In 1998, British man Karl Bushby started his journey on foot. After 28 years, covering almost 50,000 kms in 29 countries, he has reached England

British adventurer Karl Bushby, who started his journey on foot 28 years back, has now reached the UK. To reach UK, Bushby had to swim for hours in the English Channel to cover the last stretch of his journey, from France to UK. The 57-year-old swam for 20 hours over three days, making landfall at Shakespeare beach, just south of Dover, at 15:30 BST on Monday, BBC reported.

"[It] feels good to have UK soil under my feet after all these years. It hasn't been easy, and that's part of the point; proving I'm more capable than I give myself credit for," Busby told BBC after reaching the UK.

He added: "All of us can accomplish more than we will ever imagine."

The journey that started 28 years back

Bushby started his journey back in November 1998, when he was just 29 year old. He had just two rules - no transport or return home until the journey is complete. The former British soldier reportedly walked off a bus in Punta Arenas, Chile. When he started, Busby thought it would take about 12 years to reach his mother’s house in Hull, England.

Bushby's journey started when smartphones, GPS, and affordable internet access were part of everyday travel.

Bushby also faced many issues during his journey including visa restrictions and the 2008 financial crash that cost him sponsors.

In 2019, the ex-paratrooper reached Turkmenistan, on the Iranian border, but encountered visa problems. Then came Covid during which many countries imposed restrictions on travel. According to BBC, Karl holed up in Mexico during the Covid pandemic.

Later political situation between Iran and the US, and the war in Ukraine, further hampered his journey.

Who is Karl Bushby

Karl Bushby is a former British soldier who served for 12 years with the 3rd Battalion, the Parachute Regiment. Born on March 30, 1969, in Hull to Angela and Keith Bushby, he comes from a military family. His brother also served, while his father was a member of the elite 22 Special Air Service Regiment (SAS).

While serving with 3 Para, Bushby sketched a rough route across a world map. When he showed the proposed journey to fellow soldiers, they told him it could not be done. Rather than discouraging him, their doubts strengthened his determination to attempt it.