In 1998, Karl Bushby left Chile to walk to his hometown in England; 28 years later, he had reached Britain with about 400 km left to go

Karl Bushby walked more than 50,000 kilometres across four continents since leaving Chile in 1998. After swimming the English Channel, he reached British soil. In November 1998, Karl Bushby walked away from Punta Arenas at the southern tip of Chile with an ambitious destination in mind: his mother’s home in Hull, England. He set himself two rules for what became known as the Goliath Expedition: he would not use transportation to advance his journey, and he would not return home until he had reached it on foot. Nearly three decades, four continents and tens of thousands of miles later, the former British paratrooper is on the final leg of the journey. As reported by NPR, Bushby reached British soil on October 5, 2026, after swimming across the English Channel because he was unable to use the Channel Tunnel. He landed at Shakespeare Beach near Dover and still had roughly 400 kilometres left to walk before reaching Hull.Karl Bushby carries his backpack through the mountains during his around-the-world Goliath Expedition. (Wikimedia Commons)The journey that began with a birthday cardBushby's plan was inspired by a birthday card from his father. It recounted a discussion between two British Special Forces soldiers about whether it was possible to travel from London to New York on foot via the Bering Strait. Bushby decided to attempt that route and expand it into a journey from the southern tip of South America to his hometownHe began on November 1, 1998, carrying only a few hundred dollars and a determination to keep moving north. His route took him through 29 countries and across deserts, mountain ranges, jungles and frozen waterways. According to Bushby’s own account of the expedition, the journey has covered more than 50,000 kilometres.An early major test came in the Darién Gap. Bushby crossed the region between 2000 and 2001, when the area was affected by armed conflict involving guerrillas, paramilitary groups and drug cartels. He later described it as one of the toughest sections of the entire expedition.Frozen seas, closed borders and an ocean crossingIn 2006, Bushby crossed the Bering Strait between Alaska and Russia on foot over sea ice. The crossing took 14 days and covered about 58 miles. He described it as the “crux” of his expedition, with unstable ice, freezing water, and the constant possibility of encountering polar bears. The journey was repeatedly interrupted by circumstances beyond his control. Financial problems following the 2007-08 financial crisis cost him sponsorship, while Russia later denied him a visa and eventually deported him. Rather than abandoning the expedition, Bushby adjusted his route and continued his journey through Asia.Political and logistical obstacles repeatedly forced him to pause or find alternatives. During the pandemic, the expedition faced another lengthy interruption. In 2024, when a land route into Europe proved impractical, Bushby undertook another extraordinary challenge, swimming across the Caspian Sea from Kazakhstan towards Azerbaijan. His rules prohibited him from using transport to shorten or advance his planned route, although he could use other means to overcome an unavoidable obstacle and reach a point where he could continue on foot. Whenever he stopped, he had to resume the expedition from the same point.A lone trekker follows a rugged coastal trail with a heavy backpack (AI-generate/ ChatGPT)The final miles to HullThe final obstacle turned out to be the English Channel. Bushby had hoped to cross through the Channel Tunnel, but permission to walk through it was not granted. With his self-imposed rules still intact, he eventually chose the water. On October 5, after a difficult multi-day crossing, he reached Shakespeare Beach near Dover. For the first time since leaving Chile 28 years earlier, he was back on British soil.However, this was not yet the end. There were about 400 km to go before he reached his destination from Dover, which was his mother’s home in Hull. Bushby said he hoped to finish the journey on or about November 1, the anniversary of his departure from Chile. The journey has also taken a personal toll on Bushby. He left behind his 8-year-old son when he decided to start this long journey, but 28 years later, his son is now 36 years old. After 28 years, the journey has also involved personal and logistical sacrifices. Bushby has crossed jungles, deserts, frozen seas and political borders, survived dangerous encounters and repeatedly rebuilt his route when plans collapsed. Now, with only the final stretch across England remaining, Bushby is walking toward the place he has long called home.The Hindustan Times US Desk brings you the latest news and developments from across the United States. 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