He thought chronic pain would end his travel days, but it inspired the ultimate road trip

When Adam Borg left Melbourne for a month-long solo road trip up the east coast of Australia, he thought it would be his last one.

At 54, chronic back pain meant that every kilometre driven and every night spent sleeping on a hard cot was a battle.

But his desire to feel complete freedom before he was no longer able to travel overpowered his physical limitations.

Facing the intense pain, he discovered a rich world of coastal isolation, profound human connection and a newfound sense of resilience.

"I can sit around, watch TV and let myself get old or I can put my pain management techniques to the test," Borg said.

"I'd rather exist doing something I love in pain than let the pain be everything," he said.

Borg packed his surfboard into his ute, asked artificial intelligence to plot a route to LPG fuel stops and set off chasing a dream he'd had for decades while busy raising three kids as a single parent.

He avoided crowded tourist hubs and travelled on a shoestring budget, finding free campsites where he could along the coast in Victoria, NSW and Queensland.

Borg was looking for peace and quiet, but instead he found unexpected friendships with other nomads along the way.

"You realise how easily you can start a conversation with a smile and a hello," Borg said.

While camping in NSW, Adam was offered the eye of a freshly caught fish by a Maori fisherman, a significant cultural honour that sparked a lasting friendship between the two men.

Further along the coast, he found a different kind of connection when he bonded with a young man who was living at a free campsite while working through a drug addiction.

"You're not going to get that raw connection if you're staying in a motel ... you won't be part of the environment," Borg said.

There were surreal moments too, like having a silent staring match with a spotted quoll at Seal Rocks and watching two massive black snakes mate while standing upright on the tips of their tails.

Despite the gruelling hours behind the wheel, Borg's body responded well to the demands of the road. He was gaining muscle from surfing and being on the move.

But more importantly, his perspective was shifting.

"I used to have a deep relationship with the ocean, but I was always scared of it. Now, I respect it, but I'm no longer afraid," he said.

Chronic pain was estimated to affect 20 per cent of the world's adult population, causing disruptions to work, relationships and daily life.

"Living with chronic pain often means valued goals, like staying active or social, are no longer achievable in the same way," Eshraghi said.

"We found that people who were able to find new goals and sources of meaning reported better mental wellbeing."

Researchers found that supporting people living with chronic pain to try exciting new projects may be a "key part" of helping them live well with their condition.

This was certainly true for Borg.

He thought his road trip would be one-and-done, but he's already started planning his next trip, recommending the approach to those wanting to escape the routine of chronic pain.

"You regret what you didn't do on your deathbed more than what you did. The pain is always going to be there, but I'm going to keep going," he said.