Karl Bushby, 56, arrived in Hull, England, on Monday after spending 28 years walking across four continents. He first addressed a crowd in the city center before continuing on foot to his mother Angela Bushby’s home, where the yard had been decorated with Union Jack bunting and a banner welcoming him.
Bushby began the journey in Punta Arenas, Chile, in November 1998. He traveled north to the Bering Strait, crossing it on foot in March 2006, and then continued through Asia and Europe. His route covered about 31,000 miles.
The journey followed rules Bushby had set for himself, including a commitment not to enter Britain until the walk was complete. That restriction made it difficult for him to see his son and his 12-year-old granddaughter, whom he met for the first time on Monday.
He also vowed not to use vehicles, boats or planes during the journey. To reach England, he therefore swam across the English Channel in October. He arrived in Hull with a modified golf trolley that had carried his camping equipment, clothing, toiletries, food and water.
At a news conference, Bushby said he expected to spend the next year working on a documentary and writing a book. For the moment, however, he was still absorbing his return to his hometown.
“It’s difficult to explain how all that felt today,” Bushby said. “It’s all still one great big, blurry mess at the moment in my head.”
Sources: The New York Times World.