Travel Stories: The Man Who's Spent 27 Years Trekking Around the World
Reading time: 9 minutes
When Karl Bushby left Hull, England, on November 1, 1998, he made himself two promises: he wouldn't use any motorized transport on his planned route, and he wouldn't return home until he'd walked completely around the world. Twenty-seven years later, the former British paratrooper is finally within striking distance of home, having covered over 47,000 kilometers across four continents on foot.
His journey isn't just one of the most remarkable travel stories of our time – it's a testament to what happens when someone refuses to compromise on their rules, no matter how impossible the obstacles become.
Photo：DailyMail
The Journey That Redefined Impossible
Bushby's "Goliath Expedition" began at the southern tip of Chile with a straightforward plan: walk 58,000 kilometers home to England in eight years. The route would take him north through the Americas, across the Bering Strait to Russia, through Asia and Europe, and finally back to his front door.
Simple in concept. Brutal in execution.
His first major test came almost immediately in the Darién Gap – a 320-kilometer stretch of roadless jungle between Colombia and Panama. This lawless region, controlled by drug cartels and armed groups, has no infrastructure and remains one of the most dangerous places in the Americas. Bushby spent two months hacking through dense jungle, dealing with venomous snakes and the constant threat of armed encounters. Midway through, Panamanian authorities detained him for 18 days, convinced no legitimate traveler would attempt such a crossing on foot.
By 2005, he'd reached Alaska, facing his next seemingly impossible challenge: crossing the Bering Strait to reach Russia. In March 2006, Bushby partnered with French explorer Dimitri Kieffer to attempt the 240-kilometer crossing of the frozen Bering Sea. For 14 days, they walked across shifting ice floes, dealing with temperatures that dropped to -40°C and navigation challenges in one of Earth's most hostile environments.
They made it to Siberia, but Russian border guards arrested them immediately for entering without going through official checkpoints – technically impossible since no checkpoints exist in the middle of a frozen sea.
Photo：Canada Goose
When Bureaucracy Becomes the Greatest Challenge
This began Bushby's long, frustrating relationship with Russian visa regulations. The country's rules allowed only 90 days per 180-day period, completely incompatible with walking across the world's largest country. Every few months, Bushby had to exit Russia, wait, then return with a new visa.
In 2013, Russian authorities dealt what seemed like a fatal blow: a five-year entry ban. Most people would have found alternative transportation or given up entirely. Bushby did neither.
Instead, he walked 4,800 kilometers from Los Angeles to the Russian Embassy in Washington, D.C., in what became one of the most remarkable protest marches in modern history. The journey took months and attracted international media attention. More importantly, it worked. In 2014, Russian authorities lifted the ban.
Photo：Red Bull
By 2018, Bushby had crossed Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan, but faced a new obstacle: Iran refused him a visa, blocking the most direct route to Europe. His solution was typically extreme: he decided to swim across the Caspian Sea, despite being a poor swimmer who actively disliked water.
Working with adventure partner Angela Maxwell, Bushby spent months training for the 288-kilometer crossing. In October 2024, they entered the water from Kazakhstan's shore with a support boat following their progress. For 32 days, with 27 actual swimming days due to dangerous weather, Bushby alternated between three-hour swimming sessions and nights sleeping on the vessel. They battled massive waves, powerful winds, and Bushby's own fear of deep water.
When they reached Azerbaijan's shore, Bushby had accomplished something that seemed impossible even by his own extreme standards.
Almost Home After Nearly Three Decades
Today, Bushby stands in Turkey, just kilometers from the Bosphorus strait that separates Asia from Europe. At 55 years old, having spent more than half his adult life walking, he's approaching the symbolic gateway to his home continent.
"Only 1.5 kilometers, but that's a symbolic crossing that will take me from Asia into Europe, the last stage of the journey," he says. Once he crosses the Bosphorus, he estimates one to two more years of walking to reach England.
The man who left Hull when Tony Blair was Prime Minister will return to a country that's had five different leaders since his departure. "I've been away so long, I'll probably not recognize home anymore," Bushby admits. "When I left, Tony Blair was Prime Minister. Now they've had five different ones."
