Brit adventurer back on UK soil after 28-year round-the-world walk

Former paratrooper Karl Bushby, 57, has returned to the United Kingdom after a 28-year, 50,000-kilometre trek. Bushby, a publicist's spokesman announced his arrival, set off from South America in November 1998, determined to reach his mother's home near Hull, England, without using any form of transportation. He finally stepped onto UK soil on Monday after swimming the Channel from France, securing permission from UK and French authorities due to safety and security considerations.

Bushby, speaking about his return, expressed that it hasn't been easy, but it has been a demonstration of his capabilities and that anyone can achieve more than they think possible. His journey, interrupted by visa refusals, the 2008 financial crisis, and the Covid-19 pandemic, saw him walk across the Americas, cross the Bering Strait, and traverse east to west overland.

A small gathering of friends and family, including his father and brothers, welcomed him at Shakespeare beach in southeast England on Monday, alongside filmmaker Werner Herzog and his crew who are working on a documentary about the journey titled "Walk of Life." The film has received support from a production company for 16 years, aiding Bushby financially, logistically, and in documenting his trek.

Bushby mentioned in an AFP interview from northern France that he will need to adjust to a more normal life upon his return to Britain, as he will arrive with nothing.