Karl Bushby received an emotional welcome in Hull on Monday, where hundreds of people gathered at Queen Victoria Square to celebrate his return. The 57-year-old adventurer described the reception as overwhelming and “fantastic” after completing the final stage of a journey that began 28 years ago.
Wearing shorts and carrying his two-wheeled luggage cart, known as “The Beast”, Bushby then walked the five kilometres to his mother Angela’s home. A small stage was erected in his honour, while the BBC followed his return with a live ticker.
Bushby began the expedition on 1 November 1998 in Punta Arenas, southern Chile. The former soldier set himself two main rules: he could not use transport to advance along his route, and he would not return home until the expedition was complete. He initially set out with only a few hundred US dollars and his luggage cart.
His route took him through South and Central America, the United States and Canada, followed by Alaska, Siberia, Asia and Europe. According to his press team, he travelled approximately 50,000 kilometres and visited 29 countries, crossing mountains, deserts and jungles while facing extreme cold and dangerous waters.
Among the expedition’s most perilous episodes were a swim across the Caspian Sea to travel from Kazakhstan to Azerbaijan and a swim across the English Channel from France to England in early October. In 2006, during an attempted crossing of the Bering Strait, Bushby was threatened by a polar bear and detained by Russian border guards.
The journey was also delayed by financial problems, visa issues and political obstacles. The 2008 global financial crisis led to the loss of investors, while the coronavirus pandemic created further difficulties. Although Bushby occasionally had to use aircraft during enforced interruptions, he returned to the point where he had stopped each time in order to remain faithful to his rules.
The expedition lasted far longer than the roughly 12 years Bushby had originally expected. Along the way, he spent periods living in Mexico and the United States. He also accepted the personal cost of leaving his young son in England. Bushby now has a granddaughter whom he has not yet met, while he says his relationship with his son Adam is good after many open conversations.
Sources: Der Spiegel.