This journey of British explorer Karl Bushby, who set out to return home one day, lasted exactly 28 years. Bushby walked and swam approximately 50 thousand kilometers without using means of transportation, leaving behind four continents and nearly 30 countries; He finally reached his childhood home.
Aiming to travel the world on foot, Bushby's journey, which he called "Goliath Expedition", started on November 1, 1998, in Punta Arenas, southern Chile. Bushby, a former British paratrooper, set two rules for himself: He would not use any means of transportation during the journey and would not return home before the expedition was completed.
Bushby, who walked and swam the 31,000-mile (approximately 50,000 kilometers) route passing through nearly 30 countries and four continents, picked up exactly where he left off every time he took a break throughout his journey. The Associated Press (AP) described this adventure as one of the world's longest continuous walking expeditions.
A birthday card sent by his father Keith was behind Bushby's extraordinary journey. The card mentioned a discussion among his father's special forces friends about whether it was possible to walk from London to New York via the Bering Strait.
Impressed by this idea, Bushby opened the world map and drew his route. The former paratrooper, who served in the 3rd Battalion of the British army for 12 years, prepared for this big journey after leaving the military in 1997. In a past interview, he explained his purpose with the words, "I wanted to show something to my parachutist friends."
The journey, which he initially planned to complete in five years, took years due to unexpected obstacles. Bushby, who crossed the difficult Darien Passage between Colombia and Panama in 2001, was detained in Panama for 18 days.
The explorer, who reached Russia from Alaska by crossing the frozen Bering Strait in 2006, was this time detained on the grounds of illegal entry into the country. He was then stranded in the region for years due to problems with his Russian visa. It also lost its main sponsor during the 2008 global financial crisis.
The COVID-19 pandemic and Russia's invasion of Ukraine made the journey even more difficult. When the land routes planned to pass through Russia and Iran became unusable, Bushby had to change his route.
Unable to proceed by land, Bushby swam across the Caspian Sea to reach Azerbaijan from Kazakhstan in 2024. He completed the distance of approximately 288 kilometers in 31 days.
In the final stage of his journey back to England, he swam across the English Channel last month. Bushby's request to walk through the underwater tunnel, who stayed in the water for approximately 20 hours during the swim that spanned three days, was not accepted. Thereupon, he chose to swim to reach British territory.
Taking into account the entire journey spanning 28 years, his average daily distance, including periods of inactivity, was approximately 4.9 kilometers.
As Bushby's journey continued, not only countries and borders changed, but also his family's life. His son Adam, who was 8 years old when he set out, is 36 years old today. Bushby also had a 12-year-old grandchild, and met her for the first time on her return home.
The British explorer described his journey as a "21st century epic" in a recent interview with The Telegraph. However, he did not hide the impact of this great adventure on his family: "It was a selfish act," said Bushby, adding that his loved ones paid an emotional price.
Bushby's return turned into a big gathering in the port city of Hull in north-east England on November 2. Hundreds of people gathered in Victoria Square to welcome the 57-year-old explorer.
Pulling a trolley carrying his belongings, Bushby humorously told the crowd, "I'm sorry to keep you waiting so long" and "Is it really the end?" he called out. Then he walked another 5 kilometers to reach his childhood home. He hugged his 78-year-old mother, Angela, under a banner that said "Welcome, son."
His son Adam and his 12-year-old grandson, whom he met face to face for the first time, were also present at the reception. Emphasizing that he did not complete the journey alone, Bushby said, "I did not do this alone. Countless people, from individuals to governments, helped me. The whole world literally brought me here."
This journey also attracted the attention of the cinema world for Bushby, who plans to attend conferences and talks to be held in England. German director Werner Herzog is working on a feature-length documentary called Walk of Life, which tells the explorer's 28-year adventure. Andy Burnham also posted a message celebrating Bushby's homecoming.
Asked if he would embark on the next long-distance journey, Bushby explained his decision by saying, "28 years is enough. I'll hang up my boots now."
