Who is Karl Bushby? Meet the man walking around the world for 27 years without taking a ride
From the Darien to the Channel
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In a world where jet-setting is the norm and even short errands involve wheels, one man has chosen to defy the modern travel playbook—on foot. Karl Bushby , a 56-year-old former British paratrooper from Hull, England, has been walking an unbroken path around the globe for the past 27 years, in what he calls the " Goliath Expedition ." Since he took his first step in Punta Arenas, Chile, on November 1, 1998, Bushby has stuck to one iron rule: no transportation, only footsteps.What started as a bold eight-year plan has evolved into a near three-decade odyssey, as he trudges across continents, defies geographical extremes, and challenges political borders, all to be the first person to circumnavigate the Earth on foot—literally.While the sheer distance of over 36,000 miles (58,000 km) is itself Herculean, it's the obstacles in between that have defined Bushby's incredible saga. His walk was never meant to be easy, but it turned out to be nearly impossible. Three major 'gaps' threatened the very core of his expedition: the notorious Darien Gap between Colombia and Panama, the icy Bering Strait between the U.S. and Russia, and the Channel Tunnel separating France from the U.K.Bushby has already conquered the first two. In 2006, he and fellow adventurer Dimitri Kieffer famously crossed the Bering Strait on foot over 14 days, navigating treacherous ice floes and freezing conditions, only to be detained by Russian border forces for entering illegally. It took lobbying by then British Deputy PM John Prescott and Russian governor Roman Abramovich to keep the mission alive.Now, all that stands between Bushby and the finish line is the Channel Tunnel. Since walking through the rail-dedicated tunnel is forbidden, he'll need special authorization to pass through a 4.8-meter-wide service tunnel used by maintenance crews—a bureaucratic hurdle that could take years.Bushby's commitment to a completely unbroken path recently took on aquatic form. In August 2024, unable to safely enter Iran or Russia, he swam across the Caspian Sea from Kazakhstan to Azerbaijan with a support team and co-swimmer Angela Maxwell. The 179-mile journey took 31 days and 132 swimming hours, marking yet another unimaginable feat in this globe-spanning story.Following this, he walked through Azerbaijan and Turkey, reaching Istanbul's Bosphorus Strait on May 2, 2025—officially stepping into Europe. His final push through the continent toward Hull is expected to take until September 2026.Bushby's journey hasn't just tested his endurance—it's tested his spirit. From spending years stuck in Mexico due to visa denials and sponsor losses during the 2008 financial crisis, to a five-year ban from Russia in 2013, his path has been paved with setbacks. Still, he's never wavered.Speaking to BBC Radio Humberside , Bushby reflected: 'On 1 November, 1998, you're literally looking down at a road that's 36,000 miles long and have no idea how you're going to do it… It's been extremely difficult but we've always stuck to our guns and never been willing to compromise on the route.'He also opened up about the psychological toll of such a long, solitary journey. 'Getting home, I just don't know, it's weird. It's a very strange place to be in where suddenly your purpose for living will have a hard stop,' he said. 'I'm hoping to transition into other things as quickly as possible, keeping mind, body and soul on the move.'
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Who is Karl Bushby? Meet the man walking around the world for 27 years without taking a ride
From the Darien to the Channel You Might Also Like: Want to travel and enjoy life NOW? Why many young professionals are opting for micro-retirement as new career goal He Walked, He Swam, He Survived Visa Battles, Solitude, and Survival In a world where jet-setting is the norm and even short errands involve wheels, one man has chosen to defy the modern travel playbook—on foot. Karl Bushby , a 56-year-old former British paratrooper from Hull, England, has been walking an unbroken path around the globe for the past 27 years, in what he calls the " Goliath Expedition ." Since he took his first step in Punta Arenas, Chile, on November 1, 1998, Bushby has stuck to one iron rule: no transportation, only started as a bold eight-year plan has evolved into a near three-decade odyssey, as he trudges across continents, defies geographical extremes, and challenges political borders, all to be the first person to circumnavigate the Earth on foot— the sheer distance of over 36,000 miles (58,000 km) is itself Herculean, it's the obstacles in between that have defined Bushby's incredible saga. His walk was never meant to be easy, but it turned out to be nearly impossible. Three major 'gaps' threatened the very core of his expedition: the notorious Darien Gap between Colombia and Panama, the icy Bering Strait between the U.S. and Russia, and the Channel Tunnel separating France from the has already conquered the first two. In 2006, he and fellow adventurer Dimitri Kieffer famously crossed the Bering Strait on foot over 14 days, navigating treacherous ice floes and freezing conditions, only to be detained by Russian border forces for entering illegally. It took lobbying by then British Deputy PM John Prescott and Russian governor Roman Abramovich to keep the mission all that stands between Bushby and the finish line is the Channel Tunnel. Since walking through the rail-dedicated tunnel is forbidden, he'll need special authorization to pass through a 4.8-meter-wide service tunnel used by maintenance crews—a bureaucratic hurdle that could take commitment to a completely unbroken path recently took on aquatic form. In August 2024, unable to safely enter Iran or Russia, he swam across the Caspian Sea from Kazakhstan to Azerbaijan with a support team and co-swimmer Angela Maxwell. The 179-mile journey took 31 days and 132 swimming hours, marking yet another unimaginable feat in this globe-spanning this, he walked through Azerbaijan and Turkey, reaching Istanbul's Bosphorus Strait on May 2, 2025—officially stepping into Europe. His final push through the continent toward Hull is expected to take until September journey hasn't just tested his endurance—it's tested his spirit. From spending years stuck in Mexico due to visa denials and sponsor losses during the 2008 financial crisis, to a five-year ban from Russia in 2013, his path has been paved with setbacks. Still, he's never to BBC Radio Humberside , Bushby reflected: 'On 1 November, 1998, you're literally looking down at a road that's 36,000 miles long and have no idea how you're going to do it… It's been extremely difficult but we've always stuck to our guns and never been willing to compromise on the route.'He also opened up about the psychological toll of such a long, solitary journey. 'Getting home, I just don't know, it's weird. It's a very strange place to be in where suddenly your purpose for living will have a hard stop,' he said. 'I'm hoping to transition into other things as quickly as possible, keeping mind, body and soul on the move.'
