Last week, B-side co-host Mark Larson forwarded me a blog post written by a guy named Nicolas Rapp, who recently ditched his art director job at the Associated Press to drive his 1996 Toyota Land Cruiser around the world. He hopes to be on the road by Nov. 15, 2009.

Around-the-world trips are fairly common. During a Google search, I found a Forbes Traveler article that lists cruise lines, tour companies and hotel corporations that sell round-the-world travel packages. For example, if you have $100,000 to spend, you can fly from one Four Seasons to another in 34 countries. Or, you can take a 107-day round-the-world cruise on Cunard’s Queen Victoria ship.

But the travel industry uses the term “round-the-world” loosely. You don’t literally circumnavigate the globe. You fly in airplanes to various spots; you eat your meals at cruise buffets while the ship’s at port. Rapp’s round-the-world trip is literal. It’s a road trip — he’s not going anywhere without his Land Cruiser.