Karl Bushby has returned to his hometown of Hull, England, after spending 28 years travelling around the world on foot. The British former paratrooper covered nearly 50,000 kilometers across 29 countries without using any form of transport during the journey. He arrived home on Monday, November 2, and embraced his mother for the first time in nearly three decades.
Bushby was 29 when he began the trip on November 1, 1998, setting out from Punta Arenas, Chile, with the aim of reaching Hull without taking transport. He had flown to Chile with $500. His route took him north through South America and across Central and North America, a stretch that lasted eight years.
In 2006, he crossed the Bering Strait from Alaska to Russia, walking over ice floes and swimming through sections of freezing water. Crossing Asia took another 18 years. In 2024, he swam about 300 kilometers across the Caspian Sea to reach Azerbaijan. He reached Europe in 2025 by crossing the Bosphorus in Istanbul, then swam across the English Channel to reach England in October.
The trek was interrupted at times by the pandemic, visa problems, illness, lack of money and difficult weather. Bushby said bureaucracy was the biggest obstacle, adding that it took him ten years to cross Russia. Along the way, strangers provided food and shelter, and he later received donations. He travelled pushing a cart with basic survival supplies.
The idea began during a conversation with military friends who doubted that the Bering Strait could be crossed. Bushby said he wanted to prove it was possible. He described himself as having no special abilities, but said he believed he could complete the challenge.
Now, Bushby plans to spend time with his mother, reconnect with his son and meet his 12-year-old granddaughter. He also intends to look for a job and says he does not want another adventure of this kind. Reflecting on his journey, he said he found the best of humanity in 99% of his encounters, across cultures and countries.
Sources: G1.