What Travel Stories Like This Teach Us About Adventure
Bushby's journey represents the extreme end of what's possible when someone commits completely to an idea. But hidden within this epic travel story are lessons that apply to adventures of any scale.
His success came from unwavering commitment to his rules, meticulous daily planning, and absolute refusal to compromise when obstacles arose. Whether you're planning a weekend camping trip or a month-long trek, these same principles determine the difference between stories you tell for years and experiences you'd rather forget.
The most striking aspect of Bushby's story isn't the distance covered – it's how he handled the setbacks. Visa rejections, sponsorship losses, political complications, and a global pandemic all threatened to derail his mission. Each time, he found creative solutions while staying true to his core commitment: keep walking, never give up.
This mindset transforms how we approach our own adventures. Instead of seeing obstacles as reasons to quit or take shortcuts, they become problems to solve creatively. The weekend warrior planning their first multi-day hike faces similar decisions on a smaller scale: Do you cut the trip short when weather turns bad, or do you adapt and push through?
The Gear That Enables Great Travel Stories
Twenty-seven years of continuous travel taught Bushby hard lessons about equipment reliability. When you're carrying everything you own across four continents, every piece of gear must justify its weight while performing consistently across desert heat, Arctic cold, jungle humidity, and urban streets.
Modern adventurers face similar challenges on smaller scales. Whether you're building skills through Washington's challenging mountain trails or planning multi-day wilderness loops, the principle remains: reliable equipment enables confidence, and confidence enables bigger dreams.
For any adventure worth telling stories about, your pack becomes your mobile base camp. The difference between a successful journey and a failed one often comes down to reliable systems that organize, protect, and transport everything you need across varying conditions. Our 26L lightweight waterproof backpack embodies this philosophy – smart enough for daily commutes, tough enough for weekend adventures, and waterproof for everything in between.
Just as Bushby's success depended on gear that could adapt to any environment, your adventures deserve equipment that won't let you down when conditions turn challenging. The same waterproof materials that protect electronics during unexpected storms also keep documents dry during European coastal explorations like those featured in our beach vacation guide.
Building Your Own Adventure Stories
Bushby's story offers practical lessons for adventurers at any level. His success came from consistent daily progress, creative problem-solving, and absolute commitment to his core principles. Most importantly, he understood that the best travel stories emerge not from perfect conditions, but from how we respond when things don't go according to plan.
Start building your adventure story with reliable preparation. Whether you're inspired by extreme travel stories to attempt your first solo camping trip or planning a comprehensive hiking wardrobe like those covered in our women's hiking outfit guide, success begins with thoughtful gear selection and realistic planning.
The beauty of great travel stories is that they don't require extreme distances or dangerous crossings. They require the same mindset that's carried Bushby across four continents: clear purpose, thorough preparation, and the persistence to continue when obstacles arise. Your version might be completing your first waterfall hiking circuit, exploring San Diego's most beloved hiking trails for accessible coastal adventures, or mastering the art of lightweight backpack organization for longer adventures.
The Long Walk Toward Your Own Stories
As Karl Bushby prepares for his final approach to England, his journey serves as both inspiration and instruction. Not because everyone should attempt to walk around the world, but because his approach to challenges – absolute commitment to principles, creative problem-solving, and refusal to accept "impossible" as an answer – applies to goals of any scale.
When he finally walks into Hull after nearly three decades away, Bushby will have completed something genuinely unprecedented. But perhaps more importantly, he'll have demonstrated that extraordinary travel stories begin with ordinary decisions: to set clear rules, prepare thoroughly, and keep walking regardless of obstacles.
The best adventures aren't always the longest or most dangerous ones. They're the stories where you refused to compromise on what mattered most, adapted creatively when plans fell apart, and kept moving forward when everything seemed impossible.
Your next great travel story is waiting. It starts with the decision to begin walking.
Ready to start your own adventure story? Build reliable skills through Washington's premier trails, discover San Diego's diverse hiking opportunities for year-round adventures, plan a multi-day wilderness experience, or discover European destinations that blend relaxation with outdoor adventure. Every great journey starts with the right preparation – our 26L Lightweight Waterproof Backpack provides the reliability and organization that support growing adventure ambitions.
