Karl Bushby reaches Hull after 28-year journey across four continents

British adventurer Karl Bushby returned to his hometown of Hull on Monday, November 2, bringing a 28-year journey across four continents to its conclusion. Around 500 people gathered to cheer the 57-year-old as he reached the northeastern English city after travelling 50,000 km, or 31,000 miles, from southern South America.

Bushby had followed two rules throughout the undertaking: he would not use motorized transport to move forward, and he would not return home before completing his goal. Addressing the crowd in Hull, he credited the support he had received along the way. “I didn't do this alone,” he said, describing Earth as the team that had helped bring him back.

One final stretch was to take him to north Hull for a reunion with his family. Waiting there were his mother, Angela, and his son, Adam, now 36. He was also due to meet his 12-year-old granddaughter for the first time, adding a first introduction to the family reunion at the end of his journey.

A former paratrooper, Bushby set out from Chile in 1998, when he was 29. His departure followed the breakdown of his marriage, after which his wife returned to Northern Ireland with their son. He initially expected the journey to take 12 years, but repeated interruptions extended it to more than twice that length.

Among the most dangerous stages was his 2006 crossing of the frozen Bering Strait between Alaska and Russia with French explorer Dimitri Kieffer. Bushby nearly died during that crossing. To reach Britain early last month, he swam from northern France to Dover across the English Channel, completing the swim over four days.

Border restrictions also disrupted his progress. Russia refused him a visa, while entry into Panama without a visa resulted in time in jail. The COVID-19 pandemic brought further delays, and he spent a period living at a base in Mexico. Whenever he resumed travelling after a pause, he returned to the precise place where he had stopped.

German filmmaker Werner Herzog is making a feature-length documentary about the expedition, titled “Walk of Life.” For Bushby, however, the prospect of life after the journey had already raised concerns before he reached home.

Speaking to AFP in northern France in September, he expressed apprehension about returning to ordinary life in Britain. “I've got to try and get established in the grown-up world again,” he said.