: Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, South America, Camping, Transportation, Central America