Karl Bushby, a former British paratrooper, is nearing the completion of an extraordinary journey that began nearly three decades ago. In 1998, at the age of 29, he set out from Punta Arenas, Chile, with the ambitious goal of walking around the world, covering a distance of approximately 50,000 kilometers, and returning on foot to his mother’s home in Hull, northern England. Now 57, Bushby is expected to reach the French coast soon before attempting the final leg of his trip—a swim across the English Channel followed by the last walk back to Hull.
Bushby’s trek has been marked by numerous challenges and unusual obstacles. He has traversed hazardous terrain such as the Darién Gap, surviving encounters with guerrillas, drug traffickers, and venomous snakes. In 2006, after crossing the icy Bering Strait from Alaska, he was detained in a Russian jail for entering the country outside an official port of entry, an ordeal resolved only after intervention from then British Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott. Throughout the journey, Bushby has adhered strictly to two self-imposed rules: never using any form of transport to gain progress and not returning to the UK until arriving on foot.
The English Channel has presented one of the toughest challenges for Bushby. His initial plan to walk through the Channel Tunnel was denied, and permission to swim from France to England also faced restrictions, given France’s blanket ban on Channel swimming. Despite what he describes as uncertainties around his current plan, Bushby maintains his resolve to complete the journey by early November. He has spent considerable time based in Mexico during pauses caused by visa complications and the COVID-19 pandemic, which collectively have more than doubled the duration of his original 12-year estimate.
Bushby’s long-term expedition coincides with a broader rise in extreme travel and country collecting, fueled by advancements such as e-visas, remote working, and social media. Travelers like Harry Mitsidis, founder of the NomadMania website, record visits to hundreds of countries and regions worldwide, noting that the number of individuals completing visits to all 193 United Nations-recognized countries has grown substantially in recent years—from a handful annually in 2008 to around 85 last year.
Torbjorn “Thor” Pedersen from Denmark embarked in 2013 on a continuous, no-flight journey to visit every country, a feat he completed after ten years. Pedersen highlights how his perspective evolved from a goal-driven checklist to a focus on meaningful human encounters during his travels, despite challenges such as contracting cerebral malaria. His story underscores the physical and emotional toll such extensive journeys can take.
The contemporary generation of extreme travelers also includes younger figures like Sophia Lee, a 21-year-old Alaska-born German-American, who leverages social media platforms like Instagram to document travels and connect with local communities. Lee aims to become the youngest person to visit all UN member states but faces challenges like North Korea’s continued closure to tourists.
The growth of communities such as Most Travelled People (MTP), founded by former software tycoon Charles Veley, reflects the expanding interest in detailed travel challenges that divide the world into thousands of regions beyond national borders. This pursuit appeals to a diverse group, often combining a desire for structure with a restless curiosity.
Despite the allure of reaching new destinations, completing these journeys can be difficult. Pedersen, after finishing, found himself engaged in ongoing promotional activities and in search of a new professional direction. Meanwhile, for Bushby, the prospect of returning to Hull after nearly 28 years evokes mixed emotions. Though his body shows signs of wear after decades of walking, his determination remains strong to finish the journey he once imagined from the cliffs of Kent. The final efforts to cross the English Channel and complete this unique odyssey continue to unfold.