Last year, Chang Hyun Choi, a South Korean man who lives in London, decided it was time to see Europe. He traveled more than 17,000 miles through Italy, Austria, Spain, Portugal, and a multitude of other countries on the continent, even hopping down into Morocco for a few days of sun and sand.

You may be thinking: So what? Thousands of Australian backpackers do the same thing every year.

True – but how many of them have made that entire trek in a wheelchair? Our guess is, probably none.

Choi is severely disabled and doesn't have motor control of his hands, so he operates the wheelchair using his mouth. Despite his limited mobility and the fact that his motorized wheelchair wouldn't outrace a septuagenarian jogger, Choi's determination to promote disability rights and the reunification of North and South Korea has taken him far.

During his cross-continental travels, Choi has met plenty of people, but one in particular stands out – Pope Benedict XVI, who "encouraged him and said he was very impressed by his work," said Bona Shin, a friend of Choi's.

Choi concluded his whirlwind wheelchair ride on August 15th in Berlin, which he chose as a symbol of the reunification he hopes to promote between the two Korean countries. He expects to receive a Guinness Record for his impressive travel efforts, but he's not resting on his laurels yet.

Already, he's planning another trip. "If he succeeds in organizing it, it will shock the world," said Shin.

Is Choi plotting an around-the-world-in-a-wheelchair adventure? Only time will tell, but keep an eye out – you never know when he might roll by.