A man who has dedicated 27 years to walking around the world on foot shares his experiences and the most daunting places he has visited.
At 29 years old, Karl Bushby embarked on an ambitious journey from Punta Arenas, Chile, aiming to return to the UK solely on foot, avoiding any form of transport.
Today, at 56, Bushby is nearing the completion of his expedition, with the possibility of having to swim across the English Channel from France to England.
He expressed his feelings about this final challenge to CBS News: “Swimming sucks, dude. It just sucks. I’m not a swimmer. I don’t like it.”
As he approaches the finish line, Bushby confessed to feeling ‘uncomfortable’, likening the experience to ‘like anyone who’s had a lifetime career when it’s time to retire’.
In a conversation with CBS’ Ramy Inocencio, Bushby recounted some of the most terrifying moments he faced over the decades of his journey.
Among the most harrowing experiences was his 2000 trek through the Darién Gap, a stretch of roadless rainforest between Panama and Colombia.
He described being ‘in the middle of a war zone’, telling Inocencio: “There was a whole layer above that that was cartels and drug plantations, and then really, really tough jungle.”
Bushby also made history by crossing the Bering Strait, located between the Pacific and Arctic oceans, becoming the first Briton to achieve this feat.
During this crossing, he had an encounter with a polar bear.
“You’re in a very serious world that will kill you in 20 minutes if you mess up,” he reflected.
In a different interview, Bushby talked about the challenges faced throughout his 27-year journey.
He told BBC Radio Humberside in June: “We’ve run into a lot of complications with visa problems, financial crises, the pandemic: we’ve had it all.
“It’s been extremely difficult but we’ve always stuck to our guns and never been willing to compromise on the route.”
Due to restrictions, Bushby was unable to travel through Russia or Iran, leading him to swim across the Caspian Sea, another first for any traveler.
This vast body of water spans over 143,000 square miles, bordered by Kazakhstan, Russia, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, and Iran.