In 28 years of walking, Karl Bushby has overcome jungle, desert and red tape. Now he’s nearly home

Karl Bushby, a 57-year-old British adventurer, has been walking home for 28 years. As he nears the end of his 31,000-mile journey across four continents, it remains uncertain if he is prepared for the final leg of his epic expedition, dubbed the "Goliath Expedition."

Billed as a $5.77 monthly commitment, Bushby embarked on his walk on November 1, 1998, from the southern tip of South America. His journey has taken him through sweltering deserts, icy tundras, and treacherous jungles, as well as through legal hurdles and personal setbacks. He has navigated the Bering Strait, swam across the Caspian Sea and English Channel, and faced a variety of perils, including a standoff with a polar bear, a crocodile-infested river crossing, and a mob attack in Peru.

Bushby's inspiration for the walk came from a birthday card his father sent him in the 1990s, which referenced an argument among special forces troops about walking from London to New York over the Bering land bridge. He mapped out his route from Europe to North America and continued down to Chile. Despite the challenges, Bushby has remained steadfast in his resolve to walk home, adhering to two rules: transportation cannot be used to move forward, and he must complete the journey on foot.

Throughout his 28 years of walking, Bushby has encountered numerous obstacles. He has been jailed for illegal border crossings, faced visa issues in Russia, and even had to protest in Washington, D.C., to secure his travel documents. The journey has been an arduous one, with Europe presenting its own set of challenges due to visa restrictions and seasonal travel limitations.

Bushby has had to endure lengthy separations from potential romantic partners, with seven years spent with a Colombian woman and three with a Japanese woman, both of which ultimately ended in heartbreak.

As Bushby approaches the final stages of his journey, he finds himself uncertain about the future and the prospect of returning to a society that may feel unfamiliar. He acknowledges that the experience has been difficult, but remains determined to blend back into society.