Veteran cabbie Mike Caldwell was paid almost $5000 to drive into the outback and beyond.

In 30 years as a cabbie, Caldwell thought he'd seen and heard it all. That was until he was hailed down outside a pub in North Queensland where a half-naked passenger asked to be driven to Tennant Creek in the Northern Territory.

And so began their seventeen hour road trip, with Caldwell forced to make regular rest stops along the way.

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The trip ended with Caldwell dropped off the mystery man, known only as Pero, at a Westpac bank.

With his life and job having taken an unexpected and very long detour, Caldwell was left with the long, lonely return leg.

But for Pero it seems the adventure had only just begun.

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Tennant Creek's only cabbie picked up Pero at a pizza bar in the town's main street and took him 250 kilometres away to Elliot.

He was then off to Darwin - about 1100 kilometres away.

For the same price as the taxi fair, the mystery passenger could have flown around the world not once but twice.