He left 28 years ago, now after 36,000 miles Karl Bushby is almost home

Karl Bushby, a former British paratrooper, is nearing the end of a 36,000-mile journey from Punta Arenas, Chile, to his hometown of Hull. He set off in 1998, aged 29, with two strict rules: he would not return to the UK before finishing and would not use transport to move his journey forward. His route has taken him across four continents, through the Darién Gap, across the frozen Bering Strait and, most recently, by swimming the English Channel. The final miles are being walked with his heavily loaded handcart, “The Beast.” Though the trek has lasted 28 years, Bushby estimates he spent only about 15 of them walking; visa applications, geopolitical obstacles, and pandemic restrictions accounted for much of the delay.

Reaching home will reunite him with his mother, father, brothers, son and granddaughter, whom he has never met, but Bushby expects the return to bring challenges as well as celebration. Staying away strained family relationships, and he says years defined by the expedition have left him facing uncertainty about who he is and what will give his life purpose once it ends. He describes the everyday reality as tiring and unglamorous, but says the kindness of strangers helped sustain him and strengthened his faith in humanity. The journey began after his marriage ended, and he sees it as a rare chance to pursue an adventure many people dream about. His advice is to take opportunities and trust that you can do more than you imagine.