After walking 50,000 kilometres across four continents over 28 years, British adventurer Karl Bushby has returned to his hometown of Hull in northeast England. Hundreds of people gathered on Monday to welcome the 57-year-old, who said his achievement was made possible by “a great team” — the Earth itself.
Bushby, a former paratrooper, began his journey from Chile in November 1998 after separating from his wife. He set himself two rules: he would not use transport and would reach home entirely on foot. His route took him through South, Central and North America, across the Bering Strait between Alaska and Russia, and onward through Central Asia and Europe.
After travelling through 29 countries, Bushby returned to Hull to see his mother and son and to meet his 12-year-old granddaughter, whom he had never previously seen. Crowds had already cheered him on Sunday as he crossed the Humber Bridge in heavy fog. Speaking to BBC Radio, he said the reception had left him “absolutely overwhelmed”.
Bushby carried all his belongings in a wheeled cart known as “The Beast”. His journey was interrupted by several lengthy delays. Russian authorities, for example, refused to issue him a visa for an extended period after he crossed the frozen Bering Strait on foot.
Visa difficulties, the 2008 financial crisis and the coronavirus pandemic accounted for around 14 of the 28 years he spent travelling. Each time he resumed the expedition, he had to restart from the precise location where he had stopped.
In October, Bushby completed one of the final major challenges of the journey by swimming across the English Channel. “It wasn’t easy, and that was exactly the point,” he said.
Sources: FAZ.