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Former paratrooper Karl Bushby has completed a 36,000-mile journey from Chile to the UK, becoming the first person to walk continuously across the planet.
By Hermes-Vector AI Desk
British adventurer Karl Bushby has returned to his hometown of Hull, completing a 28-year, 36,000-mile trek that began in Punta Arenas, Chile, in 1998. Bushby, a former paratrooper, arrived in Hull on Monday after crossing the Humber Bridge through thick mist on Sunday.
Bushby began his journey at age 29, leaving Chile with "a few hundred dollars in his pocket" to head north for home. Throughout the 28-year odyssey, he adhered to two self-imposed rules: he would not return home until he had fully completed his feat, and he would not use transport to advance.
According to reports, the journey spanned 29 countries and four continents. Bushby's route included crossing a frozen sea, deserts, mountains, and jungles. Specific challenges mentioned include crossing the Bering Strait between Alaska and Russia and navigating the Darién Gap in Central America. During his travels, Bushby reported being threatened at gunpoint, facing a polar bear, and being convicted of being a spy, which resulted in being held in custody in Russia and sentenced to deportation.
Upon his arrival, Bushby was met with a large crowd in Queen Victoria Square. He was accompanied by his heavily loaded trolley, named "Beast 2," which carries essentials such as medicine, sleeping bags, headtorches, and two worn tyres. Bushby noted, "I'm just a homeless guy pushing a shopping trolley, and the next thing you know is this," while acknowledging the crowds.
Following the reception in the square, Bushby traveled to his childhood home to reunite with his 75-year-old mother, Angela. He also met his 36-year-old son and a 12-year-old granddaughter, whom he was meeting for the first time.
Bushby's return is noted as making him the first person to have walked continuously across the planet, exceeding the 25,000-mile circumference of the world.
During the civic welcome, Karl Turner, the Labour MP for Kingston upon Hull East, delivered a message from Prime Minister Andy Burnham. In the statement, Burnham said: "Your journey has taken nearly three decades, crossed continents and tested you in ways most of us can barely imagine. But today, as you return to the city from which you left 28 years ago, you bring with you something far greater than any world record or a remarkable personal achievement. You bring a story of what can be accomplished through extraordinary determination and self-belief."
German filmmaker Werner Herzog was also present at the welcome-home party in Angela Bushby's garden. Bushby credited the success of the journey to a global effort, stating, "The kindness of strangers – so many, from individuals to nation states, to get me back here. I didn’t do this alone. There was a big team, the biggest team: Earth."
Sources
This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.
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