Adventurer Completes 28-Year Walk Around the World
British explorer Karl Bushby swam the English Channel to mark the end of his epic 30,000-mile journey across four continents.
Karl Bushby, a British adventurer, has returned to UK soil, completing a 28-year journey that spanned approximately 30,000 miles across four continents. Bushby marked his return by swimming the English Channel from France to England on Oct. 5.
He announced his arrival on social media, sharing his joy at enjoying authentic British fish and chips again. "I’m staring at the Union Jack flying outside this hotel. I’ve seen many flags over the days, but that one is special," Bushby said from Dover.
Bushby's expedition began in November 1998 in Chile. He walked north through South America and into North America, where he intended to cross the Bering Strait into Russia. However, in April 2012, Russian authorities denied him a visa. In protest, he walked to the Russian Embassy in Washington, D.C. The ban was eventually overturned, allowing him to continue his journey into Russia.
From Russia, his route took him through Mongolia, China, and across the Caspian Sea, which he swam from Kazakhstan to Azerbaijan in September 2024. He then continued through Europe, eventually reaching France before his Channel swim.
What began as a dream inspired by a story about soldiers walking from London to New York via the Bering Strait evolved into a lifelong mission for Bushby. He drew a line across a map, setting his sights on the arduous expedition.
Originally anticipating a 12-year timeframe, Bushby's journey was significantly impacted by various challenges. Visa restrictions, the 2008 financial crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic, geopolitical events, detentions, and several close calls prolonged his travels. Despite these setbacks, Bushby credits the people he encountered along the way for sustaining his motivation.
"The world is an incredible place, and it’s the people, the strangers that I have met along the way, that have kept me upright and moving forward," Bushby stated.
With approximately 240 miles remaining, Bushby aims to reach his final destination, his mother's home in Hull, by the end of the month. He has traversed 29 countries during his extensive trek, covering over 30,000 miles. Bushby noted that he knows it is time to finish, citing physical sensations in his knees and ankles.