Karl Bushby finishes 28-year global trek at mother's Hull home

Karl Bushby returned to his mother's row house in Hull, England, on Monday, ending a 28-year walk around the world. The 57-year-old man stepped off the road and embraced his mother, Angela, outside their shared home. A crowd of journalists, a film crew, and local residents gathered to watch the arrival. A banner reading 'Welcome Home Son' hung on the house.

Bushby began his journey on Nov. 1, 1998. He was 29 years old and a former paratrooper at the time. He left his home to walk to a Royal Air Force base near Oxford before flying to South America. His route covered 31,000 miles across four continents and 30 countries. He avoided planes, boats, and other vehicles for the entire distance.

The trek included crossing shifting ice over the Bering Strait. He swam across the Caspian Sea and the English Channel. Bushby faced jungles, deserts, and frozen tundra. Bureaucratic delays often stopped his progress for long periods. He estimated the trip would take five years, but visa issues extended the timeline significantly.

In 2001, Bushby navigated the Darien Gap between South and Central America. He avoided war zones in the region. He was jailed for 18 days in Panama after crossing a restricted border. In 2006, he crossed the Bering Strait with American adventurer Dimitry Kieffer. They survived a polar bear standoff and lost supplies when their sleds fell into the sea. Russian authorities jailed the pair for entering the country without proper visas.

Bushby spent nearly 10 years in Russia. He traveled in fits and starts due to weather and visa denials. In 2012, Russia denied him a visa. He walked from Los Angeles to the Russian Embassy in Washington, D.C., to protest. The demonstration secured the paperwork he needed to continue.

Bushby joked to the crowd in the city center that he was sorry to keep them waiting. He asked if the journey was finally done. He said the kindness of strangers and nation states helped him reach the finish line. He called Earth the biggest team he ever had.

He planned to meet his son, Adam, whom he had seen only a few times during the trip. He also expected to meet his 12-year-old granddaughter for the first time. Bushby told the crowd it had been a week of last things. He said it was the last day on the road after 28 years.