Imagine setting off on a walk in 1998 and not making it back to your hometown until 2026. For Karl Bushby, a former paratrooper, this wasn't just a long stroll—it was a 36,000-mile mission that took him across the Americas, Asia, and Europe.
The long road home
Bushby left Hull at age 29 with a plan to walk around the world in 12 years. Things didn’t exactly go to plan. Between global bureaucracy, visa issues, pandemics, and financial hurdles, the trip stretched into a 28-year saga. He stuck to two strict rules: no transport to advance his journey, and no heading home until the mission was complete. When forced to detour, he’d always return to the exact spot where he left off.
He didn't do it alone—or at least, he had "The Beast." That’s the nickname for his custom-built golf trolley, which carried all his gear. The original broke down, but "Beast 2," built in Nicaragua, has been his loyal companion for the last 25 years.
The reality of the ‘Goliath expedition’
It’s giving main character energy, but the reality was often brutal. Bushby has faced gunpoint threats, false accusations of being a spy, polar bear encounters, and even being stuck in Mexico for years after losing his sponsor.
He recently finished a 21-mile swim across the Channel to reach England. He humbly calls his swimming style "floatimming," joking that he's a total amateur compared to the pros. At 57, he’s definitely not the same person who left. People used to think he looked like Kurt Cobain; now, he laughs off the middle-aged spread he’s developed from years of eating gas station snacks and waiting out visa delays.
Why it matters
Bushby’s journey is the longest unbroken foot journey ever recorded, covering 29 countries. He’s back in Dover and plans to reach Hull by November 1, exactly 28 years after he set off. It’s a wild reminder that sometimes, you just have to be a bit of a rottweiler—refusing to quit until you’ve reached your goal. No cap, that is some serious dedication.
