After 27 Years of Walking the Globe, a Man Shares the Two Places That Scared Him Most

For nearly three decades, most people have changed jobs, built families, or settled into routines. Karl Bushby did something very different.

He walked. And he kept walking — across continents, deserts, war zones, mountain ranges, frozen oceans, and political borders — for a total of 27 extraordinary years. His mission was as bold as it was unbelievable:

To walk all the way from the bottom of South America back to his home in the United Kingdom — without using any form of motorized transportation.

What began in 1998 as a daring personal challenge slowly transformed into one of the longest, most ambitious expeditions in world history.

Now, at 56 years old, Bushby is finally close to reaching the last stretch of his journey.

But even now, after thousands of miles and unimaginable obstacles, one final barrier stands between him and England:

The English Channel — which he may need to swim across.

“Swimming sucks, dude. It just sucks.” – Karl Bushby

In a recent interview with CBS News, Bushby admitted that after everything he has overcome, the final challenge is one he truly dreads.

“Swimming sucks, dude. It just sucks. I’m not a swimmer. I don’t like it.”

Yet despite his dislike, the circumstances may leave him with no other option. Regulations, strict border controls, and his own commitment to finishing the journey without vehicles leave very few alternatives.

Bushby compared the feeling of nearing the end of his life’s work to someone reaching retirement:

“I feel uncomfortable. It’s like anyone who’s had a lifetime career — when it’s time to retire, it hits you.”

For him, the end is emotional, surreal, and almost unbelievable.

His Most Terrifying Experience: The Darién Gap

Throughout his global walk, Bushby has faced dangers that most people only see in documentaries. But when CBS correspondent Ramy Inocencio asked about his scariest moments, one came to mind immediately:

His crossing of the Darién Gap in early 2000.

The Darién Gap — a dense, roadless jungle between Colombia and Panama — is widely considered one of the most dangerous places on Earth. It is notorious for its:

• violent paramilitary groups

• heavily armed drug cartels

• human trafficking routes

• wild animals

• extreme heat and treacherous terrain

Thousands of migrants attempt to cross it each year. Many do not survive.

Bushby described the experience bluntly:

“I was in the middle of a war zone. There was a whole layer above that — cartels, drug plantations, and then really, really tough jungle.”

Few explorers have crossed the Darién Gap on foot. Even fewer have done it alone. Bushby was one of them.

Crossing the Bering Strait — and Meeting a Polar Bear

If the Darién Gap represented one extreme of nature, the Bering Strait represented the other.

Between Russia and Alaska lies a frozen stretch of ocean marked by shifting ice, bitter winds, and temperatures that can kill a human within minutes.

Bushby became the first British person ever to walk across it.

The journey was so dangerous that even local Arctic communities warned him not to attempt it. At any moment, ice could crack beneath his feet and send him plunging into the freezing ocean.

And then, he saw it:

A polar bear.

Not in a zoo. Not from a distance.

But while standing on fragile sea ice.

He later reflected: “You’re in a very serious world that will kill you in 20 minutes if you mess up.”

Bushby survived — but the moment remains burned into his memory.

Visa Battles, Pandemics, Closed Borders, and Impossible Routes

In a separate interview with BBC Radio Humberside, Bushby explained that physical danger wasn’t the only challenge.

Administrative obstacles were just as brutal.

“We’ve run into a lot of complications with visa problems, financial crises, the pandemic — we’ve had it all.”

Many countries refused to let him cross on foot due to political tensions or bureaucratic restrictions. Some borders closed entirely during the COVID-19 pandemic, trapping him for months at a time.

But despite everything, he refused to compromise:

“We’ve always stuck to our guns and never been willing to change the route.”

Forced to Swim the Caspian Sea

At one point, Bushby was denied entry through both Iran and Russia. That left him stranded with one unimaginable option:

Swim across the Caspian Sea.

A body of water larger than many countries — bordered by:

• Kazakhstan

• Russia

• Turkmenistan

• Azerbaijan

• Iran

More than 143,000 square miles wide.

Bushby, who openly admits he hates swimming, became the first person in history to swim across it as part of an overland journey.

A Journey That Redefined Human Endurance

Over 27 years, Karl Bushby has:

✔ crossed 4 continents
✔ survived jungles, deserts, war zones, and frozen seas
✔ faced cartels, wildlife, and extreme weather
✔ battled bureaucracy, border laws, and geopolitical turmoil
✔ walked tens of thousands of miles — often alone

His trek has become a testament to:

• human endurance

• obsession

• resilience

• and the drive to finish what you start

Now, as he approaches his final miles, the world is watching to see how his story ends.

Will he swim the English Channel?

Will he touch British soil again the way he always intended — on foot?

For Karl Bushby, the finish line is finally in sight.

And after 27 years of walking, danger, and survival…

he deserves to step across it.