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

In the English town of Market Rasen, 57-year-old Karl Bushby is nearing the end of his remarkable 28-year journey home. As he pushes a cart laden with camping equipment along a busy country road, just 50 kilometers from his destination, the seasoned traveler grapples with uncertainty about his future and the prospect of returning to live with his mother.

Reflecting on his purpose, Bushby acknowledges that his reason for living may soon come to an end, adding that the transition back into society may prove challenging. Born in 1965, Bushby embarked on his odyssey at the age of 29, setting off from the southern tip of South America on November 1, 1998. Over the course of his epic trek, he has traversed vast distances, spanning 31,000 miles (50,000 kilometers) across four continents, braving harsh elements and terrain in 30 different countries to reunite with his starting point.

Bushby's journey has taken him through the dense jungles of South America, across the shifting ice of the Bering Strait, and even involved swimming across the Caspian Sea and the English Channel. His remarkable feat has persisted through treacherous swampy terrain.